Give Away 2

It goes without doubt that 3d printing is awesome! Things that are totally fictional and exist only in movies can turn into real life! I own an ender 3 and although it’s not absolutely perfect, its still a pretty good machine and would totally recommend it.

I typically get files from thingverse for printing as I have no experience in modeling stuff. I use matter control which is a program that formats 3d files into something readable for your printer. There are tons of other programs but matter control is the best because it really easy to use. (You can get matter control here https://www.matterhackers.com/store/l/mattercontrol/sk/MKZGTDW6)

I got my ender 3 around 3 years ago, and its been with me through thick and thin. I would recommend this printer if you’re absolutely new to 3d printing and don’t know anything. You shouldn’t jump to the higher tier printers until you really know what you’re doing. It’s incredibly hard to mess up using an ender 3 so its perfect for the new people.

I use my 3d printer mainly for my kids but I’d love to cosplay with it. I print little toys and trinkets for them to keep them busy because it’s a lot cheaper than any of the new toys that come out every day hahaha! Heres a little baby Yoda I made for my youngest daughter.

Some pros of the ender 3 :

It’s a pretty cheap printer – currently on amazon its available for around $200 - $300 depending on tax. ( you can buy the printer here https://www.amazon.com/Official-Creality-3D-Printer-Source/dp/B07D218NX3/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=ender+3&qid=1588819127&sr=8-8) I’ve had no problems with the printer and the print quality is really good for something super cheap. Not only this, but maintenance is almost zero. Just casual light dusting here and there, a careful eye when printing and it will last you a long time. It’s also a pretty quiet printer, initially I thought the fans that are on it would make loud air noises but surprisingly you don’t really notice them. So if super long prints are your goal you should have any problems. I normally print using PLA+ and PETG and have had no problems with either of them.

Some cons of the ender 3:

Although print quality is great, I can't say the same with build quality. The company has some pretty loose ends on quality control – either that or I just got unlucky. The build plate is glued to a sheet of plastic. Constant heating and cooling of the bed forces the adhesive holding the print bead to start giving in. (pictures attached – you can see the white spots on the back of the build plate) Not only this, but the build plate is very prone to scratches from the scraper they provide in the box. (picture also attached) Most of my prints come off easy but there has been a few where I struggled to pull it off the bed, resulting in scratches. Finally, the print bed is tiny – I’d love to cosplay but its almost impossible because many parts for any costume are waay to big for the tiny printer.

Overall thoughts:

Definitely buy the printer if you’re new and want to learn how to get your hands dirty. You can see some of the cool prints done by the Creality on their Instagram page (https://www.instagram.com/creality3d/?hl=en) I promise you, you won’t regret it! This printer is amazing but just too small.