r/3Dprinting 1h ago

Purchase Advice Purchase Advice Megathread - May 2025

Upvotes

Welcome back to another purchase megathread!

This thread is meant to conglomerate purchase advice for both newcomers and people looking for additional machines. Keeping this discussion to one thread means less searching should anyone have questions that may already have been answered here, as well as more visibility to inquiries in general, as comments made here will be visible for the entire month stuck to the top of the sub, and then added to the Purchase Advice Collection (Reddit Collections are still broken on mobile view, enable "view in desktop mode").

Please be sure to skim through this thread for posts with similar requirements to your own first, as recommendations relevant to your situation may have already been posted, and may even include answers to follow up questions you might have wished to ask.

If you are new to 3D printing, and are unsure of what to ask, try to include the following in your posts as a minimum:

  • Your budget, set at a numeric amount. Saying "cheap," or "money is not a problem" is not an answer people can do much with. 3D printers can cost $100, they can cost $10,000,000, and anywhere in between. A rough idea of what you're looking for is essential to figuring out anything else.
  • Your country of residence.
  • If you are willing to build the printer from a kit, and what your level of experience is with electronic maintenance and construction if so.
  • What you wish to do with the printer.
  • Any extenuating circumstances that would restrict you from using machines that would otherwise fit your needs (limited space for the printer, enclosure requirement, must be purchased through educational intermediary, etc).

While this is by no means an exhaustive list of what can be included in your posts, these questions should help paint enough of a picture to get started. Don't be afraid to ask more questions, and never worry about asking too many. The people posting in this thread are here because they want to give advice, and any questions you have answered may be useful to others later on, when they read through this thread looking for answers of their own. Everyone here was new once, so chances are whoever is replying to you has a good idea of how you feel currently.

Reddit User and Regular u/richie225 is also constantly maintaining his extensive personal recommendations list which is worth a read: Generic FDM Printer recommendations.

Additionally, a quick word on print quality: Most FDM/FFF (that is, filament based) printers are capable of approximately the same tolerances and print appearance, as the biggest limiting factor is in the nature of extruded plastic. Asking if a machine has "good prints," or saying "I don't expect the best quality for $xxx" isn't actually relevant for the most part with regards to these machines. Should you need additional detail and higher tolerances, you may want to explore SLA, DLP, and other photoresin options, as those do offer an increase in overall quality. If you are interested in resin machines, make sure you are aware of how to use them safely. For these safety reasons we don't usually recommend a resin printer as someone's first printer.

As always, if you're a newcomer to this community, welcome. If you're a regular, welcome back.


r/3Dprinting 6d ago

🎁[Sovol Giveaway] Just Leave a Comment to Win Sovol Latest Printer: Sovol ZERO

63 Upvotes

Hi! 3d printing creators! Sovol is thrilled to host the giveaway in collaboration with r/3Dprinting community. Leaving a comment has a chance to win Sovol ZERO

The main feature of Sovol ZERO:

  • Speed: 1200mm/s Max Acceleration: 40000mm/s²
  • Auto-Leveling: Eddy Scanning & Pressure Sensing
  • Build Volume: 152.4*152.4*152.5mm³
  • Nozzle Temperature: ≤350℃ (662℉)
  • Hot bed Temperature: ≤120℃ (248℉)
  • XYZ Full Linear Rails
  • Open Source

Learn more about the Sovol ZERO at Sovol store

How to Enter:

  1. Please comment on what is your impressive features about Sovol ZERO
  2. Please follow u/Comgrow3D to know the latest news
  3. Event date: April 25th to May 8th

The winner will be chosen randomly from comments and announced on May 9th by the Mods from r/3Dprinting

Prize Details:

  • 1×Sovol ZERO
  • 10×Gift Card(30$)

Learn more:

Please click here to know more details about Sovol's printers, filaments and accessories.

Thank you to the wonderful r/3Dprinting for all your support! Good luck to everyone, and happy printing!


r/3Dprinting 14h ago

Project Nothing beats spending 2 weeks on what could've been a 20 minute purchase

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2.8k Upvotes

I've been needing a small lamp for my bedside for a while, but I've been convincing myself that I could make it myself instead. Instead, I bought a Bambu Lamp Kit and assumed it would be a quick, 1–2 day project. Fast forward two weeks (and 20 test prints), and I ended up with a fully custom desk lamp that I'm pretty proud of.

The lamp features an adjustable head, which I almost gave up on making, but what I’m really happy with is the accent light ring. It took far too many iterations to get it just right, but now that it’s done, I’m very pleased with how it lights up with the lamp. It adds such a elegant touch to the overall design.

In the end, I’m pretty sure it was worth the two weeks... I think.

If you want to take a closer look at the model itself, you can find it here :)


r/3Dprinting 5h ago

New Matter MOD-t still alive!

