Best DIY 3D PRINTER KIT
A 3D printer is one that brings out your creativity to the fullest. You can use different types of materials and form different shapes. However, these come at a painfully high price. So, what can you do about it?
When you are so bent upon a 3D printer and couldn’t buy one, consider buying a DIY printer instead. A DIY printer comes in the form of a kit. Along with it comes the instruction manual. So what you do is, you open the manual and read. Side by side, you assemble the printer.
Now, this printer is made by your hands. It gives you a sense of achievement, a boost to your morale. Because, anyhow, assembling a machine with your own hands isn’t easy. Though, this stuff is technical. However, you end up learning a lot in the process. And not to forget, saving some extra bucks for your parties.
How was this List made?
This list was made to bring you the best options to make your own 3d printer. For this, we spent hours researching the best possible printer kits on the internet. We analyzed various options and narrowed down our list. We further took help from the Amazon ratings and reviews. Hence, providing you the best possible options.
What to Look for?
The options for the best DIY 3D printer kits are discussed in detail. You need to look for the best design that could suit your space. A printer that is easy to use. Also, the kit shouldn’t be too complicated to assemble. How durable are the spare parts? What all filaments are compatible with it? You should focus on all these before making the right choice.
Best 3D Printers Kit
Our first category is a printer with the largest build volume. This one can print around 450x450x470mm. Therefore, making it a huge machine. So, you have a larger space for your creativity. You can connect it to your PC. Or else use a TF card.
The huge structure built is made up of sturdy aluminum. The triangle frame ensures a highly stable structure. This ensures the minimum vibration of the z-axis. Hence, error-free printing. To further enhance the stability of this machine, there is a double transmission belt on the Y-axis. Along with it, is a double axis motor. Do you need some more stability?? Well, the makers were concerned with a stable power supply too. So, there is a split-flow output of power. This means it reduces any interference that can be caused by the hotbed when heated.
With a smooth BL touch 16 leveling, you can take your hobby seriously. This is accompanied by a smooth feeding, for precision. With a nozzle, you have 2 options. You can use 0.4mm for precise printing. If you want fast printing, you can use the 0.8mm one.
For filaments, you have many choices. The printer uses 1.75mm PLA, wood, TPU, ABS, etc.
Whether you want to buy a printer for personal or professional use, you can choose this one.
Pros
- Largest print size
- Sturdy built
- Stable heat flow technology
- Many choices in filaments
Cons
- On a higher budget
- Huge, can’t be kept in compact spaces
- Consumers complain of unclear assembly instructions
Verdict
Together put, Creality CR-10 MAX 3D Printer by Tresbro is a stable and reliable printer. The structure is sturdy and would help you create stuff with precision. It is huge so have a lot more space for your creativity to flow. Don’t wait, buy this one and build your own 3D printer. Though it will take a bit more expertise, then, in the end, you will realize, it was worth it.
Our second choice printer, prints much smaller dimensions. It has a built dimension of about 220x220x250mm. Made up of aluminum. Just invest 20 minutes of your time. Plugin around 20 screws and you have a homemade 3d printer ready.
The magnetic bed is made up of tempered glass. It is removable. This means you can easily take out the print, without much problem. To enhance the quality further, it has a magnetic sticker. So, you can save your glues or paper. Because this one will ensure a smooth extraction. For as little as 5mins, the printing plate gets heated. So, you can start printing right away.
With a 45-degree display screen, you can follow the progress of your print. We know you have noisy printers. So this one won’t hurt your ears. This one is an update of Enders 3. Therefore it has tried to rectify and further enhance the machine to serve better.
Pros
- Magnetic sticker on the print tray
- Sturdy, compact built
- Great features in this price bracket
Cons
- Low-quality extruder
Verdict
Official Creality Ender 3 Pro DIY Printer by Creality is a smart, sturdy and compact machine. You can assemble it in as little as 20minutes. Though, some consumers took 1.5 hours too. The Magnetic sticker on the print tray is a savior for you. So no more struggling with glues or papers to get a clean print. So, make your own 3D printer and start working.
For a much smoother assembly, consider the JGMaker Magic printer. This one is a fun-DIY. Though it might take you up to 2 hours to assemble this one. Much like every other printer, this one is made of aluminum too. Along with it, industrial-grade silicone wire is used. It has a print size of 220x220x250mm. Consumers are praising the print quality.
This machine is very forgiving. If you removed the SD card by any chance. You can resume the printing by inserting back in. So no loss occurs here. Another forgiving feature is power failure protection. So, even when the lights are gone, you can resume your print as soon as they are back.
Lastly, even when you ran out of filament in the middle of a print, don’t worry. Just put in the new role, and resume printing from where you left.
The filament holder is on the right side of the machine. It provides much-needed stability.
You also have a detector to detect whenever you are out of your filament. Therefore, it kind of serves as a reminder helps. This printer uses 4 types of filaments namely- PLA, ABS, TPU and wooden 1.75mm filament only.
Pros
- Easy to assemble
- Small and compact
- A budget product
- Sturdy built
- Filament detector
- Resumes easy
Cons
- Takes 2 hours to assemble
Verdict
If you are prone to faults. Need a printer that is easy on you. It is easy to assemble and use. Compact and sturdy. Then go for the JGMaker Magic printer. It is one of the best home-made 3D printers. It will help you extend your creativity. That too, without burning a hole in your pocket.
