Deals and steals

TSUSA Prime Members Deal
Blackhawk rifle case - $23 bucks - Currently listed for $84 on Optics planet

Is there anywhere to buy more of the Molle internals to make this a two gun case?
 
Stop it. I’m trying to change over to team red. But I do want a cordless circular saw
Consider team orange (rigid). My father has them... less $$ and seem just as good as my Milwaukee. Made by the same company... TTI. Who also makes ryobi. Which my brother has... definitely way cheaper and not as good
 
Has anyone taken advantage of this offer?
You're honestly better off with an Ender 3 V2 refurbed from Comgrow or elsewhere. They can often be had for around $160 or less. The V2 adds a stepper drivers and a 32 bit controller that can be easily flashed with firmware updates when you inevitably upgrade. The Pro has the old and very noisy 8 bit board. The $60 difference is tiny compared to all of the other upgrades that come stock with the V2.
 
You're honestly better off with an Ender 3 V2 refurbed from Comgrow or elsewhere. They can often be had for around $160 or less. The V2 adds a stepper drivers and a 32 bit controller that can be easily flashed with firmware updates when you inevitably upgrade. The Pro has the old and very noisy 8 bit board. The $60 difference is tiny compared to all of the other upgrades that come stock with the V2.

I'd buy one at that price shipped if I could find one. Cheapest I can find is $175 but that deal has expired. Any links you might have would be very much appreciated.
 
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I'd buy one at that price shipped if I could find one. Cheapest I can find is $175 but that deal has expired. Any links you might have would be very much appreciated.
Micro center was selling them for $100 in June, they have open boxes for 130 but I'd steer away from those.

This is something I'd keep my eye out for on slickdeals
 
You're honestly better off with an Ender 3 V2 refurbed from Comgrow or elsewhere. They can often be had for around $160 or less. The V2 adds a stepper drivers and a 32 bit controller that can be easily flashed with firmware updates when you inevitably upgrade. The Pro has the old and very noisy 8 bit board. The $60 difference is tiny compared to all of the other upgrades that come stock with the V2.

Micro center was selling them for $100 in June, they have open boxes for 130 but I'd steer away from those.

This is something I'd keep my eye out for on slickdeals

Sorry to get deeper into this one deal, but I was going to pick one of these up today and am now having second thoughts. I know nothing of 3D printing and am looking for something to play with with the kids. I would like to keep my investment low until I know this thing is going to be used.

It seems like the newer pros have a 32 bit controller - but maybe not silent? (I’m hoping to call to get validation of this today). But even if not it looks like you can get a new board for $40 and three new motors (if needed?) for $40. But really - this thing is going to be in the basement so I’m not sure if it matters to me if it is loud.

At the end of the day, would this be a decent way for me to get into this hobby for the lowest investment, but let me upgrade later if need be? Or should I just wait to see where the v2 goes around Black Friday?
 
At the end of the day, would this be a decent way for me to get into this hobby for the lowest investment, but let me upgrade later if need be? Or should I just wait to see where the v2 goes around Black Friday?
if anybody proficient in this field would actually give an overview of what is the good deal and a good model for the fall 2022 - which controller, which motors, what bed, etc - it would be very helpful. like, if a budget is set for $200 top - what is good?
for a $100 - i guess, anything is good? or at which point a $100 'deal' may become a '$100 thrown into the wind' ?

i really care to know more of this lower segment, a $200-$300 top, as anything in the $500+ range is not really even on the radar.
 
Sorry to get deeper into this one deal, but I was going to pick one of these up today and am now having second thoughts. I know nothing of 3D printing and am looking for something to play with with the kids. I would like to keep my investment low until I know this thing is going to be used.

It seems like the newer pros have a 32 bit controller - but maybe not silent? (I’m hoping to call to get validation of this today). But even if not it looks like you can get a new board for $40 and three new motors (if needed?) for $40. But really - this thing is going to be in the basement so I’m not sure if it matters to me if it is loud.

At the end of the day, would this be a decent way for me to get into this hobby for the lowest investment, but let me upgrade later if need be? Or should I just wait to see where the v2 goes around Black Friday?
So I have a V2 pro.

It's noisy, but not obnoxiously so unless you're trying to use it in a bedroom or something. I don't know how to describe the noise, but it's a bit of a whir and on par with some old school 1970's to 80's video game sound effects. I haven't upgraded the board because honestly, I don't care.

What I *did* add, that made a world of difference is a glass bed, and a "BL Touch" sensor. I had a consistent problem with leveling and subsequent adhesion which I never managed to rectify and it just interfered with my printing. The BL touch basically is an auto level, and the glass bed is a more consistent flat to print on.

By holding off you're not missing anything. I'd look for that $100 price, and then use your savings to get those two add ons.

