Buying guides
Which machine, for the projects you actually make
A hub compares a whole family. A guide answers a single question — a budget, a first printer for someone who has never sliced a file, what a small flat needs before it takes a laser — with a short ranked list and the reason behind the order.
- Buying a first 3D printer
Choosing a first FDM 3D printer: calibration before speed
How to choose a first FDM 3D printer for a US home: the calibration, nozzle and filament points that matter, with five picks from Amazon.com.
- Setting up a laser
A first diode laser setup: power, enclosure, smoke
How to set up a first diode laser in a US home: choosing enclosed or open, reading output power, and planning for smoke and eyewear.
- Equipping an electronics bench
A first soldering bench: station, light, air, power
A first electronics bench on Amazon.com: a soldering station, a magnifier lamp, a fume absorber and a bench supply, in the order the work uses them.
- Setting up resin printing
A first resin setup: printer, station, ventilation
What a first resin 3D printing setup costs on Amazon.com: a printer, a wash and cure station, and the handling rules that come with resin.
- Starting with vinyl
A first vinyl kit: cutter, press, workflow
What to buy for a first vinyl cutting setup on Amazon.com: a cutter that suits your work, a press for shirts, and the software you will live with.
- Looking after filament
Drying filament: the right heat, the right box
How to dry and store 3D printer filament: when a spool needs drying, which dryer suits your materials, and what a humidity reading really tells you.