Dremel 3D Printer 3D Idea Builder Single Extruder

Background**************As I work in Robotics and electronics at home, I wanted to move away from aluminium as a work tool due to cuts and generally it just being hard to work with, and move to 3D printing. So, I looked around for a 3D printer for a few months. I finally settled on the Dremel 3D printer, based on my selection criteria of:• I wanted something ready to go, I didn’t want to build the 3D Printer myself.• Something safe in the house with my kids, a friends self-built 3D printer caught fire, so that isn’t something I even entertain the idea of.• Something easy to use for me and my family (though with the door shut) and under supervision of me with the door shut.• A printer with reasonable print qualityand so ordered one and was over joyed when it arrived.I had high aspirations for doing 3D printing as I’ve seen many things created that I just thought were cool, and the Dremel seemed to fit the bill, though I hadn’t realised, be it silly of me, that I could only use Dremel PLA, which is around twice the price of most other PLA.Note: Not being able to print with ABS was fine for me, as I’m aware the smell isn’t pleasant or very healthy, whereas PLA smells less, though I often have a window open when it’s on, and certainly don’t use it in a room where my kids or me are sitting.The printer arrives*********************I unpacked my printer, followed the set-up instructions included, which were brill and started printing, yes within 30 minutes of unpacking I was printing a FROG.I wanted to pop out half way through, so hit pause, then the thing kind of reset and my frog was not to be finished. I took out the plate the frog was on and tried to get the frog off, but it was stuck fast, I used the tool provided, but that was frankly terrible, and didn’t help at all, I ended up using a knife and brute force and broke its feet off (the thing was really well stuck down). So, when I returned I checked on line as to why it crashed, and I spotted online advice to update the firmware, so I plugged the printer into my PC, and upgraded the firmware, which was really easy through the Dremel software. Since then when I pause, it resumes fine.My kids popped their heads round the following day so they both printed a Reindeer and polar bear finger puppet, they love them.Then I printed a robotic gripper hand I found on “thingiverse”, an awesome site for 3D prints. I had to import them into the Dremel software as they were in .STL format, but the parts printed well. I had a servo so built it up after it printed, and it worked, I was well chuffed.A friend’s ignition button broke on their cooker and so I designed a new one in like 30 minutes using the windows software “3D Builder” that comes with windows 10, images included. It came out just fine and is on the cooker working now (Pictures included)Limitations************• In under a week I’ve had 6 misprints which equates to wasted spool• Some things stick solidly to the plate and no amount of my strength will get them off, using a knife doesn’t seem ideal. Opposite problem to many folks who can’t get the things to stick.• Spool is expensive and I’ve ran out already in under a week while printing a 3D robot, I’ve included a picture of everything I printed out of one spool of white.• The plastic tool is terrible that’s included.Things I like**************Its self-containedIt feels like a high-quality item.The plate comes out easy.The Dremel software though limited, works a treat.Printer was easy to update.The lid coming off is great for a peekMy kids can occasionally start a print off as its easy to print from the SD card.Prints seem fine that are coming off in both High res and standard mode.In closing,************I’ve not experience of other 3D printers, so can only go by the Dremel, and I have to say I do like it even with the limitations mentioned above, and all within a week.I hope this helps, and if you want to ask anything from someone who paid for one of these themselves then add a comment and then I will spot it and reply.I've received a roll of Black Dremel this weekend from Amazon so using that next.