I guess I posted my question on the wrong forum . So I will try here. I was looking at this printerhttp://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__80711__Mini_Fabrikator_3D_Printer_By_Tiny_Boy_Orange_US_110V.html I was wondering what 3d cad drawing program would be compatible with this and does it look like a ok machine? Thank you
Generally don't repost if you think you're in the wrong subforum, just reply to it with a request to move or use the report link below in the first post of the thread and we'll wander along and move it. you can use most any CAD program so long as you can establish a workflow that outputs something your slicer will open, such as an STL file. as for the printer... the print area is tiny at 80x80x80, you could print some smaller turret covers, deck details, internal bits, etc, but nothing sizable. It also appears to lack a heated bed and is billed only as a PLA capable printer, meaning ABS and most other interesting filament choices are not options (ABS needs a heated bed, Nylon and many others need higher print temps and/or heated beds as well). For what it is, its cute and will probably work, but its priced in the novelty/getting your toes wet range and I wouldn't expect too much from it
Pretty amazing price, but it is severely limited in build volume. Everyone has their favorite printer, and mine is from Printrbot. I have the Printrbot Plus model, which has a large build volume of 10" x 10" x 10", though it is a bit pricey at $1200. They also have a Printrbot Simple model that reduces the build volume a bit but is much cheaper at $600. A key feature is that they can be specced with heated build plates, and their print heads can handle higher temperatures. This allows you to print in conventional materials as well as some more higher performance materials like PET. I don't want to sound like a salesperson, but think would benefit from hearing what others are using. Hopefully others will chime in with what they're having success with.
I'm successfully using a RepRapPro Ormerod 2, but I've also got a decent amount of time and money into tearing pieces of it apart and rebuilding or ugprading them.
I appreciate all the information so far I do have some questions. 1. What does a heated bed do for you? 2. For a beginner you would recommend the prusa printer? I wad looking at the hobbking one as a simple get in and learn I do not much about them and I apologize for inconvenience of the questions. Also I've been very busy with my regular jobs so I've been slow getting back .thanks
A heated bed, like Nick says, allows you to print a wider array of plastics (I would not buy a printer without a heated bed.) The Prusa is one of the most successful home 3D printers in the world. It is not hard to assemble from a kit, and there is a large community of other users who can help you if you run into problems, whether during the build, or after you've been using it for a while. It gets my strongest recommendation.
Here's a nice looking kit for $388. Love the filament drive on the print head. Would need to add a heated bed for ABS. http://www.bobscnc.com/3d-printers.html
That one is a lasercut plywood version of the old, old, Mendel, not the merely old Mendel like I'm running. There have been some significant improvements in the design since then, one of which is mounting the X-axis shafts in the vertical plane vice horizontal, which makes alignment much easier to maintain.