I’ve had access to a roommate’s 3D printer, but they’ll be moving away soon :(

Wondering if people have takes on machines that are considered entry level today but may have evolved handy features since, well, when you were an entry level user.

If this isn’t the right place for this please be nice I’m sorry

  • FunkyMonk@kbin.social
    0·
    5 months ago

    Hey I’m not OP but I was wondering too, budget is 1K and would mostly want it to make tabletop figures.

    • RegalPotoo@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      5 months ago

      For minis and other things where you want lots of small details you want a resin/SLA printer.

      • Keep in mind that as well as the printer itself, you also need equipment to wash and cure the resin after it comes out of the printer
      • Resin is extremely toxic, accumulates in the body (ie, lots of small exposures over time is just as bad as one big exposure), and you can develop immune sensitivities to it where your body freaks out with even small amounts leading blisters, burns and breathing difficulties. Do not screw around with resin. Use proper PPE. Dispose of waste resin properly
      • FunkyMonk@kbin.social
        0·
        5 months ago

        thanks! Haven’t looked into it at all just a passing fancy and toxic things sound less fun. Is there anything that would do this with wood, some CNC machine? Much more experience carving stuff but I’m still curious.

        • RegalPotoo@lemmy.worldEnglish
          0·
          5 months ago

          Didn’t mean to put you off if it’s something you are interested in, just be aware with what you are dealing with going into it.

          Small desktop CNCs are relatively affordable, but only cut in 2 dimensions. Laser cutters fill a similar niche, are a bit more limited in the types of materials they can cut and how thick the material can be, are a bit more forgiving than a CNC (no risk of breaking milling bits if you screw up), but have safety issues to be aware of. I’m not aware of any hobby-grade muli-axis CNC machines, but there might be ones out there

    • rambos@lemm.eeEnglish
      0·
      5 months ago

      You probably want resin printer for figures, but I cant recommmend any

    • Centipede@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      5 months ago

      I’d recommend the Elegoo Mars 4 Ultra, along with the Mercury XS wash and cure station. You can get that off Amazon for under $400. You’d still need resin and ppe, and other consumables, but you’d be well under 1k and the quality is amazing.