Pre-Order: Elegoo Centauri Carbon 3D Printer

glazedfaith

Mar 05, 2025 06:29 PM

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Joined Jun 2009

Mar 05, 2025 06:29 PM

glazedfaithMar 05, 2025 06:29 PM

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Quote from brandon916

:

If I plan on printing something like a gameboy shell or retro handheld shell. Should I go w/ this printer or a resin one? I'm also brand new to 3D printing. Thanks.

Unless you need extremely fine detail, an FDM printer is going to be a better solution, imo. Resin has some great characteristics and capabilities, but it comes with higher risks and a greater need for ventilation and hazmat disposal procedures for waste.

1

metlfan2003

Mar 05, 2025 08:05 PM

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Mar 05, 2025 08:05 PM

metlfan2003Mar 05, 2025 08:05 PM

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Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank metlfan2003

Quote from brandon916

:

If I plan on printing something like a gameboy shell or retro handheld shell. Should I go w/ this printer or a resin one? I'm also brand new to 3D printing. Thanks.

That depends on your needs. If you wanted a translucent shell, you'd likely want to go with resin. You could probably get close using a clear PETG and spraying it with clearcoat, but resin does a better job with clear-ish parts compared to FDM. However, I can't comment on part strength between the two since I've never worked with resin.

I'd look around on sites like Printables or Thingiverse to see if there are models you like, and see how other people's prints came out to get an idea of what's possible before you commit. This should help set your expectations on what can be achieved with FDM printing in particular.

Quote from brandon916

:

I'm brand new. Could you explain this more about the safety of filtration? Do I need to have some type of air filter around a 3D printer? Is it expelling toxican into the air?

It's always going to be recommended to print in a well ventilated room, regardless of filament choice. FDM printing involves partially liquefying plastics, all of which will produce potentially harmful byproducts. Some filaments produce toxic fumes (such as ABS and ASA) while they print since they contain Styrene [cdc.gov].

Some other filaments (like PLA and PETG) are supposed to be safer from a VOC and ultra-fine particles standpoint, but still would benefit from being ventilated. A lot of printers now come with carbon filters to help limit this risk, but the jury is still out on how effective this is. Under ideal circumstances, you'd be venting everything outdoors, but this is easier said than done. If you're going to be in the same room as the printer while it's printing, sticking a HEPA filter in there wouldn't be a bad idea either.

All of this is highly debatable and you'll see plenty of bold claims online as to the validity of how harmful FDM printing is. It's mostly an exercise in futility attempting to "do your own research" on this topic because there isn't really enough data yet to determine how harmful all this is. Personally, I would err on the side of caution as much as reasonably possible and take whatever steps you can to avoid exposure for now. This may be one of those things that 20 years down the road they say was a major health risk (like with leaded gasoline, leaded paint, asbestos, etc.) but then again - it might not.

One thing that's not debatable is the toxicity of resin printing, which does require safe handling, ventilation, and disposal.

Quote from brandon916

:

I'm new to this. If I were to pre order the Carbon, do I need to add extra stuff to begin printing? What is recommended for a newbie? What extra stuff should I add? Thanks.

According to the "What's in Box" section, there's a "filament sample" included. This is usually a small coil of PLA that's used to print a small test print, typically already on the machine or on an included SD card.You're going to need filament for sure, and I'd recommend sticking with PLA for a while until you feel comfortable printing. I'll go even farther and recommend just plain PLA for now; no carbon-filled, matte, translucent/clear, glow-in-the-dark, sparkle, co-extruded, or silk filament. These things aren't necessarily hard to print, but if you're totally new you want to get some decent, repeatable results before moving on to other filaments.

Something well-reviewed like this Sunlu Black PLA [amazon.com] would be fine, and black is particularly good at finding flaws. You'll want this initially just to make sure there are no problems with the printer during the return/warranty period. Shiny black should point out things like over/under extrusion, ringing, VFAs, and weird layer problems easily. The Sunlu PLA is decent and relatively inexpensive. There's really no point in buying expensive, specialty filament until you feel confident in the printer and your slicer settings.

