Disposing of Obsolete 3D Printers? Suggestions?

[C855B]

You guys have likely read that I am putting my 1st-gen Photon out to pasture. I don't do enough resin printing to justify having two in the workshop, and the quality and fidelity of the D1 that replaced it is far superior. The cost to ship the old one anywhere isn't worth it, especially given the low, low price of a brand new (and better) Mono 2.

Dumpster? For both it and the Wash & Cure for it? Seems like a waste, but a bigger waste in time and expense to re-home it.

[AlwaysSolutions]

I gifted one printer to a nearby school that has a 3D printing lab they were just starting up, and I have an Ender 3 that I'm gifting to a friend of my daughter who is interested in learning how to print.  I printed a chess piece on the Ender to make sure it still worked and left it on the build plate so he can see the quality it can produce.  For a 1st gen Photon you're going to have to give it away if it still works (they're so slow since they're rocking the original full color LCD printing 9-13 second layers vs 1-2 second layers on the current generation)  If you like to tinker at all, I saw a vid a couple years ago of a guy that supercharged his OG Photon by getting a chitu board and a mono screen.  Heck that could also be a good project for a classroom.  I like the form-factor of the photons with metal and flip lid.  My Photon Mono SE, which has this form factor, is still a workhorse of mine printing practically every day.

The easiest thing I suppose is you could put it on the curb with a sign, "Free 3D printer - it works!"  Someone will take it   

-Mike

[Chris333]

Keep it for parts.

[C855B]

The easiest thing I suppose is you could put it on the curb with a sign, "Free 3D printer - it works!"  Someone will take it   

You made me almost spit out my tea at the screen. Several years ago I did exactly that with a riding lawnmower that was eating transmission parts, but it ran at that particular moment. It was gone in fifteen minutes.

As far as "keeping for parts", I've got stacks of fold-top totes full of "parts donors" I really need to go through and dispose of, including Rivarossi Atlas E8s bought in 1969. There's no hurry on the Photon. I'll box it up and put it in the attic to forget about for a couple of years, then toss it. 

[robert3985]

I thought I had the solution to my old original Anycubic printer gathering dust and cobwebs.  I was planning on giving it to my daughter and grandson, but...she came over a couple of weeks ago and I showed her my "new" 10" printer and took the lid off...and the resin smell assaulted her nose...and she said promptly that she wouldn't be taking the old printer because the fumes would most likely kill her exotic birds...and I agree.

Soooo...thinking about taking it up to the shooting range in the Spring and using it for target practice because none of the "parts" on it are compatible with either my 10" 8K printer, or my new Anycubic 13.6" Photon M7 Max.  NOTHING on it is something I need to keep, although I still enjoy looking at the craftsmanship of the machined parts colorfully anodized.

I still use my original small Wash & Cure with a custom stainless basket to wash some of my really small N-scale detail parts, so I'll be keeping that.

But, I really can't think of anything the old printer is good for, other than for target practice...

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[C855B]

... she said promptly that she wouldn't be taking the old printer because the fumes would most likely kill her exotic birds...and I agree.

Oh, that's a very good point. We used to raise several varieties of finches, and some breeds were quite sensitive to chemical fumes. Lost a breeding pair of Lady Gouldians to alkyd paint fumes.

Looks like it's going to the electronics recycling center, and you're right, should keep the Wash & Cure around. We're trying to declutter, anyway, and I have a stash of surplus industrial electronics heading in that direction.

[basementcalling]

If you're getting a large Amazon box for Christmas, after emptying it, put the old printer in it, and put it on your front steps and let some porch pirate think he got a steal.

[nkalanaga]

I've heard of people doing that when they get a new TV - the old one goes in the box, on the porch.

For something that works, but isn't worth paying to dispose of, it's a viable option.  The thief can probably find a buyer, and, if the item works, they'll get some use from it. 

Or, maybe, donate it to Goodwill or a similar used-goods dealer.  Even if it is obsolete, and slow, someone would likely find it better than a new one they can't afford.

[chessie system fan]

I've been considering donating mine to a local teenage modeler, but a screw or two is stripped out on the FEP tensioner thingy.  So if anyone wants to send me a resin vat for a suitable price, send me a pm.   

[nickelplate759]

Will it blend?

[C855B]

Will it blend?

Probably. We live in farm country. Most of the dairy farms around here have big-@$$ grain blenders they call "food processors". That's the ticket. I can scrawl "Happy Birthday!" on the side of the old Photon if that helps.

[robert3985]

I've been considering donating mine to a local teenage modeler, but a screw or two is stripped out on the FEP tensioner thingy.  So if anyone wants to send me a resin vat for a suitable price, send me a pm.

What make & model do you have?  I have three good vats (one original Anycubic, and two brand-new-never-been-used aftermarket ones with silicone covers) all for my original Anycubic Photon printer.  The original's FEP is pretty beat, but the other two are pristine.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Jesse6669]

I donated a used 3D printer one to an organization in Cincinnati called "Crayons to Computers" that is essentially a free store for educators.  They take donations of new and good 2nd hand supplies from people and businesses. 

[JeffB]

You made me almost spit out my tea at the screen. Several years ago I did exactly that with a riding lawnmower that was eating transmission parts, but it ran at that particular moment. It was gone in fifteen minutes.

As far as "keeping for parts", I've got stacks of fold-top totes full of "parts donors" I really need to go through and dispose of, including Rivarossi Atlas E8s bought in 1969. There's no hurry on the Photon. I'll box it up and put it in the attic to forget about for a couple of years, then toss it. 

Same...  I live in "The Burbs" and if you want to get rid of just about anything, you put it out on the curb and someone, usually from the inner city comes by within an hour and it's gone.

This thread is timed perfectly...  I too have an old Photon I, a spare LCD and three spare vats.  Kept it for a while to print specific, low detail parts, but now I need to get rid of it to make room for my newest printer.

I also have a Sonic Mini-4K that's been relagated to non-use and needs to be disposed of... 

I suppose I could strip them for parts, but there's really no point.  I don't have any plans to use any of the parts and most of them are obsolete anyway.

Decisions, decisions...

Jeff