Is the MK3 right for me?
I'm in the market for a new 3D printer Since the one I currently own is very limited on features.
I own a Winbo SH155L 3D printer which I am sure most of you have never heard of it. It gives me excellent print quality but it has none of the nice features I am looking for (auto bed leveling, heated bed, multiple filament options etc...)
The thing I find to be a pain is leveling the bed after every large print since the 4th screw is almost impossible to reach by hand and requires a needle nose plier to turn which makes leveling a 10 minute job instead of 2.
I want a printer that is reliable so I don't want to have to troubleshoot on a daily basis and with excellent print quality.
I wanted to know if you think the MK3 is the right printer for me. I love the feautres it has but I am only really concerned about the quality of the prints and how reliable it will be in the future.
Re: Is the MK3 right for me?
Short answer: IMHO YES
Long answer:
I know of no other printer at this price point that is focusing on a similar combination of print quality, ease of use, range of materials and print volume as the PRUSA MK3. So if everything is working as designed and advertised it should be a really pain-free experience. Also, the Prusa printers have the reputation of being very reliable, for the category. And print quality should be equal to the earlier models, which is very good.
But nobody has seen the printer out in the wild so you'd have to wait for maybe 6 months to get some reliable information.
In the end it's a question of your budget and requirements. For home and hobby use, the MK3 IMHO sits right in the sweet spot of price, ease of use, flexibility, reliability, print quality and print volume.
For professional use I think most companies will have a different set of requirements, and pay more for the printer that meets them.
You could also consider the MK2S, it's still a great printer, and great value at the new price point, just the temperature sensitivity of the PINDA probe reuires a little attention to the first layer thickness.
You could order now, which would maybe mean you'd get the printer in February. Until then you have time to see how it is received in the market and could still cancel the order if you change your mind.
Cheers!
Re: Is the MK3 right for me?
Thank you for the elaborate reply.
The thing is my budget is limited to 3000$ but the thing is how much more quality and reliability/ease of use will an Ultimaker 3 or a Zortrax m 200 provide me with much more of that than an MK3? I can only justify paying more if it is worth the difference.
I am not a professional just a hobbyist that has fallen in love with 3D printing since I love tinkering.
Re: Is the MK3 right for me?
With a budget of $3000 you have other possibilities that you could consider.
A real multi-material printer that allows printing with different materials (temperatures) and soluble support structures
High temperature hot-end, heated bed and chamber to allow printing of polycarbonate and maybe even POM
A bigger print volume
Professional slicer software
I cannot justify spending that much money, but at 3000 USD those features become an option, if they are of value to you.
Really depends on what you want/need to print.
Re: Is the MK3 right for me?
I made my decision and placed an order on an MK3 since It good enough for hobby use and has all the cool features a nerd like me will enjoy.
Will put the rest of what I saved into a bigger turbo 😀