How To Pick A 3D Printer

Struggling with how to pick a 3d printer Is it driving you crazy seeing other people print terrain and such for D&D and other role-playing games? If you’re like me, then yes. But before you do, following my journey of printing my first 3d tabletop terrain.

Why did I want to print terrain with a 3D printer?

• A great way to customize the role-playing games. With 3D printing, I can create custom miniatures, terrain, and other props that perfectly match my campaign settings. Add a deeper level of immersion to the game.
• It’s a cost-effective way to get high-quality terrain. Pre-made terrain can be expensive, but 3D printing allows me to create your my at a fraction of the cost. Basically the cost of a spool of filament or resin.
• It’s fun with so many super cool things people are creating.\

And the last one is where they got me. The Pirates vs Sailors Nightmare at Sea Kickstarter by Tabletop Terrain. They were collecting funds to create a seaside town along with ships. Yes, full-size playable ships. And more to the point, a pirate ship. How could I not resist?

Let the 3D printer hunt begin.

Along with the confusion. There are so many printers, so many accessories, and so many opinions. Here are some things I tried to keep in mind when I was looking for a 3D printer:

• What do I want to print? Small objects like miniatures or large objects like terrain.
• What’s my budget? 3D printers can range in price from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars.
• What’s my skill level? Umm. beginner. Need to find one that is easy to use.

With these factors, I started shopping for a 3D printer. Enter the internet. Ugg. Here are a few things I looked for when reading reviews:

• Print quality: The quality of the prints is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a 3D printer.
• Ease of use: As mentioned earlier, since I am a beginner, I want to choose a 3D printer that’s easy to use.
• Customer support: If you have any problems with your 3D printer, does the manufacturer have good customer support?

Easy right? Not really. So many good choices and dissecting the one that was right for me was difficult. Then the Kickstarted ended and rewards were delivered. And I am still without a 3D printer.

Enter, the 3D printing experts

To my surprise, The Tabletop Terrain folks provided recommendations for a filament printer, both budget and expert, along with a recommendation for a resin printer. They even provided some upgrades and supplies for the budget printer. But best of all, they were more than willing to answer my endless questions, specifically resin vs. filament.

Answer: a filament 3D printer.

I chose the filament printer because I was most interested in terrain pieces for gaming, buildings, vehicles, and such. While I would love to do miniatures, the terrain is mostly what I need. As for which model, I explored their budget printer, the Ender 3D Pro.
Why the Ender 3D Pro?

The Ender 3 Pro reviews state good print quality for the price point. More importantly a good choice for beginners and experienced users alike. One that I can start with and grow into. Plus:

• The Ender 3 Pro has a build volume of 220 x 220 x 250 mm, which is large enough to print most terrain pieces I have seen.
• It uses a heated build plate, which apparently makes it easier to print with filaments that require a heated bed, such as ABS.
• The Ender 3 Pro reviews state it’s easy to set up and use. It also comes with a user manual that is easy to follow.
• The printer also has a large community of users.

With the decision made, I purchased the Ender 3D PRo. Now in the words of one of my pulp fiction ’80s heroes: “Remo Williams, The Adventure Begins.”

Next: Assembling the Ender 3D Pro