Reddit mentions of LulzBot Mini Desktop 3D Printer

Interesting site. Here's that thing vs. our Mini:

• https://reviewmeta.com/amazon/B01C3DKNOE
  
  
• https://reviewmeta.com/amazon/B00S54E1AI

Peripherals:

• Monitor: 3x Acer Predator XB271HU 27" 2560x1440 G-SYNC @165Hz
  
• Keyboard: Razer Deathstalker Chroma (No longer made AFAIK)
  
• Mouse: Razer DeathAddr Chroma
  
• Desk: Ikea BEKANT Sit/Stand desk
  
• Speakers: Logitech Z263 THX 2.1 Speakers
  
• Wireless Charger: Mophie Wireless Charger w/custom 3d printed mount
  
• Headphones: Bose QuietComfort 25 (not pictured)
  
  

  Tower:
  

• Case: Cooler Master N200
  
• CPU: i7 7700K @5.1Ghz from SiliconLottery
  
• MB: ASUS Maximus VIII Gene
  
• RAM: 2x GSkill Trident Z DDR4 16GB(2x 8GB) @3200Mhz
  
• GPU: 2x EVGA Nvidia GTX 1080 FTW @2050-2100Mhz
  
• SSD: Samsung 960 Pro NVMe SSD (512GB)
  
• SSD: Samsung 850 EVO (500GB)
  
• SSD: Samsung 840 EVO (250GB)
  
• Power Supply: EVGA SuperNova G2 1000 Watt
  
  

  Tower Cooling:
  

• Fans: 4x Noctua NF-F12-iPPC 3000RPM PWM
  
• Radiator 2x BXQINLENX 120
  
• Radiator Alphacool NexXxoS ST30
  
• CPU Waterblock: EKWB M8G
  
• GPU Waterblock: 2x EK-FC1080 GTX FTW
  
• Pump / Reservoir: EK-XRES 140 Revo D5 PWM
  
  

  Behind the scenes:
  

• UPS: CyberPower OL1500RTXL2U Double Conversion UPS
  
• 3D Printer: Lulzbot Mini

Alright, now this is more something I can work with. I was looking at the usual suspects we recommend, and I'll put up a list here with information about each of these, the differences they have to other ones, and any caveats about getting them, as well as the price. So, from cheapest to most expensive:

• The Maker Select, by Monoprice. $349. Has every single feature you're after, and is pretty easy to use. It's a variation on the Prusa i3, which is basically the standard for reliable, quality machines that are both easy to repair, and forgiving of user error. It's definitely basic in terms of features, but it works, and if you want, you can print out and add more functions to it as you go along. Does not have auto leveling, though leveling it, from what I've heard, really isn't particularly difficult.
  
• The Printrbot Play, by Printrbot. $400, currently out of stock on Amazon, but available direct from the manufacturer. Has a smaller build area than you're looking for, and the bed isn't heated, but it's a stable machine with autoleveling that's incredibly beginner friendly.
  
• The Printrbot Simple Metal, by Printrbot. $600. This one ticks all your boxes, with one exception. 6x6x6" build area and auto leveling. however it ships without a heated bed. This can be added via a kit available directly from the manufacturer after the fact, for about a hundred dollars. I have a Simple Metal of my own, though with an unheated bed, and it certainly has seen a lot of use. It's a great machine, and the autoleveling is really something. Given that you only want to print basic models, PLA printing, which does not require a heated bed, would likely suit all of your needs without issue, but to gain that heated bed is a quick upgrade.
  
• The Monoprice Dual Extrusion, by, you guessed it, Monoprice. $649. It's effectively a rebranded version of a Flashforge product if I recall correctly, and a lot of people enjoy it quite a bit. From what I can tell it does not have auto leveling, though, again, leveling a bed isn't that bad.
  
• The Orion Delta, by SeeMeCNC. It's a good machine, though a departure from all but one printer on this list, in that it's what's known as a Delta printer. A Delta printer is a machine that uses three poles in a triangle (hence the name) to move the hot end around a circular bed, as opposed to the typical designs that use a rectangle as a default shape. They're definitely more finnicky to work with in some respects than the standard, but they're fast, they're strong, and they're big. The Orion is one of the smallest deltas, and it still has a 6" circular bed with a 9" build height, it's definitely more than capable of handling most tasks you'd want a printer for. Also available for it is the MatterControl tablet, which is a small Android tablet that allows you to automate many printing functions. Not self leveling, but given that this ships factory assembled, unlike my Rostock did, you should be able to calibrate that in no time.
  
