Why I stopped 3D printing on my N scale model railroad

[@Smaquis]

I've been 3d printing for years and here's my $.02: 1. I play alot of wargames and print miniatures constantly, like 1,000's of hours a year. 2. Resin printing almost killed me. I had venting and protective gear and still got poisoned. 3. I use FDM now and with the right settings and machine N scale is no problem. That being said my current printers are 3 Bambu Labs P1S and 4 A1 minis. 2 FLSUN V400 and an Ender 3 that collects dust. I can honestly say all of my Bambu printers print very well, with a .02 nozzle, for my wifes N scale stuff. I made her a roundhouse and some bridge trestles and a firetruck for her firehouse. All look great and I just used a simple miniature setting I found online and tweaked a little.

[@Jim-tn3vq]

Thanks for the video I have been 3D resin printing for several years and I have had similar issues but I find it a challenge to find how to improve my printing having joined f/b printer groups and monitor comments I have learnt a lot. I sometimes ask question. I now have at Anycubic 7Max and great fantastic details all in N scale. very fine detail. Some of the things I found that help are temperature, resin type, mixing the resin before the start each day and doing a calibration test first with a flat test and the with Ameria Lab tower. It is very time consuming and I can under stand how you feel, 3D printing is not for everyone. Have a great Xmas and a Happy New Year.

[@williamclemens4882]

I have an Ender 5 Plus, large printer, I also had some adhesion issues. Here's how I solved that. The power save turns off the build plate temperature after 3 or 4 print slices. This cools the plate temperature to a point where the print starts to curl up the corners. Turn off the power save and keep the build plate temp on all the time. Second, I found the best adhesion device was hair spray extra hold. Spray the build area just before the print starts. Hair spray is itself plastic, so some warm sticky plastic on the plate really helps, in fact, sometimes it's difficult to break loose, you may have to use a razor blade. Depending on how often you print, once you notice a build up of hair spray on your plate, use a glass stove top cleaner to clean the plate. The glass build plate is the same glass used on electric stove tops. Finally, for flat thin prints, always use the Brim setting, that will anchor the corners and keep them from curling. As for 3D printing in N scale, here's what I do. I design in FreeCAD in HO scale, that allows a lot of detail. Then send to slicer (I use UltimakeCURA) and reduce to N scale (54.38% reduction) or even Z (39.54%) or T (19.33%) scales. Reducing scale will lose some detail but if it's that small, you would barely see it anyway. I also design and print in components rather than large multi-faceted structures. I am currently working on a near replica of the Rockville Stone Arch railroad bridge in PA, longest in the world. It was built in 1902 and is still in heavy use today, approximately 60-70 trains cross it every day. I have 30 components designed for it which includes wing-walls, abutments, handrails and pipe-hangers with pipe.

[@davidwoodbridge862]

Yeah, similar struggles are common. Problem is you need to spend a bit more to get the good results, unfortunately, from experience, you chose two difficult to tame brands in succession, I feel your pain. I stopped printing for a bit, similar experiences. Got back to it and now print commercially having solved many of the issues. I have had to spend a considerable amount to achieve that though. I also endorse the Bambu Labs products and though I have not tried one the A1 mini appears to be a good budget friendly choice.

[@Polkdaddyjr]

So I recently picked up Bambu Lab A1, I'd have to say of all the 3d printers if used, this by far has to be the best one, you might consider trying it

[@hanspijpers2100]

With a .2 mm nozzle should give great details. And I don't have to use glue sticks or stuf, just plug and print

[@loudom3217]

I also recently purchased a Bambu A1 and I absolutely love it. I don't have N scale railroad but the things I have made I find the Bambu A1 to be excellent and that is with a .4 mm nozzle.

[@bv6788]

Bought my A1 back in October. First printer I've had where I can just print over and over without troubleshooting annoying issues

[@jerryspeedbumps512]

That Bambu is awesome! Fast, and clean! built in pic, usable on some higher grade materials. We use it at work. The finish is outstanding!

[@JohnJones-oy3md]

I think this is going to be my first FDM printer as well. Some people love the tinkering part of getting a printer working, but I just want the 3D equivalent of a paper laser printer. An appliance instead of a project. And as cheap as I am, at this point in my life I'm willing to pay a little more to save myself endless time and frustration.

