The Curious Nerd

We got and setup a 3D Printer

We recently became interested in getting a 3D Printer. After much thought on the matter we decided to purchase one.

After we did some research, and saw a printer in action, we decided to purchase a Ender 3 Pro from Amazon. We had a live stream of the setup process including a first few prints on my Twitch channel, which you can also watch here.

The Setup

Assembling the printer was pretty quick and easy for us. Overall this took us an evening to finish putting it together and adjusting it. It took us about 3 hours to get the printer assembled and ready to print.

It was surprisingly super easy to assemble for us. The instructions were very clear and aesthetically reminded me of Ikea. Another great aspect of the Ender 3 Pro I greatly appreciated was having all the tools and software included with the printer. (Including micro sd card and the adapter)

Inside the package we got everything we needed to get up and running, including files and software. Not having internet is not an an excuse in this place. (Apart from our order to Amazon)
In addition the packaging was very well done. It was surrounded by foam layers to keep the parts suspended and protected. The box itself was very sturdy. They definitely took great steps to secure their 3d printer during shipment, which was definitely a major concern of mine.

After Setup and Calibration

The first prints that I made were a few gifts that I gave to a few of my friends.  (A Tardis and some fractals)

I also made some utility prints to make my life easier. One super useful print I made is a clamp with a headphone and cable holder that I mounted onto my desk. Another print that I made was a business card holder that I made from scratch in blender.

This specific experience of making a 3D model on my computer and then being able to print and physically hold my design was and still is magical. 

So far my experience with this 3D printer has been a really awesome and magical experience. I am looking forward to working on these amazing projects I now have open before me.

My Future Goals

As a first project for myself I decided that I want to make the Head of Helios bust. I got this idea by my recent acquisition of the Floral Shoppe vinyl. After this I plan on making a few more copies of other classic art before moving to some gardening prints. (Like flower pots with alternate drainage)

One thing that I am definitely looking forward to, is getting the opportunity to make modifications and improvements to my printer over time.