It was about a decade ago that I first got into 3D printing, thanks to Ultimaker loaning its 3D printers to user groups, makerspaces, and schools. My local makerspace received a unit, and from there, I was hooked on what you could create using nothing more than X,Y, Z coordinates and blobs of molten plastic. In the early days, though, the laser cutter truly stole my attention.
I’ve owned a few 3D printers since then:
- Anet A8
- Creality Ender 2
- Creality Ender 2 Pro
- Elegoo Neptune 3 Pro
- Elegoo Centauri Carbon
The Anet A8, nicknamed “Firestarter” because of its ability to do exactly that, I built from scratch, and it took a few days. The prints were fine, but lacked clarity, and I had to hack everything to make it work, unlike today’s 3D printers, which “just work”.
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I really got into my stride with the Creality Ender 2 Pro. It was a fantastic 3D printer to learn the basics, and now it’s helping my nephew take his first steps into the hobby. I upgraded the Elegoo Neptune 3 Pro, and it has been a great 3D printer, if a little slow these days. I use it more for TPU prints now, as there is no Bowden tube, and filament goes directly into the extruder.