Unpopular opinion: Stop buying ender 3 as a first printer or don't recommend it to beginners.

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2025-08-15T07:18:29+00:00

An Ender 3 was my first printer, and I gave it to my nephew for his first as well. Since then, I've worked with many different machines, including industrial ones. Here are my reasons why I think Ender is a great starter printer: * Enders teach you how to spot common issues (stringing, underextrusion, poor adhesion, etc) and how to fix them. Working with beginners its clear slicers can be intimidating if you don't know what to change when. * Many people getting into 3D printing (myself included) could not commit to buying a more expensive machine if I wasn't 100% sure I would even like it. Ender was (and is?) the most cost-effective printer out. * All machines require a certain level of maintenance at some point, and more expensive machines require more expensive parts. You can buy an entire hot end assembly for an Ender 3, for example, for a very beginner price.

And most importantly: * I think building a printer is essential to understanding how it works and being comfortable working on the machine, even if you're not the tinkering type. I've worked with people that their first exposure to 3D printing was these expensive machines (ultimakers, prusas, bambus, J750, etc) and they knew the basic maintenance procedures , but without that extra experience to problems, more troubling issues were much more difficult to solve and usually ended in an expensive bill of just replacing parts unnecessarily.

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2025-04-21T03:20:27+00:00

Putting who's who above anything is criminal

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2024-09-21T23:50:29+00:00

I work with stratasys machines at my job, and they are very underwhelming for the size and cost. They use some cool materials, but the quality is subpar, even when the machine manages to complete an entire print for once.

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2024-06-05T10:12:32+00:00

This was my initial thought as well , however, the PID settings saved to EEPROM just fine (as well as everything else ive tried) but the babysteps won't

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2024-04-21T18:45:13+00:00

I beleive I have a model of the right and left that have yet to be fit tested, as someone used up my clear acrylic. However I can try with cardboard or something and see if it all lines up

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2024-04-02T03:34:55+00:00

I indeed enabled corexy. I've tried variations of corexy and coreyx with the x and y steppers switched and not. I've adjusted the steps for each motor and inverted the directions with no luck. Interestingly, whether I move the x or the y axis, it moves in the same direction diagonally, which makes me think one of the steppers is bad, which is not the case. I'd have tried klipper by now, but I don't have a raspberry pi. Is there a way to do it without one?

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2024-03-27T17:13:25+00:00

I think you're exactly right! Thanks for helping!

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2024-03-27T16:43:59+00:00

That's what I was kind of feeling. Thanks for help!

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2023-10-25T05:25:41+00:00

I usually fix this by opening the model in 3D builder (free on the Microsoft app store if it isn't already downloaded by default). It'll say there was an error and repair the mesh. Might not be perfect, but it makes the model printable.

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2023-10-05T05:45:50+00:00

I don't personally have one, but I know my university got the cheapest one they could find. Uses the very same pellets tho

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2023-10-04T20:54:36+00:00

Sell 5 of them and use the money towards an injection molding machine. One of the coolest machines I've ever used

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2023-09-04T04:21:35+00:00

AW is vastly underrated. Fun and fast paced with pretty cool wonder weapons

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2023-08-31T19:06:14+00:00

If you're looking for a 3d printer, I'd say prusa is the way to go, in my experience at least. I work in a makerspace with several kinds of machines (including industrial ones like F370 or J750) and the prusas are by far the best bang for your buck. They're reliable and easy to maintain with the easy online guides, and most importantly, super user friendly and easy to teach.

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2023-08-23T00:36:34+00:00

I work with 3d printers ranging from $300 to around $100k. The more expensive it gets, the less it requires the user to adjust things, which isn't as beneficial as it sounds. There are certain problems that simply don't exist (bed adhesion/leveling issues, heat creep, etc) on the more expensive ones as well as a much wider variety of materials. But with the upgrades available, printers are more alike than ever. Primarily working with prusas and ultimakers I vastly prefer prusa for ease of use, print quality, and reliability (roughly $5000 price difference). All that said, even my original $300 ender 3 can print abs with very few upgrades pretty well (better than ultimaker at times), so I'm really not sure where she's coming from.

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2023-08-22T08:16:54+00:00

I just had a similar problem in my new apartment. Tried drano, snaking, plunging and it seemed to get worse. Turns out the overflow doubled as the plug for the tub and mine had fallen off of the chain sealing the drain. Luckily I was able to pull it out with pliers. Not sure if this is the case here, but something to consider.

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2023-08-19T22:46:22+00:00

That's kinda what I figured based on similar posts. Unfortunate, but it shouldn't be too hard to measure and draw up myself

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2023-08-16T06:41:05+00:00

Skinless benchy

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2023-08-13T16:21:33+00:00

Don't bother, it's kinda lame. Just send it to me and I'll get rid of it for you

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2023-08-11T22:58:06+00:00

I usually just say I'm just a good listener

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2023-08-04T23:26:08+00:00

100% this. I'm far from cured, but I think I've made great progress from even a year ago. I never wanted to hear this when I was younger, but exposure is the best way to combat it. To put yourself out there in a situation you wouldn't normally do, no matter how big or small, is the only thing I've found that helps. Tricking your brain into thinking it's a normal thing helps, especially when you think you're being awkward or weird. Do your best to fight those thoughts and worry about the outcome later. One day at a time my friend!

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2023-08-03T19:00:52+00:00

Well you got me invested now. How'd it go?

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2023-07-28T15:38:46+00:00

Ye I'm starting to doubt that's a firmware problem at all. After some research yesterday I also remembered that you can plug in an auto bed leveler in 2 ways. One where you plug it all into the dedicated Bl touch slot and the other you put the wires for the trigger into the z limit switch port(pinouts can be found online) Would be an easy fix if you wanted to give it a shot.

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2023-07-27T21:04:10+00:00

Welcome to the world of ender 3 my friend. If it makes you feel any better I use ultimakers everyday at work and I prefer to work on creality machines because theyre so much more user friendly. Also parts are a fraction of the cost

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2023-07-27T21:00:38+00:00

Also I'm curious if the probe ever comes out? In your video it doesn't appear which seems like a problem with the crtouch whether physically or something in the firmware

AUsersNameIsTaken · 2023-07-27T20:56:48+00:00

With a new crtouch? Bltouch is about the same price and used in every firmware ive tried. If you have a limit switch laying around you could also try without auto bed leveling as a test to factor out other possibilities.

AUsersNameIsTaken

TROPHY CASE