I doubled my print output for €250 (Mini)
TLDR: Having a secondary printer is nice, consider a used Prusa.
3D printing for me generally falls into one of two categories: I either print something I know or assume will work well, or I print something for the sake of testing (for example iterating a design). Almost all my 3D printing has been done with my Prusa MK4, a printer that I'm very happy with. I didn't think I would need anything else. But it turns out I was wrong.
I've been curious about the Prusa Mini for the longest time, something about it entices me. Maybe it's the small form factor, maybe it's the notion of a budget-oriented Prusa machine. After being on the fence about it for literal years, I finally decided to purchase a used second hand Prusa Mini+. This was purely for my own entertainment, and I thought I would only use the printer as a gimmick or fun hobby project more than anything else.
The previous owner left the slightly machine damaged in different ways. Some understandable, some questionable. Regardless, thanks to Prusa's spare parts library (both printable models and spare parts shop) and excellent manuals, getting the machine restored was very easy.
To my surprise, the Prusa Mini prints very well. After having some cumbersome problems with stringing (that eventually got solved by replacing some of the printable components) using the Mini has been a breeze. Putting a benchy side-by-side with the MK4, I can honestly not tell the difference between the two machines with some filaments. Overall the MK4 still prints better, but the difference is only in breadth of capabilities. In many situations, the print quality is indistiguishable. The build area doesn't even bother me after I realized that a vast majority of the prints I do fit on the Mini's smaller build area anyway.
This led to my epiphany. All of a sudden my fun hobby printer I would actually never use, turned into an equally capable work horse for lots of my prints. Where I previously had to wait for my printer to finish, I could now both print things I just wanted to get done printing at the same time as I printed test parts on a project I was working on. I could now test things twice as fast, testing multiple things in parallell. I discovered I did in fact have a need for more than 1 printer, and having that need fulfilled made 3D printing significantly more enjoyable.
Having an extra printer lessened one of the biggest annoyances with 3D printing, having to wait. Seeing how speed-benchys and print speeds are a huge part of marketing, I would guess that others share my annoyance. However, I would like to suggest increasing output via multiple machines instead of faster printing.
If you're deeply involved in 3D printing, if you spend a lot of time doing it and enjoy it a lot, I would strongly recommend getting a secondary printer.
RE: I doubled my print output for €250 (Mini)
I must admit I loved my Minis too, especially after upgrading to a Bondtech extruder (I hated the original extruder) and a Dragon hotend for rapid nozzle changes. As you said, I couldn't see any difference in quality compared to my Mk4S machines. And after the firmware upgrade that added Input Shaper, print speed was insane.
Alas, all good things come to an end. After upgrading my Mk4S's to Core Ones I just found myself using the Minis less and less frequently, so I handed them off to new homes. But I still have very fond memories. ❤️
Formerly known on this forum as @fuchsr -- https://foxrun3d.com/
RE: I doubled my print output for €250 (Mini)
Yeah after getting another printer it increases the print speed for real, while the firmware updates can only bump it to some extent ( but then firmware speed increase with an firmware upgrade scales better when you have more printers).
The only issue I have is that getting a different printer complicates workflow and servicing - you need to switch to different print settings and some conversions are not 1 to 1.
The most limiting is the smaller print volume, though: when you have a bed aligned to a bigger print bed and want to extract the bit by applying negative volume to print it, then apparently PrusaSlicer (in 2.9.4) refuses slicing because original object does not fit the bed, even if it fits after applying a negative volume.
Second thing is different set of items for maintenance - nozzles, some tools etc - and different ways if operating them.
All in all getting another same printer is much more straightforward and recommended, unless you need an upgrade.
Speaking of upgrades, my Mini started to print perfectly and not making any issues if in the same time I also try to print on the Core One L - the first print on the Core One L always end in an issue. I bet Mini jinxed the Core One L 🙂
See my GitHub and printables.com for some 3d stuff that you may like.
RE: I doubled my print output for €250 (Mini)
I always feel like everyone serious about 3D printing needs a few printers. Given the print times for large/complex parts, adding another printer cuts down on the time A LOT.