Hi everyone! This is my first post on this forum. I’m rather short on funds at the moment, so buying the kit isn’t an option for me. I figure I’d like to get a 3D printer and make my own parts, but the only thing I know about 3D printing is that it uses some sort of plastic.
So, while keeping in mind that I want to keep my costs down, are there any 3D printers you’d recommend, and why?
Hello
You can also go in a FabLab (cooperative Atlelier for manufactured parts)
You will also be a helping hand for your training. :
Thanks. I’ve looked up FabLabs and I plan to take part, but I want to do the 3D printing of plastic parts myself
After doing a fair amount of research, it looks like I’ll be getting a Prusa i3 based printer. I found one of the models based on the i3 that will cost me under $200, and the reviews I’ve seen about it tell me that it is decent, and that printing out a few parts to make it more stable turn it into one of the better home 3D printers on the market. So I’ll go with that, and see about building a Farmbot in the near future
This is my approach too, I bought a printer to-180€, with OnShape it’s super easy to create these pieces to be able to print them. 
Why Prusa, exactly? I’m looking for my first 3D printer right now, and too confused to make conscious decision.
I recently bought the Flash Forge 2016 after reading it reviews on https://topproducts.com/reviews/best-3d-printer.htm … if you are still on the fence deff check out that site!! Really helped me narrow down my options
Nice choice! I bought the Tarantula i3 which also has a good value for the cost (171€) and let me understand how 3D printing works. It was a good way to start printing, and now I even started running my own business using Treatstock. It is an easy-to-use platform that allows customers to find and place the orders with your print service. Treatstock also provides with free business tools such as Facebook app and Treatstock widget that will make placing and receiving orders for your print service faster. Each time you receive an order through the app or widget, Treatstock will reward you with an extra 10% payment on top of your service fee, which I specifically like.
I guess, there are other ways to make a profit from this cost once paid. Any suggestions?
Does anyone have experience with the Robo R1+ 3D printer? Would you recommend it? Is it of adequate resolution to print a few FarmBot type parts?
Any other recommended printers in the under $500 range?
I’ve printed all of my parts with Anet A8 and they are fine
I agree with @skuter. The anet a8 is a good starter printer. It’s $160 so if you never use it again your not out allot and it has a decent build volume. It’s easy to put together so if you can’t build the anet a8 you won’t be able to build the farmbot. So by spending $160 you could save over $1000 by find out out if you have what it takes to build this.
Did someone have good experience with it? I guess my hot end holder the L profile is just a very poor quality thing, my bearings are hardly adjustable to a smooth sliding… I guess I will need a new L-profile but I am not sure where to get it best…
What’s an L profile? Picture? I could probably print you one cheaply. Also the bearings are a common wear item that I have to replace every 100 or so prints. As for the bearing holders to get smooth sliding I generally only hand tighten the screws so it connect to the cariage loosly. The tolerances stink on these things but I have 4 of them that are my shops work horses. I have 4 other printers as well. One of them is actually a better printer but believe it or not I prefer to use the anet a8 printers because of how easy they are to fix if I’m having a problem. It just takes I lot of trial and error before you really get to know the platform.
It´s rather a U-profile, sorry:
I tried to have new bearings delivered but it seems to be the low quality production of those holes in the part. Whenever I tighten them, I hardly can move the slides on the two y-tubes. However I try that, it´s just awful… if you do not really tighten the screws it´s just a matter of time that they will fall off…? Moreover if you have very fast back and forth movements with very small distances, this will go into the tolerances rather than in moving the hot end…?!
Hi. You can read German? If yes, try to search “anet a8” at heise.de. “Make:” has a project site to make a better “anet a8”. mfg Bilk
Thanks, appreciate it!!!
However sadly I could not find a replacement part for my u-bracket hot end holder… 
@Klimbim are you able to print as it is right now? If you can, go to thingiverse and find a bowden conversion kit. then order an e3d v6 hotend off ebay or aliexpress.
HI @DavidHerrera I guess that would be the best thing, but unfortunately I think that the accuracy of my prints would destroy this idea; I mean fixing 3 bearings with 4 screws each on two tubes is a veeery delicate topic when accuracies of the holes are considered… do you know if I could buy this U bracket (good quality!!) somewhere which goes onto the three bearings?
Cheers!
@Klimbim I have an extra one sitting around. I could sell it to you for $10 shipped in the continental us if you want it. However I am unsure if it would help. The build quality of it is great. I own 4 of these printers and the build quality of each part has been the same. Are you sure its the bracket? Could I see pictures of yours? I would hate to sell you something thats not gonna fix your problem.
