this post was submitted on 25 Jun 2024
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Okay but like I was given an Ender 3 for free and idk where to go from there
Maybe the fact that the family member who gave it to me didn't want it around anymore should have been a sign
People give the Ender 3 a bad rap all the time, but it's honestly a great little machine. I far prefer it to the $2500 printer we have at work that has "automatic everything" and can't easily be adjusted to manually correct its bad settings.
With that said, how far have you gotten with it? Do you have any software installed? Have you tried printing anything (and was it successful)? You didn't give much clue as to where you're stuck. Yes you need to take some time to learn how to fine-tune the settings, and yes it can be frustrating because there is SO MUCH to learn about 3D printing, but once you get over the hump you can start cranking out all kinds of fun things.
Not the person you responded to, but I had mine set up. I had the software installed, I (thought) I even had the bed leveled, but every print either failed to stick to the plate, or eventually stuck to the nozzle. I ended up with a lot of spaghetti. I got frustrated and decided to take a break. I'd come back to it fresh, and see what I could do.
... That was three years ago.
That's why I always recommended a Prusa Mk3 to beginners, if their budget allowed it.
Stuff like auto bedleveling is just too good to not have.
I set up and calibrated my Mk3 in beginning of 2020, and I never had to fiddle with anything on that machine again. It just prints.