Geek alert, 3D printing, rapid prototyping / RepRap Mendel

I have 2 commercial machines at work that i run - Both stratasys but one FDM and one polyjet.

We also have a Taz Lulzbot5, which is has been a fairly decent hobby machine.

I'm actually looking to build / buy a printer for home but i'd really like a dual extruder setup so i can run PVA support material. Has anyone got any tips for such a setup you could build at home for not outrageous money?

Anyone got any thoughts about what material would be best to get this printed out of? Needs to be light proof, would regular black plastic work you think? Not got a lot of hands on experience outside of the default grey material

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:797723

Or if anyone wants to print it for some beer money that would be great

Does anyone know of any cheap 3d printing services?

Or anyone here do it?

I need 2 of these: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:79424

Let me see how big they are tomorrow, I might be able to do them if there’s time

that would be amazing!

of the stl files ... it would be the last one on the list (8 tube mag rack ...something)

actually hang on a sec... it might not be the right scale ... let me get back to you

Advice needed. Got a 3d printer (XYZ junior) for free off the very kind @Jingle_Jangle, have been thoroughly enjoying it, but have also realised I am going to need to print in something othert than PLA, and be able to use something that allows me to modify rafting, supports andf just generally doesnt use XYZ's jarring slicing 'ecosystem'. What should I be looking at? I want to be using it for prototyping parts, probably not much bigger than drop outs, but also for making custom mounts for garmin, di2 junction boxes etc. I have managed printing a couple on the XYZ, but the resolution/accuracy has been a bit hit and miss.

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The plan would be to be running both printers for varying tasks btw, if that makes any difference in choice.

Depends on your budget, but last time I looked Markforged offered some pretty good engineers printers for not crazy money....
http://www.desktop3dprinter.com/3d-printers/markforged-onyx-one.html

It depends how much you want to spend, i have a Lulzbot Taz desktop machine with dual extruders which run PLA/ABS in one side and PVA support material which I can dissolve out in warm water

We also have a Fortus commercial machine which does the same but more reliably but more expensive as a system

I have some samples of a markforged print using a carbon filled plastic it’s super stiff

Lulzbot is about 2 grand isnt it? Getting close to formlabs then, which I was very impressed with when @hoops had access to one. Also name makes me think of pepe the frog, which isnt helpful
;)

Haha yeah lulzbot is one of the more expensive hobby FDM machines, there are others you can get to run multiple extruders though (Prusa etc)

Formlabs is great if you can deal with the resin and post process the UV curing and like the properties of the SLA material.

We use a mix of FDM machines, SLS, SLA and poly jet depending on what it’s for

Consider flashing the firmware to Repetier host.

I've got an AIO and it has allowed me to print PLA and flexible filaments to a good standard with no hardware mods require. It allows me to use third party slicers too like cura etc

No idea if the same is possible with a Junior but definitely worth a look at least.

I did have a look, but no one has really bothered rooting the junior, as it isn't cost effective, bed is still very small etc...

Happy to get a second printer, but need to decide what I actually want first...

I've been looking for an excuse to upgrade my AIO for a while now. I mean, it's a really really good printer so I can't really justify it. But you know, gadgets.

If I do go through with it, I'll let you know first. I think ill be making my mind up in the next month or so.

Wouldn't want much for it. I got it cheap and the cost of shipping elsewhere would be huge because it weighs a ton.

I'm on the lookout for a second-hand 3D printer, so if you do decide to upgrade and @coldharbour doesn't want it can I be next in line?

Sounds good! Let me know when you have decided ;)

What do you use your varying printers for? WHy would you go for one over the other?

Speed vs strength vs surface finish vs other material properties

We run FDM machines printing ABS with dissolvable support material which have low surface quality but are fast and cheap parts

Polyjet for good surface finish, clear parts or rubber polymer parts

SLA for large bits with good surface finish or optical clarity

SLS for nylon / nylon with glass fill for parts of high strength or thermal capability (200deg ish)

There's some good info on these topics here:

http://www.core77.com/3d-printing

Sweet, thanks for the link.

Really annoyed I have discovered I like 3d printing, I am pretty sure this is going to get expensive.

We spend £9000 a month in material / running costs alone on the two commercial machines we have at work.

We print a lot of things

I hope to not be spending that much ;)

I want a printer that can work with abs and sla I think, and would be using it either just for non structural prototypes or functioning brackets for non (serious) load bearing applications such as the mount below (which is printed in pla and already cracked). Would you go with something like the lulzbot printer? I loved the finish from the form labs, but not I don't actually need that sort of finish, and it seems like it is not nearly as versatile as an fdm printer.

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I've made various FDM garmin mounts, you just need to make sure the build orientation is in the right direction for the layers to make them strong. I print them in ABS, the one pictured broke because I printed it 90deg in the wrong orientation

Formlabs is your only SLA desktop printer really at the moment

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I am thinking about getting a printer for home use too actually, i'm more inclined to go for a prusa mk3 with the multi material upgrade, it's a lot cheaper than a lulzbot but smaller build plate