[@PatrickLangaFasLaps]

As other's have mentioned, you might try the Bambu Labs A1. I just picked one up and I am utterly amazed! I've had 3 other printers including a Creality CR 10 Pro (which should be better than an Ender 3). The A1 seems like it is built for someone who wants to print stuff rather that having another hobby of 3D printing! The speed, detail, ease of use, and reliability are literally amazing!

[@hanspijpers2100]

Yep totally agree

[@mysticrailroad]

great info on your printing experience, thank you :)

[@andrewgrussling5273]

Bambu a1 with a 0.2mm nozzle would be a much better experience. I know the ender 3 struggle well

[@johnslugger]

Agree.

[@sampiro2133]

I have only used a FDM printer. So, honest question here. If printing a cavity creates suction on a resin printer, wouldn’t introducing a small hole in the object near the build plate relieve that pressure?

[@mattsteinblock]

That is exactly what I ended up doing. But, like everything, its part of the learning curve that wasn't immediately obvious to me when I started. :)

[@PacificEnterpriseNetwork]

Yes. Another thing I do is print away from the build plate with supports, which leaves an air gap and eliminates suction.

[@KennethScharf]

FTM printers can make great stuff for HO scale but for N scale you need really fine detail. It can be done with 0.25mm nozzles and high quality filaments on a GOOD printer. Enders need not apply here! Prusa, Bambo Labs, Creallity K series, and a well built and tuned Voron can do it. Resin printers are another world apart. The chemistry here isn't something a tryo wants to fool with, all resin printers are in the professional / industrial realm, despite the sales pitch that hobby level machines exist. But the bottom line is that you need to master the CAD skills to design your own models, and if you can't do that, then the whole process isn't for you. OTOH, once you can handle the computer design process, you can use 3D printing services to get your prototypes made, and there are good, reasonably priced 3D printing services out there that the hobbyist can use. Being a retired software engineer, I enjoy building and using 3D FTM printers, and I'm slowly learning the CAD side. But if the destination is more important than the journey for you, there are other ways to build your train layout. I kit bashed several pieces of rolling stock and loco's to make a model of Florida's Tri-Rail rolling stock some years back. I also used structural extrusions of ABS along with Atlas plate girder bridges to make a model of one of the NYC elevated subway lines. Think like Macgyver!

[@quigleyscorner4881]

So, I've bee building ad moddig 3D printers since 2012. If you swap out for a 0.2mm nozzle, it will be slow but you can achieve pretty good results.

[@MikeD0162]

Buy an A1 or A1 Mini with a 0.2 Nozzle. You will get wonderful prints. I've done several items.

[@Jeepy842000]

I've had a Mono X for years and just got a M5s this year. To me, if you need the size the M5 is great, but if you are looking for fine details it's more a kin to a sledgehammer when you really just need a jeweler's peen hammer. The larger vat means larger amount of pull strength to remove the model from the FEP with each layer and a larger deflection of said FEP with each pull. The monitor of motor load to detect adhesion issues however has been working flawlessly so far which is awesome to have vs push Print and Pray of the old X. If I were to use an FDM printer for N, I would likely use a .2mm nozzle and relegate it to ultra large things like buildings, maybe rock formations if I felt like trying to CAD those. Could use printer resin as a paint on filler to hide layer lines too.

[@N_scale]

I’m very close . Guy in my group switched to bamboo He was anycubic filament and eelgoo resin I have sv06 Maybe I just had no patience that day Might hook it back up sometime but at least technology is advancing

[@DargoDog]

My main geekage is scale RC, 1/10 crawlers, 1/14 scale semi trucks, and 1/10 scale crawlers. 3D printing has really changed the hobby for me, and has made it a lot more interesting. I started with a Creality CR10, doubled up with a Mini Prusa, and now the CR10 has been replaced with a Bambu Labs P1S. My one goal was to not be a 3D printing nerd, but use it as a tool to print the parts I need, while still doing the required maintenance and repairs. For the most part, I have succeeded. With that, most of what I print are support parts that are not normally seen, without finishing, you can tell a part has been FDM printed. FDM printers are getting better, but they are horrible at fine detail, it can be done, but you most certainly have to be a 3D printing nerd to get there. Resin printing produces very good detail. I have thought about getting a resin printer, however, resin printing is very toxic, and should only be done with proper protective gear and ventilation, which I am not set up for. This is also true of FDM printing with anything other than PLA, PETG and TPU.

