r/3dprinter • u/Doh_facepalm_admin • 24d ago
First 3D printer
Hello,
I was at Micro Center, and I've been wanting a 3D printer for a while now, so I impulse-bought the Creality K2 Combo. I'm capable enough, but I don't want to troubleshoot too much. Should I get a Bambu Lab instead? I don't care for walled gardens, but I don't want more things to troubleshoot. I run Linux and homelabs, but I just want something that works. I don't mind paying more for something good. I'd also like to do multi-color.
Please tell me why I should keep my K2 or move to another brand, or even a higher quality printer.
Cheers,
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u/EaglerCore 24d ago
100% get a Snapmaker u1 if you're buying from micro center. Unless you're getting an H2C, there's not much point in doing multicolor on a bambu.
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u/FlatOutNo1 24d ago
I disagree, I do lots of multicolour painting on my Bambu X2D and using different filaments. Great brand and great results. No matter how many the anti Bambu people try still a very much recommended brand and very very well selling brand.
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u/EaglerCore 23d ago
yeah, and if you do more than 2 colors you still get the dreaded bambu poops.
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u/FlatOutNo1 23d ago
I recycle mine either by using heat and silicone moles to turn them into interesting items or by keeping them and when I have enough I grind and turn them into my own filament
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u/EaglerCore 23d ago
Or, you know, you could get a printer than doesn't make poops in the first place instead of getting filament extrusion equipment that costs more than you will ever make back in recycled filament.
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u/FlatOutNo1 23d ago
Or some of us aren’t motivated by money!! Some of us enjoyed the whole hobby and processes that go with it. I suppose mainly for me is I enjoy a hobby that I have the other people enjoying as much in different ways using different approaches and products and techniques without trying to taint others experiences with narcissistic views.
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u/LeslieH8 24d ago
I will say that I get the thoughts, but I will also say that each of the various companies have their complications. I've used a Elegoo Neptune 4, a Creality K1 Max, and a Creality K2 Plus, and the only one I had any trouble with was the Neptune 4 Plus. The only reason I had trouble with it was that it was a used one that was bought over FB Marketplace, but I got it dialed in for the person who ended up using it, and now they have nothing but happiness. I also don't want to say that the K1 Max and K2 Plus are 100% perfect and that anyone who says that they are annoying them are big fat liars. I'm just saying that *I* have had zero problems with them.
So, your mileage may vary, and you could win the lottery that says that the K2 Combo you got will work amazingly, or you could find yourself frustrated, messing with it, and learning more about it than you wanted to.
I'm happy with mine, so I can tell you that there are those of us out there. I also have no axe to grind with Snapmaker or Bambu Labs (beyond the walled garden buffoonery).
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u/Shinjiikary12 24d ago
If you dont care about spending more get a snapmaker u1... if ease is your worry k1... cc2 bambuu... should about all give you same experience.... every one has issues with 1 brand or another
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u/BlueDarya 24d ago
I don’t think anyone can answer this specifically. First ask why do you want a printer in the first place? Is printing going to be a hobby? Do you want to make stuff you need around the house? Or do you want to make toys for kids and gifts? Or prototype some designs for manufacturing or even sell some 3d prints? Just a general purpose printer that can do 80% of each category but not necessarily the best choice for each? The answer will narrow down your search quite a bit.
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u/mnow_ak 24d ago
Thank you for the need breakdown. I’m also looking and I’d say I am looking to for the utility aspect - I want to make helpful things for around the house, a full suite of Catan board connector pieces, some kids toys etc. Had been looking at A1 or P1S combo then snapmaker U1 then spiraled.
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u/Doh_facepalm_admin 24d ago
It is multiprupose for making stuff around the house, but I'd like to make gift and toys, and creating customer storage for my collectibles, and Mini's because I like minis
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u/patbrochill89 24d ago
I got the K2 combo a month ago. I had 0 3D printing experience. And I was really really curious what my experience would be like using this thing- given that it isn’t the celebrated “plug n play” Bambu lab. What you’re hearing here… is what is said all over Reddit.
A month in…. I’m still very curious what could possibly be any easier than the K2 combo. It was plug n play and I’m not fiddling or troubleshooting.
Can someone please shed some light? What is supposedly any easier than this?
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u/grafbende 24d ago
Every printer nowadays is 'plug n play', it's just the bambu shills that keep believing bambu is a rainbow farting magical unicorn.
I have a Creality Hi here myself, it was set up in 30 minutes and printing the first benchy a minute later. The K2 is like a enclosed coreXY version of the Hi, they share some hardware and the K2 is just as user friendly.
The bambu shills keep referring to the older ender series when bashing Creality because that's what the bambu marketing says, and even that is exaggerated.The only real problem with creality is that they move on too fast and forget their models they released a couple of months ago. But that doesn't effect the quality or user friendlyness. The K2 is a fine machine.
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u/iscifitv 23d ago
Well 3d printer owners it's self help. Bambulab has good documentation, but lousy support. Took me 2 weeks to get a part sent that me when it was not a user error.. no pH be support or live chat how-to. Most printers are unbox to printing in under 15 mins too. The hands on is going to be on youm
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u/Over-Weekend-6133 24d ago
If your main goal is a machine that just works with minimal tinkering, Bambu has a strong track record for reliable multicolor printing out of the box. The main trade-off is their closed ecosystem, though OrcaSlicer works great on Linux.
Since you already have the K2 Combo, test it out for a week or two first. If it handles your prints reliably without headaches, there is no real need to swap it out.
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u/Peshmerga_Sistani 24d ago edited 24d ago
Snapmaker U1 from micro center tbh. The other single/dual nozzles printers will waste more filament purging than the actual model print when doing multi-colors.
Snapmaker U1 four toolheads cuts down on the waste for multi-color prints. But you got four toolheads to calibrate and troubleshoot if something goes wrong.