DIY 3D Printer Kit: The Best Options to Try
In addition to providing a low-cost entry point into the world of 3D printing, building one's own do-it-yourself (3D printer) can be a rewarding educational experience in and of itself. You get an idea of how it works and can fix it on the fly. Compared to purchasing a fully constructed machine, building one's own 3D printer is a more daunting task. Here, we look at some of the top do-it-yourself (3D) printers on the market and give our recommendations to help you plan your 3D printer build.
1. Prusa i3 MK3S
Key features:
- Build Volume: 25×21×21 cm (9.84"×8.3"×8.3")
- Max travel speed: 200+ mm/s
- Max nozzle temperature: 300 °C / 572 °F
- Max heatbed temperature: 120 °C / 248 °F
The original Prusa i3 MK3S is a worthy successor to the original Prusa i3 MK2 3D printer. The updated extruder, an abundance of sensors, and the new magnetic MK52 heatbed with a detachable PEI spring steel print sheet make it their best iteration thus far.
This desktop 3D printer has a printing tray that measures 250 x 210 x 210 mm and can print at a speed of 200 mm/s. It works with almost all thermoplastics, including nylon and polycarbonate. The community has validated the assembly instructions on the official website. It is available for purchase as a kit, starting at $749 (€769.00 including VAT).
For a more budget-friendly alternative, you might consider the Original Prusa MINI+ kit. It's a smaller printer and starts at $349.00 (€379.00 including VAT). Its dimensions—180 x 189 x 189 mm, or 7 x 7 x 7 in—are quite comparable to those of its older sibling, and the two share many characteristics.
Purchase link: Prusa 3D.
Price: $799
2. Voron Switchwire
Key features:
- Build volume: 250 x 235 x 235 mm
- Raspberry Pi 4B
- E3D Voron Revo Hotend
- BIGTREETECH SKR Mini E3 V3.0 motherboard
- 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen
The Voron Switchwire, a bed-slinging 3D printer with unique kinematics, is part of the well-liked Voron Project. The CoreXZ 3D printer uses belts to move the print head on both the X and Z axes. Eliminating the possibility of Z-wobble with a belt system instead of leadscrews for the Z-axis and reducing the weight contributed to the X-axis by mounting the motor on the frame instead of the gantry should result in better print speeds.
Just like any other Voron printer, the Switchwire can take almost any kind of printing hardware you can imagine and has a construction volume of 250 x 210 x 240 mm. Get a full 3D printer kit for the Switchwire from one of the many online suppliers, or use the bill of materials (BOM) to find individual pieces (you can even use other printers, like an old Prusa 3D printer, if you have one lying around) to build your own.
In addition to the printer's non-printable parts, these do-it-yourself kits usually come with an inductive probe for automated bed leveling and a heated chamber. Get yourself a 3D printer; you'll need to print out a few parts for the Switchwire. You could also buy the 3D-printed components from an outside source.
The Switchwire is a more beginner-friendly machine for the do-it-yourself adventure, and it's easier to build than the Voron 2.4 in terms of assembly difficulty. To solve any issues, as with all Voron printers, its extensive documentation and active community should be helpful.
Purchase link: Formboat.
Price: $589
3. FLSUN QQ-S Pro
Key features:
- Build Volume: 255 (D) x 360 (H) mm / 10.0 (D) x 14.1 (H) inches
- Number of Extruders: Single
- Print Speed: 10-150mm/s(Max)
- Nozzle Diameter: 0.4mm
The QQ-S Pro is FLSUN's do-it-yourself product. It isn't exactly a bargain at €369.00 (the suggested retail price). The printer more than makes up for it, though, with features like automatic leveling and continuous printing even when interrupted. Speed was also a priority during design; compared to printers based on the I3 structure, this one prints 1.5 times faster.
Some of its other features include a 24V power supply, a lattice hot bed, a powerful 32-bit motherboard, a flexible three-axis linkage system, and an all-metal side shell for improved printing quality and a more solid structure. It is one of the larger DIY printer kits, with dimensions of 255 x 255 x 365 mm. Layer thicknesses ranging from 0.06-0.4 mm and print precision of 0.1 mm make for precise and detailed prints. Moreover, it is pre-assembled, so consumers shouldn't have any trouble getting it going in under an hour.
Download link: 3D Supplies.
Price: €369
4. Tronxy X5SA
Key features:
- Operating software: Repetier-Host.Cura
- Nozzle diameter: 0.4mm (0.015748 in)
- Hot bed temperature: up to 100 ℃ (up to 212 ºF)
- Nozzle temperature: up to 275 ℃ (up to 527 ºF )
One of the most sought-after do-it-yourself (3D printer) kits is the Tronxy X5SA, created by the eponymous Chinese firm. This desktop machine, which uses FDM technology, has a build volume of 330×330×400 mm (12.992×12.992×15.75 in). The X5SA swiftly became more popular than its X3SA ancestor because of improvements like the Titan Extruder, which can handle a wide range of filaments like PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU, and wood, among others. It features an automated filament detector that will sound an alarm when the machine's filament supply is low, further alleviating customer frustration.
