Curious about members with more than one printer…  

Have 2

I got my first printer (Tevo Nereus preproduction unit) from a local seller which included a basic lesson in how to use it. I have this machine set ut for PETG. Currently upgrading to dual-z lead screws.

I then got a delta-printer on flash-sale, Flsun QQs Pro. This one i have since sold. Only printer PLA with this one (holders, litophanes, nick-nacks etc).

The Mini+ kit replaced the delta printer as i wanted a printer which could print higher temp-materials out of the box with less tinkering.

I print custom succulent plant pots for the different succulent plants i raise. They all print in PETG on my Nereus.

I'm printing to order as a hobby and for personal use of items around the house.

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Two.

First the MK3s.

Second the Ultimaker S5, which I got a good deal on around the first of the year.

Strictly noncommercial.  Mostly model railroad stuff for personal use.

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An S5 is a very nice printer to own for non commercial use! How does it compare to your Prusa? I know that I stopped using my Ender 3V2 as soon as my Prusa arrived and I never used it again after that. I wonder if it is the same having a Prusa and then buying an S5!?

Posted by: @jsw

Two.

First the MK3s.

Second the Ultimaker S5, which I got a good deal on around the first of the year.

Strictly noncommercial.  Mostly model railroad stuff for personal use.

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The Tevo is a nice size machine but do you find that you need to play with it a bit for each print where as the Mini is just slice and go?

Posted by: @mrstoned

I got my first printer (Tevo Nereus preproduction unit) from a local seller which included a basic lesson in how to use it. I have this machine set ut for PETG. Currently upgrading to dual-z lead screws.

I then got a delta-printer on flash-sale, Flsun QQs Pro. This one i have since sold. Only printer PLA with this one (holders, litophanes, nick-nacks etc).

The Mini+ kit replaced the delta printer as i wanted a printer which could print higher temp-materials out of the box with less tinkering.

 

I print custom succulent plant pots for the different succulent plants i raise. They all print in PETG on my Nereus.

I'm printing to order as a hobby and for personal use of items around the house.

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It has so far worked without any issues. I do use a regular glasbed (non-hardened regular 4mm windowglass) i got from a local workshop.

I always use regular gluestick on the glass as well. It currently only prints petg.

Manual bed-level with paper at first, then tweak for first layer. Usually only needed after nozzle-swap or maintenence.

It's getting belt-tied dual-z  for better levelness across the width and to support the added weight of a direct-drive upgrade in the future.

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Posted by: @brad-2

An S5 is a very nice printer to own for non commercial use! How does it compare to your Prusa? I know that I stopped using my Ender 3V2 as soon as my Prusa arrived and I never used it again after that. I wonder if it is the same having a Prusa and then buying an S5!?

 

I use both regularly.  Each has its strong(er) and weak(er) points.

One of the first things I did (thanks to a response to a query here) was to convert one of the extruders on the S5 to the more-standard 1.75mm filament, so I can use the same media on both printers.  It was the availability of that modification that pushed me over the edge of my decision to get the S5.

For smaller simple jobs, it's really a coin flip as to which one to use.  The Prusa is usually a little bit quicker in terms of total clock time from button press to finished model.  The S5 is usually a bit simpler in operation.

I also use the Prusa whenever I want the textured finish on the bottom side.  Off and on I look for a similar textured sheet for the S5, but last iteration there still were none that were truly drop-in.

The Ultimaker, of course, has the advantage of being able to do true two-color or soluble supports without the time-consuming and filament-wasting whoooooosh click click click woooooooosh wipe-wipe-wipe process almost every layer.

The mechanics are totally different.  The S5 moves the build plate up and down for the Z and moves the extruder for X and Y.  Both have an almost identical pre-print 'sounding' test to fine-tune the Z calibration.  The construction of the Prusa is simpler and (if I did not have it in an enclosure) more accessible.  The S5 has an amusing but helpful set of LED light strips that sometimes go into 'disco light' mode when idle.  😉  It also has a built-in camera to inspect the in-progress print remotely.

There are some quirky dimensional differences between identical prints done on the Prusa and Ultimaker.  Smaller holes are smaller on the Ultimaker.  However, if sized correctly, mating parts with registration pegs and holes done on the different machines will fit together quite well.

The Prusa does require more, for lack of a better term, 'futzing around' in pre-print, post-print, filament change, etc.

The Ultimaker approaches (but does not reach) the 'you push the button, it does the rest' level of simplicity of operation.

As an aside, the only printer I'm familiar with that DOES really approach the 'you push the button, it does the rest' threshold is the U-Print SE at our local 'makerspace', which cost around 20 kilobucks when new.  This is a very proprietary closed system which uses higher-priced proprietary (mostly ABS) filament and a disposable build plate for each print.  One of the instructors told me that they have tried using generic filament but could not get it to work.

Ultimaker does offer their proprietary filament, which includes an identification chip in the spool which sets various parameters, but generic filament works perfectly fine and is selectable on filament load.

It was not until a few months ago that Ultimaker officially supported PETg on the S5.  Prior to that it was done by manually tweaking filament parameters.

I would say that the Ultimaker has a slightly higher noise level than the Prusa, but I have not done any SPL checks to verify this.

