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$70 off AnyCubic FDM 3D Printer | Vyper $435 | Mega Zero 2.0 (OOS) $169 | Mega-S (OOS) $236 | Del. from @anycubic-make on eBay

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FDM00923

Well, in my last budget FDM* 3D printer deal, the price was $179 for what I said was "by far the cheapest "real" (not toy) 3D printer this year!" — AnyCubic decided to one-up that: the headline deal here is AnyCubic Mega Zero 2.0 for $169 delivered, along with a great discount on some of their other models.

*FDM = hot melted plastic extrusion

Specs:

Model Price Print Volume Bed Interface Bed Levelling Electronics Features
Vyper $435 245×245×260mm Premium PEI powder coating, Magnetic Large Touch Screen Automatic 32Bit + TMC2209 + auto tramming and leveling
Mega Zero 2.0 (Out of stock) $169 220x220x250mm Flexible Sticker, Magnetic Simple Manual 8-Bit + A4988 Power outage resume
Mega-S (Out of stock) $236 210x210x205mm Coated Glass (Ultrabase) Touch Screen Manual 8-Bit + A4988 + dual-Z motor + filament run out detection

All three models support printing a range of materials: PLA, PETG, ABS and TPU (flexible).

Question: Is the viper worth $200 more than the price of the Mega-S? It has several key advantages:
1. 32-bit processor and TMC2209 - which enables better printing of fine surface details and ultra-quiet printing motion.
2. Large simple touch-screen, for quick and fast ease of use.
3. Automatic bed leveling and tramming — there are both dual optical endstops for auto tramming, as well as strain-gauge sensors for automatic bed levelling, to help you get that perfect first layer every time.
4. Larger print volume!

P.S interested in a resin printer instead? see this deal

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closed Comments

  • +1

    How does the mega s compare with the ender 3 V2?

    • Great question — Ender 3 V2 has a large but non-touch LCD, near-silent stepper drivers, slightly larger build volume (220x220x250), while the Mega-S is cheaper, and comes with a near-identical glass bed, very similar mechanisms, and I would say a comparable overall construction.

    • I have the mega S, I had before the Voxelab Aquila and it broke. Mega S just seems more solid and reliable, louder servo motors though, but quiter fan. Smaller build area. Better filament feeder all round. Very easy to level, the Voxelab kept unlevelling itself

  • FDM= fused deposition modeling

    • +7

      Yes, but a newbie's first question will be … and what is that? :-P Thanks.

  • Thanks, have been looking to get into the 3D printing realms. Just ordered one. I'll be looking into what material is best to use while I wait for delivery. Wish me luck 🤞

    • +3

      Welcome to the hobby!!
      @impoze recently sent me these links, which look like good deals for filament:
      https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/284153022177
      https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/284375528075

      The prices I aim for are below:
      PLA <$20/kg
      PLA+ <$30/kg
      PETG <$30/kg

      Personally, I prefer to print mostly with PLA, or where maximum strength is required, PLA+. PETG and ABS also have their places too. You need 1.75mm filament for these printers.

      Happy printing :)

      • Thanks.

        • +3

          Don't buy unbranded stuff the frustration when there tolerances are off or have high moisture will make you break thing. At a minimum buy the voxelab or flashforge filament it's the same price and pretty good stuff. Sunlu is great and then you also have 3dfiles and esun which are some of the best we can get in Australia

          • +1

            @DoesntEvenMatter: Yeah I generally stick to PLA+

            Just trying out the PETG as it seemed like a price error at $17 when their other listings are from $25

          • +4

            @DoesntEvenMatter: I generally agree… but I think things have also improved somewhat since 5+ years ago, when generics were more hit and miss. Sunlu was a generic in my mind… but people have been pretty happy with them over time, and they work for me too. Personally, I swear by esun PLA+ for stuff that matters, and just go bargain basement PLA for most other stuff. I do think the colours also make a difference, as I'm pretty confident that the different pigments etc also affect printing performance — personally I no longer print using yellow filament ever again!

            • +2

              @pinchies: Ye you can't go wrong with esun brand I'm huge advocate for their pla+(normal and silk), I prefer their purple and blue over other brands.

              Just starting to print with their PETG and its going great, heard horror stories but have to start somewhere. Also heard great stuff about their ABS as well might get to it one day when I make an enclosure and try to build a voron xd.

              Thanks for those ebay links, will try them and see how it goes.

            • @pinchies: Which colours do you recommend for strength and what brand in particular do you favour? Have you used the stuff from oneness_top in those eBay links? (which are to the same store incidentally)

              • @Flyerone: I hesitate to answer this as I have not done any measurements. I like printing with black and grey, I find grey especially shows the surface finish well. I’ve ordered from the links above this week, but it hasn’t arrived yet.

                • @pinchies: I've just received the PETG from that ebay seller, will give it a go tomorrow.

                  I needed PETG for to print some parts which are more exposed to heat.

                  otherwise PLA+ is plenty strong

  • hey mate, is it worth going for the mega s over the zero for a first timer?
    looks like a bit more to it for the $67 more.
    vyper is too rich for my blood having never used or owned a printer before.

