3D printers are the perfect complement to a machine shop, and we use them all the time. We’ve had a variety of printers over the years, but here are the printers we recommend:
Our Picks
Prusa i3 MK3S+
The Prusa i3 is the workhorse in our shop, with a decent build volume and excellent print quality. The design is open-source, so replacement parts are readily available (and many can be 3D-printed!) Where the Prusa really shines is its software interface, with intuitive software menus and helpful calibration routines. The linear bearing motion and direct drive extruder also allow for high print speeds while remaining relatively quiet.
The Prusa can be purchased assembled or as a kit.
Creality Ender 3 Pro
The Ender 3 is a fan favorite among hobbyists. With approximately the same footprint and build volume as the Prusa 3 the price is hard to beat. The main downsides compared to the Prusa are the manual bed leveling and the less-intuitive software interface. That’s not to say this printer isn’t great out of the box – and with a large community behind it, with a little upgrading this printer can easily achieve Prusa-level results.
Small Form Factor Printers
Prusa MINI+
After we saw what our MK3+ was capable of, we picked up a Prusa MINI+ as well. Nearly everything said about the MK3+ remains true, however the MINI+ has an even better software interface and GUI screen. This printer does have a Bowden tube extruder, which doesn’t perform as well with flexible materials.
The Prusa can be purchased semi-assembled or as a kit.
Creality Ender 2 Pro
The Ender 2 Pro is a relatively new printer that comes in just under the Ender 3 Pro’s price point and about half the price of (and slightly smaller than) a Prusa MINI+. This printer’s main focus is portability, with a carrying handle, removable LCD screen, and filament spool holder that folds away for easy transportation.
Other Printers We’ve Owned
QIDI Technology 3DP-QDA16-01
QIDI Tech printers became somewhat popular as early MakerBot clones. This was our first printer, and it was a cost-effective alternative to others on the market at the time. One benefit of this printer is the built-in enclosure, allowing for higher temperature materials (e.g. ABS) to be printed more easily.
This specific printer has been discontinued, but click the image above to see a more recent model of this printer.
Markforged Mark Two
The Mark Two is an incredibly capable printer in a clean, professional package with excellent slicing software from Markforged. We enjoyed our time with the Mark Two, however the cost of the exotic filaments was considerably higher than most common FDM printing materials. We found we didn’t need the carbon fiber composite printing capabilities, but if this is what you’re looking for the Mark Two can’t be beat.