[@KandWRailroader]

I'm sorry you had to learn the hard way that 3D printing wasn't for you, but at least you gave it a shot. After some consideration, I decided not to even try because I thought I would spend too much of my free time working with 3D printing, designing, etc., and the wouldn't leave much time my actual hobby of model railroading. I'll leave the 3D printing up to those who have more time and resources for that kind of thing. I appreciate you sharing your story though.

[@boomerdiorama]

Respectfully, I get your pain. 3D printing is over-rated. I really like your PVC grain elevators. I couldn't stop looking at them while you were justifiably lamenting about the 3D printer experience. All I do is wrap my PVC pipe with Plastruct and Evergreen siding and they look great. Just sayin, nothing wrong with the old traditional way of scratch building. Cheers. 😁

[@mattsteinblock]

I thought 3d printing would be faster and easier to make some of these things. But in all honesty by the time you figure how much time it took me to design (and redesign) and print (and reprint) it would have been much faster to create them by hand with styrene. I am sure with a lot more experience both of these would solve themselves. I really enjoy your channel, thanks for visiting!

[@timcox3856]

Vision NanoMiner. It's worth every penny!

[@bourno16]

Popped in my feed. No worries, enjoy your hobbies

[@daiseyd7652]

Try your filament printer with a 0.2mm nozzle and use a new clean print bed. Keep it's washed with soapy water, full rinse, then IPA wipe. No more sticking issues for me. Resin seems like a massive pain.

[@davidbrown2591]

I had trouble with mine try cleaning your resin bed or the film with 3 in 1 PTFE lubricant

[@roysredneckgarage2956]

Use purple Elmer’s glue stick on your bed plate. And use brims. Install CHEP profiles from thangs.

[@curiositiesbythomas5302]

Sorry to hear about all the printing problems. I've been doing it for years now and the initial learning part and getting the right settings can be brutal for sure! if you ever want to try again feel free to reach out to me and I am sure that I can help.

[@StefanMArndt]

While the Ender 3 V2 was my first printer, I don't consider it a beginner's printer, whatsoever. I am the kind of person who loves to tinker, and made it a hobby. But, anyone who just wants something to work should buy a Bambu Labs printer. Would you get the quality you want? I don't know. But, you at least would get prints that succeed, without having to constantly tinker with the hardware. I spent 3 years with my Ender 3 V2 and after a few weeks of tinkering, and some upgrades (like auto bed levelling) I very rarely had failed prints. Then I got my Bambu Labs A1 a few months ago. Yeah, night and day, and it prints 5 times as fast.

[@Slurgical_3D_Terrain_Channel]

Try one more time with a Bambu Lab printer. I printed a 32mm scale motorcycle for my tabletop. With stock .4mm. It even got the mirrors arm. Check my video on it. I just got a .2mm nozzle, I haven’t tried yet. I was blown away. The printers still have their issues. My X1C was out of commission for over a month. My A1 is printing fine, but there is a resonance error and I found a small x screw on the table. I will have to investigate that. I had a Wanhao i3plus and CR10v2, I modified pretty much everything on them. So I have been around. The new era of FDM have completely changed my workflow in a way better way. I design terrain for tabletop gaming. So heavily invested in 3D Modelling. For small scale like that, I wouldn’t recommend a bed slinger, I would advise a P1S. I didn’t try the motorcycle on the A1, will do. But I think because things like mirror arm would probably be knocked out.

[@BoghyFL]

For those having issues with adhesion do this: 1 Wash with warm to hot water your surface, 2 Use strike free cloth for windows mixed with rubbing alcohol and finally 3 Spray heavy this specific product: "Aqua Net Extra Super Hold Professional Hair Spray Unscented 11"

[@IMRROcom]

Dawn Dish Soap. It is safe for Baby Ducks too

[@sonictails6458]

Increase bed temp. Problem solved

[@handlaidtracksand3dprinted922]

My entire layout is 3D printed! Jigs to hand build the tracks and all! But the Bambu A1 is a superior printer - used CR10 V3 for years. Hated resin - so much mess and garbage bags of trash!

[@Railshop-models]

So glad my comment was posted.. where?

