I love my M@; just working on getting my first job. My question is this: what the heck makes other printers priced higher better?
I recommended the M2 to someone, and they went on and on about a Taz (I think that's what they were saying) machine and why it was so much better!
Just wondering really, I would probably buy another m2 in a heartbeat if I needed it!
What makes printers in the $3000+ price range better?
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jcspball13
- Posts: 98
- Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2015 12:49 am
Re: What makes printers in the $3000+ price range better?
Nothing. 
I did a lot of research (couple year's worth) before buying the M2. The TAZ was the only other printer to make the very short list.
I considered the TAZ because it had a larger build volume, which would have meant I could print bigger things, although from the standpoint of quality, the M2 was way ahead at the time. Ultimately I decided on the M2, and I'm very glad that I did, because printing something that fills up just the M2 build volume can take up to 10 days! The limiting factor is the speed that you can print the particular filaments, not how large the build volume is. And I figured I wasn't going to need to print much that ran over a week.
Some of the other machines tout things like auto-leveling, which in my mind is not actually an advantage, if you have to wait while the machine runs through a leveling process every time before it starts a print. It's much better in my opinion to have a machine that just keeps it's level between hundreds of prints, like the M2 does. (Set it and forget it.) Many of the other machines don't keep their level, and the results are sloppy.
Other printers look fancy and have a nice enclosure. That's aesthetics, unless you are printing ABS, which requires an enclosure to keep the temperature stable enough to not crack on tall prints. (If you're going to print ABS, an enclosure is needed.) So for if you intend to print a lot of ABS, it's a good idea to get one with an enclosure. (I had no intention of printing ABS.....it stinks. Husband is unfortunately allergic to everything.
)
And as far as the TAZ goes, I'm sure it's a good machine, but if my memory is correct, we've had guys here on the forum who switched to an M2 from the TAZ, and liked it better.
Of course, if I paid that much for a machine, I'm sure I'd tell people how wonderful it was too! But truth is, aside from the larger build volume, the M2 is probably more stable, easier to use, and will give you better prints. (The problems with blobs, getting the filament to stick to the build plate, getting an even extrusion rate, getting the gap set correctly.....those are experienced by every 3D printer. It's part of the manufacturing process that we just have to figure out how to work around if we want to get a good print. The only thing that spits out a perfect plastic toy with the press of a button is a gumball machine.)
I did a lot of research (couple year's worth) before buying the M2. The TAZ was the only other printer to make the very short list.
I considered the TAZ because it had a larger build volume, which would have meant I could print bigger things, although from the standpoint of quality, the M2 was way ahead at the time. Ultimately I decided on the M2, and I'm very glad that I did, because printing something that fills up just the M2 build volume can take up to 10 days! The limiting factor is the speed that you can print the particular filaments, not how large the build volume is. And I figured I wasn't going to need to print much that ran over a week.
Some of the other machines tout things like auto-leveling, which in my mind is not actually an advantage, if you have to wait while the machine runs through a leveling process every time before it starts a print. It's much better in my opinion to have a machine that just keeps it's level between hundreds of prints, like the M2 does. (Set it and forget it.) Many of the other machines don't keep their level, and the results are sloppy.
Other printers look fancy and have a nice enclosure. That's aesthetics, unless you are printing ABS, which requires an enclosure to keep the temperature stable enough to not crack on tall prints. (If you're going to print ABS, an enclosure is needed.) So for if you intend to print a lot of ABS, it's a good idea to get one with an enclosure. (I had no intention of printing ABS.....it stinks. Husband is unfortunately allergic to everything.
)And as far as the TAZ goes, I'm sure it's a good machine, but if my memory is correct, we've had guys here on the forum who switched to an M2 from the TAZ, and liked it better.
Of course, if I paid that much for a machine, I'm sure I'd tell people how wonderful it was too!
But truth is, aside from the larger build volume, the M2 is probably more stable, easier to use, and will give you better prints. (The problems with blobs, getting the filament to stick to the build plate, getting an even extrusion rate, getting the gap set correctly.....those are experienced by every 3D printer. It's part of the manufacturing process that we just have to figure out how to work around if we want to get a good print. The only thing that spits out a perfect plastic toy with the press of a button is a gumball machine.)Re: What makes printers in the $3000+ price range better?
The TAZ isn't $3000+.
The only things that matter when it comes to 3D printers:
Solid frame: M2 uses a solid steel one piece frame.
Build volume: M2 is big enough (for me). As Jules says, you would rarely want to print something larger, and when you do, there's always glue.
Enclosed build volume: may have been a good idea when PLA and ABS were pretty much the only options. Nowadays, I don't miss it.
Ease of use: M2 is more on the "figure it out yourself" end of the spectrum, although this forum is a huge help in doing that. Once the printers start becoming too user friendly, you start to get into a lockdown situation where they will only work with branded filament or don't let you control supports/raft/etc. I think MakerGear has made some great headway on the "getting started" front with the new Rev E, but I don't have those mods so I can't say for certain.
Price: up to every individual to figure out their pain point.
As far as print quality goes, I think that every printer with a solid foundation nowadays is capable of more or less the same quality, given someone who knows how to run it. The days of having to diagnose and fix z wobble are coming to an end. We just got there early.
The only things that matter when it comes to 3D printers:
Solid frame: M2 uses a solid steel one piece frame.
Build volume: M2 is big enough (for me). As Jules says, you would rarely want to print something larger, and when you do, there's always glue.
Enclosed build volume: may have been a good idea when PLA and ABS were pretty much the only options. Nowadays, I don't miss it.
Ease of use: M2 is more on the "figure it out yourself" end of the spectrum, although this forum is a huge help in doing that. Once the printers start becoming too user friendly, you start to get into a lockdown situation where they will only work with branded filament or don't let you control supports/raft/etc. I think MakerGear has made some great headway on the "getting started" front with the new Rev E, but I don't have those mods so I can't say for certain.
Price: up to every individual to figure out their pain point.
As far as print quality goes, I think that every printer with a solid foundation nowadays is capable of more or less the same quality, given someone who knows how to run it. The days of having to diagnose and fix z wobble are coming to an end. We just got there early.
Re: What makes printers in the $3000+ price range better?
@jcspball13 - please email me the reason(s) why they claimed the other unit was better.
Thank you,
Rick
Thank you,
Rick
Re: What makes printers in the $3000+ price range better?
I had a TAZ Mini and the TAZ 5. The Mini was decent, but it has to do the auto leveling ALL the time. Build quality equal to a M2 with a much smaller print area. The 5 was not solid construction at all, lots of aluminum extrusions used and the print head sagged because the X axis rods were too small. There is a whole list of improvements listed on their Forum to make the frame stronger and etc, etc. I had my TAZ 5 for less than a month, before selling and buying the Makergear M2.
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Frankly with the build construction of the M2 you level it and it holds. No need to constantly re-level. The M2 is just better designed and built. My two cents worth.
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Frankly with the build construction of the M2 you level it and it holds. No need to constantly re-level. The M2 is just better designed and built. My two cents worth.
Retired Master Electrician, Commercial HVAC/R,CNC Router