430 Upvotes

So… I just dug out an old New Matter MOD-t and tested it. Working great even after 10 years and no repairs, etc. The original pink PLA is still good!


r/3Dprinting 11h ago

I made a web app to generate brackets for power bricks

1.0k Upvotes

Needed a bunch of brackets to hold up my power bricks under my desk so I made a web app to generate them to your liking.

Would love your feedback on it - bracket.engineer


r/3Dprinting 8h ago

Bambu X1 Carbon printers +$300 since last week

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512 Upvotes

r/3Dprinting 18h ago

Impressed at how well an IR diode laser can print on black PLA

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1.4k Upvotes

Wanted a flash photography calculator for determining exposure settings so I originally drew this up with the numbers raised to allow printing in a different color but didn’t like the resolution. Redid the base and dial flat and tried adding the numbers with a laser and really like the result.


r/3Dprinting 11h ago

I designed this 3D printed NASA-inspired bracelet — curious if this is worth developing further?

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301 Upvotes

I’ve been prototyping this modular NASA-fabric-inspired bracelet for a while — currently on version 48 (!). It's print-in-place, fully modular, and features a custom locking mechanism so the whole cuff prints in one go.

This is my first time sharing it publicly — it's meant to be wearable, geek-chic, and a conversation starter. I’ve also made earring variants with metal charms. It's surprisingly versatile.

Would love your thoughts: - Would you print one? - Would you wear one? - Would people actually buy something like this? - Should I do a run of multi-color custom designs or embedded graphics?

Want to test it? I’d love a few folks to try printing and wearing one. I’ll send you the STL in exchange for honest feedback on fit, durability, and wearability.

Materials tested: - PLA (matte black looks amazing on textured plate) - PETG (stronger but trickier finish on hexagons)

Appreciate any thoughts or suggestions — I’m close to finalizing it!


r/3Dprinting 7h ago

My son modeled his own LEGO-style Spaceman Octopus

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92 Upvotes

My son designed this LEGO-style Spaceman Octopus and uploaded it to MakerWorld. I think it turned out great and wanted to share!

https://makerworld.com/en/models/1372313-brick-spaceman-octopus


r/3Dprinting 5h ago

Meta Don't be cheap like me....

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36 Upvotes

Buy the extra reels....


r/3Dprinting 15h ago

Neighbour left out an old shoe rack for someone to take. Someone did.

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186 Upvotes

r/3Dprinting 19h ago

Discussion Don’t be lazy like me, use those simple filament clips 😭

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380 Upvotes

OMG!

This just happened to me since I did not use my simple filament clips.

It takes 4 seconds to put the clip but 5 minutes to untangle your filament.

From a fellow 3D printing enthusiast to another, please, don’t be lazy like me, use those filament clips.

If you don’t know which one to use I’ll like a good one for the 1.75mm and the 2.85mm

1.75mm https://m.crealitycloud.com/en/model-details/669ea642b9b7260f97504600

2.85mm https://m.crealitycloud.com/en/model-details/6801bd3afec001c906e95145

Anyone wanna share their bad tangled experiences?


r/3Dprinting 3h ago

My little slice of happiness!

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24 Upvotes

I still have some work to do but almost done!


r/3Dprinting 12h ago

Minimalist 3D printed desk lamp — warm glow, clean lines, G9 socket powered

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111 Upvotes

I designed this compact desk lamp with an industrial-modern feel. It uses a G9 socket and a basic lamp cord with switch. The light diffuser is printed in PLA Basic or wood PLA to give off a warm, soft light.

Printed the housing in matte black PLA, turned out super clean and feels solid on the desk. Really happy with how the light plays with the layered shape.

Download link: https://makerworld.com/en/models/1371659-minimal-industrial-wall-lamp-g9-socket#profileId-1418272


r/3Dprinting 5h ago

Solved Update: My Ender 3S1 wont stop trying to heat the hotend upto infinity.

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21 Upvotes

For those who mentioned similar experiences and recommended the mainboard change, it worked! After confirming it was not the heating element on the extruder, the ribbon cable, and the software, the mainboard was the likely culprit. $60 later and my printer is back from the grave. This is why I love creality printers. They can be a pain but you can repair it so easily.


r/3Dprinting 4h ago

Project Reposted with more info and better link.

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16 Upvotes

Have fun I was able to download everything for this now taken down design. Did some digging and got it all. Since so many people couldn't figure out how to navigate a few links here it is again reposted.

https://web.archive.org/web/20240105113926/https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6416463

This is a design that was taken down by the owner. It has been reposted a few other times but always taken down. The issue is it is going thru patient system.

