Should you buy a 3D printer?

February 2nd, 2022 | 3D Printing 

Olaf Schmied

Cost:

When 3D printers first came out, they cost quite a pretty penny. A cheap one would cost a few grand while the nice ones cost more than $10,000. With that said, over the last decade, 3D printer costs have decreased dramatically. Now, a decent 3D printer doesn't cost more than a hundred dollars....or...does it? The short answer: no, it will cost much more than $100. 

The cost of 3D printing does not necessarily come from the cost of the printer, but rather from all the fancy upgrades, not to mention the plethora of filaments out there. If you're content with having an extremely base printer and only want to print in cheaper filaments like PLA (Polylactic Acid), then the cost of 3D printing may be limited. However, if you're like me, you will want to make your life as easy as possible when 3D printing. Cheaper base printers are not capable of printing filaments with high melting points such as Nylon or Carbon Fiber-infused PLA. While upgrades may not be required, they are almost a necessity if you want to keep your sanity. 

Some of the best upgrades to get are as follows: 

Automatic Bed Leveler: 

Cost: ~$100

Some 3D printers (like Prusa printers) come with an already installed auto bed leveler, but those printers tend to be a bit more expensive. When installing third-party sensors, I swear by the EZABL sensor from TH3D. The EZABL works by sensing the bed rather than touching it. It's not too terrible to install, though, it will cost you more money and an afternoon. If you're curious, check out the following link: EZABL sensor.

Glass Bed:

Cost: ~$20

There are a few different kinds of buildplates out there for printer beds. I'd say the vast majority of new 3D printers have magnetic buildplates. These can be nice because they make it easier to remove prints. These plates flex, which allows for parts to pop right off. The downside is they can warp or deform over time and often heat unevenly. This means that even if your printer is level and the temperature of your nozzle and bed are perfectly tuned, the filament still may not adhere properly to the bed. Glass beds offer a relatively cheap mode of improvement. They are inherently flatter than magnetic plates, and typically have a more even heat distribution, which improves print adhesion. The only downside is that printed parts can stick to this surface more, so it may take some prying to remove freshly printed parts. 

General Accessories:

Cost: ~$20 – $80

When I talk about general accessories, I'm referring to things like upgraded Bowden tubes, stainless steel drive gears, better fans, silicon socks, different nozzles, etc. While these accessories are not required, they vastly improve the quality and ease of 3D printing. If you're going to print at higher temperatures with an all-metal hotend, you need to buy upgraded Bowden tubes. This is because the higher temperatures will melt the stock tubes. If you're going to use filaments with harder surfaces such as wood-infused PLA or nylon, then you're going to want a stainless-steel drive gear and a steel-hardened nozzle. This is because stock, brass drive gears and nozzles will wear down when printing rough filaments, which leads to slipping in terms of extrusion and uneven extrusion due to a changed nozzle diameter. Fans and silicon socks ensure proper cooling and heating when printing with harder-to-print filaments. Honestly, the list can go on and on. 

These are just some of the few upgrades that make 3D printing easier or sometimes even possible with certain filaments. As you can see, even if you buy a cheaper 3D printer for $200, over time we can wind up spending hundreds more dollars on upgrading, and I haven't even gone into remote controlling your 3D printer with a raspberry pi using OctoPrint, etc. So unless you plan to have a decent amount of disposable income in the future, I would really think hard about whether 3D printing is right for you to jump into. 

Time:

No matter how much money you spend on a 3D printer, for certain, you will spend a lot of time figuring out the printer and printing process. Despite what other makers may have you believe, 3D printing is not a "wind-up-and-go" type of process. It takes time to get right. This is because every printer prints uniquely. Settings that work to print Hatchbox PLA on a Prusa printer for one guy in Seattle are more than likely not going to work for someone printing on an Ender 3 using Amolen PLA in Atlanta. Filament brands, environmental conditions, even the counter where a 3D printer is will impact the necessary parameters needed to get printing right. Of course, if your goal is to start a new hobby, this is perfect! You'll have plenty of time to perform your own tests, explore different ideas from other makers, and really get the satisfaction of a hard day's work. However, if you're not the type of person to scour the web doing research, then 3D printing is definitely not for you. I'd say half my time is spent researching how to print better, a quarter spent wondering why something didn't work, and the rest in satisfaction. 

Absolute Fun:

Despite the massive amount of time and a decent amount of money 3D printing takes, it is without a doubt one of my favorite hobbies! The sky really is the limit with what you can make. Ever thought about making small figurines of your favorite characters? Get yourself a spool of $20 PLA, a small 0.2 mm nozzle, and search online for your favorite models on websites such as Thingiverse or Thangs! Can't quite find something you want to print online? Some 3D modeling software such as Autodesk Fusion 360 is free for personal use and will allow you to create some pretty complex geometries and figures. Otherwise, feel free to check out open-source software like Blender to create figurines! If you've got the idea and the time to flush it out, then you can make it with a 3D printer. From functional devices like monitor and headphone stands to decorations, 3D printing allows you to create all kinds of innovative and cool ideas. 

Safety:

Being a working chemist, my mind consistently gravitates towards the safety of things, especially when polymers and organic molecules are involved. Because of this, I feel the safety concerns of 3D printing are never well addressed. First, when it comes to things like fires, I would say 3D printers are not a huge concern. A lot of 3D printers have thermal runaway controls where the printer will shut off if it detects too hot of a temperature on the hotend. There are also ways to alleviate this problem as well such as purchasing a fire-retardant enclosure or setting your printer on a concrete block. Overall, if you just manage to periodically check your 3D printer whether remotely or in-person, fires should not be a huge issue.  

Second, polymers and plastics are not magic materials with no health risks. 3D printer filaments are made of chains of small to large organic compounds. When heated up to a high enough temperature, some polymers will begin to decompose. This means that the individual building blocks that make up the long polymer chain will separate. In some cases, these building blocks are relatively harmless. Lactic Acid from Polylactic Acid (PLA) is a good example. Your body naturally produces Lactic Acid, so ingesting it or being around it should not cause too much concern. However, for other filaments, there is a serious risk of damage over prolonged exposure. Filaments such as Nylon and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) can decompose into toxic molecules such as carbon monoxide, ammonia, ketones, and hydrogen cyanide. While some of these compounds won't kill you in small amounts, over time things may start to add up. No one really knows what prolonged exposure to household 3D printing will do, but as I always say, it's better safe than to have cancer. There are ways to help protect yourself against possible health problems in the future. Air purifiers are a great way to keep the air in a room decently clean and free from volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Most work by using an activated carbon pre-filter in tandem with a HEPA filter. They're not terribly expensive, and they have the added bonus of removing those nasty pet odors from your home. 

Also, it's a great idea to not have a 3D printer in rooms with a lot of foot traffic. Closets and garages are often the best places to stash your printer. This keeps printers away from people, especially young children who could accidentally hurt themselves by touching hot surfaces. 

Conclusion:

Overall, I hope I've managed to help in your decision process before you finally pulled the trigger. This article isn't meant to be discouraging, but rather honest. The moral of the story is if you like making things and are looking for a fun hobby to spend a lot of time researching and exploring, this may be just the thing for you. However, if you're not looking to spend any money or serious time, this hobby may not be ideal.