Micro Center Stores [
store locator] offer
New Customers: Creality Ender 3 Pro 3D Printer for
$99.99 when you follow the steps below and present unique text coupon barcode at pickup. Offer valid in-store only.
Thanks to community member
DummyName123 for finding this deal.
Deal Instructions:
- Visit the Sign-up Page here and fill out your info
- Click on the Send My Coupon button
- Wait for the page to load, this can take some time
- Note: If it errors-out, reload the page and try again
- Once completed you will get a 'Thank you, your coupon code has been sent.' message on the page
- Check your Text Messages and reply Y to the text that was sent
- You should receive a link to your Coupon shortly after
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if you want to see it printing right now for a few more hours https://app.thespaghett
But I don't think it's going out on a limb to say that people on a deal site interested in spending $100 or 200 to learn about a potential new hobby have much overlap with those willing to immediately spend $800 shipped on a partially assembled printer, and wait 6-8 weeks for it to arrive. Add $200 to not have to wield a wrench at all.
A Mini+ is much more affordable for about half the cost, but makes some sacrifices, and is still magnitudes higher in cost, with even longer shipping times.
Nice try at humblebragging, though.
But I don't think it's going out on a limb to say that people on a deal site interested in spending $100 or 200 to learn about a potential new hobby have much overlap with those willing to immediately spend $800 shipped on a partially assembled printer, and wait 6-8 weeks for it to arrive. Add $200 to not have to wield a wrench at all.
A Mini+ is much more affordable for about half the cost, but makes some sacrifices, and is still magnitudes higher in cost, with even longer shipping times.
Nice try at humblebragging, though.
You got me. My first printer back in 2014 cost 599 and never worked. I got a wanhao i3 in 2015, similar to the creality but cost 400, spent another 400 or so on upgrades, (new board, all metal hot end, new aluminum bed frame, bed heater mosfet and on and on) then my wife paid the same for a prusa in 2017, and I think I've spent $20 twice to upgrade from the mk3 to the mk3s and then the mk3s+. And it just works. I'm really surprised that creality can sell a printer at this price. I almost went for their latest 3d scanner on Kickstarter but I've got an einscan se so I really didn't have enough of use case to actually justify it. I'm sure plenty of people will enjoy it. And if they find enough use in 3d printing, maybe they'll be interested in something better.
Everyone reading this thread is n00bs (including myself) looking to get into this for the most part.. we have no idea what you're talking about especially the Haitian voodoo part.
Like anyone 'selling' something, people selling the idea of 3D printers gloss over many of its pitfalls. I work with a Hackerspace and I build a lot of the tools and furniture that come in. The "experts" deal with failures. When they get sick of things, you become then next expert.
Tolerances:
Symmetry and alignment of the frame and all components is critical. Super accurate machined parts (above and beyond normal "good" stock) can help this a great deal. When they came out, the more expensive ones were better for the most part, but price didn't always buy quality.
Being VERY meticulous with your assembly remains the best line of defense against breakdowns from this reason.
Undocumented features:
Called bugs everywhere else . . . the best thing anyone can do is get a product that HAS replacement parts and an active discussion community. These people will have worked out tips and tricks (maybe certain parts need a tiny bit of silicon lubricant)
Extruders need replacement. This is obvious once you think about it. They get hot and cold and repeat. After a period of time (that you really have to guess at) it becomes brittle. It's usually screwed into a heat sink - metal on metal and the trick is to replace it before unscrewing results in your shearing it off and having to replace the heat sink as well.
It's just a really neat/great idea, but it's like a lot of other things where it's a lot of reading and trial and error.
If you buy this and succumb to the suggestion that this or that upgrade will solve all your frustrations, you will throw good money after bad trying to make this into something like a prusa, but understand whatever you spend it will not be a prusa. I had a wanhao i3 that cost $400 and spent that much and maybe more, and in the end it was a $200 printer.
My wife decided to do what i could not bring myself to do and recognized my sunk cost nightmare was never going to end no matter how much I spent on upgrades and bought me a prusa as a present. It was perfect from day one and has only gotten better.
If you buy one of these do not think that all 3d printers are this complicated and unreliable. And don't fall for the siren's song of upgrades to "make it better" it is what it is, if there was some great update/fix for it creality would have already done it. Save your money for a better printer, not for upgrades
When stackable coupons and codes are available, it can drop to ~$140.
Worst case, that can still leave close to 100 bucks to apply towards mods and supplies.
You can watch the YT reviews to see how the two compare.
The main gotcha is that, due to the chip shortage, the units built with the "H32" boards aren't readily compatible with the alternative firmware options, though that is being worked on. Thus far, it is limited to the stock firmware, which, if one doesn't mod, probably won't be an issue. A $50 replacement board with the G32 or N32 is also a possibility.
With the "Alex" fork of the Jyers/Marlin firmware, the base Aquila's display can be turned to portrait orientation like the v2's, and have all of the other additional features, like the bed leveling assistant. Some people actually prefer the landscape orientation, but not enough to sacrifice the benefits from the firmware.
There are also other minor differences in some of the part mountings, but they can be overcome by a modder. There are also minor refinements as well.
I certainly wouldn't pay close to MSRP for an Ender v2, and even with a deal, the clone competition shouldn't be ignored.
