I’ve heard about 3D printing for many years now. But I’ve honestly not looked at the various printers as I thought they were well out of a price range I’d consider. Now I know there are affordable options for getting started and I’ll talk about one in this post. Yes, there is an Amazon link provided so you can purchase if you like. I get a small commission if you buy something and you get a great price.

Should you already be printing in 3D, this may not be the right option for you. I tried to find a good entry-level printer that won’t break the bank. This can help someone determine if they want to go all-in on 3D printer or if it is just a fun thing to do from time to time. If I were to get a 3D printer, I’d go with the Creality LD002R LCD Resin 3D Printer. It currently sells for $199 so it isn’t a huge investment.

3D Printers turn some sort of raw material into the form defined by a model. This requires some sort of raw material. Just like an ink jet printer needs replacement ink, you’ll have to replace the raw material for the 3D printer. For this printer, it uses resin. Other printers use a plastic filament. To give you an idea of the resin costs, here is a bottle of 3D Printer Resin LCD UV-Curing Resin 405nm. It is certainly not the only resin so you’ll definitely want to explore should you get a printer.

The files you print are 3D models. At first, you’ll likely want to download some models to test things out. There are free models and there are some that have a cost. Should you get into designing of modifying 3D models, you’ll want to have a fairly powerful computer. Numerous software packages exist to create the OBJ or STL files required by most 3D printers. There is a separate software, a “slicer”, used to output the file on the printer. Should you go with the Creality 3D printer I’ve linked, it comes with the Chitubox software for slicing.

This is only a very rough overview, but it is enough information to tell you about a particular affordable printer should you want to get into 3D printing. Once you get started, you may find it addictive and maybe even a profitable niche for you!