3D Printer 2023

[Evyn1]

What would be a decent 3D Printer for enclosures?

In 2023.

Thanks

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[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

What would be a decent 3D Printer for enclosures?

In 2023.

Thanks

Man .. That would be something to do some serious research upon. Im sure it would be quite expensive as well

 

[HardofWhoring]

Unless you plan on building it out of 30 pieces, that would be giant, and cost probably 10x what it would to pay someone to build it out of wood for you.

Maybe I'm wrong, but this seems like a really silly and misguided question.

 

[Deiimos]

From my limited experience tinkering with a cheap 3D printer; I will say it is probably not worth the effort / money involved, would be easier and similar price to just pay someone to print small items for you that knows what they are doing. And large subwoofer enclosures? Forget it, not going to be strong enough without spending a fortune. Wood and or fiberglass is still the winner for big / custom boxes.

I guess it depends on what you exactly mean by enclosures.

Small kick panel and door pods? Small 6.5" enclosures to fit in OEM locations to seal off the rear of the speaker? Or huge multi cubic foot boxes? The latter is unlikely with any DIY printers as I said above, but small pods and adapter rings, like from 6x9 to 6.5 could perhaps be done with the at home printers.

You would have to research brands. Also, be certain it has the bed diameter / height for what you plan to print. It is also VERY important to get a printer than can print in the material that will work for your projects and be durable, not be brittle, or too soft. Tons of different filament materials, and then there are resin printers to research... Not all printers can print all materials well, if at all.

Lastly, designing in 3D CAD software is not easy, especially odd shaped projects. 3D Printing isn't as simple as hitting print, and out pops a completed kick panel pod, there is a lot involved.


I have a small 7" bed cheap printer, and it is not easy to get a good print. I've printed a couple things, but it is a challenge (one item came out decent, the rest not so much, somewhat usable, but looks awful). Designing things in say, Fusion 360, is a bit of a task / challenge as well. I would strongly advise anyone, before they buy a printer, to download Fusion 360 or whatever else will work with 3D printer designs, and learn to design your project first, you may give up right there. Sure, you can find files someone else already created, but you won't find everything. Getting the right files to work with your printer can also be a difficult if new to it (when I first got a design to print, I could not get the printer to print said file, took a while to figure out what I was doing wrong, you have to have a slicing program as well, like Ultimaker Cura).


I say all of this to say, it would probably be best to not waste your time with it unless you have tons of cash to throw at it for fun / hobby. Find some 3D printing forums to sign up to, and show them photo's of examples and size of what you plan on printing and see what they say / recommend.

Post back here if you buy a printer and update us with how it is going, I would be curious to know.