Hello all!
I have been thinking about purchasing one for home for a while now. I have toyed around with everything from a Makergear to Fusion3 F400 (even briefly thought about the Hot Rod Henry Supercharged). Lately I’ve been thinking that I really should focus on the DIY kits, both for cost savings and so I can learn by assembling the kit hands on, and upgrading it as necessary.
What I really want is a kit with high quality components that has the capability for reliable, high accuracy printing time after time. Ideally with a print bed at least 12" long horizontally. (I think the Fusion3d F400 is perfect in dimensions). Using the Makergear as a benchmark, I’m attracted by the Makerfarm’s aluminum frame. It seems like that is a prerequisite for reliable quality. However, the BigBox already has a lot of reviews out stating really good accuracy. Can someone give me some advice on which is a stronger platform to start with for precise, prints of a variety of materials (or suggest an alternative)? I also plan on upgrading the printers over time as a hobby, specifically with the intention of getting good prints with Ultem/PEEK.
3 Likes
I have a bigbox so can answer any questions you may have? I opted for the acrylic frame, I have no concerns about the strength of the printer or how solid it is. My previous printer was a prusa i3 which was based on an aluminium frame and had a lot more give to it! I think it all comes down to how it is engineered, most people will tell you acrylic is a bad material to use(or wood) compared to metal but I think it’s been done very well in this printer. I would agree with you in saying going the kit option is a great idea, the printers will go wrong or need a tweak at some point and knowing how it all fits together is a great Base knowledge to have.
I have the BigBox acrylic. It’s quite stiff due to the interlocking construction method and layout. I think you would be very happy with the BigBox kit. Just set aside plenty of time for the build, it does take quite a while!
1 Like
jfield
4
I have a MakerToolWorks Mendelmax 3 from a kit and am very happy with the quality of this printer. It was my first printer, and a kit, and I had no problems getting it up and running . They have also just come out with the MTW Create, which comes either as a kit, or pre-assembled. It is a great quality unit and VERY solid. The print quality is excellant on these printers.
Zhuzoe
5
Hello, friend. We are Wiiboox 3d printer. Although we are not for kit 3d printer, the quality of our printers are so good and the appearance is so fantastic. It has 4 doors opened and wonderful air filtration friendly to the environment. You know that it is quiet for your work. And for this kind of printer, you just need to search “wiiboox” on Amazon. Then everything is OK. Thank you for your time.
MikeD
6
I highly recommend the BigBox. I built a MakerBot Thing-O-Matic, then a Rostock Max V2 (excellent printer - still use today), and recently finished the BigBox Dual Acrylic. I know people are saying it takes a lot of time to build the Bigbox, but I actually thought it was easier and shorter build time than the Rostock. The single head printing worked immediately and the print quality exceeded my expectations. I am learning about the calibration of the dual head which is honestly taking a while to get right with Simplify3d, but to be expected. I don’t think you can go wrong with the BigBox and I like that they are open sourcing all of the design.
1 Like
I really enjoy my BigBox, once I got the firmware hacked up a little bit. It’s a great machine, just the firmware/software side is still catching up IMO.
The comparison to the Pegasus is kinda tough… Really a lot more bang for the bug with the BigBox and it is quite accurate in motion.
This is an interesting option. Thanks for mentioning it! A bit expensive, but the big box gets close to the same price when you start upgrading. Do you know if anyone has upgraded to print up to 400C?
Thanks for the information. Can you comment on the quality of prints you’re getting the level of detail you can achieve and such?
1 Like
Thanks for the replies everyone! Both the Big box and the MakerToolWorks seem like good options, just that the price starts to really creep up as the options are piled on. But I suppose you have to pay to get good quality! I see that there are many build and upgrade options (like Titan hybrid?). Can someone recommend a build that will allow for the most capability and build quality from the get go?
jfield
11
I haven’t heard of anyone printing at 400C, but you should log on to their webchat IRC from the website and ask the question there. There is always someone on there to answer questions. Tell them jsfield sent you.
Here take a look at the dedicated bigbox forum, they they a show off section you can view (including some from me 
) Show off | E3D Online 3D Printing Forum The e3d hot end can have nozzles between 0.2mm and 0.6mm so you can vary the quality it’s capable of, I am very happy with the quality I am getting from it!
1 Like
Hey I am kind of in about the same spot, But I am waiting for a Folger Tech-5 to show up towards end of this week… I was also thinking about a BIG BOX, but just need something with a larger build volume… I’ll let you know what I think of The Folger Tech after I build it! But I would love to hear from someone whom has experience with one. especially compared to the Big Box. Thank You.
If you’re printing at 400*C, you’re basically saying you want to print Ultem and Peek. While you can use a hotend that can melt at 400*C, your print chamber also needs to be much hotter than the ambient temperature to get good layer ahesion (esp. with an open framed printer). Realistically, you want the chamber to be >100*C, which means you have created an oven (safety and cooling issues).
Thanks everyone for the responses! Looks like the Bigbox is going to be a great option for me. Clearly there is a huge community already existing to help with the build, and I think it should be plenty capable a machine to
Regarding printing in Ultem or PEEK. I believe 3dxtech is printing these materials with just a Makergear M2. True, you would introduce interlayer stresses by printing without a heated enclosure as Stratasys, but post annealing should allow you to remove most of these defects, resulting in a high performance part at a value price. An enclosure would definitely help printing these materials successfully though. I’m thinking I’ll build or source a large enclosure to place the Bigbox inside.
