Wanting a new printer.
Hello my name is Rolf and i am from Norway. This is my first post.
I have only had one printer before and that was a Flashforge Creator Pro, i was very pleased with this printer after som updates and tweaks.
Now i am looking for a bigger printer and i have heard som good things about the i3 mk3 and also some bad ones.
So to the bad ones like stuck filament and some layer imperfections. Has these issues been fixed?
Re: Wanting a new printer.
Yes. Mostly. It depends.
There are something like 90,000 Prusa printers out there. There are a seemingly lot of complaints and issues here in these pages, but this is a support forum. This is where people come to complain and discuss problems they are having with their Prusa printers. That doesn't mean that every other manufacturer doesn't have their own issues. (Some manufacturers may not offer support forums, so you have to go looking for problems.)
If you are really worried about this, do yourself a favor: Don't believe anybody. Observe for yourself. Find as many vendor-neutral 3D printer forums and groups as you can and just observe. I personally have subscribed to several Reddit groups (fixmyprint, 3dprinting). Watch the typical "1st print" problems. IME, Prusa users tend to post 1st print concerns about lines and finish. Other printer users tend to post shapeless blobs and spend time discussing what mods are needed to get quality prints and avoid safety hazards. Read about the experiences with other printers compared to the problems reported by Prusa users. There is a contingent here that is very vocal about the lack of availability of the textured powder-coated bed, for example. Does that impact the quality of the prints you're seeing? Spend some time watching YouTube demos using other printers. As the presenters rave about the finish and quality of the prints, pause periodically and look at the finish. Is it really that smooth? Watch how much time and difficulty is required to level the bed. Watch how much leverage they apply to the spatula in attempting to remove prints without ripping the blue tape. Then decide where you want to spend your time and effort.
My personal opinion is that the Mk3 is not flawless. It has features which don't yet work as well as they should. Some of these have been fixed over time. Some complaints are mostly about supply chain and availability. Other "issues" like the extrusion issue are being looked at by Prusa, but exist to one degree or another on other printers. Prusa is working on it, but may never find a 100% fix. Despite this, the Mk3 still produces prints that tend to look good in comparison to other printers. Where other printers look better, they tend to have required an extensive amount of work to get to that level.
Re: Wanting a new printer.
Thanks for the answer. I have been looking at a lot of reviews on youtube on different printers and i find many don't hold up to the standard that the FF printer did provide. But i think that the prints on the prusa looks quite good and i hope with some diy work will make it a good workhorse.
Re: Wanting a new printer.
I have only had one printer before and that was a Flashforge Creator Pro, i was very pleased with this printer after som updates and tweaks.
Hi Rolf,
In MY experience, I think you can expect about the same experience as above. That said, I'm not aware of any 3d printer in this class/price point that won't require some updates and tweaks--eventually. IMO, that's just where the technology is at this point in time.
I've had a few issues with mine (different than those you & bobstro mentioned) but I'm not soured on the printer. I still have some tweaking to do, but my needs & expectations are different than those of others--everyone's are.
I think the best we can do is to be diligent in our homework/research, make the best decision(s) we can, and go from there. YMMV.
Now i am looking for a bigger printer
I did notice the difference in build size did not seem to be all that great:
Flashforge Creator Pro 225 x 145 x 150 mm
Prusa i3 MK3 250 x 210 x 210 mm
You know best your needs & expectations.
That's "MISTER Old Fart" to you!
Re: Wanting a new printer.
I can't get PLA to print half the time with the MK3 because of something that seems to be thermal creep, some pertinent threads:
Re: Wanting a new printer.
Well i should not have sold my Flashforge, now i have to buy a new one cause i dont take the risk on the Prusa, it seems like there are so many problems.
And one more question. Is the printer made of printed parts?
Re: Wanting a new printer.
And one more question. Is the printer made of printed parts?
Largely, yes (some parts like the frame & rods are aluminum or steel), but there's a reason. The i3 is an open-source design (which, as I understand it, applies to both software and hardware in this case) spawned from the RepRap Project, and as such, parts are reproducible and improvable by anyone. I'm not familiar with the history of Flashforge--it may or may not be similar.
Open-source is a HUGE plus in that a LARGE user community shares improvements, which can then be printed and incorporated into their machines (or not--their choice). Same for the firmware/software associated with operating the printers. You're not tethered to purchasing proprietary parts/upgrades through a single mfr.
If you google, "issues with flashforge", I believe you'll find they're plagued with their own problems, as are most any consumer 3D printers--that is the reality of the technology at this time.
That's "MISTER Old Fart" to you!
Re: Wanting a new printer.
You do realize that simply because there are issues described here for the Prusa printers doesn't mean that every other printer doesn't also have issues, right? Go hang out on the general 3D printing discussions on Reddit or any other location and you'll see some pretty dramatic issues with other printers. In particular, compare the 1st print posts to get an idea of how much work it will take to get a printer doing what you want. Pay attention to those "what do I need to replace or upgrade to get decent prints?" posts. I'd also suggest watching the YouTube video reviews on the other printers. Listen to the reviewer, but also pay attention to how much effort they put into part removal, bed preparation and bed leveling. Look for those things you're going to have to do before and after every print. If they describe the amazing glass-like surfaces it prints, pause the video at various spots to see just how smooth the results are.
Well i should not have sold my Flashforge, now i have to buy a new one cause i dont take the risk on the Prusa, it seems like there are so many problems.
And one more question. Is the printer made of printed parts?
Yes. That's one of its strengths. As the design is improved, you can easily print updated parts or tweak them to suit your needs. You're not dependent on some distant manufacturer to provide parts. Look around these forums and you'll find a number of modified extruder designs, and customization. There's a YouTube review done by Angus (I think) of one of the well-known cheap printers in which the metal extruder housing is damaged out of the box. He's got no way to easily repair it, and the low-cost manufacturer is unlikely to ship replacements. Better to just be able to print your own replacement.
Re: Wanting a new printer.
Well i should not have sold my Flashforge, now i have to buy a new one cause i dont take the risk on the Prusa, it seems like there are so many problems.
Prusa MK3 is already a work horse for me and as far as I can see for many others as-well. It definitely needs to be setup and calibrated with more care and more precision then MK2S. But PR is still working on improvements hardware and software. I can see it getting better and better over time.
If you get used to the flashforge style printer, you can go for the Ultimaker. Or if you want a bullet proof design, go for Prusa MK2S. Maybe you can describe in more detail what kind of issues you're afraid of.
Often linked posts:
Going small with MMU2
Real Multi Material
My prints on Instagram
RE: Wanting a new printer.
May I know your budget?