2

1

sunbound

Mar 05, 2025 08:08 PM

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Mar 05, 2025 08:08 PM

sunboundMar 05, 2025 08:08 PM

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Quote from brandon916

:

I'm new to this. If I were to pre order the Carbon, do I need to add extra stuff to begin printing? What is recommended for a newbie? What extra stuff should I add? Thanks.

beyond filament, I cant think of anything else you need. I would always suggest getting a few extra nozzles, and print surfaces off the bat. other things you can pick up local (isopropyl alcohol for cleaning). as you get more in the hobby, you can get more into post processing if you want, then things like sandpaper, and paints, etc you can get as you need them.

brandon916

Mar 05, 2025 08:37 PM

582 Posts

Joined Sep 2014

Mar 05, 2025 08:37 PM

brandon916Mar 05, 2025 08:37 PM

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Quote from metlfan2003

:

That depends on your needs. If you wanted a translucent shell, you'd likely want to go with resin. You could probably get close using a clear PETG and spraying it with clearcoat, but resin does a better job with clear-ish parts compared to FDM. However, I can't comment on part strength between the two since I've never worked with resin.I'd look around on sites like Printables or Thingiverse to see if there are models you like, and see how other people's prints came out to get an idea of what's possible before you commit. This should help set your expectations on what can be achieved with FDM printing in particular. It's always going to be recommended to print in a well ventilated room, regardless of filament choice. FDM printing involves partially liquefying plastics, all of which will produce potentially harmful byproducts. Some filaments produce toxic fumes (such as ABS and ASA) while they print since they contain Styrene [cdc.gov].Some other filaments (like PLA and PETG) are supposed to be safer from a VOC and ultra-fine particles standpoint, but still would benefit from being ventilated. A lot of printers now come with carbon filters to help limit this risk, but the jury is still out on how effective this is. Under ideal circumstances, you'd be venting everything outdoors, but this is easier said than done. If you're going to be in the same room as the printer while it's printing, sticking a HEPA filter in there wouldn't be a bad idea either.All of this is highly debatable and you'll see plenty of bold claims online as to the validity of how harmful FDM printing is. It's mostly an exercise in futility attempting to "do your own research" on this topic because there isn't really enough data yet to determine how harmful all this is. Personally, I would err on the side of caution as much as reasonably possible and take whatever steps you can to avoid exposure for now. This may be one of those things that 20 years down the road they say was a major health risk (like with leaded gasoline, leaded paint, asbestos, etc.) but then again - it might not.One thing that's not debatable is the toxicity of resin printing, which does require safe handling, ventilation, and disposal.According to the "What's in Box" section, there's a "filament sample" included. This is usually a small coil of PLA that's used to print a small test print, typically already on the machine or on an included SD card.You're going to need filament for sure, and I'd recommend sticking with PLA for a while until you feel comfortable printing. I'll go even farther and recommend just plain PLA for now; no carbon-filled, matte, translucent/clear, glow-in-the-dark, sparkle, co-extruded, or silk filament. These things aren't necessarily hard to print, but if you're totally new you want to get some decent, repeatable results before moving on to other filaments.Something well-reviewed like this Sunlu Black PLA [amazon.com] would be fine, and black is particularly good at finding flaws. You'll want this initially just to make sure there are no problems with the printer during the return/warranty period. Shiny black should point out things like over/under extrusion, ringing, VFAs, and weird layer problems easily. The Sunlu PLA is decent and relatively inexpensive. There's really no point in buying expensive, specialty filament until you feel confident in the printer and your slicer settings.

Thank you so much for the detail reply. Do you think this 3D printer is a good one to get? I saw another slickdeals on Flashforge 5M. What do you think?

contaction

Mar 05, 2025 11:14 PM

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Joined Mar 2007

Mar 05, 2025 11:14 PM

contactionMar 05, 2025 11:14 PM

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Quote from ZeeDuck

:

So far this looks tempting but I would feel better waiting for a few long term review to come out first. If the positivity stays after the long term reviews and any issues raised in the early reviews are addressed by software updates I would say this looks like a great option/price. I would say wait just a bit based on my experience with the Flashforge 5M. Early reviews listed some limitations like no network printing via Orca Slicer. That was addressed by the time I bought mine but I wouldn't have known that (and saw a number of forum posters concerned about that) based on early vs later reviews.

i'm ordering the flashforge 5m. need tips on what filament to buy now. is SUNLU any good? lightning sale at amazon right now

ZeeDuck

Pro

Mar 05, 2025 11:14 PM

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Mar 05, 2025 11:14 PM

ZeeDuck

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Mar 05, 2025 11:14 PM

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Quote from brandon916

:

Thank you so much for the detail reply. Do you think this 3D printer is a good one to get? I saw another slickdeals on Flashforge 5M. What do you think?

