Shopping for a 3D Printer

[XXitanium]

Un-highjacking Hobicus's thread.

 

https://formlabs.com/blog/what-is-selective-laser-sintering/

 

 

[XXitanium]

I've been watching it from the outside since the 1980s.

 

 

 

Google AI

 

 

 

"Based on 2025 and early 2026 market data, the best used 3D printers prioritize reliability, speed, and ease of use, with top choices often coming from official refurbished stores to avoid inheriting mechanical issues. 

 

 

 

Top Recommendations for Used/Refurbished 3D Printers:

 

Best Overall for Reliability (Used): Prusa i3 MK3S+ or MK4

 

Prusa printers are known for long-term durability, making them excellent candidates for the secondhand market.

 

The MK3S+ is highly reliable, while the MK4 offers modern, faster features.

 

Best Budget & Beginner (Used/Refurbished): Flashforge Adventurer 5M / 5M Pro

 

Often available refurbished, these offer high-speed, beginner-friendly operation with auto-leveling.

 

The 5M Pro features an enclosed chamber, good for more advanced materials.

 

 

 

Best Value for Tinkering (Used): Creality Ender 3 Series (V2, S1, V3)

 

Ender 3 models are widely available, cheap, and have huge community support, ideal for those who enjoy upgrading.

 

The Ender 3 V3 K is a good modern option, while older models can be found for $50-$100.

 

 

 

Best High-End/Pro (Refurbished): Raise3D Pro2 For professional-grade needs, refurbished Pro2 units offer dual extrusion and a large build volume.

 

 

 

Best for "Just Print" (Used): Bambu Lab A1 or A1 Mini widely regarded as the best "out of the box" experience for beginners. Used/refurbished, they offer high speed and reliability. 

 

 

 

Where to Buy Used 3D Printers:

 

Official Refurbished Stores: (Elegoo, Raise3D, Flashforge) - Usually the safest option.

 

 

 

eBay/Certified Resellers: Specifically for older Prusa or Ender models.

 

Facebook Marketplace/Local: Good for finding heavily discounted, older, or broken-down printers for parts, but requires technical knowledge to repair. 

 

 

 

Tips for Buying Used:

 

Check for bent structural parts, worn-out hotends, and nozzle clogs.

 

 

 

Look for models with auto-leveling sensors to avoid bed leveling issues.

 

 

 

Ensure the printer has a direct drive extruder for better performance with flexible filaments."

 

[XXitanium]

Sorry for the thread-jack Rich, but I think I would enjoy this.

 

"Commonly Found Used Models (2026 Prices)

 

Flashforge Adventurer 5M

: ~$238–$274 (Very Good/As New)

 

Elegoo Neptune 3 Pro

: ~$140 (Great Condition)

 

Creality K2 Pro Combo

: ~$845Original 

 

 

 

Prusa i3 MK3S+

: Varied prices for assembled/well-maintained units

 

Creality Ender 3

: $50–$100 (often for hobbyists/tinkering)

 

Formlabs Form 3L

 (Refurbished): ~$3,050"

 

....the paste without formatting really creams what AI formats in it's answer.

[XXitanium]

RP America:

https://rpamerica.us/equipment/e-plus-3d/

 

What kind of noise range do these have, louder than a normal house furnace?

 

30 Amps is sizeable - if that's what I'm seeing. The one we piloted in the early 1990s was the physical size of a residential smoker. Pit-Boss, etc.

[SwampNut]

I can't figure out if you want specific recommendations or what?  Price range and what do you want to make?

 

[XXitanium]

I was wondering if there was one process or platform that was head-and-shouders above the rest.

 

...If I fell in love with something, $5,000 would be easy.

 

My initial goal for about the last 30 years and three different layoffs was to make limited quantity replacement parts for old motorcycles and snowmobiles. (...maybe collector cars?)

 

The processes are laden with three letter acronyms. I first saw liquid laser sinter in about 1994. We tried it and sent the macine back 

 

There is also powder, and filament.

 

My initial thoughts are UV resistant and decent finish or takes paint or UV coating well.

 

 

[XXitanium]

...I was trying to ask whomever would answer if they had any favorites.

 

As I'm reflecting on this, I'd rather it be more fun than business.

 

[XXitanium]

Metal can be printed now too.

 

There a are a few places that are local advertising on the web. Maybe I am too far behind the curve for being a lucrative-hobbyist?

 

AI seach:

 

"Several specialized services can scan your damaged part, reverse engineer it into a digital 3D model (CAD file), and then 3D print a functional replacement. 

 

RapidMade 

Local & Regional Specialized Services

These businesses specialize in "reverse engineering," which is the specific process of scanning a broken physical object to create a new digital blueprint for printing. 

 

RapidMade 

Rev-Vision Engineering | 3D Scanning Services | Reverse Engineering | Product Development

5.0(5)

Engineering consultant

 

Rev-Vision Engineering

A dedicated engineering firm that provides 3D scanning and additive manufacturing. Customers have specifically used them to scan broken parts and 3D print exact replacements to save on costly equipment repairs.

 

Lux Layers

5.0(20)

3D printing service Lux Layers

A local shop that offers 3D scanning and custom design services to fit specific needs, including replacement parts.

 

FIXTUR3D

Mechanical engineer Fixtur3D

Provides advanced metrology and precision-engineered components. They use cutting-edge technology to create durable, custom-designed solutions.

The International 3D

5.0(1)

3D printing service

 

Intagly

Offers 3D modeling and printing. Their engineering team can work with you if you don't have a file, helping to bring a physical idea or part to life through their design services"

 

That was an ugly paste. Can I say plain text before I paste somehow?

