Has a 3d printer been worth it?

Is a 3d printer worth it?

I spent at least 18 months desperately wanting a 3d printer, specifically a Prusa printer after all my research and knowing that I wanted it as my next tech purchase. But I kept asking myself one question repeatedly, ‘would you use it and would it be worth it?’.

Then I pulled the trigger and purchased a Prusa mini. For me, it’s a fantastic starting place to begin 3D printing. The reliability of the Prusa brand, the space-saving while still having a decent build volume, together with an entry-friendly price compared to the mk3 class. The last two years with it have been a joy. I firmly believe a 3D printer is an amazing tool which so long as you research which printer is right for you, is worth it for so many people.

So what have I done?

Over the past 2 years of having the mini, I’ve been able to print fun, gaming-related and sometimes even practical prints. But more than that, I’ve learnt about gcode (how a printer slices files and works out how to print something), 3d modelling, plastic materials and their bespoke properties, while turning my hand to something more practical for a change. It’s been a fun and eye-opening endeavour.

I’ve experimented with filament colours and brands from Prusa, Esun, Sunlu and more (currently having over 12 spools of filament stacked), large chunky models where infills and wall diameters are important, compared to intricate parts of jointed figures. I’ve modded other people’s models, designed gifts for friends and even created a model of my own (more of that to come).

The fun prints

So these last few weeks I took a trip down memory lane of my photos and found what I think are the best prints I’ve done. Maybe not in terms of print quality, but those where I learnt something or had fun bringing it to life. I’ve included the links to the prints should you have a 3d printer and fancy printing them yourself.

Practical prints

Without even having to design anything myself, finding practical prints for those little annoyances is welcome. Being able to tidy up long cables, have something to wrap up earphones (my work phone uses these, don’t judge me) while still being fun or storing batteries in custom cases so they aren’t just rattling around in a box or drawer of doom.

All useful prints you’d use regularly for things you maybe would begrudge spending money on. The relative cost of printing things like this often is in the pennies.

Gaming prints

I’ve enjoyed printing and making some of these prints. The switch storage cases are my favourites. The question block and NES-style switch cart holders took time and effort to get right.

The Mario question block highlighted some dialling in I needed to do in terms of flow as the dots needed to be the right size to glue into place. This ended up with a friend, who has a bit of a hate-hate relationship for a game, hence the dummy cart I printed to be in it. The NES cart I had fun designing the label for. With an orange case, Excitebike felt the right label.

I even ended up designing the Nintendo block for it to sit in, which kept the cart together and meant it could be stored upright with less risk.

fun

Not everything has to serve a purpose with 3d prints and it’s fun to find geeky things which are either cool to have or cool to make. This Mario pipe pen holder, is easily something you’d pay money for. Cases for my Raspberry Pi’s and SBCs, including this Pi Zero with keybow mini. Lego brick chests to store leftover bricks from my Lego purchases. Christmas ornaments in the style of Star Wars X-Wings printed in gorgeous Prusament Galaxy Purple. I had great fun printing lucky 13, a model which used different filaments to create a flexible model for vibing on my desk.

In conclusion

Hell yes. I firmly believe that 3d printing can unlock so much fun and creativity, not to mention solve day-to-day problems without having to send excessive money for obscure items.

But it’s tough to know what printer is right for you, granted. This will come down to your technical knowledge and your skill / desire to learn new things. I’d recommend the following channels on Youtube to see the reviews they give and the insight they have to figure out what is right for you.

• Makers Muse
• 3D Printing Nerd
• Made with Layers

For me, my Prusa mini has served me well and I’d only see a new Prusa when I’m ready to upgrade. I won’t lie, it’s coming soon. The Prusa has been solid, but a bigger build plate and the ability to print in multiple colours (without hacking) are features I want to be able to do.