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YOU CAN BUILD YOUR OWN PRINTER — NO DRM, NO INK SUBSCRIPTIONS

The Open Printer by Open Tools is a fully open inkjet: electronics, mechanical design, firmware and bill of materials all released — refillable, no DRM.

by Open Tools

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

Open-hardwareRight-to-repair

difficulty
●●●●○
time
a project (prototype stage)
license
open (Creative Commons per project page)
repo
repo PROTOTYPE / CROWDFUNDING

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • 3D printer + filament — printable parts — files are in the repo
  • Electronic parts — full list with part numbers in the repo BOM
  • Dev board / microcontroller — runs the project firmware

Partner

Show off your build — Record and edit your build video by editing the transcript, not the timeline.Try Descript
Videos
1

COMPAREE VERDICT

Right-to-repair as a build: an inkjet that isn't a locked ink-subscription trap — standard refillable cartridges, no DRM, a Raspberry Pi Zero brain and CUPS so it just prints. Be clear-eyed though: it's a prototype at the 'coming soon' crowdfunding stage from a small Paris team, the GitHub org is still empty, and the files (non-commercial license) drop only when it's final. So today it's a statement and a project to follow, not something you can print this weekend. Worth knowing about — this space moves.

NOT IN THE REPO

  • —NOT on GitHub — it's on Crowd Supply; files are open but hosted there, we link out
  • —Still a working prototype (crowdfunding stage) — not a finished consumer product

Can I build this?

Printchassis parts per the open design
BuyRaspberry Pi Zero W, print head, mechanics, refillable cartridges → BOM on project page
Toolsassembly · basic electronics · Raspberry Pi setup
SkillsRaspberry Pi / Linux ✓ · mechanical assembly
Timea project — and it's still a prototype
Costband $$ — current prices on the project page
Safetyink handling · standard low-voltage electronics

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

A desktop 3D printer that prints in full colorPartner · Kickstarter
A desktop 3D printer that prints in full color

HeyGears G1: 10M+ colors and transparent parts in one print, plus UV printing on flat objects. Figures, parts and labels — no painting.

See how it prints

Videos

Open Printer POC V1 — the prototype in action (Open Tools)2:04

Short prototype demo — the project is at the 'coming soon' crowdfunding stage.

Gallery

The Open PrinterOpen Tools / Crowd Supply

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Read the Crowd Supply project page (current state + open files)
  2. 2.Review the BOM and mechanics
  3. 3.Set up the Raspberry Pi Zero W(the brain)
  4. 4.Follow the open build docs

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

Meet Beni, Your First All-Terrain Camera Robot!Partner · Kickstarter
Meet Beni, Your First All-Terrain Camera Robot!
See how it works

KNOWN ISSUES

  • It's a prototype on crowdfunding — no final ship date; treat it as a platform, not a product
  • Files are on Crowd Supply, not GitHub — we link out to the source
  • No files to download yet — the GitHub org is empty and the campaign is still 'coming soon' (no price, no ship date).
  • License is CC BY-NC-SA (non-commercial), not an OSHW-approved license, and there's a filed design patent — read the terms before planning anything commercial.

Can I really build one today?

It's a working prototype at the crowdfunding stage — the design is open, but it's not a polished consumer machine yet. Great for tinkerers and followers.

No ink subscription, really?

That's the whole point — refillable cartridges, no DRM, open firmware. Right-to-repair by design.

Where are the files?

On the Open Tools Crowd Supply page, not GitHub — we link straight to the source.

Can I download the files today?

Not yet. The GitHub org exists but is empty — Open Tools plan to release files (under CC BY-NC-SA, non-commercial) when the design is final. Right now it's a 'coming soon' crowdfunding project.

Inkjet or laser?

Inkjet — it uses standard HP cartridges (63/302/803) with no DRM, so you can refill them and print black even when color is empty.

Community builds

No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.

Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

A refillable inkjet with no DRM that prints black even when color runs dry — but it's still at the 'coming soon' crowdfunding stage. Would you back a printer before the files exist?

CompareeTEAM1mo ago

Status report from our check: the GitHub org exists but is currently empty — Open Tools say the files arrive under CC BY-NC-SA once the design is final, and there's also a filed design patent, so read the terms before commercial plans. The move we found clever is using standard HP cartridges (63/302/803) with the DRM stripped away. What would it take for you to trust a crowdfunded printer?

You Can 3D Print Your Own Steam Deck-Style Handheld

●●●○○ · another 'own your hardware' build that's finished today

You Can 3D Print This Robot Vacuum

●●●●○ · an open appliance you can repair

Open Tools

Making the Open Printer fully open — electronics, mechanics, firmware and BOM under an open license — so a printer can be built, refilled and repaired without DRM or ink subscriptions.

Web

Star the project on GitHub

DISCLAIMER

  • Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
  • Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
GitHub repo