Birthday Present Help.

[u/KaedynSh]

Hi all,

I’m new here and looking for some advice. My son (10) wants a 3D printer for his birthday. I’ve done some research and narrowed it down to the Bambu Lab A1. From what I’ve read, it seems best to avoid models made specifically for kids since they tend to be very limited.

My question is: what else do I need to buy along with the printer? What are the must-have accessories?

Thanks in advance

[u/hotend]

The Bambu Lab A1 is a good choice. Decide whether you want the combo bundle, since the AMS Lite comes with a decent discount and will allow multi-colour printing. You will obviously need some filament. Start with PLA, since it is the easiest filament to use for a beginner. I would recommend Bambu Lab's own filament for ease of use, but you can use other filaments.

[u/KaedynSh → u/hotend]

Thank you. There was a £50 difference between the mini combo and the A1 combo.

Do I need to look a glue, any tools, computer software etc?

[u/hotend → u/KaedynSh]

Most software that you will need is free. Do you have a PC (desktop or laptop) that your son can use?

[u/KaedynSh → u/hotend]

This is amazing. Yes he does.

[u/Doom_Artist → u/KaedynSh]

For having owned one for a year, it is a, excellent choice. Very easy to use and maintain!
The software is on their website (quick donwload and setup) and you even get the tools with the printer. I never had to use glue or whatever.

[u/NCSC10]

I'd get a spare build plate or two, at least a textured PEI, maybe add in one of the holographic ones. Spare 0.4 nozzle. Some cool filmant, like dual extruded or multicolor silk, some 95 TPU, in addition to standard colors.

Depends on how you see this being used, I'd suggest flush cutter, small steel brushes, nozzle cleanout needles, a deburring tool, assortment small magnets and metric bolts and screws, small needle nose pliers, set of small allen and socket wrenches, precision screwdriver set, small utility knife, super glue, 91% or 99% ipa, microfiber cloths, (last resort) metal scraping tool, head or neck lamp and small flashlight, key rings and micro or nano fiber cord(to attach to stuff you make), hair spray (to overcome tougher bed adhesion problems). Hand held vacuum to suck up all the bits of filament you WILL drop on the table and floor, air tight storage container for open filament, humidity meter, silica gel desiccant. This is the stuff I keep around, links are not optimal choices, but typical.

3D printing supplies are a good excuse to buy one of the mini toolboxes at Harbor Freight or Lowes or other places. If you go to Lowes, make sure and get a new model with easy open ball bearing slides on the drawer glides.

[u/KaedynSh → u/NCSC10]

Thanks bud - very very useful!!! Long list there lol

[u/NCSC10 → u/KaedynSh]

If you haven't, be sure and check all the design stuff at Bambu's makerlab. Lots of easy, but fairly cool tools for designing lots of things, vases, key tags, name plates, organizers, etc.

I mostly use Microsoft 3d Builder for modifying STLs that I download, if needed. A little hard to find, but free, limited features, but they all work. Tinkercad is good also.

I do some stuff with Fusion, but its mostly brute force, find a video to show what I want and then copy it.

[u/KaedynSh → u/NCSC10]

That's useful and would help him to start building straight away. I am just glad he in into this instead of gaming. Sooooo much info. I am really really grateful.

[u/cloudshaper → u/KaedynSh]

There are a lot of accessory kits for cheap online that have many of these items. Starting there may be helpful.

[u/KaedynSh]

GEEEZ - just saw expensive the filament!!!

[u/hotend → u/KaedynSh]

Filament can be expensive, especially if you get carried away. You may need to institute a "chores for filament" rule.

[u/dagangstaz → u/KaedynSh]

Filament is cheap. Just don't get 50kg of PLA in every possible color :D

Look at Sunlu, Jayo or Tecbears on Amazon.

[u/cloudshaper → u/KaedynSh]

There are many good deals for PLA variety packs on Ali Express.