[XXitanium]

Yeah, the last whole cut-and-paste got lost

 

There are 4 places locally doing it already

 

Maybe I'm too far behind the curve?

[XXitanium]

Yeah, the last whole cut-and-paste got lost

 

There are 4 places locally doing it already

 

Maybe I'm too far behind the curve?

[SwampNut]

4 hours ago, XXitanium said:

I was wondering if there was one process or platform that was head-and-shouders above the rest.

 

...If I fell in love with something, $5,000 would be easy.

 

At $5k, yes, absolutely.  I don't play there, so I don't recall any details, but fuck yes. 

 

I have zero understanding of the business of 3D printing.  In fact I'm confused on how I could ever even make $10 on it.  I've "sold" niche items like Rivian and Starlink parts, and giant bread clips, to a dozen people here and there who wanted something special inside one of my existing areas of interest.

 

Also there are two very distinct parts of printing as a business.  One is the act of printing.  Like someone can give you a file, you give them a perfect part.  The other is designing custom parts for specific solutions.  There's almost zero skill crossover.  I can't design fuck all but can tune and print to perfection.

 

[XXitanium]

I can create 3D.

 

Step files

.nwd

IGES

 

I've done quite a few. My daily workflow is 3D based. I usually just stay in native.dwg or .iam 

 

I was looking at the Fusion program briefly this morning. $57 per month isn't prohibitive.

 

[SwampNut]

Oh, and don't forget this part.  Someone stole my Starlink full size mount file and is selling them on Etsy for $110 now.  There were no SL full size mounts when I wanted one, so I redesigned a mini, re-released it, and bam.  Stolen and commercialized.

 

Edit to add:  And I "sell" them to the Rivian forum people for $20 but without the suction cups they need to buy ($15).

 

[The Krypt Keeper]

That damn thing will give you brain cancer Carlos.. The starlink, not the prints. 

 

As for the 3D printers, the tech on them is fast moving and abilities is amazing. So fast I wouldn't even bother looking at anything a year old. 

Depending on what you want to do or print, single color gives you some options, multicolor gives you options like single head or multi-head units. You going after overall size of objects or many smaller objects at the same time? You have a special filament you intend to use? Some need more climate controlled temps, and others don't. Some need drying and proper storage as the filament loves to absorb moisture.

 

Big drivers for people printing now are more and more colors, speed, speed and speed. Impatience and colorful shiny object.  

 

The first thing I saw metal 3d printed was about 10yrs ago, slow speeds but still amazing to comprehend 3d printing Titanium, one of my suppressors is 3D printed using Haynes 282 metal. They are accomplished using laser powder bed fusion tech,

 

I just print useful things for myself, but there is a hell of a market for little small prints. Most print farms I have seen are running 10 to 20 machines constantly for small little trinket items. Think gift shop impulse buy because its only $5 or $10. Then you have the higher end sellers that custom print things, buddy looked at a local guy to 3D print a rubber boot from the airbox to carb for an old dirtbike. Price started at $500, he didn't have it done as I told him running a pod filter setup and rejetting would be cheaper and easier. 

 

Best printers brands in my opinion are

Prusa 

Bambu Lab

Elegoo

 

They can be work horses for someone getting into

 

The higher end printers for metals and such I don't have a clue. 

 

 

 

 

[superhawk996]

12 hours ago, The Krypt Keeper said:

As for the 3D printers, the tech on them is fast moving and abilities is amazing. So fast I wouldn't even bother looking at anything a year old. 

Depends on what you're going to do with it.  My ancient Ender3 has made lots of useful stuff.  It's slow, but the precision seems good and it gets the job done.  Advantages of slow, it's pleasant sounding and doesn't need to be very secure, I throw it on any surface and it's fine.  A fast printer needs to be on a pretty solid surface that won't wiggle.

 

The newer faster printer shocked me, it's like it's on super meth.  I was so accustomed to watching and hearing the Ender I thought the new one was going to explode, seemed impossible, and it's still slower than Carlos' printer.  Watching a 5 minute Ender3 print happen in seconds is amazing.  It's somewhat amazing to me that the same material and printer basics can work perfectly at both super slow and super fast speed.  The printers have some differences in how they handle the filament, but they're both doing the same thing in mostly the same way, hot nozzle squirting molten plastic.

[SwampNut]

14 hours ago, The Krypt Keeper said:

That damn thing will give you brain cancer Carlos..

 

It's mounted over the passenger side...

 

1 hour ago, superhawk996 said:

and it's still slower than Carlos' printer. 

 

Oh, I upgraded the hotend and nozzle again.  Some miracle material, added another 20% in flow rate.

[XXitanium]

@superhawk996 how big is a five-minute part?

 

I'm not thinking high-output production.

[superhawk996]

14 hours ago, XXitanium said:

@superhawk996 how big is a five-minute part?

 

I'm not thinking high-output production.

About two pinto beans, maybe as little as one.  I'm sure there are videos of them running on YT.  It can be sped up and I played with that some, but to do it right you have to care enough to follow directions.  I did it the easy way and it worked until it didn't, which wasn't very long.

[XXitanium]

2 pinto beans, the new unit of measure.

 

You know how "the foot" came to be used for length?

 

 

[SwampNut]

That's one redheaded cunt hair away from becoming an official measurement.

 

As a ratio of size to speed, amusingly, the faster printers are slower.  Meaning that because of acceleration/deceleration problems, fast printers have to print tiny things slowly relative to their full speed.  Bedslingers can just keep their speed for tiny things.  For large items they can run fast as fuck and only slow for curves and corners (relative to nozzle flow rates).

 

Adding this here because I just thought of it while cleaning the bed for a new job...I recommend this product as a must have, period.  Just do it.  The name is Magigoo, one for PA variants and one for all others.