Anyone have a 3D printer?

for sure the hardest part for me is trying to design somehting in a CAD program that will print the way I want it to. The actual 3d printing part is usually pretty easy (or has been for me so far).

I've been slowly learning to use Fusion360, but it's difficult. The best part is it is a very robust software program that is free for individual users so you can download it and play with it. I guess I should look for a book or something (I know there are lots of youtube tutorials but I like to have something in front of me) to help. You can also try TinkerCAD, pretty sure that's free as well. For basic stuff that might work fine.

As for the printers the biggest thing is to figure out the largest item you would want to print and go from there. For the basics you can purchase an Ender 3 pro from Microcenter for $200. If you follow a good video on YT to get it set up (there's a video from "tomb of 3d printer horror stories" or something like that is the best) and with just one or two mods mine has been running trouble free for 2 or 3 years now.

 

Man I think your dash mount looks pretty damn good… if you don’t like aluminum, have you considered popping a mould off it and laying up some carbon?

 

With a 3D printer you can always print a mold and make the carbon fiber part on it haha

 

I have an Ender3 V2 with a few mods - it works ok - I have made some parts that I have been pretty happy with. I use Inventor (I have a Autodesk license for work) but Fusion is really good as well.

 

If you sign up for texts from them, they’ll send you the coupon to get the Ender 3 Pro for $100. The only text i got from them in the last 12 months was for that coupon. I used my wife’s number to get my brother one and she also never got another text from them. If we did, we would just turn it off. $100 isn’t bad to get into the game and see if you like it or not.

 

For $100 that is a screaming deal on a pretty capable entry level printer. I know a few people with ender 3s and all have had great luck with them.

 

Creality Enders are readily upgradesble and a great value for home tinkering. World of difference between them and the high end units. I primarily have labs filled with Markforged, HP, and 3D Systems. While they’re heavily marketed, I’d avoid Makerbot and Dremel. The quality, reliability, precision, and material options of the high end units are just phenomenal.

 

I have a Creality Ender 3 V2, have had good luck with it. 3D printing parts is Ok, I've made quite a few. Two caveats, parts aren't as strong as a molded part and aren't fluid tight. I printed and sold several oil tanks for Bridgestone 350 GTOs and lined them with gas tank liner to make them hold fluid. There is a learning curve with most printers, but plenty of support groups.