Is Makerbot Replicator Mini Better Than A Pile of Plywood?

I picked up another used 3D printer, a Makerbot Replicator Mini. This is only my second 3D printer, the first being a diy-ish Printerbot from 2012 made out of laser-cut wood and zipties.
Comparing the two printers, I had a LOT of trouble getting the Makerbot to even work. The software provides little to no status info and is very mysterious. The printer tends to crash and lock up a lot. It worked better after I threw away the plastic fish tank tube that is supposed to feed the plastic stock in, that seems to be mainly designed to cause filament jams. It also worked better to uninstall the latest version of MakerBot Desktop and roll back to version 3.6.
Even with these modifications, the thing was VERY loud and very flaky. It took a whole day to get anything recognizable to print with it. It also smells a bit worse than the old 2012 printerbot, both have a burning plastic odor, but the Makerbot is worse.
It also wastes a lot of filament on useless "rafts" at the base of the print. These seem counterproductive, as the raft tends to pop off the blue tape and distort the print. I have never done a raft on the older printer and so far I've seen no reason to ever use a raft, but the Makerbot doesn't let you disable those.
All-in-all, the Makerbot seems to be mostly junk. There was no effort put into software design or testing, and little to no effort put into smooth or quiet hardware. The 2012 Printerbot (aka, pile of hardware store scraps) wins hands down on almost everything I did.
This isn't a sponsored review, and didn't really start out as a review, but it kind of turned into one! 2/5 stars for Makerbot Replicator Mini, 4/5 stars for the wooden Printerbot.
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[@pbpx]

I would definitely try to find a deal on an Ender 3. thats a machine that you can run hard. You can find them for about 100 dollars pretty often and they have a 9x9x9 build area.

[@GhostJPS]

Late to this, but watching you try to troubleshoot this took me back to high school. I had two of those machines to manage and I hated the jamming and all the quality problems with them.

[@GhostJPS]

I know there is a model for a spool holder so you can use 1kg spools but there really isn't much for reliability you can do.

[@gannas42]

Paperclips all the way down. Very well said. Gave me a good laugh, too. Sorry you ended up with a makerbot. 😅 Rafts are very 2014. Makerbot software is kinda junk. I wonder if the Cura slicer supports makerbot machines... very much recommend it. If you see a Creality Ender (insert any number and letter) for that price or less, go nuts. The Ender 3 for example is so crazy popular there's tons of community support out there.

[@pileofstuff]

If the filament is smellier, it might be ABS instead of PLA. That was more commonly used back in the day. ABS needs a bit higher temperature than PLA. You might also be able to get some chinesium parts to convert the Makerbot to 1.75MM

[@FaisalAlmalki223]

Check the extruder nozzle tip thread size, if it is the common thread size you might be able to buy some generic 1.75mm nozzle in 0.4mm or 0.6mm (1.75mm in, 0.4 - 0.6 mm out) as pile of stuff mentioned. Depending on how fine you want to print (and how fine the printer can print) you can choose between 0.4 and 0.6 mm, mine came with a 0.4 mm nozzle and it can print down to 0.12mm which is not very fine but good enough.

[@101stsurvivor]

Unfortunately these things are pretty well known for being a dead end for makers, parts are really expensive and there isn't a great deal you can do with it. 3d printing comes with a lot of learning and mistake making even with a properly functioning machine, you may be better off grabbing yourself an ender 3 (which if you live somewhere with a microcenter will set you back 99 bucks). It's not a perfect machine but it's where many of us got our start because despite its flaws it's good enough to get going and the community around it is huge. A machine that can take advantage of the common slicers and open source community is really a must in this hobby. Another great beginner option is a prusa (either mk3s or mini) they are a bit pricey but as they are completely open source you can buy kits to build one yourself which is more in the spirit of your channel :)

[@saveitforparts]

Yep, I'll probably upgrade at some point, right now I'm going through 2nd-hand ones to see what features I really want and what problems I encounter!

