Hi and im a young adult who is yet to get a job and would rather do something like a sidehustle. ive been wanting a 3d printer or a laptop for a bit now but both are really expensive nowadys how do you all afford them. like i want to print a bunch of board games things, dnd things, and figures but i cant afford a 3d printer i cant even addord a candybar without involving a family member and i would feel bad if i asked a family member to but one for me and i dont even think they hav ethe money too.
is there something i can do to save up for a 3d printer or something like that?
is this by chance the wrong place to ask this?
The cost of a 3D printer is more than just a printer. Other things to consider are the consumables like filament, periodic replacement parts and a computer to do the slicing.
An idea on getting a low cost printer; The Goodwill Store in your neighborhood sometimes can have a 3D printer for very cheap; these are usually from hobbyists that lost interest in 3D printing and just wanted to get rid of the printer. Pricing may be $50 or less but may require repairs/parts.
A no cost alternative to getting started in 3D printing is to contact a local library or if you still have access to a school makerspace, to see if they have a 3D printer you can share time on - sometimes its free and sometimes its a low fee to rent the printer time.
The libraries are surprisingly good printers. at least, the one’s here. they also offer classes ranging from basic ‘how to’, through design principles and such like, and have workstations with full subs to a few of the CAD suites