I have never 3d printed anything before. These days I’m working on a small home automation project, and I will require some enclosures. So I thought why not buy a 3d printer ? That way I can also learn about 3d printing when I get some time.
Also please suggest an affordable 3d printer.
Thanks, this fits my scenario. I’m interested in getting into 3d printing but have neither the time nor inclination for tinkering. I’d rather spend a little more if I can get right to printing
Another question is whether size matters. If you got one called a “mini”, I guess they make bigger ones. At what point is it big enough for typical uses? Do you regret not getting bigger?
Yes, check out Prusa’s website to see the size difference. Generally, 3d printers look like a" car wash" with a column on each side and a carriage that moves between them. The Prusa Mini only has one column, so it takes up a lot less space on the desk / in the cabinet.
The mini still has a respectable print volume of 18cm (cubed), most printers have 20cm. That can be a drawback because some ready-made models expect the print volume to be 20cm, so such models can’t be printed on the Mini, or would have to be scaled down to fit. I have never had that situation though, so no, I do not regret this size.
More importantly, the Mini is like 500 EUR which is a lot for a small printer, but a regular Prusa is at least 900 EUR so there’s a significant savings involved. Speaking of prices, of course you can get a 100 dollar printer, but that’s not going to be the “Mercedes Benz experience” which the Prusa certainly is.