1

Hi everyone. I’ve never dealt with 3D Printers but would like to purchase one. I did some research looking for a suitable printer, yet not very expensive and according to specifications it seems like MakerBot Fantasy Pro is a good choice. The first thing I was looking for is the size of the printed area (I need not less than 240mm). I found this printer on Amazon with free shipping to Ukraine, the price for it is $1,299.00.

Now, it seems like there is a newer model (MakerBot Fantasy Pro 2), which has a bigger printing area of 300 x 200 x 200, but I can not find a shop to buy it from!!!

I did some googling and the only online “shop” that sells it is Alibaba.com. I’ve never used this site before and I do not want to be pushed around my finger. Here is the link: [URL=“http://ecubmaker.en.alibaba.com/product/60253279627-800659388/Dual\_Extruder\_3D\_Printer\_Review\_Metal\_Frame.html”]http://ecubmaker.en.alibaba.com/product/60253279627-800659388/Dual\_Extruder\_3D\_Printer\_Review\_Metal\_Frame.html\[/URL\]

It seems like the seller is the official representative from their factory.

I contacted the seller asking about the price and shipping costs to Ukraine and also if they accept PayPal, and here is what she answered me:

[QUOTE]As per your inquired 3D printer FATNASY PRO II, please see product info below.

Item: FANTASY PRO II 3D Printer
All-metal frame, aluminum alloy casing, fully enclosed
Dual nozzles, nozzle diameter 0.4mm
High resolution, layer thickness 0.05-0.3mm
Printing size: 300*200*200mm
Slicing software: Cura, Makerbot desktop
File format: STL, Gcode, OBJ, etc.
Size: 506*379*454mm
NW: 36kg

FOB price: $980 per set with two rolls of filament for free
Shiping cost to Ukraine is about $220
Paypal is ok for us. Are you going to place the order now?
If so, I will send you Proforma Invoice with our Paypal account information to you.[/QUOTE]

So, I do not know, but it is a bit suspicious, that the price of the NEWER BIGGER model is only 980 US without shipping costs. On the other hand it is good they accept PayPal, so if there is smth. wong I believe I can receive a refund.

Still the question is - IS IT WORTH BUYING FROM THIS SITE AND FROM THIS SELLER???
Is there anyone who bought this model recently from alibaba.com???
And the last question - is this printer worth the money???

2

This would be too suspicious for me! It’s best to buy the machines from the direct producers as you’ll have less trouble with spares etc. otherwise the producer would blame the problem to the reseller and vice versa, all sorts of stupid trouble to stay away from. I’d recommend the leapfrog Creatr in your case, it should meet your volume requirements and the manufacturer is settled in Europe (Netherlands) so shipment is alot cheaper. Secondly you should take a look at the BigBox (released end 2015) and check out lulzbot. Cheers, Marius Breuer

3

The Fantasy Pro II is not a Makerbot. There’s nothing even vaguely associating the Fantasy Pro II with Makerbot, really; it’s very much ECubMaker’s own printer. That being said, not being a Makerbot doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad printer; in fact, Makerbot seems to have been creating somewhat questionable printers as of late.

(The confusion may stem from some people associating most or all 3D printers with Makerbot. That’s not the case. Makerbot is simply one brand that sells a line of 3D printers, and just has a lot more recognition among the general public than other brands.)

I honestly don’t see a reason that the newer bigger one being cheaper is suspicious. Common logic would say so, but in the world of 3D printers the build volume actually affects the cost very little; what affects the cost the most is the quality of parts a company decides to use and the amount of R&D put into the design. If EcubMaker just decided to enlarge their existing design, the actual cost difference could be minute.

I still wouldn’t buy the Ecubmaker printer simply because neither the company nor the design have major recognition, and there’s really no guarantee of quality for a 3D printer besides a company’s reputation. I would also not buy from AliBaba, because that website is designed as a link between manufacturers and retailers, not sellers and consumers. (If it were on AliExpress that’s a different story.)

You could take a look at the Leapfrog Creatr like MB3D suggested. Another option, one I’d highly recommend, is the Ultimaker Original+ kit, as even though it’s a kit, it’s widely regarded as one of the best printers available and you learn a lot from constructing the kit that would ultimately help you become a much better 3D printer operator.