[@101stsurvivor]

@@saveitforparts Well if you ever want some advice or help feel free to get in touch, i'm pretty excited to see what you'll create with one

[@richardf3327]

I want a t-shirt that says "Is [Don't Turn The World Into Paperclips] enabled?" I love your videos anyway, but that line made me laugh til i cried. Thanks - having a great sense of humour is a massive bonus on youtube. Don't ever stop. p.s. if you get a design on teespring or similar, I would like to be able to buy the first one. :)

[@saveitforparts]

Ooh, good idea! I'm actually thinking of switching merch providers since I don't like Teespring's quality, I'll try to speed that up!

[@EatsTooMuchJam]

The Printerbot uses 3mm filament which is not very common at all these days. I think the Makerbot is using 1.75mm which is the standard. Luckily, it's pretty cheap - like $15ish per kg. If you didn't already clean and grease the rails that things move on, it's worth doing that. A lot of times when the print misaligns partway through like that, it's due binding/slipping. I'm not sure about the filament jams, but that might be fixable with adjusting the tension on whatever is pushing the filament - but yeah, I don't like Bowens tube printers vs direct drive.

[@EatsTooMuchJam]

In fact, it's because almost nothing uses 3mm filament that I gave you a pile of it with the printerbot. If it were usable with other/newer printers, I'd have kept it and used it! :)

[@ElkRiverBiodiesel]

THANK YOU. I was just about to buy one for $150 on Facebook marketplace! This was the video I needed!!

[@devinsullivan6160]

"Without checking if it has, 'Don't turn the World into Paperclips' Enabled, It's going to be Paperclips all the way down..." I hurt myself laughing, I genuinely am not sure whats that was so funny to me. Keep it up @savitforparts

[@Jacksirrom]

they had one of these prominently displayed in the middle of my library around 2014. LOUD!

[@fullraph]

This printer uses 1.75mm filament while the old(er) one use 2.85mm. Finer filament is better for small details. Ditch the blue tape and clean the bed with 99% isopropyl alcohol before each prints while it's still cold. It should make it feel a bit gummy once heated up. Have you tried printing using an SD card instead of printing over USB? If this can't be done I would recommend you try using Ultimaker Cura instead of the Makerbot software. You will need a plugin as this era of Makerbot printers do not use G code.

[@philipx2]

I agree

[@ryanfrogz]

Those Makerbots are LOUD! My school got a pretty fancy one on a grant a while back, but could never use it because the noise interrupted classes during the day and any other work during the night. You might be able to get rid of the rafts with CURA, I’m pretty sure it supports Makerbots products.

[@cobraspottedwolf8791]

I'm glad you are taking all the punishment so we don't have to!

[@LeadDennis]

It is not too hard to rewind your filament to a smaller spool for the MakerBot. Though I agree through first hand experience the makerbot is a waste of time.

[@christophero1969]

Thanks!

[@saveitforparts]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video :-)

[@leonardarola]

Missing you around bro.

[@mattparker9726]

4:34 or the A.I. revolution.

[@joshuabessire9169]

If nothing else it would make a nice terranium.

[@mattparker9726]

0:18 *relatable*

[@yxyxs]

😅

[@diederikvandedijk]

Can you use the printerbot to print filament for the makerbot?

[@mike97525]

thanks👍👍😎😎

[@jimg3466]

i got a Anycubic Mega X 3D last week used on ebay $119 super great deal.

[@asn413]

hm can you print from blender? i dont know much about these. i'd be jamming alt tab and ctrl alt del. old school:)

[@LostCloudx4]

It's like watching a mechanic try to cook a gourmet meal lol. For a bag of crap old printer like this you need top level knowledge to get her fixed up and rocking. IDK what it cost you but I hear in the US you can get Ender 3 NEW for like $99usd...Oh you paid 100 lol

[@tvon4966]

I got a makerbot replicator plus for 100 off of a school selling them, had it for years and it’s been great, the smart extruders are very easy to work on if you ever need to get a clog out. I use makerbot print I’m not sure which software this is but it looks really crappy and outdated, mine has plenty of options and prints beautifully! I must be lucky…..🤣

[@muha0644]

you know, you can get a brand new 3D-printer (albeit you have to assemble it) that works 100x better for less than 150 USD... Also, printer "software" is not a thing. All 3D printers use gcode, so any slicer is as good as any other (mostly). You should have just used something like prusaslicer for it.