[@mikes.4811]

I have a Enders 3 pro that I made direct drive, new board and BL touch. 95% of my prints turn out perfect. Just bought a Ender 3 Max neo and its even better. 3D printing isnt for the faint of heart. You have to get everything set right and the filament has to be right. Once you learn the tricks, you can print pretty fine detail. I model in HO but have printed out figures and such that look perfect. You just cant give up. 👍

[@arglebargle17]

I'm going to support Polkdaddyjr. I got a Bambu Labs A1 a few months ago and my prints have been flawless (unless I was clumsy enough to leave fingerprints on the base). With all my success with other practical projects, I'm going to realize my 50 year old dream of the greatest coffee-table N-scale railroad. I'm going to be daring enough to print the ties and lay track manually. Rule one of 3D printing: dehydrate your filaments or you're setting yourself up for failure. I'm only 6 weeks in and I've chewed through 10kg of filament with the only failures being my incorrect design ideas. (Frankly, that's half the fun)

[@superuser13]

3d printers are machines like any other, setup, tolerance, and maintenance is the key to getting good prints. It was pretty easy for me because I was a machinist and have always been into computers and design. Resin printers are just a nasty toxic disaster waiting to happen. Filament printers are much better Imo, and with the available of sandable pla, finish work is much easier now. Don't give up, keep at it and after a couple years you will master it.

[@WHJeffB]

Resin printers can be all of those things you say... But after taking the time to master the process, then sticking to a set list of steps, modeling bliss will ensue. I model narrow gauge in S scale (Sn2, which is two foot gauge on HOn3 gauge track), and my three resin printers are key for what I do. You can't buy most of what I need to model. Windows, freight car details, trucks, other details, etc... Some of the finest details I can print are about 0.1-0.2mm across and 0.1-0.15mm tall. Scale rivets in HO or S. No problem. I also print complete freight cars, that are about 80-85% complete off the printer. I also "stick build" freight cars and structures, but nothing helps more than 3D printing. IMO... Guys that give resin printing a go, then give it up very quickly, just aren't taking the time to figuring it out, or aren't asking for help or looking in the right places for info.

[@superuser13]

@WHJeffB I considered buying one, but I don't really need that level of detail, not to mention all the machines, software, and updates I'm already dealing with. I figured I just don't have time to master another machine.

[@WHJeffB]

@@superuser13 I get it... I retired back in July for a similar reason. Got tired of having to learn new machines, software, test equipment, etc... Every 6-12months it was something new. You get to a point where you just get tired of that kind of learning, at least for a job. But for my hobby it's different, probably because it's a hobby and I do it for enjoyment. And it's a means to an end. I also have a CNC laser cutter, two manual mills and a manual lathe. All of which I get a lot of use out of! Anyway... I get it. Happy Holiday!

[@superuser13]

@WHJeffB sounds like we're about the same. I was a machinist and millwright, so all this tech gear is second nature for me. The only thing I don't have is a good cnc mill/lathe, but I have manual ones.

[@KevinDouglas11]

I happened on your channel as the algorithm has led me here. I hate to say it but I think you were led astray with some bad information from the start. I have THOUSANDS of hours of runtime on my machines. Printed things for my model railroad on both my old Ender and my current machine. Your complaints with the Ender are 100% valid, I think the 3D Printing community about 6 years ago really led folks down a fork in the road - yes it was one of the first to be affordable and capable of getting people in the door, but it still had a lot of tinkering to make it right. That was a massive turnoff and why used Enders are always available online. Usually someone just gave up and lost interest and threw in the towel. A product that is represented like the Ender was s houldn’t need endless “10 best upgrades for the xyz widget” to make it eve function. I got my Ender 3 in 2018 and chronicled my journey to get it to the point where I was making quality items without babysitting it. Issue is, by the time it got there it was essentially a new machine built on the frame: 2 motherboards, auto bed leveling, wham bam build plate, micro-Swiss horned, etc. flash forward to now I am running a Bambu X1C and and cranking out prints rapidly and without a concern about anything like I had before. All of that is to say, if you capitalize on sale pricing and go in on a Bambu A1 either Mini or A1 and a 0.2mm hot end you will be so happy and right back. It genuinely is click a button simple. Using high quality material will also make the layers disappear. I use a 0.4 nozzle and have printed down to 0.1 and they’re gone. If modeling - light sand, prime paint, done. No toxic resin, uv curing, alcohol baths, etc. Good luck, hope things work out well!