    • +3

      For any hobby, it often makes sense to spend as little as possible to dip your toe in. There's always a risk though, that the gear for sale at the low end is cheap garbage, that ends up totally putting you off that hobby for good. A few years ago that would definitely be the case in the 3D printing space, where a lot of frankly unsafe and dangerous gear was being sold for cheap.

      I do not think the Mega Zero 2.0 is that kind of mistake. It is a budget printer, sure. They have "cut corners" to make that price point, sure. But it is certainly not junk — it has some limitations, like printing speed or print quality will not be quite as good as a $500 printer, but it most certainly is serviceable, and a good choice for a beginner. As mentioned below, there are even some upgrades that can even be added down the track. However, my recommendation would be not to spend too much money — use it as a first printer, have fun with it, enjoy it within its limits, and hopefully figure out if 3D printing is really something you enjoy or not. I think the "boring" black and white interface is actually very simple to use, albeit a little clunky.

      Personally, I especially like that the Mega-S comes with a Coated Glass (Ultrabase) bed from factory. I find glass beds are extremely consistent, as long as you wipe them down with IPA to remove fingerprints, and print the first layer slowly (15-20mm/s) they hold the print quite well when hot (~63C), and release very easily when cool — it is an extremely easy printing surface to use with PLA and PLA+, perfect for beginners. You can even buy a glass bed for the Mega Zero 2.0 — it's less than $25 on ebay.

      Hope that helps.

    • +3

      definitely worth the bit extra for the S

      the ultrabase glass bed is so easy to use, and prints stick very well to it while being easy to take off with the spatula.

      • +1

        thanks guys (impoze & pinchies).

        with my ADHD I am very prone to gaining and losing interest in things, but that is usually also exacerbated if things are more difficult to make progress with.

        i think for the extra $67 of risk, the S is the way to go for me - yeah $67 is $67, but I'm more likely to keep interest with the nicer interface and the included glass bed which sounds like it will make it easier to get started and continue to use.

        bought the S just now, managed to get a further $4 off with ebay giftcards (would have been a few dollars more but I hit the $500 ebay giftcard limit on suncorp rewards buying a standing desk :/ ).

        • +1

          congrats,

          better get some filament while you're at it :)

          • @impoze: do you buy the unbranded stuff or the branded stuff?
            weirdly the pla is more expensive than the PETG and ABS in the links above.

            • @Wilburre: I normally get sunlu PLA+

              https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/3D-Printer-Filament-PLA-PLA-Plus…

              A bit of a discount when you buy more than 1 roll, can mix colours too

              Comes quick enough from Melbourne

              • @impoze: seller apparently doesn't ship to ACT :/

                I can get Voxelab PLA+ or flashforge PLA for $25.99/kg delivered on 5/10 (which will be before the printer is expected to arrive on 14/10) on amazon au.
                So I guess I'll get a reel of Voxelab.

                Someone above says both of those brands are ok, even though sunlu is apparently better.
                Will have a look around online to see if I can get some delivered here.

                thanks

                • @Wilburre: yeah I just got some voxelab/flashforge silk PLA delivered from the recent deal

                  you might be able to find some other eBay dealers with sunlu PLA+

  • +1

    Great price on the Mega S, been using it for 2 years.

    Recently added TMC2208 stepper drivers, easy enough drop in upgrade. Aliexpress about $25.

    Also worth swapping out the motherboard and PSU fans to quieten the noise even further.

    Very capable and solid machine even without these upgrades

    A free upgrade is the marlin firmware which enables mesh levelling.

    Also worth doing an Octoprint setup with a raspberry pi or a VM running on a machine

    • Great to hear that you're enjoying the Mega-S. It's a bit of a journey or learning curve to get where you are at now, but that's what I love about the 3D printer community, a lot of people around who are willing to share advice and tips. :)

      • it's a great first printer, and the fans/steppers upgrade is mainly noise. I lived with the noise by putting it in another room far away.

        One thing I should have done earlier was go to a larger nozzle, was using 0.8mm for the past few weeks but now have settled on 0.6mm

        Paid $300 2 years ago so $236 is a great buy

        • What is your thinking on the larger nozzle? Strength/Adhesion/Speed?

          I was thinking of buying a smaller nozzle to ensure I'm not seeing the layers as much as possible, probably 0.2 as recommended here

          • @Abaddon: I had a lot stackable boxes to print out and the 0.8mm cut the time in half

            Adhesion is all fine, just need to adjust for higher temps since you're pushing out so much more material.

            I switched to a 0.6mm as I had a few finer detail pieces to print but it still lets me go from a 0.15 to 0.6 layer height for faster prints

            Are you planning to print miniatures or something so you dont want layer lines?

            • @impoze: Good point about the time aspect. I'll probably do a mix of miniatures/model parts as well as larger items where strength matters more (looking at you HotasDIY).

              So based on that it's probably worth ordering a few different nozzles I can switch between. Did you just get yours from AliExpress as well?

