Anyone tried the $199 Monoprice 3D printer?

[blacey]

@NeverDie Anything other than ABS can be printed inside. ABS gives of odor and can adversely affect some people's respiratory systems.

[NeverDie]

I hear there's some plastic used by 3D printers that smells like pancake batter. Which is that? Is it PLA? Pancake batter smells don't offend me.

[blacey]

@NeverDie PLA, made from corn starch, will indeed smell like food, such as pancakes, while printing.

[NeverDie]

@blacey Thank you! I love the smell of pancakes in the morning. Better than napalm, that's for sure. :laughing:

More seriously though, what's the preferred type of 3D plastic to print project enclosures with? For instance, are any of them non-flammable?

[blacey]

@NeverDie ABS is the most popular filament but my current goto filament is HIPS. It has a lot of the same properties as ABS but without the smell and is a bit more forgiving. There is a promising new player on the market called nGen but I haven't used it yet.

[NeverDie]

@blacey
That's good to know. Any special requirements on the printer for using either HPS or nGen, or are they both easily substituted to replace PLA and/or ABS?

I don't want a betamax printer if it turns out that what I should have gotten was VHS, so to speak.

[blacey]

@NeverDie It all comes down to hot-end temperature range and a heated bed. Any printer that supports ABS (higher hot-end temperature and a heated bed), will support HIPS and nGen.

[NeverDie]

@blacey said:

@NeverDie It all comes down to hot-end temperature range and a heated bed. Any printer that supports ABS (higher hot-end temperature and a heated bed), will support HIPS and nGen.

Thanks! You're very helpful.

[NeverDie]

In case anyone is interested, the Black Friday price is $189.99 on Amazon with free Prime Shipping or else $179.99 (plus shipping) on the Monoprice website.

[niccodemi]

@NeverDie they do, but many people don't notice it or find it unbearable. It also depends on type of filament; ABS smells like hot plastic, PLA like something sweet (it is derived from sugar). I keep mine in the house but I put it inside DIY enclosure - mainly to improve ABS printing quality but as side effect it also contains smell.

[NeverDie]

I think I'll order it. What's the best kind of plastic filament to practice with? Is it PLA?

[kalle]

Hi guys, I have bought the MPselect mini (320 EUR with shipping and customs to germany) and I'm very happy with it. It is even easier to handle this printer as my Arduino Materia printer and the prints are really good - the printer has a heated bed which is fantastic in this price class. The hot-end temp and bed temp are really stable (+-1°C)
The printer works fine with PLA - I don't know if ABS will work also fine, because I don't have it and so far I know you must disable the hot-end fan to get good results with ABS. My printer has the newest firmware on board which activate the printers WiFi functionality. I can post pictures from prints if needed.

here are a good review on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSZrqgLj3ag

Kalle

[Nca78]

@kalle said:

I can post pictures from prints if needed.

Yes please. But only if they are ugly so I'm not too tempted to buy :D

[NeverDie]

I stumbled across what seems like a really great comparison of the top slicers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USA29CuYOvk

[kalle]

@Nca78 : Decide for yourself ;-)

It is the "Bauhaus" Chess printed with the MonoPriceSelectMini.

[dynamite]

@kalle tempting....!

[kalle]

@dynamite Haha, especially for the price ;-)

[Nca78]

@kalle unfortunately I cannot decide for myself, as I live in Vietnam and it's not even available to select in the list of countries where they deliver :(