I’m thinking about buying a small 3D printer for the odd project once in a while.
Problem is, I will not use it very often and I don’t have much desk space for it to sit around.
Ideally (and I know this is utopia), I would like a device that I can pull out of a closet, fasten four screws, plug it in and be ready to go.
Is there something even remotely like that available? Every review I’ve seen just seems to assume that printers are basically static.
How “not use it very often” are we talking about? The critical thing for any printer is first and foremost bed leveling. If you get something like an MP select mini The footprint is about 30cm^3. You can absolutely throw it in a box and just pull it out whenever BUT you will need about 30 minutes to relevel the bed just perfect and potentially run a test print. That said, this machine also only prints a 10cm^3 and it will handle PETG IF it’s been modded otherwise it’s PLA and that’s it.
Which segue nicely into my next question: What will you be printing? Models and minis? Functional parts? Random statues you find online of waifus? (Only slightly kidding)
This matters a LOT.
For the first: The mini will sorta work but not be great with details. Fort the second plan on a printer that can handle PETG at least. For the latter, you want to look into a resin printer. They WILL fit into a closet when emptied and cleaned BUT the cleaning process is both lengthy, tedious and potentially noxious and requires quite a bit of space so I didn’t even mention them in the first part.
Most of my current printing needs would be small-ish structural parts. Maybe brackets for mounting something into a weird place, cases for microcontrollers,… that kind of stuff.
Sorry about the late response, OK, brackets and cases for microcontrollers are actually great on a select mini. I agree with others that a Bambu would serve you great AND give you MUCH better finish etc… but the footprint of that thing is about twice that of the mini. I know of at least two prototype printers that are smaller BUT they are prototypes with all the faff that involves including troubleshooting them every time you move them.
Good luck.
Look at the bambu a1 or a1 mini. It seems very easy to print woth and a lot of things like bed leveling are automatic on it. Its also starts at $300 and $400