              • +1

                @Abaddon: I got a kit from Amazon, was about $14

                Comes with 0.2- 1.0 and a couple more 0.4mm

                Its pretty easy to change, does require re-levelling though

                One thing to note is that the stock anycubic has a longer thread, just have to thread the heatbreak to meet the nozzle. Once you've set this height, switching between the others should be quick

                LEOWAY 18 Pcs MK8 Extruder Nozzle M6 3D Printer Extruder Brass Nozzle Print Head with 7 Different Sizes (0.2mm, 0.3mm, 0.4mm, 0.5mm, 0.6mm, 0.8mm, 1.0 https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07VD7Y9BR/ref=cm_sw_r_apanp_8N…

    • I've started looking at upgrades as you have mentioned (probably not the best thing to be doing before I receive my first printer, but meh), but saw some conflicting information. Supposedly the latest version of the Mega S has the stepper drivers soldered now, rather than the simpler plug and replace of older machines.

      Has anyone purchased this machine recently and can confirm?

      • I think only the 32bit ones are soldered, can always take a look once it arrives

        • Just got my printer, had a look and the stepper drivers look to be easily replaceable.

          I did notice a very dumb design for the stepper driver fan though, it's hard up against the only part of the bottom plate which lacks venting, can't see it getting much air there. Thinking I'll flip the bottom plate over and look at a better solution, need to drill some additional holes first. I saw a bunch of 3D printed ducts so I'm not the only one who's noticed.

          • @Abaddon: Nice,

            yeah, I did the plate flip soon after receiving it.

            Currently have the stock fan mount but just swapped the fan out for a quieter fan.

  • also for the Mega S, upgrade the couplers if you're experiencing z wobble

    I got the 5x8mm set from this listing and it instantly fixed my issue
    https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1949347972.html?spm=a2g0s.90…

  • I ordered a Mega Zero, nice price point to dip my toe into 3D printing

  • After sitting on hands at your last suggested deal with mind numbing procrastination, I pulled the trigger on my first 3D printer and went the Mega S.

    I'll trundle off and buy some filament now and spend the next week on youtube watching 3D modelling and printing videos. Apart from yourself, do you have any recommendations for good channels? Also, which CAD application do you recommend? I've only used tinkercad to make a small basic part that I had a neighbour print for me.

    Thanks.

    • +1

      check out Fusion360 and go through these tutorials

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZwM87-nsYA&list=PLrZ2zKOtC_…

      it's 30 days but you can go through it quite quickly.

      I picked it up recently and can now model custom designs quite quickly

      As for slicers, Prusaslicer & Cura are both fine. Cura has a decent profile for the Mega S already.

      • Thank you.

  • Thank you. Went for the S last night and seems to be with AusPost already. No idea what I'm getting myself into. Hoping to use it to enhance board games, making game pieces and inserts. Kind of hoping to use existing recipes for some of it, but not sure if you can with these ones.

    I nearly bought a heap of filament from Cubic Tech, they seem to have a good standard price for Esun, though I see they do sales sometimes too. I decided to hold off because it is just the standard price and I can get it any time. My understanding is it comes with a small amount of filament, so I think I'll see how I go with that before moving on to more ambitious projects and dropping another couple hundred on filament (there's something I want to do that would use 6 different colours and I'd require purple of course). I probably should order one colour from somewhere.

    • I'd say its a good idea to order at least one roll — most manufacturers only include a small sample portion. If they're generous, it might be one or two 250g spools. If they are being stingy, it is likely just a meter or so, and likely not-so-fresh as well.

      In the meantime, I'm sure you can have fun on thingiverse and queue up a few ideas.

      Regarding printing profiles, in Cura there are dedicated profiles for the Mega-S and the Mega Z all ready to go. If they are no good, you can also use the Ender 3 profiles, easily — just rename it, and change the maximum printing dimensions, and you should be sorted.

      Happy printing!

      • The Mega S profile in Cura is pretty good

        Useful custom start and end code already set up too

  • Bought :)

    Should finally be able to make myself a certain replica prop which I had commissioned by an artist but customs decided to destroy :D

  • +1

    I bought this yesterday…delivered by Auspost today. Craziness.

    • Hopefull that this happens to me!

    • Mine arrived yesterday as well. Very happy with the speed of service.

      Arrived before my PLA roll did however. Anyone know of physical stores where I can get some in Syndey (would like to do some tinkering over the long weekend)? Only place I could think of is Jaycar, though I'm not a big fan of their practices… or prices.

      • There are a few hobby and 3d stores around Sydney, quick google will show you where.

        Even some FPV and RC stores

  • Just went to purchase the Mega S and it looks like they are sold out 😔
    Also looks like the Mega Zero is too

  • For anyone else who is new to this, there are some good calibration instructions and tools here.

    • +1

      Thanks — definitely a great resource, Michael (an Aussie from Sydney!) has done an awesome job with pulling this together, and his YouTube channel is also a must subscribe for newcomers.

      • True that. Sydney has some real talent in the 3D youtube game.

        I also found Angus from Makers Muse, some great content there as well.

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