[hackerspaces] reliable 3d printer recommendations?

[Tim Saylor]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone.  Our internal discussion has gone
toward a Makerbot Replicator.  People who have used it are saying it's
software is the easiest to go from rendering to printed file.  Not decided
yet though, the Makergear M2 is very interesting.

On Fri, Sep 28, 2012 at 7:38 PM, Dave Casey <dave.casey at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hopefully you have already placed an order w/ MakerGear.
>
> FWIW, I deeply regret the time and money I've invested in Ultimaker.  A
> quick glance through their google group (
> https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/ultimaker) will show
> plenty of users who are deeply frustrated with the extruder design, the
> complete lack of customer support, and multiple reports of egregious
> overcharges for shipping.
>
> Qualitiy-wise: The TC controller that Ultimaker sent me had the IC
> soldered in backwards, and the filament they sold me varies widely in
> diameter over the course of a few inches.
>
> Open-ness integrity-wise: The TC controller board proudly displays the
> open hardware logo along with a link that goes to a stub page with no
> information whatsoever about schematics, parts, or even a vague sense of
> what the board is supposed to do, and definitely not enough information to
> build a replacement for the broken one that they sold me as part of a kit
> that cost OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS. Inexcusable.
>
> The only way I was finally able to get the Ultimaker to print was by
> replacing a large portion of the extrusion path with parts from MakerGear.
>
> Summary:
> MakerGear: Great people, great support, great products.
>
> Ultimaker: Huge time and money suck. Avoid.
>
>
> On Wed, Sep 26, 2012 at 2:39 PM, Russ Ryba <russryba at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Makergear does publish their files online. HTTP://github.com/makergear -
>> it might be out of date but Rick has sent me files when requested before.
>> He's usually just too distracted to get to it. The m2 only has plastic bit
>> online but it's a good start.
>> On Sep 26, 2012 1:37 PM, "Al Jigong Billings" <albill at openbuddha.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>  Well, they cost about $1,600 including shipping but sure.
>>>
>>> At the Make event recently where they tested a bunch of printers, I was
>>> told by at least one participant that while all 3D printing software sucks,
>>> the proprietary Up! and Cubify software actually sucked the least.
>>>
>>> People are recommending the M2 from Makergear, which has good support,
>>> but I'll point out that none of Makergear's printers are open source either
>>> though they do use the (rather shitty) reprap printing software.
>>>
>>> Al
>>>
>>> --
>>> Al Jigong Billings
>>> http://www.openbuddha.com
>>> http://makehacklearn.org
>>>
>>> On Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 10:34 AM, Sparr wrote:
>>>
>>>  While the Up! is reliable, I would recommend against it. The printing
>>> area/volume is much smaller than other printers in the $2k+ range, and
>>> the software is abysmally proprietary and insufficient.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Discuss mailing list
>>> Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
>>> http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>>
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>>
>
>
> --
>
> Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people
> always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can
> become great.
>  - Mark Twain
>
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>


-- 
@tsaylor
http://www.timsaylor.com/
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