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Ask HN: Have you used a 3D printer?
Do you own a 3D printer personally, or is one available at your work/school?
What was the experience like for you?
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the experience?
- mattl 3y agoI own one, I've used a few. It's not very easy to get started but I imagine once you have it set up it's easier
- grepLeigh 3y agoWhat kinds of things have you 3D printed?
- mattl 3y agoI bought it to print the miniatures for wargaming. I’m subscribed to a few Patreons and have amassed a huge library of models to print. I’ve only printed a few.
- grepLeigh 3y agoOh that's interesting, I also have an aspirational collection of models that I probably won't print. When I do really need to print something, I'll usually search for a model (or tweak/make my own), then immediately print it.
- mattl 3y agoI’ve not done much printing at all with it. Lack of space and the need for better weather relegated the printer to a closet. I’ve used Blender a lot in the past, but mostly for video editing. What are you using for model editing/creation?
- grepLeigh 3y agoShapr3D for the iPad. I found it much easier to pick up compared to industrial-grade (and priced) CAD software. The touchscreen and pen tool felt more intuitive to me, compared to keyboard+mouse.
- mattl 3y agoI’ll check it out. What printer do you have?
- grepLeigh 3y agoI have a Prusa MK3S and Mini+. The MK3S is especially reliable, and it looks like the next gen MK4 is even better in terms of speed/print quality. I really want a printer with multi-material capabilities, but haven't found the right yet. BambuLabs looks interesting, but I don't like how closed the ecosystem is.
- grepLeigh 3y agoThis question was asked previously here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33214786 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33214786 I found the responses so fascinating that I wanted to ask again, and get a few more perspectives.
- meristohm 3y agoNo, haven't used one yet. Concept is cool, but at this point it feels more like havinga 3D printer would create demand for me that doesn't exist; I would feel compelled to find things to make. In that category, I'd rather make things out of wood.
- grepLeigh 3y agoWhat kind of things do you make out of wood? It's funny, I've been in the opposite position! I want to learn wood-working, but the end result is so much more time-consuming compared to firing up my 3D printer.
- Symbiote 3y agoYes, a Prusa Mk3S. Chosen based on recommendations that it was a printer for people who wanted to make things, rather than fiddle with a printer. It was straightforward to build from the kit. It's been very reliable, and the extra cost vs the cheap junk was worth it. Designing models takes longer than I expected, but mostly as I'm a bit perfectionist. 9.
- grepLeigh 3y agoI have a Prusa MK3S too! The assembly documentation was excellent, some of the best technical writing I've encountered. What sort of objects are you printing/designing?