If your first impulse is to upgrade, then you are buying something that is not as good as you want and never will be. Buy something better to start with. That has live support standing by, that has replacement parts and a warranty. You will save yourself money and frustration and you won't have to bother with all the other garbage.
for anyone who wants to see, my printer is again printing (lithophanes right now) https://app.thespaghett
if you want to buy one of these or some other prusa clone (all of these are knock off prusa's, essentially mk1's no autmative bed levelling, and a fixed bed surface) then do so and live with them without upgrades. If you bought a pinto and then upgraded the engine to a porshe, the suspension to a McLaren, The exhaust to ferrari. it wouldn't be as good as any of them, it would still be a clapped out pinto, buy something, learn it's shortcomings, and decide if you can live with them.
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It's been great, a lot of fun and the extra time really being meticulous when putting it together paid off. If you are looking for easy to get up and running, this may not be it. If you are as interested in the process, it seems like a good way to go.
If your first impulse is to upgrade, then you are buying something that is not as good as you want and never will be. Buy something better to start with. That has live support standing by, that has replacement parts and a warranty. You will save yourself money and frustration and you won't have to bother with all the other garbage.
for anyone who wants to see, my printer is again printing (lithophanes right now) https://app.thespaghettidetective...2209f399d/ [thespaghettidetective.com]
if you want to buy one of these or some other prusa clone (all of these are knock off prusa's, essentially mk1's no autmative bed levelling, and a fixed bed surface) then do so and live with them without upgrades. If you bought a pinto and then upgraded the engine to a porshe, the suspension to a McLaren, The exhaust to ferrari. it wouldn't be as good as any of them, it would still be a clapped out pinto, buy something, learn it's shortcomings, and decide if you can live with them.
This is entry level, plain and simple. If people wanna buy this and then buy upgrades later, that's their choice. Some people just like upgrading things and DIY projects.
https://youtu.be/cTp2teRvVCY
This is entry level, plain and simple. If people wanna buy this and then buy upgrades later, that's their choice. Some people just like upgrading things and DIY projects.
All I'm trying to do is let them know it's ok to accept these are, as you say entry level, and not to waste a bunch of money "upgrading" a printer. If they do that is their choice, all i am saying is that it shouldn't have to be their only choice.
All I'm trying to do is let them know it's ok to accept these are, as you say entry level, and not to waste a bunch of money "upgrading" a printer. If they do that is their choice, all i am saying is that it shouldn't have to be their only choice.
$50 for the silent board
$20 for the glass bed
$15 for X/Y tensioners Open box for the $10 coupon to buy a filament roll.
If I decide I want some of these upgrades, do I buy these at microcenter while I'm there or elsewhere online? What else should I be looking for to save more trips back to the store? Or should I get acquainted with the printer first before buying upgrades?
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You could spend 3k on an ultimaker and make the same argument. you can't take a buick century, do a bunch of upgrades, and out pops a mercedes. Unless you upgrade every component to match a prusa (or whatever you consider a good/great printer ) At which point, why not buy it cheaper in a kit? Or if you like choosing every component why not a Voron? The ender with the vslot rollers and single z axis drive, bowden, ect just is not a design that is worth upgrading. Buy better integrated, from a company you don't have to make your own firmware and replace half or more of the parts to get a decent printer. Upgrading is a hassle, when things go wrong you have no one to ask but a bunch of sometimes helpful sometimes rude people on a forum.
i'm not asking for your praise (which is I think why you were pissed a post or so ago) I am telling people, expect not much from this printer. if you want better, don't pour money into something that cost $100, spend a little more and reap the reward. I have a friend that has an ender and so enjoyed playing with my prusa he did a bunch of upgrades. the bltouch and such, and he still has to manually level. he's had to replace those eccentric wheels lately, and the bowden is popping out (as it does) you fix or upgrade one thing and 5 more are coming right for you.
I am not saying it is not a serviceable printer, if you enjoy drama (my brothers tevo tornado had the bed wires short and almost had a fire) but they are worse than amf harley's.
At $100 the safety, and reliability have been engineered out.
You say these are good for those just starting out, But you are also weeding out people who just have a low tolerance for poor quality and the fiddlyness of bed leveling , filament runout, and all the other things that this printer does not do that better printers do. They will get this. not be able to get it together, never get a print out and sell it as a box of parts. I cannot tell you how many printers i have put together for friends. They saw mine, what it could do, buy the cheapest out there (usually an ender) then can't put it together and after i get it together, can't get a decent print out of it because of bed levelling, filament feeding or any of a hundred problems. I come over and try and teach them and they ask about mine and i say " I don't have to screw with this": and they then lose interest and the next thing they are asking me to help them sell it.
This printer is good for people who have an iron will. those who will spend hours ignoring everything else in their life reading forums for answers. Who can take getting sh!t on in forums when they ask for help (read the faq read the faq, god i am so tired of noobies coming here and asking the same question over and over) people who will never give up. and you are right it will sort those people out quite efficiently.
but i am far from convinced that it is the best starter printer. I think if you aren't ready to commit a significant amount to a printer, if you haven't done your research and maybe even gone to a library or hackerspace to try one. if you haven't spent 10-25 hours watching youtube to get an idea of what this is really like, then save your $100 and call it a day.
and accept my apology if this seems testy, i got a little grouchy half way through and i know it, but i don't want to go back and re-edit the whole thing to make the same points less pointedly.
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