This one is a chair -shaped, unique looking machine. It was made keeping in mind the usage.
Though this one has some features common to the other machines we discussed. Some of them are worth noting and some worth repeating. A unique element in this one is a colored touch screen panel. It is 2.8 inches wide so that you get to customize your prints easily. Though offline printing is also an option with this one.
This one also comes with the ability to resume your printing, if the power supply goes off. Thus, saving your work and not starting it all over again. The power supply is tucked safely under the base of the machine. This was done to avoid any mishaps or accidents. To avoid damage to the paint tray, it comes with tempered glass.
Unlike other printers, this one has a built time of around 30 minutes. So you get to work fast with it.
One selling point of this printer is the after-sale service. The professional technical team is available for 24 hours at your service. So, Whether you want a printer for your school projects. Or you are much of a DIY person. Or maybe for your professional use, this printer will serve the purpose for you.
Pros
- Unique shape
- Touch screen panel
- Resume printing ability
- Great after-sales service
Cons
- Noisy
- USB card slot at the back
Verdict
Longer’s LK4 3D Printer DIY Kit is an easy one to assemble and use. The touch screen further contributes to increasing the accessibility of the machine. Together this machine is a good buy. It has all the features of a good printer, in this range. Plus it has a touch screen and a great after-sales service.
A 3D printer already delivers some fun and creative stuff. It isn’t boring. But still, the makers of Tevo wanted to add a bit more sunshine. The printer comes in a mix of black and neon green color. It seems one of the sci-fi machines got lost and became a printer. Hence, making this one unique, above all others.
This one is an LCD screen enabled print. You can slide it into the front, whenever you want to use it. A tad bigger than the previous versions, this one has a print dimension of about 235x235x250.
This one is an upgrade from the old Tarantula printer. Hence, the makers were smart enough to develop some flaws that were present in the previous design. From acrylic brackets, they have now moved to aluminum brackets. Thus giving the machine more durability. Even the extruders are made up of metal. You can use a variety of filaments in this one. Be it PLA, ABS, PETG, Wood, PVA or other flexible filaments.
One heartbreaking feature with this machine is bad after-sales service. Many consumers complain about no response upon contacting them with grievances.
Pros
- LCD screen
- Neon colored plates making it unique in looks
Cons
- Bad after-sales service
Verdict
TEVO Tarantula Pro 3D Printer is a good looking printer with a unique touch of green color. This one also has an LCD screen that makes it different from others. Though it lies in a similar price bracket, it has tried to stand apart from others. The only problem that we came across is the after-sales service. If this one isn’t a big problem for you, then you can go for this one without a doubt.
Buying Guide: What to Look for in a 3D Printer Kit
How much time does it take to assemble?
You do like DIYs. But time is important for you. You wouldn’t want a machine so complicated, that assembling it would take years. So while you build your own 3d printer kit, you need to know how much time or expertise is required in it.
While some consumers recall spending 30mins on assembly. Others said it took them 2 hours to assemble and weren’t happy with it. Though, it is also a matter of your experience with these things. And how carefully you handle complicated stuff.
So, while you get your desired DIY printer, make sure, you know how much time the assembly would take.
Simple to use
A printer that looks good and works easy is what everybody wants. To address this, makers do make printers keeping in mind the ergonomics of usage. The position of the extruder. Some pointy ends here and there.
Also, the USB slots. In some machines, USB slots are behind the printers. Now, this is a design flaw. It will hamper your use of the machine. Every time you use it, you will feel a sense of discomfort. On the other hand, some printers even keep in mind the dimension of the extruders and printing tray, for ease of use.
So, test a machine according to your usage. If you have kids and they are going to use it. Then, an added level of simplicity is required.
Size of the Printer
Some of you may have a large office space. Or a small work desk. Whichever place the printer is going to stay, has to be in accordance with the size of the printer. A big printer in a small space? Nah…That is too cluttered. A tiny printer in a huge space? That looks weird too.
The size of the printer is also a matter of the print dimensions it will give. So, in the above discussion, we have a variety of sizes for you. From the largest to medium to small. Choose a size that fits best with your space and your needs.
Filaments
So what kind of items are you going to print from your printer? Is it wooden or nylon or any other?
Depending upon the type, printers give you a wide range of filaments to use on them. Some of them are restricted to 2, while some have as large as 6 filament accessibility. So keep in mind to check this dimension too.
Features
Technology is unlimited in whatever appliance you choose. But what kind of technology do you expect, your printer should be enabled with?
3D Printers can be as smart as those that can shut down after use. They can have a recovery-resume mode. In this, even if your printing was stopped short suddenly, because of some reason. It will resume from the same moment again. So you don’t need to worry about creating complex artifacts and dreading about a power-loss in between.
The conclusion
After much analysis and comparison, we have found our pick. Official Creality Ender 3 Pro DIY Printer by Creality is by far the best choice. You will be able to assemble it easily and in no time. It has some interesting features like a magnetic sticker tray. Will heat up real fast, to start your work quickly. It also has a screen to preview your print, before the final print. All put together, this one makes the best DIY 3D printer kit.