[@jmdirstein]

increase the brim size on the fdm prints if adhesion is an issue. also regularly cleaning the build plate helps. i found the bambu lab a1 mini super easy to use as a novice. the 0.2 nozzle is pretty great. takes ages to print though

[@randallporter4835]

Yea the Bambu A1 mini is great. Right out the box, boom your in business

[@johngelnaw1243]

A few observations that you probably don't want, but might be useful. First, the Ender, while it's cheap, is notoriously finicky. For good first layer adhesion on FDM printers, you have to have a level bed and print gantry, the right temperature, and maybe, just maybe, some adhesive. No offense to anyone who has an Ender and makes it work-- while they can be fantastic printers, the Ender 3 is nowhere near a "beginner" printer. A Bambu A1 or A1 Mini would be a fantastic printer for your needs right now, and if you put a 0.2mm nozzle in it, you would be amazed by the print quality. The AMS system allows you to do not only multi-color, but multi-material, and that can be a big deal. FauxHammer has some nice videos on the Bambu Lab printers. As for resin printers-- They offer so much, but demand so much in supplies and time. I keep trying to talk myself into one.

[@davidbrickey469]

@@johngelnaw1243 I just want to say for people who don't know much read this. I personally have the p1s and ams combo with A 0.4 nozzle and it is super nice. I might buy a 0.2

[@slimplynth]

I've been using GK2's for the past 4 months, I barely use my FDM machines at the minute, really nice machines. For the vacuum effect, it does affect some prints more than others.. what I do it put a 2mm breathing hole at the top next to the build plate.. when it's finished.. use a small brush applicator to apply a couple of coats of resin.. quickly cure with a UV pen torch.. then sand locally.. 👌

[@mattsteinblock]

Thanks for the reply! I completely agree with all of that. I tried many different adhesives, from the good old hair spray to ready made "glue". Dont get me wrong, I could get some prints. I was more frustrated that I could never get consistently good prints. If I hit print twice in a row, I should expect the same result right? The Bamboo A1 is on my short list if I decide to make it back into the arena. My fear is the details. Being in N scale, is an FDM printer going to ever produce the details that a resin would? For now I am sticking with other aspects of the hobby. I enjoy custom painting cars and locos and for now I will rely on others to print them for me. For those of you that enjoy printing, hit me up! I have some projects for you! :)

[@edladym]

@@mattsteinblock an A1 with a 0.2 nozzle is getting very close to the detail of resin printers. it's pretty crazy honestly. There's a bunch of videos on youtube showing off this combo. Now to be fair that was showing off minis for wargaming so they're not as small as N-gauge stuff but if you want to send me an stl I have an A1 mini with a 0.2 and I can try it out for you

[@hanspijpers2100]

@@mattsteinblock Too bad you had such a bad experience, I am lucky, I bought the Bambu a1, a very friendly machine, after 2 months still no failures, The extra nozzles are cheap and very fast tom install. And for miniatures you could consider an a1 mini they are about 200 dollars, And if you look at makers world, there are a lot of miniatures to print, HO silo's miniature tractors and trucks, etc etc etc. all free to use for yourself. So you don't need cad experience. And in the Bambu Studio program you can scale any model you want, You can add a 4 colour AMS lite to the a1 or a1 mini and use 4 colours for your miniatures. I used the a1 out of the box, no glue or hairspray just the plate that came with it. And hitting the print button twice ain't no problem, I once needed 6 the same prints for a spice rack , all 6 perfect. Kind regards Hans

[@KWE.ECLECTIC]

Make sure your firmware is updated.

[@ronr6450]

I have a mars 3 resin printer, and have had a really great experience with it. Sure, some prints fail (too cold right now), but it has essentially paid for itself already. I needed a really tall viaduct for one scene...I could have bought two kits that would have worked....at $150 each! Instead, I found some online files that worked just great. Only cost me the resin. I don't know if you've ever priced European building kits...but I've been printing my own buildings for a tiny fraction of the cost...plus, I have literally dozens of cows and people and windows and cars and bicycles and more bridges than I could ever use....all for the cost of resin alone. As I get better at 3d modeling (Blender), I'll be able to digitally kit-bash anything I want. Fantastic!!! Don't give up. (copied from a reply of mine below). Just bought a FDM. Will break that in in the next few months.

