> I’m not a 3D printer expert—in fact I’m a complete beginner and I’ve never even held a 3D printed part in my hand before—so don’t expect any deep insights from this series.
Voron build instructions sort of have an implied "Step 0" which is "Have a working 3d printer."
I first jumped into 3d printing by doing something equally insane -- I scratch built a delta printer (not from a kit or plans). TBH I would not recommend this type of approach whatsoever. It would have been much wiser and more productive to have started with a basic working machine first. Given the cost and performance of entry level machines today, there's really not any good rationale to do otherwise unless you are a self-loathing masochist.
> there's really not any good rationale to do otherwise unless you are a self-loathing masochist.
Or just someone who likes building, breaking, trying, testing, failing, going again, and learning through and enjoying the process. Like, I don't know... most hackers and builders I know.
Maybe you missed the part where I said I scratch built a delta. I should add that I did it maybe a decade ago, and on top of all that I only printed ABS. In retrospect, although I believed to be choosing technically superior solutions, I came later to realize that I just chose pain at every decision point.
While I obviously identify with your sentiment, I will add that none of those makers are out there are starting out by whittling and grinding their own screwdriver set before they get to work. If you want to be able to properly and efficiently design and build a 3d printer, you will need to be capable of manufacturing a complex part. You /can/ bootstrap the whole mess, but after having done it, again I will suggest that it is not optimal, even if your objective is to learn and experience everything possible.
Anyway as every proper 3d printing enthusiast can attest, one of the earliest tools that you will find extremely useful is another printer. Save the pain and go ahead and pick up that $99 bed slinger that's on sale. You can still suffer through as much of the other pain as you desire, and wont lose any geek cred, I promise.
I built my second printer from scratch, but I have no idea how you would build a 3D printer without a 3D printer. There end up being a lot of parts you have to prototype, and you can't do that unless you have a printer already.
You always need 2 printers anyway, so you can print parts for your other printer when they break. I broke my Prusa mk3 and had to duct tape it together enough to print the broken part. Very scary ;)
You do have to be a masochist. I remember tuning my bed leveling routine, and then the printer just decided to break the tip off. It's really amazing what kind of problems you can cause yourself with an extra 0 in some gcode somewhere.
> Voron build instructions sort of have an implied "Step 0" which is "Have a working 3d printer."
This just isn't true, as proven by OP. You do need printed parts, but the VORON print-it-forward program is great and I think it's a great way to get started.
I agree to the extent that the Voron ecosystem has developed to the point where it's actually possible to buy and build a complete kit and have a working machine at the end. This has not always been the case for these high performance hobby designs where you have to cobble together everything on the BoM, deal with the lack of instructions, maybe have to customize or source some different parts that changed, etc. I'm happy to know that the situation is much improved.
Also I am curious if you happen to have a Voron, do you have any other printers?
I agree. I started with a working, cheap printer and then decided I wanted a big Voron. I printed the parts for a Voron 0 and made that, and then used that to print a Voron 2.4.
The print-it-forward program was months in arrears when I looked at it, and it was very expensive to pay someone else to print them without the print-it-forward. I could have bought an Ender 3 and printed it myself cheaper.
Technically that cheap printer still works, but my 2 Vorons are so much better than I don't even consider using it.
I'm like the author of this article. Just built my very first printer - a Voron Trident. I ordered my kit (Magic Phoenix, which I'd highly recommend) with a full set of printed parts. Between that, the high quality Voron documentation, and the incredibly helpful Voron Discord, I now have an amazing machine putting out high quality prints beyond my expectations. It has been a fantastic learning experience and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
I will give that a some of my understanding of the Voron ecosystem is a bit dated. It does seem from further discussion here that at least some of the Voron designs and some of the Voron kit sellers have gotten to the point where they are complete and viable for a first build. They are great machines and this is a wonderful thing!
Historically, many of the high performance designs and kits available for corexy Voron/RatRig type machines were absolutely not beginner friendly and would have been very difficult to complete without some foreknowledge about 3d printing and access to another printer. I'm pleased to be corrected.
As I posted elsewhere though, a $99 bed slinger on sale is still a great tool to have; for the kind of person who will build and use a Voron, a second printer is almost a foregone conclusion. How long since you completed your Trident? Do you have another printer yet?
Voron build instructions sort of have an implied "Step 0" which is "Have a working 3d printer."
I first jumped into 3d printing by doing something equally insane -- I scratch built a delta printer (not from a kit or plans). TBH I would not recommend this type of approach whatsoever. It would have been much wiser and more productive to have started with a basic working machine first. Given the cost and performance of entry level machines today, there's really not any good rationale to do otherwise unless you are a self-loathing masochist.