• The Lulzbot Mini, by Lulzbot. Currently $1250. An absolute monster of a machine in many respects, despite the "Mini" title, the Lulzbot's print volume is 6x6x6.2", which is within your criteria with a bit extra. The reason I include this over the Taz 5 is because the Taz 5, despite being a phenomenally great machine, doesn't have auto leveling, and is also almost twice the cost of the Mini right now. The Mini is a great machine, with a proven track record, and is freely modifiable to anyone that wants to take advantage of that feature. NOTE: Unlike every other printer on this list, the Mini takes 3mm filament, not 1.75mm. There's nothing wrong with this, and the argument over the benefits of 1.75 vs 3mm is one that is really not worth going into, but it's important to note, because if you choose this model, you need to keep that number in mind when buying filament.
  
• The Rostock Max V2, by SeeMeCNC. $1000-1600. Fan-freaking-tastic printer. Fast, durable, and reliable, once you get the hang of it. This is my personal workhorse, and it's a wonderful thing to work with. Like the Orion, the Rostock is a Delta design, and it's by far the biggest one on this list. With an 11" circle base and a 14.5" max height, there's very little you'll run into that's going to be a problem in terms of size. It's probably overkill for your purposes, but it's damn cool, and I love mine. Also available from the factory with the MatterControl tablet, which, as I've mentioned before, is pretty neat. The reason for the massive difference in price is that this comes in two configurations, kit and assembled. Assembling the Rostock is, well, it's not exactly easy. Some soldering is involved, a lot of shoving particle board together, a lot of screw tightening, and a lot of wire threading. The end result is amazing, so if taking a week or two to build the thing is worth saving 600 bucks, and you have a few patient friends that owe you a favor, getting the kit is definitely a good option, just because you will know literally everything about the inside and outside of that printer by the time you're done.
  
  That about wraps it up for right now, I hope this was helpful.

A Flexystruder accessory for printing NinjaFlex on a LulzBot Mini is in development, but we have not made any formal announcements at this time. You can see the source files and track progress here: http://devel.lulzbot.com/mini/accessories/

Plenty of reviews online (Amazon, PCMag Editors' Choice, Computerworld), and a number of people on this subreddit who I'm sure will chime in with their experience using a Mini. If have any questions please contact us -- thanks!

I use HIPS, which as far as I understand it is basically the same plastic used in many precision miniatures. But I don't have any personal experience to indicate that other materials could not produce similar results. This is with a 0.5mm nozzle and .18mm layer height on a Lulzbot Mini. Basically pretty good resolution for a solid home printer, but not especially high end or anything like that.

If you're interested, I have a basic introduction to 3D printing for wargaming here:

http://www.rocketshipgames.com/blogs/tjkopena/2016/05/3d-printing-for-wargaming-scratchbuilding/

I also have a couple basic observations here on printing this particular piece:

http://www.rocketshipgames.com/blogs/tjkopena/2016/09/molokh-gambit-production-begins/

And an extensive tutorial on modeling with TinkerCAD to 3D print GR-75 cargo pod tokens for X-Wing here:

http://www.rocketshipgames.com/blogs/tjkopena/2016/09/3d-printing-tutorial-modeling-making-a-gr-75-cargo-pod/

Good luck!

http://www.amazon.com/LulzBot-Mini-Desktop-3D-Printer/dp/B00S54E1AI/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1464970031&sr=1-1&keywords=lulzbot+mini

> LulzBot Mini

Hey there, thanks for the response!

I found the line you linked on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/LulzBot-Mini-Desktop-3D-Printer/dp/B00S54E1AI) and also found the LuzBot TAZ 5 (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01143UJK2).

They both look amazing!

One thing I am really aiming for is as small of a resolution as possible (layer thickness). As in, a super fine print capability (For smooth, non-grainy objects).

How would these 2 rank with other printers in the same price range ($1250 + $2200)?

Many thanks in advance!