Comment by StavrosK | Hacker News Reader

Comment by StavrosK | Hacker News Reader

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> I definitely think this way about software, and more recently, about things I can make out of wood.

Yes, exactly. Though, I have to say, going from software to hardware was quite magical: You can suddenly affect the physical world, which is amazing. Plus, if you already know software, adding hardware to the mix rounds you out very well, and opens up a large array of things you can make.

> Plastic or machined parts have always felt out of reach so I'm not in the habit of believing I can fix things that way yet.

I very strongly recommend designing a few things in OnShape or FreeCAD or SoveSpace and getting a 3D printer once you get the hang of that (it shouldn't take you very long at all, maybe a few evenings).

Machined parts I find pretty hard, but then again I also found plastic things impossible before getting a printer and they turned out to be quite easy.

What 3D printer do you have, in market for one..? Love your simple project and how you went about building it!!

Thanks! I have a Wanhao Duplicator i3, but it's a few years old now. The good thing about 3D printers is that they're so simple they just won't get obsolete, since they're 99% software.

I think the current recommendation is either an Ender 3 (for a budget one) or an Ender 5 Pro (if you can afford something a bit better). I would recommend the 5, it looks much sturdier. You might want to eventually add a BLTouch so it automatically levels, and you definitely definitely want to get the "silent" package (it really is entirely silent), the normal one makes way too much noise.

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and suggestions here. What do you use for designing?

You're welcome! I use OnShape because I'm on Linux, but I'm waiting for FreeCAD to get a bit better (or for me to learn it well enough) to use. You can also use Fusion 360 if you're on Windows/Mac, it's free for hobbyists and very powerful.

In addition to the Ender, you might want to look into the Prusa printers, like the Mini+. They're a bit more pricy but easier to set up and use, fewer issues to tinker with, have great documentation and are more reliable in general.

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