1

Hi there, I’m an engineering computer student and I used this service many times since now.

I finally decided to buy mi first 3D Printer and, reading on the web, I found that the Prusa i3 MK2 is a really good price/quality purchase.

What do you think about that? Considering a budget of almost 1000 euro, do you all have something better to suggest me?

Thanks for help!

2

Hi There,

First of all, Welcome to the wonderfull 3d Printing Community!

Now lets get going. So If i read correctly you dont have much experience using 3d Printers? You never got to Calibrate one or Bedlevel a 3d Printer? do you want to? If you want to buy a 3d printer you first of all need to be sure what you want. Do you need this for Product design? Rapid Prototyping? Or do you just want to Learn more about 3d Printing? These are the questions you need to awnser yourself. Next Step. Stay away from cheap chinese stuff if possible. With a 1k budget you dont need to go this way, BUT and this is a big one, If this is your first machine you SHOULD go with a kit! I always recomend the Kit version over the assembled one. You´ll havet to putt every piece of you printer together and calibrate yourself. Therefore if something breaks you dont always have to go the troubleshooting route with the manufacturer. A little thinking ahead and 3d printing Replacemants should safe you a lot of those situations. I think the Prusa Mk2 is an excellent (at the moment probably the best) choice. It is The first FDM Printer in this Price Range with All Axis self Calibrating. If this doesn´t bother you. Go with the more basic mk1. But if you need a workhorse wich prints an calibrates before every print to ensure you the print will work the mk2 is the single best choice at the moment. Ask yourself some Questions from the beginning of my post and awnser them. Then go ahead and buy the printer for your needs.

Hope i could help somewhat, and if so consider droping a like.

Best Regards,

Eddie

OpenRobotX.

1 Like
3

The only thing I would really add is “are you up to the task of building a printer” if so then have at it. It is a good experience. However, starting with something already together is an option also and not a bad one.

The Flashforge Creator Pro and the QIDI Tech-1 are solid printers that are fairly well behaved. I also have an MK2 and it is a great printer.
As Eddie said, you need to ask yourself some basic questions and start to narrow your focus.

4

First of all, thanks for your reply!
During these days I pondered for a while on your questions, then came to a result.
Talking about the 3d printer, I have no experiece at all, but I’m ready to spend time to solve problems about calibrating, clogging extruder and so on. I’m going to buy one of them because I made some projects in solidworks and, after some prototyping, I would like to get it as a decent product to use daily.

My idea is to buy a kit. The prupose is to learn and understand the actual mechanism behind a 3d printer, and I also like making/assembling stuff, so i will spend good time too :D.
The actual reason because i found the MK2 the best choice is the fact it can be upgraded in the future (Like from a mk1 to mk2 with only 200$), so my investiment will be still a good choice if i want to be in step with the times and upgrade it, to get better results (as declared on the website), without buying a new one. This is my main target, and I hope this is the best choice.

Thanks for your help,
Simone

P.S. Since I’m Italian, I was looking for shipping costs and time for the mk2 on the Prusa website, but they declare it will take 7 weeks before shipping it! I understand they have to deal with many orders and 3d print every piece, but aren’t there any other store to get it in less time?

5

No. They all come from there.