[@foofyguy]

I have a small Chitu heater I added in my resin printer to keep the temp in the 80's F Also, resins retain heat fairly well so if you pre heat your resin to a little above target temp to accommodate some heat lost to a cold vat you can print in the cold.

[@SHT5029]

I have a qidi tech shadow 6 pro since 2020. It works great till now with no issues. It is a shame that they don't make it anymore. I have printed recently receiver towers with high details at N scale with great success. You just need to make the design suit for your printer.

[@slotvalleyracing]

A1 by Bambu Lab. I'm new and have been printing for weeks now. Slot car builds and track. Scenery and other things

[@thebobloblawshow8832]

I would be worried about the off gassing.

[@ericdavis4964]

The first question anyone should ask before buying a 3D printer is how much do you actually plan in printing. The second question is, do you already have a few page list of things you would like to print. If the answer is a handful of things, it might be a better use if your time wnd money to have someone else print it for you. If you a large list of items then perhaps 3D printing is worth the investment of time and money. 3D printing is not at the stage of where you buy a printer to use once in a while like you might another tool that you buy use and it dollects dust until its next use. To sum up. Realistically, how much use will the printer see in 1 years time? If the answer is minimal, then purchasing and using a 3D printer will not be the best use of time or money.

[@EverythingIsTarget]

Use a lint free cloth and put rubbing alcohol on it and clean your plate with it. Then allow to dry then reapply glue and allow to dry

[@nfordf450]

Can’t say I blame you. I bought a mars 2 pro and all the extras to make my own details for my N scale layout. Even went as far as building a heater and all for it to try to get figures and freight cars printed out. Not even thinking structures. But every print failed or warped or left bumps or just flat out broke. Waste of $400 to make nothing. I think I’m going to clean it up box it up and put it on consignment at my local hobby shop. Just not worth the headache.

[@ronr6450]

I have a mars 3, and have had a really great experience with it. Sure, some prints fail (too cold right now), but it has essentially paid for itself already. I needed a really tall viaduct for one scene...I could have bought two kits that would have worked....at $150 each! Instead, I found some online files that worked just great. Only cost me the resin. I don't know if you've ever priced European building kits...but I've been printing my own buildings for a tiny fraction of the cost...plus, I have literally dozens of cows and people and windows and cars and bicycles and more bridges than I could ever use....all for the cost of resin alone. As I get better at 3d modeling, I'll be able to digitally kit-bash anything I want. Fantastic!!! Don't give up.

[@SomeGuyWithATractor]

I will never buy another 3d printed model. I bought an ho scale caboose laid it on my work bench and went out of town for a couple weeks. When I returned it was warped by a 1/4 in. My train room is a conditioned spare room.

[@mekko1413]

It wasn't designed properly and probably the wrong material. You actually probably buy way more 3d printed stuff than you imagine.

[@iamtherealevil]

Anyone that prints 3d knows you need to sand/body fill/paint everything you print if you want top quality.

[@mekko1413]

This is only for FDM printing Resin doesn't need any of that if done correctly so you obviously do not know 3d printing.

[@WHJeffB]

Resin printers are the way to go for model train parts... You're wasting your time with filament printers for anything but fixtures, simple tooling, or things like home built switch machines, or DCC handheld holders. It takes time to master resin printing, but that can be cut a lot shorter by asking questions on the right Forums. Plenty of help out there. Also... You need to have a dedicated space away from family, pets and anything you don't want completely messed up. Trying to do it on the kitchen table, or spare bathroom vanity is NOT going to work. I set up a 5' long workbench in a corner of my shop for my printers, wash and curing area. It's for the printers and the printers only. No model building, or even storage of modeling supplies. It also helps greatly to have some sort of ventilation or a good sized, wide open space. My workshop shares space with our furnace, which during winter months runs regularly enough that there's plenty of air flow. In warmer months, I have a booster fan outside the house for the paint booth/laser cutter, which I turn on anytime I'm printing and washing prints. Resin 3D printing isn't for everyone, but if you're patient, have the time, space and money, it's a godsend for modeling, especially if you're modeling obscure prototypes (I model Maine Two Foot in S scale, using HOn3 track standards, called Sn2).

