XYZprinting Da Vinci 1.0 3D Printer Review (Page 2)

Packaging and Accessories

Since most people order their 3D printers online, packaging is quite important.

There were actually four heavy-duty plastic straps that encircled the box, but I was in such a hurry to open the package that I neglected to take a picture before I cut them off.

XYZprinting did a good job of providing adequate protection; there is a lot of Styrofoam keeping the printer safe from damage. These printers cost a lot to ship, so I am sure better packaging benefits manufacturers and retailers more than consumers.

All parts are intact, and the Da Vinci 1.0 is basically ready to go out of the box. The protection that the exterior chassis provides is great; it prevents people from sticking their hands in there, and this is especially important when the extruder is at 212C, and the print bed at 90C. The body also provides insulation, both from the smell of the melted plastic, and the heat the printer creates. However, one of the joys of 3D printing is watching the printer work, and this printer gives viewers great vantage points.

The print bed is secured to the base of the body with a thumb screw, and Styrofoam supports keep it in place so the factory calibration of the print bed isn't screwed up. XYZprinting actually suggests that users do not attempt to calibrate the printer, and I didn't have to at all. The rails that the extruder is attached to were also supported by plastic pieces; you will remove these plastic bits before use.

Along with the printer, this package includes a user manual, quick guide, and driver disc. The package also comes with a complimentary, white filament, sample cartridge. One downside everyone likes to bring up with XYZprinting printers is that if you don't want to hack the printer, you will have to buy their proprietary cartridges. They are a tad more expensive at $28 for 600grams (240m); normally, you can get 1kg for the same price. However, there is a benefit to the proprietary cartridge. The proprietary cartridge has a chip that records how much filament has been used. You can access that information through the printer's panel, and it's great if you want to easily estimate or check how much filament you want to use.

The Da Vinci 1.0 comes with all of the accessories you see above. I was impressed with their accessories. While it may not look like much, XYZprinting gives you almost everything you need to get started with printing. The brass brush is for cleaning the extruder head, the scraper is for getting prints off the base, the glue stick is for prepping the base for hard to print objects, and the little rings are for inserting into the extruder nozzle (I haven't had to use them yet).