I was thinking about this question today as someone used our work printer for some personal stuff.
As for me, I am printing little things that I would say make it worth it. I’ve printed lens adapters for my camera for example. That’s worth a good 14 to 30 bucks per print. My most favorite photo was with an adapted lens that came from a projector. I also printed IEMs and those things are worth it. Listening to music is second to none on those things. Plus I printed the same shell but for ear protection and again the fit is perfect and sure there’s post processing to get smooth surfaces but in the end it looks like a professional made it. So I think 3d printers are worth it.
My first printer was a self built reprap from parts from aliexpress in college.
I then helped fund peachy on kickstarter and a stupid poured resin counterweighted printer called the Phoenix.
I then had an Geeetech A10M, a Prusa Mk2 and ender 3, as well as one resin printer.
All I have left is the Prusa mk2 that hasn’t worked right for over a year and doesn’t print anything.
I would buy a new printer in a heartbeat if I could afford it.
I definitely have never made back my money. To many dumb purchases and early generation jank all over the place but it was fun. The first thing I ever did with my first hand built printer was make a lithopane of my deceased dog and eventually my grandfather.
I’ve made so many stupid things and spent so much time on it as a hobby that it filled my days with activities, reason to communicate with others and frustrating nights all alike. Its not for everyone and its not really a good idea but if you have the means or like a hobby of tinkering and building in the modern world there is very little experience like it.
my first was a hacked inkjet printer with my mom’s PVA hotglue gun strapped to the print head. (should have seen my dad’s face when he asked if he could have his printer back, so he could print some tax documents. His mistake. he should have known by then to ask what I wanted it for. I’m not sure mom ever figured out what happened to her hotglue gun…)
I also remember the industrial tech/graphics design teacher in highschool being like “Uh. cool. but why?” (and then being like, “HEY can you bring it in for the class? ! that’s actually really cool”)
Yeah I had a friend build one out of like balsa wood and a couple CD trays and the rest of us were stunned… And not very impressed after like 5 minutes which a shame cause it really was a beginning stop that showed what was possible.
I am definitely less into making those kinds of jank printers just cause the costs were never quite zero, and we have so much better options.
So like that hot-glue-models that came out? you could tell it was supposed to be a cube-like object. For a middleschool hacking components out of junk electronics… well… it was both hilariously awful… but in hindsight I should have been very proud of it.
it did do what I needed at the time, though, so there was that. I wouldn’t really recommend PVA as a filament material, though.