The open frame $200+shipping Centari aligns with the FF 5M. Both are open frame and all but the same price (FF for $240 has free shipping).

On the FF thread I tried to answer your question. The FF is very solid but has a somewhat smaller build volume and the hot end is limited to 280C vs 300 for the open frame Central. Must of the time these differences are a non-issue. However if you do need that slightly bigger print or run that nylon (which you likely won't) then the difference matters. Also, if you want to use a wired vs wireless network, well the FF can do that, the Centari can't.

I like that for $50-60 I can print/make an enclosure for the 5M. However, if you think you want an enclosure, the Elegoo only charges $100 more for enclosed. The enclosed 5M Pro is more like $150-200 extra. Sure it's great to make a basic enclosure for $60 but If rather get the factory setup for $100.

The biggest difference is the FF is an established machine. The Elegoo is new. If you can wait, I would wait and see what people think about the Elegoo after a few months. Then I would consider both. If you need it now I would go with the FF only because I have experience with it and there is no production delay.

Last edited by ZeeDuck March 5, 2025 at 03:17 PM.

1

brandon916

Mar 05, 2025 11:59 PM

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Joined Sep 2014

Mar 05, 2025 11:59 PM

brandon916Mar 05, 2025 11:59 PM

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Quote from ZeeDuck

:

The open frame $200+shipping Centari aligns with the FF 5M. Both are open frame and all but the same price (FF for $240 has free shipping). On the FF thread I tried to answer your question. The FF is very solid but has a somewhat smaller build volume and the hot end is limited to 280C vs 300 for the open frame Central. Must of the time these differences are a non-issue. However if you do need that slightly bigger print or run that nylon (which you likely won't) then the difference matters. Also, if you want to use a wired vs wireless network, well the FF can do that, the Centari can't. I like that for $50-60 I can print/make an enclosure for the 5M. However, if you think you want an enclosure, the Elegoo only charges $100 more for enclosed. The enclosed 5M Pro is more like $150-200 extra. Sure it's great to make a basic enclosure for $60 but If rather get the factory setup for $100. The biggest difference is the FF is an established machine. The Elegoo is new. If you can wait, I would wait and see what people think about the Elegoo after a few months. Then I would consider both. If you need it now I would go with the FF only because I have experience with it and there is no production delay.

The wait is pretty long. Estimated June if I pre order this one right now. You make it sound like this one might be worth the wait. Thanks for the info. I'll mull this over and see which one to get. I wouldn't mind starting right away on FF vs having to wait 3-4 months. Hmmm...

ZeeDuck

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Mar 06, 2025 12:06 AM

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ZeeDuck

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Quote from brandon916

:

The wait is pretty long. Estimated June if I pre order this one right now. You make it sound like this one might be worth the wait. Thanks for the info. I'll mull this over and see which one to get. I wouldn't mind starting right away on FF vs having to wait 3-4 months. Hmmm...

Something else to keep in mind, if you are comparing open vs open I think the difference is small. However it seems like the enclosed models have a budget price gap ($330 after shipping vs $380) so, if the performance is equal, and on paper they seem to be, then the combination of lower price+bigger build volume and a $50 savings makes the Elegoo look like the better option if the wait isn't an issue.

mickey1987

Mar 06, 2025 07:23 PM

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Mar 06, 2025 07:23 PM

mickey1987Mar 06, 2025 07:23 PM

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Quote from brandon916

:

I have zero knowledge w/ 3D printing. Which is better since I've been noticing deal on slickdeals.
Flashforge 5M or Elegoo Centauri Carbon?
Can someone explain the difference? I do want to 3D print some handles for my retro gaming handheld. Maybe even 3D print a gameboy like handheld. Thanks.

If you are new to 3d printing and want to just set up and print then I would look at Bambu A1 or A1 mini. Great first time printers.

3

mickey1987

Mar 06, 2025 07:25 PM

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mickey1987Mar 06, 2025 07:25 PM

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Quote from brandon916

:

Is Bambu the king of 3D printing. I'm new, what is an equilivant of this printer but Bambu?

