Joe wanted an update on my 3D printing activities. 3D printing is still relevant to me. Before Covid, I played a lot of dungeons and dragons with friends gathered around the table. We wanted a miniature because we liked the military/strategic aspects of D&D. It was the perfect 3D printer app: small print doesn't matter as long as the quality isn't too high, but it's a great miniature print if you don't consider the cost of a printer yourself. Cheaper than buying. Services like Hero Forge allow you to create role models for heroes, and some talented people have created STL files for every creature in the Monster Guide .
Then the epidemic came and we moved our online D&D games to Roll 20. All of a sudden I didn't need 3D thumbnails anymore, I just wanted amazing photos. As a result, my understanding of why I really needed to use my 3D printer quickly faded. Sometimes I print a few small household items that I need, but applications are limited. Sometimes I print something for a hobby: board games, for example, an engagement card. But you can buy small polypropylene grain storage boxes for a dollar on Amazon , and they are the best I can print.
I rarely use my 3D printer for a few days. Unfortunately, if you do not use the printer for a while, you will have problems: some of the used plastic wires will slowly absorb moisture from the air and deteriorate. Or I need to lubricate some gears, calibrate the construction board, and so on. Too much work to do, too little to print. I would recommend to anyone thinking about buying a 3D printer to first think about what makes a sustainable application. Otherwise, it's just a toy.