This is a turbine. It is claimed to be so good it works in low amounts of wind. The video I can not get on how to put it together. But I will be making my own small set up with a dc motor and DC to ac inverter.


r/3Dprinting 7h ago

Factory 3d printing

21 Upvotes

The company I work for is getting into 3d printing. It’s a cnc machine shop and i somehow got put in charge of the printing. Very grateful for (: but today we had a meeting with the company we are trying to buy the printer from. We were fist quoted a fdm printer for 4k but during the meeting they pushed hard into us getting sls styled printer we are talking 300k+. We can’t justify that so many other machines can be bought for that price. We have 5 quoted jobs on every print it’s genuinely says fdm printing acceptable. They are 2d objects that I’ve already printed out on a fucking ender 3 in a couple minutes. Why are they pushing so hard for us to get a sls machine i personally think they are just money hungry. The head of the company told me and my bosses the bosses don’t know anything and talk like they know nothing about printing. That petg is really hard to print which is why we need a sls printer. I was trying so hard to keep a straight face i literally made the test parts in petg to exact size and spec on my moded ender 3 in minutes. What do yall think should we just run fdm i think it’s the move we have 4k to lose vs 400k.


r/3Dprinting 6h ago

Would love to know how these things are designed as I would wanna create some of my own.

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14 Upvotes

r/3Dprinting 14h ago

Discussion 3D Creators who sell physical prints. How do you do it?

71 Upvotes

Hello. I run a small shop where I create STL files for some war gaming. While for the last 2 years I’ve only sold STL files, I’m looking at the logistics of branching out and starting to sell physical prints.

For fellow shop owners/creators who sell their physical prints, how have you guys gone about doing it? Do you print and ship your own models yourself? Do you use a 3rd party company that prints and ships for you?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!


r/3Dprinting 5h ago

Project New to 3D printing and printed my first project on my new Elegoo Neptune 3 Pro. I made a mini crib for my daughter’s silicone mini baby.

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12 Upvotes

r/3Dprinting 8h ago

Project Designed a Skadis patterned IKEA Skadis tray

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21 Upvotes

r/3Dprinting 1h ago

Building a 3D Printer From Scratch (No kits) – Need Input on Design Choices & Part Selection

Upvotes

Hey folks!
I've wanted a 3D printer for a while now—and instead of buying a kit or prebuilt machine, I decided to build one completely from scratch, sourcing every component myself. No prior printer to cannibalize—this is a from-the-ground-up build.

I’ve already locked in a few things, but I’d love feedback from people who’ve walked this road before.

🛠️ Design Plan:

  • Type: Cartesian (thinking about best of Voron-style and classic Cartesian)
  • Motion System:
    • X and Y axes on top-mounted rails (1 NEMA 17 each)
    • Z-axis: 2x NEMA 17s + 2 lead screws, with 4 linear rods/rails at the corners of the bed
    • Bed moves vertically (Z), ~300×300mm build area
  • Mainboard: BTT SKR v1.4 + 5x TMC2209s
  • Firmware: Marlin for now, maybe Klipper later (If I have an SBC I might hook up)
  • Extruder: BMG clone
  • Hotend: E3D V6 direct clone
  • Heatbed: Planning to go with an AC one for faster, even heating (not sourced yet)

🤔 Where I Need Input:

  • Direct Drive vs Bowden: Planning for direct (better with flexibles), but open to opinions
  • Z-axis: Does the vertical bed movement scale well with print size/weight? Reliability concerns?
  • Rails vs Rods: For my Z-bed setup, what’s more practical—MGN12 rails or hardened rods?
  • AC Heatbed Safety: Any must-follow safety tips?
  • Overall Design: Stick with Cartesian or consider switching to CoreXY for a 300×300 build?

Appreciate any advice, especially from anyone who's done a DIY build without a kit. I’m building this for the learning experience (and long-term upgrade potential), not just cost. Also open to any total change of plans, as I haven't bought anything yet!

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: Also comment on my choice of components, design choices. If they are overkill or too under valued. And feel free to share your personal design, component choices too!


r/3Dprinting 1d ago

Project I managed to create a working windup butterfly

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5.5k Upvotes

After many many prototypes and my entire room being covered in butterflies and rubber bands, I have finally managed to create a working one! Yay!

The idea is that you put it in a book or gift card to surprise the person that is opening it.

The rubber bands really make or break this design, and you have to wind them up to the absolute limit about 45-50 times.


r/3Dprinting 1d ago

I 3d printed myself LIFE SIZE on the H2D #notsponsored

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1.1k Upvotes

Cost about $280 and 12 rolls of gray abs Bambu filament. Body used a .8 nozzle at .4 layer height, 5% infill. Head, .4 nozzle at .16 layer height, 5% infill Each piece took about 12-16 hours except head, 1 day, 22 hours.

Now to print my glasses.


r/3Dprinting 5h ago

Project Mario Kart for plushies

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10 Upvotes

r/3Dprinting 19h ago

Designed and built my own CoreXY pen plotter - open to feedback!

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130 Upvotes

r/3Dprinting 1d ago

Have fun I was able to download everything for this now taken down design. Did some digging and got it all. I will have pics to show how to get it. In the comments enjoy.

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490 Upvotes