OK, I was just going to email Chris directly but then I figured everyone might benefit from the question and answer. Then I also remembered some older threads so thought it might make sense to unearth this old one and go from there…
For me, I am not a 3D printing “enthusiast”… I’m a EE who uses 3D prints in the course of business and needs it to just “work”. I don’t want to dick around with all kinds of adjustments, improvements, etc. My experience at a previous job was a mechanical guy who spent more time screwing around with some earlier gen FDM printers than actually getting parts off them to help with the design process.
So about year ago another podcast mentioned the Elegoo resin printers and how they just work. So, the price was right (few hundred USD) so I pulled the trigger and YUP! Except for needing to learn a little about build supports, it just worked. Very reliable (upside). Downsides: MESSY and limited material choices.
Well, a few podcasts ago (2 days ago for me), Chris mentioned the Prusa MK4. So my question for Chris (and anyone else that knows) is this: Is the Prusa MK4 a FDM type machine that “just works”. The price point is not as cheap as the entry level resin I got back when so this isn’t just a “try it” price point. But it’s a price point that I could easily pull if it works. The ability to use a bunch of different material types is the key selling point for FDM for me.
Thanks,
Keith