Creality UK Store

Ah the dreaded "up to"! A one percent discount is "up to 50%". It makes the offer almost meaningless.
 
Got a £15 discount on the spin the wheel...got a roll of filament free, but £5.99 shipping...
 
Greg Elmassian said:
It seems that it can be easy to use a lot of filament, I'm sometimes questioning how "inexpensive" 3d printing is, it's certainly not free in all cases. The resin based ones seem really costly if you are not constantly printing.
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The cost of the items I have printed so far is way less than the cost of buying and shipping kits to my place.
The $300 I spent would have bought me about 4-5 kits including shipping, which is the killer for me making purchases.
My largest project is underway and will use approximately a reel of filament, but at $30/reel (1Kg is approx 335 metres long) that is cost effective.
My biggest print so far (a Darth Vader statue) used 2/3 of a reel but as it is a Christmas present for my youngest daughter I didn't consider cost for that one.
The amount of pieces I envisage printing does not warrant the cost of a resin printer.
 
Like most modelling, the it's the enjoyment of the making as opposed to the cost of purchasing. It MAY cost more to make, but there's always the fun value which is priceless
 
Paul M said:
Like most modelling, the it's the enjoyment of the making as opposed to the cost of purchasing. It MAY cost more to make, but there's always the fun value which is priceless
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Amazing but true :)
 
Actually, I don't think the costs are excessive. I've just worked out how much it cost to print my latest batch of GVT coaches. They each weigh slightly over 300g (not including the wheels and axles) which means that I can easily print three of them from a 1kg reel of filament. OK, there is the cost of electricity but I'm sure someone could easily work that out for a 1kg reel at average printing speed for a 6A printer. I don't think it'll be much.

I buy my filament at around £15 a reel, though sometimes pay £20. This means each coach cost me £5 - £7 to print out. I don't think that's excessive.

IMG_2905.JPG

Rik

BTW - There's a deal on Amazon at the moment for a reel or Sun PLA+ filament for £15.74 with a free 1kg bottle of resin. I even got free postage (without having to sign up for Prime). A real (or reel) bargain if you have both an FDM and a resin printer - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07FQDKR28/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&th=1
 
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To buy a suitable window frame of a eBay seller /retailer £2.00 plus postage .
Your restricted to size ,style ect.
To print window .10p..
Any style ,any shape.
Printer paid for its self, printing a bridge..cheaper to buy printer,filament, (2. Rolls of green pla) =£200..than buy a metal bridge of retailer
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mike said:
To buy a suitable window frame of a eBay seller /retailer £2.00 plus postage .
Your restricted to size ,style ect.
To print window .10p..
Any style ,any shape.
Printer paid for its self, printing a bridge..cheaper to buy printer,filament, (2. Rolls of green pla) =£200..than buy a metal bridge of retailer
View attachment 305609
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I've not yet worked out whether I've covered the cost of my printers but, like you, I'm sure their cost and convenience will have been more than recompensed by now.

My first filament printer cost me £80, and it's still going strong, though I've probably spent at least another £80 making improvements to it. My other filament printer was £250 and my resin printer (with washer) was around £220. If you think about it, they're probably what you'd pay for a G Scale loco.

Not sure I've entirely covered the cost of the resin printer as I don't use it as much as the other two, but they have certainly earned their keep - and as others have said, there's the sheer enjoyment in watching something you've designed literally grow before your eyes.

Rik
 
mike said:
To buy a suitable window frame of a eBay seller /retailer £2.00 plus postage .
Your restricted to size ,style ect.
To print window .10p..
Any style ,any shape.
Printer paid for its self, printing a bridge..cheaper to buy printer,filament, (2. Rolls of green pla) =£200..than buy a metal bridge of retailer
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Sadly 3D printers are not yet idiot proof, and if you spend £200.00 + on a printer and nothing comes out satisfactory, then that is money wasted. Though I have to admit I have seen less and less posts of failed printing attempts.
Of course the other thing is you also have to master a CAD programme to design the windows or bridge you want, of at least re-scale somebody else's hard work.
However, for those of you that have mastered both the printer and the programme, good luck to you, and maybe one day (when I have sufficient spare time (most important for learning) and spare funds) I my try to join you :)
 
not trying to be negative, but if/when you get successful, yes filament printers save money, but I have also seen people struggle and not turn out anything usable.

I did use the words SOMETIMES and NOT IN ALL CASES.

Clearly the people who bought inexpensive filament printers and expected results like commercially molded parts aren't necessarily going to speak up.

My hat is off to those who have figured it out. But perhaps a 15 year old who wants to make an entire loco for a first project might be biting off more than he/she could chew.

All I am saying is I know people who bought cheap filament printers and many needed to go up in quality (cost) or process (resin) to get what they wanted.

So, the thrust of my post was that it may not be as easy or cheap as newbies believe in the long run.

Greg
 
Jim / Greg
I think you're right. There is a learning curve to getting to grips with a 3D printer - just as there is with any new tool, technique or bit of technology. When I got my £80 printer someone said (might have been on this forum), that I was taking on a project rather than a new bit of kit. He was quite right. Although (probably by luck), my very first print was a success, I've had a series of failures and successes. Fortunately, I've had more successes than failures and I've found that, once a printer has been set up properly, it works well for ages before it needs tweaking again.

I don't think the quality of the filament makes an enormous difference. I tend to use inexpensive filament on both my printers and have had good results (and sometimes poor results) on both. The quality of output is generally better on the more expensive printer though, but that's because it has a rock-solid frame, whereas the cheap printer's frame still flexes despite everything I've done to try and steady it. Even a flex of 0.1mm can affect the quality of a print.

I'm always interested in trying something new - pushing the envelope. I'd rather keep testing myself than staying complacent. My modelling has always (and probably will always) be a bit hit and miss. But it doesn't stop me trying .....;)

Rik
 
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