As 3D printing grows in popularity and ubiquity, many brands and manufacturers have gradually lowered the bar for entry, offering simple, all-in-one packages you can pick up to get your foot in the door. Either way, you’ll spend at least a few hundred dollars on your initial investment, compared to over $1,000.
Of course, all of this assumes that you’re not just paying someone to use their printer, but that this option is better suited to casual printing rather than a serious hobby.
Use affordable printers, basic materials, and free designs.
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Generally speaking, getting started with 3D printing requires three specific elements: the printer itself, the materials you use to print, and the design you program into it. The hardest decision is selecting your device. There are many different 3D printers, ranging in size, additional features, and overall complexity. Depending on what you want to use it for, you might be looking at a price ranging from under $100 to over $1,000.
For beginners, it would be best to stick to reliable, budget-friendly models, such as Creality’s Ender-3 V3 ($219) or Bambu Lab’s A1 ($299.99).
Once you have a printer at your disposal, the next order of business is materials. You can’t print anything without thermoplastic filament, which can be used up faster than expected, so you’ll need to buy at least a few spools to get started. PLA filament typically costs between $20 and $30 per kilogram (about $44 to $66 per pound), but prices may vary by brand and color. Creality can deliver here again, with a two-pack of its black-and-white PLA costing $30 on Amazon.
Finally, to print anything, you will need a design. The complexity of the design will directly affect the cost. A custom-commissioned, elaborate design could easily cost over $90, with prices only increasing if you pay a designer hourly rates. If you want to save money here, do the design yourself in a program like Blender or download a free premade file from a 3D printing enthusiast site.
Learn on someone else’s device.
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If the high upfront costs and potential for recurring costs intimidate you, there is an alternative to owning your own 3D printer: paying someone else to use theirs. A great way to get started with 3D printing before making that major initial investment is to research public-use printers and give them a quick try. You may be able to find a simple printer you can use for basic printing at your local library or university, which may be free or charge a flat printing fee.
For something more elaborate, you can search around your home using the Makerspace Directory for comprehensive 3D printing services, as well as Makerspaces and Hackerspaces, where you can reserve time at the shared printer. You can even connect with individuals with 3D printers to book private jobs, as long as you’re willing to cover the cost of materials.
If you want to make something quick and easy, these are all more economical options than owning your own printer, but, naturally, they don’t offer the same type of freedom or satisfaction that you get from owning your own printer.
