[TheForge] prototyping question

[Bruce .]

Terry,

I second what Dan says.  I have much less experience than he does.  I
messed around with a 3D printer at a Makerspace and was just starting to
get it to do what I wanted (not quite) when I realized that I couldn't
manage with the limited access that the Makerspace imposed.  I wasn't ready
then to buy (and still am not) so I dropped it there.

You'll have to learn whole new concepts.  You'll have to deal with
frustrations - like too cold a work stage leading to the part not staying
put (and getting messed up as a result) - like the plastic filiment getting
physically hung up and there being no cut-off switch to stop the printer -
so thepart gets messed up.  Lots of that.  With your own printer to work
with, you will probably overcome all that.  I couldn't on a shared printer.

The user group is an excellent pointer, but let me go one further.  Try to
find other users and visit them.  If they're at Makerspaces (aka
Hackerspaces), find out when they hold open houses (i.e., public welcome
w/o membership charge).  Seeing a 3D printer in action and being able to
ask questions about it are critical.

Do NOT expect to buy a 3D printer and get it running as quickly as you can,
say, an Epsom or HP computer printer.  It won't happen.

Best of luck,

Bruce
NJ

On Mon, Nov 28, 2016 at 9:19 AM, terry l. ridder <terrylr at blauedonau.com>
wrote:

> Hello
>
> I have been looking at purchasing a 3d printer to use prototyping
> designs and ideas. being cyber monday i thought it be a good time to
> look at the various offerings and price some out.
>
> Any experiences that others have had with using 3d printers would be
> appreciated.
>
> the only experience i have had with 3d printers was a friend's wax
> printer that he used in making lost wax castings in his jewerly
> business.
>
> i am leaning toward the arduino Materia 101 kit. the other one I have
> looked at is the velleman, from belguim, printer
> kit. Velleman 3D Printer Kit K8200, the downside is that the printer
> uses 3mm filament while most others use 1.75mm.
>
> --
> terry l. ridder ><>
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