Is buying this used UM3EXT a good idea?

[NewMan1 0]

Hey folks! 

 

I would love you help deciding on buying this used Ultimaker. It is a first generation Ultimaker 3 Extended that has 2800 print hours on it and was owned as a demo unit for a 3D printing shop. It is priced at 1900$ USD. It is in working order.

I am able to view in person and run a test print. 

Is there any other questions I should ask?
 

All that said, is this a good purchase?

Thanks for you help!

 

Grant 

[gr5 2,196]

These machines don't really age much.  You might have to replace the cores ($100 each) but probably not.

 

Check the hours printing.  Go into the maintenance menu and somewhere in there you can quickly find information about each core - how many hours it has printed.  You can swap out each core and check each one and then add that all up.

 

2000 hours (about 2000 meters of filament) is a LOT of printing but you should be able to go at least 6000 hours printing before needing to change a few things.  Still - this will be nothing in cost compared to the printer and what you get out of it.

 

Personally my favorite UM printer is the um2go.  I have an S5, a  UM3 and 3 um2go's (all active and all working) and the um2gos get the most work done.

 

Oh.  It's an extended.  Not as good as the regular (because heavier, bigger) but still quite a good printer.

[zakeen 3]

I've owned a few of these machines and there have been updates but also some slight hardware updates. The good thing about buying a demo that was used regularly is they would have maintained it and did the updates that were required on a hardware level. Anything that would have needed to be replaced would have.

I would not be afraid of it, if priced right.

[gr5 2,196]

My Ultimaker 3 has had I think one hardware update and I got it right when they came out.  I think I had to change the sliding blocks?  I'm only 80% sure as it was many years ago.  I think it came with white ones that cracked pretty quickly after I got it and had to change to black ones.  But these are not expensive.  You can get the block and belt replacement kit for $45.  They seem to have returned to white sliding blocks.

 

https://fbrc8.com/collections/ultimaker-3-spare-parts

[NewMan1 0]

@gr5 thanks for your great advice. Do you think the life of the printer is endangered because it is discontinued and eventually they will stop making parts for it? Can you buy generic parts for this printer?

[gr5 2,196]

No.  Well, yes.  In about 20 years it might be hard to find parts for it.

 

There are tens of thousands of UM3's out there so it's a good business for a 3rd party if UM stops making any of the parts.  Already you can get chinese knockoffs of things like all the parts in the print head (the most complex area?) and you could replace all the "brains" with something like a duet.

 

The print cores for the UM3 are the same as their strongest selling model today (S5) and the same as on the S3 as well.  And there are 3rd parties that make printcores (3dsolex.com).  And used parts for UM3 will also get cheaper as time goes on.

 

A bigger concern is that Ultimaker printers use 2.85mm (aka 3mm) filament which seems to be dying out.  There are 2 standard sizes: 1.75mm, 3mm and right now every manufacturer of filament makes both sizes (except Prusa which is nothing special at this point).  So that's not an issue - the issue is if you buy another 3d printer some day you will have to stock both sizes of filament.  That is indeed a pain.

[paoletto 3]

Is it a good idea to use 3rd party compatible  bowden tubes and fans? if yes, where to source them? 189€ for the maintenance kit (2 tubes, 3 fans mostly) seems a bit much.. also 45 for a piece of glass..

Edited June 15, 2022 by paoletto