"Well Drix, what do you use it for"

Well, nothing mostly. But I have made:

1. A glock block
2. A topographic print of my hunting property.
3. Tool holder
4. Model parts
5. Box to hold SD cards (has been great honestly).

I suffer from a bit of "what do I do with it", I suppose I should bite the bullet and get some 3d gun prints and try some lowers, but honeslty I'm not sure I'm ready for those kind of forces, these printers aren't set it and forget it, they need fuddling.
 
I too have a Ender 3 v2 pro. The noise it makes if heard from another room could be compared or mistaken for a paper inkjet printer. It's nothing to worry about, I'm actually surprised people say it's worth the quiet upgrade. A glass bed is the only upgrade I did. I developed a good method of leveling the bed that only takes a few minutes and gets consistent results.
 
I too have a Ender 3 v2 pro. The noise it makes if heard from another room could be compared or mistaken for a paper inkjet printer. It's nothing to worry about, I'm actually surprised people say it's worth the quiet upgrade. A glass bed is the only upgrade I did. I developed a good method of leveling the bed that only takes a few minutes and gets consistent results.
Is worth pointing out these things are mass produced out of China and there's probably no quality control on tolerances.

I think my bed might be warped AF, you might have a flatter one. I've heard all sorts of stories about tolerances issues.
 
for those with verizon wireless service - they run a pre-order on the iphone 14 now, with a $800 trade off offer for older models. i just ordered an upgrade for 2 lines, one had pixel 4a, other had iphone xr. you pay a $35 fee plus $50 tax, and get a $0 iphone 14. if you want 14 plus - it is a $99, at 36 months - a $2.75 a month add on, with a $40 5g unlimited plan.

those $800 trade ins do not last long, last one was in the spring when i swapped my old XR for a 13 max pro.

If i recall correctly, that pixel 4a for my FIL i bought for a $450 or so. not too bad of the deal.

just did one more line. MIL had a total crap samsung j7, it was not even in a dropdown for the trade in, but in my junk drawer i had a pixel 2 of lost origin, so, its IMEI was accepted and gave a whole of $400 trade in, so, hell with it. a $400 discount for a $799 iphone 14 is not too bad, not a free phone, but hell with it.

so, it seems the basic 14 model ships today. the 14 plus will wait till october 2nd. 14 pro and pro max i do not care of - they are said to have issues, plus, just no need nor interest at all.
 
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This is a really good (if slightly large) range bag. It's been called out in several posts as one of the better ones out there. I have the original UTG version of this bag and it's great. The removable stage bag/ammunition carrier comes in handy for carrying your ammo at the range.

MidwayUSA Competition Range Bag System
 
This is a really good (if slightly large) range bag. It's been called out in several posts as one of the better ones out there. I have the original UTG version of this bag and it's great. The removable stage bag/ammunition carrier comes in handy for carrying your ammo at the range.

MidwayUSA Competition Range Bag System
Hmm that does look nice. I have a similar Allen one that isn't organized quite as well.
 
Has anyone taken advantage of this offer?
I have, it's a decent deal, better before this year. As they have swapped out the industry standard Meanwell PSU for their own private label one. Not necessarily bad, but not really tested yet for reliability. Either way, $100 is a good deal. There is some assembly required (1hr or so) and def a learning curve at the beginning. If you do get it, open the box in the parking lot and use the $10 off coupon inside to buy filament before leaving MC.


You're honestly better off with an Ender 3 V2 refurbed from Comgrow or elsewhere. They can often be had for around $160 or less. The V2 adds a stepper drivers and a 32 bit controller that can be easily flashed with firmware updates when you inevitably upgrade. The Pro has the old and very noisy 8 bit board. The $60 difference is tiny compared to all of the other upgrades that come stock with the V2.
You can get new V2s for ~$170 right now as a few amazon sellers are clearing their stock for the new Neos.
The Pros have been shipped with 32bit controller boards, albeit not silent, for 2 years now. I'd get the E3 Pro, and with the $70 difference, get an BTT SKR Mini E3 V3 mainboard ($35) that is miles better than the v4.2.2 mainboard from the V2. Then spend the rest on some basic and quality of life upgrades.


Sorry to get deeper into this one deal, but I was going to pick one of these up today and am now having second thoughts. I know nothing of 3D printing and am looking for something to play with with the kids. I would like to keep my investment low until I know this thing is going to be used.

It seems like the newer pros have a 32 bit controller - but maybe not silent? (I’m hoping to call to get validation of this today). But even if not it looks like you can get a new board for $40 and three new motors (if needed?) for $40. But really - this thing is going to be in the basement so I’m not sure if it matters to me if it is loud.