Yes for ease of use. Set it up and you're ready to print in 30 min

1

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Edbmsm

Mar 06, 2025 07:58 PM

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EdbmsmMar 06, 2025 07:58 PM

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Quote from brandon916

:

I'm brand new. Could you explain this more about the safety of filtration? Do I need to have some type of air filter around a 3D printer? Is it expelling toxican into the air?

Printing (non-carbon) PLA or PETG is more safer (outgassing-wise), so don't really need an enclosure (a room HEPA with a good intake fan helps), but the printing process of any filament will generate those microparticles (which also carries the chemicals) that lodge in alveoli - that can be coughed-out (phlegm), or a study has shown, lodged permanently:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/f...9#abstract

But like anything singularly-focused, that doesn't make it worse than silica dust/silicosis or inhaling byproducts of forest/structual fire smoke. Just that 3D printing is new/unregulated.

For filaments that need heated enclosures anyway, safety is easier to implement —look up "Bento Box v2" or NeverMore kits, or get any system that uses a HEPA filter and non-acidic activated carbon made from coconut shells.

4

CalmHose482

Mar 07, 2025 09:09 PM

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CalmHose482Mar 07, 2025 09:09 PM

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Quote from NotAChanceAce

:

This is tempting, but I got burned by Elegoo on the Neptune 3, when they released the Neptune 3 Pro 6 months later and all firmware updates on the 3 stopped entirely. The Marlin and Klipper community never had an officially supported config (it's been a while since I checked) due to garbage documentation of the board they used.

Lots of people raised this issue on Reddit, Facebook etc, and Elegoo pretty much said too bad.

Hard for me to trust initial releases after that, especially when a lot of "reviews" thus far are from paid YouTubers.

Just my 2 cents.

What's your recommendation for 1st time printer

1

mickey1987

Mar 07, 2025 10:45 PM

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Mar 07, 2025 10:45 PM

mickey1987Mar 07, 2025 10:45 PM

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Quote from CalmHose482

:

What's your recommendation for 1st time printer

Bambu A1 or A1 Mini. 20-30 min set up and you're ready to print.

Plenty of reviews and how to videos on YouTube. check them out for yourself and see if it fits your needs

Last edited by mickey1987 March 7, 2025 at 04:43 PM.

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NotAChanceAce

Mar 08, 2025 03:23 AM

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NotAChanceAceMar 08, 2025 03:23 AM

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Quote from mickey1987

:

Bambu A1 or A1 Mini. 20-30 min set up and you're ready to print.Plenty of reviews and how to videos on YouTube. check them out for yourself and see if it fits your needs

I'd have to agree. Bambu really ticked off a lot of users recently, but the A1 mini is still going to be the best printer for a someone to dip their toe in with. It requires very little setup, little to no understanding of the technology and firmware to print happily for many hours, and you can get one for $200. Most people can get by just fine with the smaller build size while they decide if this is even a hobby/tool they care about enough to dive deeper or upgrade to something larger.

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ZeeDuck

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Mar 08, 2025 11:52 AM

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ZeeDuck

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The A1 mini is a good choice. However, for the price I would be really tempted to tell someone to get the Flashforge 5M instead. Other than louder fans it's generally a better printer. Larger build area, a bit faster print times. Uses the common 235mmx235mm build plates so spares or plates with fancy textures are easy to come by.

I use mine off line so I really like using a USB stick to load the files vs running off a micro SD card. However the printer can be used on both a wired and wireless network.

I think the big advantage of the 5M vs A1m is the 5M isn't really growth limited. Between being a larger size and having an option to enclosed the printer for about $50 for a kit and diy printed parts you can print more advanced materials.

I like the idea of a starter printer. I started with the Monoprice Cadet $90 deal from a few years back. That was a great starting printer because it was really cheap (on clearance) and really limited the ways you could screw up. I had almost no failed prints on that printer. The prints that did fail where ones where I was experimenting with the limits of the printer.

That printer also taught me that virtually any print will stick to the bed, even a cold bed, if you use masking tape as your build surface and you use a raft. That was the Cadet's default since it used an unheated build plate. For that reason I've always kept a masking tape plate for my builds that may have adhesion issues.

Pre-Order: Elegoo Centauri Carbon 3D Printer

$300

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