• ArmoredCavalry@lemmy.worldOP
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    12 days ago

    I started off on an Ender 3 V2 a few years back. The AnkerMake M5C and Bambu A1 Mini are both down to $199 and can’t believe how much faster / more reliable they are for the price.

    • papalonian@lemmy.world
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      12 days ago

      this entirely. It’s awesome and frustrating haha. My Neptune 3 from 2022, that I’ve poured hundreds of dollars and hours into, is completely outclassed by an out-of-the-box printer of the same or lower price today.

      I’m really happy that it’s getting so approachable now, I hope that I can get my grandfather his own printer during his time. I love that you don’t need to be an engineer anymore to get the things to work.

      • ShareMySims@sh.itjust.works
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        11 days ago

        I wish my grandad had made it long enough to have had a 3D printer, he would have absolutely loved it (he died in his 90’s, so he did alright).

        • papalonian@lemmy.world
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          11 days ago

          Hey, he got to see the invention of plastic. Obviously we’re dealing with the repercussions of it now, but imagine what that must’ve done to the hobby industry.

          • ShareMySims@sh.itjust.works
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            11 days ago

            True (E: actually not quite, he was born a little after plastic was invented), and he loved laminating shit lol though he was more in to metal work. But later in life he really got in to computers, which is why I think 3D printing would have been right up his ally, because he could use the computer to make things he might no longer have been able to with his hands, and then get to play around with all of his creations (and gift us grandkids an endless supply of things lol)…

            • papalonian@lemmy.world
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              11 days ago

              Wish he would’ve been around to see the things the average joe can make in the garage today. I’m glad that you’ve got fond memories of him though.

              My grandfather would probably use one to print out a similarly endless supply of things for us grandchildren, though if I taught him the basics of something like tinkercad or fusion360, the next time I visited there would be all sorts of printed brackets holding everything in place.