At the end of the day, would this be a decent way for me to get into this hobby for the lowest investment, but let me upgrade later if need be? Or should I just wait to see where the v2 goes around Black Friday?
Correct, the Pros are 32bit but not silent. You don't need new motors, the noise comes from the stepper drivers on the board. I have mine set up in a spare room and never hear it. Though it doesn't hurt to have spare parts, as it's common for nozzles to clog and shit happens with low QC budget printers. It's not a hobby where you can open the box and get going right away. It takes time to assemble, adjust, tinker, adjust, mod and adjust to get things going. But once you get it working, it'll print without trouble for the most part. There is also a need to pick which slicer you'll use (Cura, PrusaSlicer, Slic3r, etc - creates the gcode needed to print) and learn all the settings nuances to get prints to come out decent. I have 4 printers and still tinkering with them after 2 years to improve print quality.

The $170 is lowest I've ever seen the V2s, even compared to last year's BF sales. There are rumors both the E3 Pros and V2s will be gone soon, to make way for the new Neos and S1 series.



if anybody proficient in this field would actually give an overview of what is the good deal and a good model for the fall 2022 - which controller, which motors, what bed, etc - it would be very helpful. like, if a budget is set for $200 top - what is good?
for a $100 - i guess, anything is good? or at which point a $100 'deal' may become a '$100 thrown into the wind' ?

i really care to know more of this lower segment, a $200-$300 top, as anything in the $500+ range is not really even on the radar.
I've advised couple people before, but anything under $300 is a budget printer and is subject to QC and weird development issues. The Ender 3s are the gold standard for beginners, as they are relatively dirt cheap and have a massive community. For under $200 and for someone not sure if they want to delve deeper into the hobby, the $100 Ender 3 Pro from Microcenter is likely the best start. I would also get a PEI bed and metal extruder at a minimum for upgrades, adding ~$30. It's possible to get a dud, but just return it for another if it happens. I would not constitute the E3 Pro as throwing money away, even if you choose to drop the hobby and sell it later.

The Ender 3 V2 is the improved version, but mostly creature comfort improvements. It's a good deal at $170 (current sale price) if you don't want to tinker mch and just have it mostly working out of the box. There is also the Voxelab Aquila ($145 on sale) that is like a 95% clone of the Ender 3 V2, most parts are interchangeable. Their 40mm fan sucks though, so would need replacement after a few months. There are couple others brands like Anycubic, Fokoos and Sunlu on sale for under $200 right now, but not brands I have experience with.... I just know that beginners need to stay away from Tronxy and Anet printers, as they used to have much issues.



So I have a V2 pro.

It's noisy, but not obnoxiously so unless you're trying to use it in a bedroom or something. I don't know how to describe the noise, but it's a bit of a whir and on par with some old school 1970's to 80's video game sound effects. I haven't upgraded the board because honestly, I don't care.

What I *did* add, that made a world of difference is a glass bed, and a "BL Touch" sensor. I had a consistent problem with leveling and subsequent adhesion which I never managed to rectify and it just interfered with my printing. The BL touch basically is an auto level, and the glass bed is a more consistent flat to print on.

By holding off you're not missing anything. I'd look for that $100 price, and then use your savings to get those two add ons.

"Well Drix, what do you use it for"

Well, nothing mostly. But I have made:

1. A glock block
2. A topographic print of my hunting property.
3. Tool holder
4. Model parts
5. Box to hold SD cards (has been great honestly).

I suffer from a bit of "what do I do with it", I suppose I should bite the bullet and get some 3d gun prints and try some lowers, but honeslty I'm not sure I'm ready for those kind of forces, these printers aren't set it and forget it, they need fuddling.
There is no such thing as a V2 Pro, it's either V2 or Pro... If it's noisy, it's a Pro as all V2s shipped with silent v4.2.2 boards.
Agreed with an ABL (automatic bed leveler --> BL Touch, CR Touch, 3D Touch), as it'll compensate for a not perfect flat bed (they rarely are). Though PEI beds are much more preferred these days as they will self release prints once cold and does not need glue/tape to adhere when hot. Glass is still fine, they come stock on the V2s.

I have printed everything from functional stuff to toys for kids to replacement parts for things around the house when they break. It's handy when you need something very specific that no one makes or need it relatively quick/cheap.
 
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This is a really good (if slightly large) range bag. It's been called out in several posts as one of the better ones out there. I have the original UTG version of this bag and it's great. The removable stage bag/ammunition carrier comes in handy for carrying your ammo at the range.

MidwayUSA Competition Range Bag System
I’ve had this thing for years, zero complaints.
 
Awesome. Got it.
What upgrades it needs right away? Anything critical or I should learn it as is first?
Should be good to just learn first, it looks like it already has a glass bed and a better filament feeder which are what I would have recommended
 
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