Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This is my first 3D printer. I've had it about 3 weeks, and I'm already getting comfortable with it. The machine has great stability, and as I imagine with all 3D printers, a learning curve, but once you get familiar with it, it will feel like an extension of your body. As I've stated, I'm new to this skillset, so I won't pretend to be able to compare it with others, but for all you people thinking about getting into 3D printing, I'll lay out what you're looking at getting into... Upon receiving it, you'll have to do a bit of assembly. Nothing too complicated, and there are many walk-throughs on YouTube, that can guide you through the entire process. Its not a must, but having some experience with tools and a bit of problem solving skills will help you out a lot. By the time you're done, you'll have a grasp on how your printer works, which is important when it comes to using and maintaining it. Once you've got it set up, the next thing you'll want to do is look up installing filament and leveling the bed. Again, search for YouTube videos, especially with leveling the bed, because you'll want to pick up a good strategy on this, as it's critical to having success with your prints. The best strategy that I've found is the one using the sheet of paper. At first, it might feel a bit overwhelming trying to get everything just right, but as you use this skill, and lay down some plastic on the bed, you'll get a feel for it, and within a couple weeks you'll be able to do it blindfolded, and you'll understand why it's so important, and what areas you need to pay the most attention with each print. I strongly recommend getting the yellow spring upgrades that you can find on Amazon. Honestly the difference is so drastic, and the cost so cheap, I dont understand why it doesn't come that way. Once you've gotten bed leveling down and the filament installed, you can print an example that's included on the SD card, and give your printer a test run. From here, there are 2 ways you can go about creating things. You can search the web for creations already set up for you to print, or you can create your own. Im not a very creative person, but it made no sense to me to limit myself with other people's creations. So I'll just briefly get you pointed in that direction. To create designs you're going to need CAD software. I found Fusion 360, it's free for hobbyist, and I think it's amazing. Its got a bit of a learning curve, but once you get comfortable with it, you feel the world is yours to create. Using geometry, planes, and extrude tools, you'll be able to model anything you want in real life, or anything you could possibly think of... I have no affiliation with this person, but their tutorials have helped me so much with the software, that in about 10 days I am now designing my own creations like an experienced user. Seriously, search for Product Design Online on youtube...you'll know it's him because he mentions his name in the videos and it's Kevin. He teaches so many helpful techniques. Just be aware that his tutorials span 2 different versions of fusion 360, so the interface looks a little different in some, but you'll get the hang of it easily. One if the best teachers I've found on the internet, period. The next thing you'll need is a splicer software. This software takes your design and slices it into layers. This is where you'll set up the parameters for how your printer will behave during the print too. Such as temperatures, speed, layer thickness, etc...the amount of terms you'll have to learn seems overwhelming, but at first you can just use presets, and learn them as you go. As I've said, I've been doing this for 3 weeks, and I'd say I understand about 80% of this terminology simply by trying to solve errors in my print, and reading the tool tips. By far, the best free slicer I've found is cura. I've tried a few others, but nothing comes close to it. However, I've been told Simify3D makes cura looks like a junky slicer, comparatively. The issue for me is that it costs $150, and I dont have that cash flow. If I did,bid definitely want to try it out, and apparently you can purchase it and get a full refund after 1 or 2 weeks if you preferred cura. So, it's a lot if stuff to learn and get used to...You'll be best served if you have a mechanical & technical know-how, but if you dont, you'll definitely acquire those skills using your printer. There are upgrades for these printers. Not just creality, but all the hobby 3d printers, and you'll learn them over time, but as I stated earlier, the bed springs are a must have, and they're cheap. I wish you the best of luck on your journey, and if you're like me, this will probably become your most favorite that you've ever owned. Happy printing & #PrintOn