The maker does admit that this do-it-yourself machine is best suited for 3D printing aficionados with prior knowledge of the technology. Still, they also claim that it might be worthwhile to learn how to put it together if you're patient. The starting price for the X5SA is $278.00.
Purchase Link: Tronxy 3D.
Price: $278
5. Rat Rig V-Core 3.1
Key features:
- Print volume: 300x300x300 mm
- Extruder: BMG Clone with pancake 1.8 motor
- Hotend: Dragonfly
Rat Rig is just one more seasoned maker of high-quality do-it-yourself kits. The most recent iteration of the company's flagship product, the Rat Rig V-Core 3.1, is a robust CoreXY 3D printer with four available sizes (200, 300, 400, and 500 mm) and extensive configuration options.
Consider the V-Core 3.1 standard kit if you'd like a pre-assembled set that includes everything you need, such as the circuitry and electronics. All of the printed pieces are bright green, and this version comes with a Phaetus Rapido UHF hotend, a Bondtech LGX Lite extruder, a BigTreeTech Octopus V1.1 control board that is Wi-Fi compatible, a SuperPinda sensor that automatically levels the bed, a flexible powder-coated PEI construction plate, and more.
Frames on Rat Rigs use T-slot and V-slot profiles, allowing for "endless possibilities when it comes to mounting all types of parts" and making them upgradeable. Although it's not the cheapest kit available (~$1,200 for the smallest conventional build volume), you will receive a dependable machine that may be customised even more to your taste.
For those with more experience who desire complete freedom in customizing their machine, we offer the configurable kit. You can assemble your printer using drop-down options, and the lowest base frame starts at €559. Among the many customizable features is the ability to select extruders, hotends, control boards, stepper motors, and more.
Moreover, each kit comes with an extensive, detailed instruction manual that will walk you through every step of the process. You can easily save money by using parts you already have on hand or by making the printed pieces yourself because this version also lets you exclude components you might not need.
Purchase link: RatRig.
Price: €559
6. Anycubic
Key features:
- Build volume: 250*250*260mm (W*D*H)
- Printing speed: 600mm/s (Max.)
- Machine leveling: Automatic
Anycubic, a well-known Chinese company, has been producing high-quality 3D printers since 2015. Their DIY versions, in particular, have gained a lot of attention. Choosing just one option from a multitude of possibilities can be somewhat challenging. The i3 Mega S is the most talked-about of these models. It is neither the smallest nor the largest of Mega's options, but it has become immensely popular with consumers worldwide because of its dependability as the manufacturer's mid-range alternative.
There are a lot of things that make the Anycubic 3D printer stand out. Using high-quality, accurate printing with a layer resolution of 5 microns, it supports a variety of print materials like TPU, PLA, ABS, HIPS, and a build volume of 210x210x205mm. The printer's base price is $219.00. Naturally, Anycubic's other offerings cover a broad range of needs. With a wider construction space (220x220x250mm) and cheaper pricing (starting at $169.00), the Mega Zero 2.0 is an alternative to the more feature-packed i3 Mega S. In contrast to the i3 S, it can also handle PETG.
If you are willing to spend a little more on a printer with more professional capabilities, you can also consider the Mega Pro (210×210×205 mm³, starting at $309.00) or the Mega X (300 x 300 x 305 mm, starting at $359.00). You can also go with Anycubic's Predator (370×370×455mm, starting at $519.00, exclusive to the EU) or Chiron ($379.00, 400x 400x 450 mm) if you're after a massive build.
Purchase link: Anycubic.
Which Is the Best 3D Modeling Software?
If you would like to create your own designs for 3D printing or modify the ones created in other programs, you need a CAD software. There are many that are available, but we recommend using SelfCAD. It is an easy to use 3D design software that comes with all the necessary tools that you need to create your designs from scratch, edit the existing ones, or even prepare them for 3D printing.
It comes with various tools like freehand drawing and sketching, image to 3D, powerful sculpting tools, and various deformation and modification tools. SelfCAD also comes with an in-built online slicer that you can use to slice your designs and generate the G-code to send to your 3D printer. The video below shows how to slice designs in SelfCAD.
DIY 3D Printing Made Easy
The industry has caught up, so building your own 3D printer from scratch is the best way to save a couple hundred bucks. It’s also great to learn more about technology or to create a machine that is perfect for your specific needs. You can anticipate a level of familiarity with your machine that is incomparable to that of a pre-built system, which should make troubleshooting a bit simpler and complex repairs much less daunting.
Enjoy powerful modeling, rendering, and 3D printing tools without the steep learning curve.
Need to learn 3D modeling? Get started with interactive tutorials.