Buying a 3D printer is exciting, but it can also be expensive. Not only do you have to shell out for a printer and take some time to learn how to use it, you also have to make peace with the fact that this is just the tip of the iceberg.
The ongoing expenses shouldn't put you off, but it can't hurt to go into your new hobby forewarned.
You'll never have enough filament
Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek
You'd be mad not to pick up a few rolls of filament with your new 3D printer. While a few kilos of of PLA (polylactic acid) is a great start, you'll soon start spotting printing opportunities that call for different filament types .
While PLA is easy to work with and cheap, ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) provides additional strength and PETG (polyethylene terephthalate glycol-modified) combines the best of both. You'll find new respect for TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) if you want a flexible and shock-absorbing material, while harder materials like PC (Polycarbonate) and filaments infused with carbon fiber and glass fiber make for tougher prints.
And that's before we even discuss colors, finishes, glitter, faux wood, glow-in-the-dark—the list is endless!
A filament dryer will give you best results
Tim Brookes / How-To Geek
Failed prints mean wasted filament, which means wasted money. The biggest problem with 3D printer filament is its susceptibility to moisture, which it will absorb out of the atmosphere like a thirsty sponge. Unless you live in a particularly dry environment, you'll probably need to remedy this problem.
Drying out filament is the best way to avoid many of the issues that moisture can cause, like inconsistent textures, layers that don't adhere properly, and spaghetti monsters. Different manufacturers have different options, like Bambu Lab's AMS HT ($139), Creality's Filament Dryer Box Pro ($55), and budget options from brands like SUNLU ($38).
The more you spend, the more you get. These boxes heat filament to temperatures of 85ºc, 65ºc, or 55ºc and hold it there for 12 hours or more. Some have been known to buy cheap food dehydrators that can achieve similar temperatures for the necessary time, though these rarely get hot enough for tougher filaments.
Don't forget about adequate filament storage
Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek
Once you've dried your filament, you'll want to store it properly. In the beginning, this won't be such a problem since you'll likely only have a few spools to worry about. If you use a multi-filament system like Prusa's MMU or Bambu Lab's AMS, desiccant in the dispenser should keep your filament fresh for a few weeks at least.
But what do you do when you buy a special filament that you only want to use occasionally? The best answer is a box that seals tightly and as much desiccant as you can get your hands on. The better the seal, the less moisture will get in, and the dryer your filament will remain.
Resist the urge to buy cheap boxes with lids that don't seal properly. Desiccant doesn't last forever, so buy the stuff that changes color after it's absorbed too much moisture, so you know when it's time for a change.
Extra build plates make life easier
Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek
Your printer comes with a build plate onto which filament is extruded, but it's not the be-all and end-all of printing surfaces. Different filaments require different approaches, whether that's a heated plate, a cold "sticky" plate, or special plates designed to make removing your prints easier.
Some plates are textured, which leaves a nice pattern on the bottom layer of your print. Others are perfectly smooth. Some materials, like PLA in particular, get along better with cold plates since the plastic cools quickly and there's less chance of the model slipping mid-print.
Some plates are flexible, which makes removing prints particularly easy since you pull out the plate and flex it. Some materials, like TPU, can be hard to remove, in which case glass plates are often recommended. If you're someone who just wants to quickly get on with printing without waiting the obligatory 20 minutes between prints, spare plates of the same type will let you get on with printing the next thing without delay.
Different nozzles give you more control and possibilities
Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek
Your printer probably came with a single nozzle, probably of 0.4mm in size. This is the perfect all-rounder; it will provide you with good print quality, decent model strength, and fair print times. But sometimes, one of these factors is more important than the other. That's where different nozzles come in.
Nozzle size gives you an extra layer of control. Smaller nozzles, like a 0.2mm, are capable of finer details on account of the smaller layer lines. This comes at the cost of speed and strength. Larger nozzles, like the 0.6mm, are the opposite. These deliver thicker layer lines, which means stronger prints that finish in less time.
If you want to print with certain filaments that require your printer's hot end to get particularly hot (which is most of the tougher filament types), you'll need a hardened steel nozzle. Many printers, like those from Bambu Lab, come with a hardened steel nozzle attached. Others, like Prusa, sell them as optional extras.
Parts will eventually need replacing (and maybe upgrading)
Tim Brookes / How-To Geek
The 3D printers are so plug-and-play that it can feel like no maintenance is required on your part at all. Unfortunately, this isn't the case. You will need to replace things, with one of the first things to break being a seemingly innocuous PTFE tube.
This is the tube that surrounds your filament as it is fed into the machine. These can wear out quickly since they're usually dragged against the housing of the printer while printing is happening. As time goes on, don't be surprised if you end up replacing worn-out nozzles that often clog up, build plates that aren't sticky anymore, belts, gears, and even fans. You're also going to need to keep a good supply of grease and oil as recommended by your printer manufacturer.
Depending on which printer you buy and how far down the rabbit hole you go, you might start looking at ways to improve your printer with upgrades and modifications. While you can print many of these yourself, others are specialist parts that will need to be swapped in or entire upgrade kits. Open-source 3D printers are generally a better choice for anyone who loves to tinker like this.
So which 3D printer should you buy? I can't answer that definitively given that there is so much choice. I can however recommend giving up on finding the "perfect" 3D printer in favor of one that's good enough.