[@highlander5521]

In germany we say "Elektroschrott"

[@vitograhovac2247]

man film more mining vidios they are awesome

[@saveitforparts]

I'll have more Sandland stuff coming up! We're actually front page of the Mining Journal for December and I need to make a video about that!

[@DetroitMicroSound]

Go and keep leaving funny comments, and ideas on Integza's channel. Maybe you'll win a brand-new printer. Too bad this thing isn't a little larger, because if it were, it would be EASY to turn into a cnc plasma table, for cutting metal parts for BIG MEANINGFUL projects.... 😉 ...Too bad it wasn't an ArcDroid you found someplace. 😄

[@saveitforparts]

That DNA sequencer dingus I have might be big enough to use as a CNC gizmo...

[@DetroitMicroSound]

@@saveitforparts I think so, as well. It looks sturdy enough to hold a plasma cutting torch/line steady, without wearing out quickly. And the great thing is, it only needs to work at a single hight. Imagine all the great stuff you could make. -Imagine all the great stuff you could cut from scrap metal, that you wouldn't have to pay (much, if any) for! Need strong brackets for something? Make them on the spot, from scrap. Making it into a CNC plasma cutter, would be an amazing, rewarding, and highly useful tool, even if it can't cut large parts. Such a tool, could cut all your bracketry for building a big wind turbine, that won't rip itself apart at the top of that hill at Sandland.

[@paulkrush565]

OK Gabe, I copied the transcript of this video into chatGPT and asked it to "Write a dystopian sci-fi story about the speaker" This is what chatGPT wrote: In a world where technology had advanced to a point where robots had replaced most human workers, the speaker found himself struggling to make a living. He had always been fascinated by older gadgets, and had a knack for finding and fixing them. He spent his days scouring the junkyards and dumpsters of the city, looking for treasures hidden among the debris. One day, while digging through a pile of broken machines, he stumbled upon an ancient 3D printer. It was covered in dust and cobwebs, but he could see the potential in it. He took it back to his small apartment and spent weeks tinkering with it, trying to get it to work. Just as he was about to give up, the printer suddenly whirred to life. Excited by his success, he set to work creating all manner of objects, from small trinkets to intricate mechanical parts. But as he delved deeper into the capabilities of the printer, he began to realize the true potential of the technology. He started to experiment with creating robotic parts, and before long he had built himself a small army of robots. He soon realized that these robots could be used to do the work of the unemployed masses, and he started to offer his services to the desperate people of the city. But the ruling government saw the threat that the speaker and his robots posed to their control, and they began to crack down on him. The speaker was forced to go underground, using his robots to smuggle food and medical supplies to the oppressed people of the city. He became a hero to the downtrodden, using his technology to fight against the oppressive government. But as his rebellion grew, the government began to send their own robots to hunt him down. The speaker found himself on the run, using all of his skills and resources to evade capture. As the years went by, the speaker and his robots continued to fight for freedom, but the government's power grew stronger. The speaker knew that eventually, they would be caught, but he was determined to keep fighting until the end. In the end, the speaker and his robots were captured and destroyed, but their legacy lived on. The people of the city remembered the speaker as a hero who had dared to fight against the oppressive government, and his memory served as a beacon of hope to all those who dreamed of a better future.

[@saveitforparts]

Oh man, that's great. I'll make sure to document all that on the channel when it happens!

[@3atsleeprepeat]

Please see if you have the bed tramming done as needed. I think it could be a reason for the bad quality. Also known as "bed leveling" lmao

[@alastairmurray3153]

Your machine is unwell / sick! If I hade 8 hours with it you would not be criticizing it but praising it!! Outside of an extruder replacement, the rest is levelling, tensioning and lubricating the rails and extruder 2D hardware, plus buying brand new PLA (yours must be old, heavy absorption of moisture... etc etc.... Don't know why it is so loud, suspect bearing issues (shot) or filthy rails / screw feeders)...