After having the Ultimaker for seven months now and using both it and the Prusa off and on, I still prefer PrusaSlicer for slicing for the Prusa and Cura for slicing for the S5.  Cura will, of course, slice for the Prusa as well and I use that occasionally.  The Ultimaker uses the 'Griffin' flavor of gcode, which is not (yet?) supported by PS.

Both printers are very reliable and consistent.  I have very few failed prints with either unit.

3 printers, mostly casual use

I've got three at the moment:

1. The Prusa i3 Mk3 was my first and most reliable. It's been steady since early 2018, only now requiring an X motor replacement after a brutal 2020.
2. The Artillery Sidewinder X1 was intended to boost my COVID PPE printing output, purchased in early 2020. It got off to a poor start but is pretty reliable now that I don't need it as much. I kind of like the old thing, but it's not a Prusa.
3. I purchased a Monoprice Cadet in a fit of curiosity. It's interesting seeing what can be done without a heated bed and barely any part cooling. Having a dinky, rigidly constrained bed sure helps with print quality. It's an interesting perspective on 3D printing.

I don't do any commercial printing, just hobbyist/household functional stuff and pitching in with PPE back when it was needed.

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@jsw, I am very happy with my Prusa but have always been interested in the S5 so it was interesting to read this comparison from someone who has both. Thanks.

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I get the impression that problematic X motor aside, you reach for the Prusa for most day to day printing tasks and save the Sidewinder for larger jobs.

Posted by: @bobstro

I've got three at the moment:

1. The Prusa i3 Mk3 was my first and most reliable. It's been steady since early 2018, only now requiring an X motor replacement after a brutal 2020.
2. The Artillery Sidewinder X1 was intended to boost my COVID PPE printing output, purchased in early 2020. It got off to a poor start but is pretty reliable now that I don't need it as much. I kind of like the old thing, but it's not a Prusa.
3. I purchased a Monoprice Cadet in a fit of curiosity. It's interesting seeing what can be done without a heated bed and barely any part cooling. Having a dinky, rigidly constrained bed sure helps with print quality. It's an interesting perspective on 3D printing.

I don't do any commercial printing, just hobbyist/household functional stuff and pitching in with PPE back when it was needed.

Prusa has my respect. My Mk3 was rock solid when it counted.

Posted by: @brad-2

I get the impression that problematic X motor aside, you reach for the Prusa for most day to day printing tasks and save the Sidewinder for larger jobs.

Yes, definitely. It was rock-steady printing PPE 24x7 for weeks during the start of the COVID crisis which hit our area hard during the 1st wave. I'd fall asleep watching it printing via OctoPrint, and would wake up during the night to see it working away. Every few hours, a batch would simply be ready with no fuss. It kept chugging on while printers that cost 2-3X as much were failing in our area and spares could not be found. I worked with school groups and others with batteries of 5+ Mk3s to boost output and the Mk3s always came through. It was great having something so dependable working throughout that period and having something proactive to do made the time pass faster. I fed it whatever PETG I could get my hands on, and just applied a bit of lubricant every couple of days. Someday I'm going to print a proper STEADFAST name badge for it. Prusa has earned my respect for durability and solid design.

The X motor only failed after 3 years, so I'm not put off by that. My Sidewinder has required attention since day one and "support" could only get spares out to me in 60 days or more.

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Posted by: @brad-2

@jsw, I am very happy with my Prusa but have always been interested in the S5 so it was interesting to read this comparison from someone who has both. Thanks.

Thanks.

One thing I didn't mention is that the plate dimensions and thus the build size is significantly larger.

One reason I selected the Prusa I3 was that I could print the pieces for a '64 series' box car without breaking them up.  Now on the S5 I can do those without placing some of them 'cattywumpus' on the plate, with room to spare.

printers

I have 5 Minis, 8 Mk3S, and 5 non-Prusa Printers (Ender 3, CR-10S Pro, Anycubic Predator, Anycubic Chiron, and BIQU BX).  I also have a growing collection of donated and purchased antiquated printers I use for inspiration.  

I have a side hustle for printing in which I print for my hobby.  It has paid for all but a handful of the printers.  

Must be nice to have a whole farm at your disposal for hobby work. I am doing a lot of prototyping at the moment for my “hustle” and I could achieve a week’s worth of work in just one day with your equipment!

Posted by: @cwbullet

I have 5 Minis, 8 Mk3S, and 5 non-Prusa Printers (Ender 3, CR-10S Pro, Anycubic Predator, Anycubic Chiron, and BIQU BX).  I also have a growing collection of donated and purchased antiquated printers I use for inspiration.  

I have a side hustle for printing in which I print for my hobby.  It has paid for all but a handful of the printers.  

point

Posted by: @brad-2

Must be nice to have a whole farm at your disposal for hobby work. I am doing a lot of prototyping at the moment for my “hustle” and I could achieve a week’s worth of work in just one day with your equipment!

Posted by: @cwbullet

I have 5 Minis, 8 Mk3S, and 5 non-Prusa Printers (Ender 3, CR-10S Pro, Anycubic Predator, Anycubic Chiron, and BIQU BX).  I also have a growing collection of donated and purchased antiquated printers I use for inspiration.  

I have a side hustle for printing in which I print for my hobby.  It has paid for all but a handful of the printers.  

 That is the point. I have one printer down right now.  Atleast, I can continue printing.