[@Ziptietechnician]

So odd for me. I have had the same two ender 3 printer for 5 years. I have great success. My buddy has a bamboo and i seriously cant tell the difference in quality of the print. His may be faster but thats about it. I find the people who struggle have poorly set up machines, tunning and settings. If you bought a used printer and just brought it home and ran it with out making sure it was square and dialed in then yeah expect problems.

[@the4thj]

$100 is too much for an Ender 3, should be $30, pay for the price of aluminum. Too much involvement in getting the thing running. I now I have 2 Ender 3s, one prints all PETG, the other PLA+, I took a 'S' load of time and money to make them viable machines. Only the aluminum and screen Basels are the Ender...sad! I don't mind too much messing with them I have not gone the Klipper route because it just doesn't matter all that much, a lot of times I am designing something in Fusion 360 while next to a printer running. I don't blame you for your frustration at all. I myself am a multi-hobbyist, I even have a full-sized machining lathe and can swap an engine on my GMC PU, amongst a very few things "stated", I can do. Prusa, I bought my son, on his 13th birthday a Prusa mini, I can't say enough good stuff about that machine and it is not made in China and Pusa is building soon in the US an manufacturing something. Their printers are very costly but they work, the local county library uses them and they always seem in use. Nothing wrong with outsourcing 3D prints if you don't have the time and energy, but gosh darn it reason why I always do for myself IS because of cost weighing my R&D department in my head talks to me constantly like Christopher Walken, "ya know I was thinking, with the intelligence with my head". Roll how you must, but that is how I roll. I have seen PCBway seems to do 3D printing too, I have used them for making PCB's for my little projects. Happy Holidays!

[@davidbrickey469]

If you have adhesion problems use unscented hair spray. It has to be unscented.

[@mattsteinblock]

I tried hairspray. I tried glue specially made for it. Trust me, I read and read and tried everything I could possible try. Of course that was with the first filament printer. The resin printer was a whole other story! :)

[@davidbrickey469]

@mattsteinblock Oh, well good luck in the future

[@BoghyFL]

@@mattsteinblock Not sure what is your approach style on doing research, but on my end of spectrum things goes like this: If others can do it, i'll find a way to do it. For 3D thingy, use other people's time in your favor. If i would of not know anything about 3D but had the desire to start from somewhere today i would use aurora channel. They also have a website with all the overall choices. Not sponsored, but no need to reinvent the wheel.

[@ryanclarke2161]

Just get a bambu mini and get back into it

[@barenekid9695]

Agreed 3d printeds ARE of lower than typically injection molded items. Fanboy bleats notwithstanding Been printing for ~10 years now and print QUALITY is THE main issue/constant goal. I have a Bumboo and while it Does a better than Most printers job of it.. It's Still not quite right.. Certainly Not Good Enough for N scale uses..... ALL bleats aside.

[@revmaynard814]

I struggled with my resin printer too... Is it cold where you're trying to print? That's what was causing 90% of my trouble. I have the best luck when the temperature is the room is 80 or higher. There are heater bands you can affix to your vat. If you look at the higher end printers that are out now you'll notice they all have vat heaters.

[@lmcjr6268]

you just lack experience. For N Scale work you'll need both the FDM and SLA setup. Once you get your bearings you'll be great.

[@rikb.7772]

I love 3d printing

[@lanesteele240]

Phrozen SM8K is my far a better printer than any anycubic.

[@roysredneckgarage2956]

Resin print is easier.

[@mattsteinblock]

Funny how both sides argue that the other side is "easier". Since I have done both, I would prob prefer the less mess filament printers, but I also know that the detail is in the resin.

[@noyesphotography1979]

i dont have problems with mine; i have made about everything with my 3d printer; fairly easy to be honest

[@Bop7324]

It’s not difficult. Buy a decent printer, buy decent filament / resin. Best thing you could now is buy a Bambu FDM machine and an Elegoo resin machine and you’ll realise how good it can be. Decent tools and learn your craft. You can make anything.

[@montigobear]

So. We stop being model builders and just transition to being simple toy consumers. Got it. What's next? You going to pay someone to enjoy your 'hobby' as well?

[@mattsteinblock]

I am simply going back to scratch building. One would have to argue that 3d printing is not modeling either if you look at where the hobby started.