I’ve been thinking about the viability of acquiring a 3D printer, but have no idea what I should be looking for. I specifically want one to print Bionicle pieces. I’m assuming there are at least a few people here with knowledge of 3D printers, so your help would be greatly appreciated.
2 Likes
I’ve got the monoprice mp select mini v2, I really like it, and there aren’t many better values out there. I find that many fdm (filament) printers don’t print lego ball joints very well, so perhaps a resin printer could be better suited to the task
3 Likes
What about sockets? I think I would be printing those more often. Armor pieces and masks are my main focus though.
1 Like
To print bionicle pieces you should definitely get a resin printer, especially if you want functional sockets, balljoints, axels, pins, etc… Because you need them to fit almost perfectly.
On a FDM printer, it’s sometimes tricky to find the right orientation for masks and the axle is usually too loose or too big (you can fix it when it’s too big but that is not the point). Also it can be hard to make them look fantastic and smooth, though it’s possible.
If you want a fantastic result that needs less post processing and sanding and it’s very precise go for resin (be careful and use gloves and a mask because you don’t want to breath that stuff or touch it with bare hands until it’s dry).
If you don’t need the highest quality of print and you are okay with seeing a few layer lines or doing a lot of sanding to not see them go for FDM
Edit: i thought it would be nice to give an example of some of the results and the finished parts I printed
In this photo there is a mnog pakari and the top of a movie-style huna. On the pakari you can clearly see the layer lines but on the other you cant. The main difference is that I’ve spent around two hours sanding the huna while the pakari was painted almost right away.
5 Likes
Same here, although I’ve been meaning to get my hands on a resin printer. This one caught my attention but I’m sure there’s even better ones out there https://youtu.be/jzGlRohAMVk
This is certainly something that should be kept in mind.
1 Like
Sockets are actually worse in my experience.
This is actually what I use my printer for in regards to bionicle, and I’ve never had trouble with it, never had a failed print. The layer lines are clearly visible, but an acetone bath or a bit of sanding fixes that, and a small enough layer height negates the issue completely
1 Like
I’m pretty sure 3d printers in general are kinda expensive but it pays off. Personally saving up for that sweet sweet Elegoo Mars.
1 Like
You can get decent printers for around $200 these days, resin printers are usually more expensive though
1 Like