YOU CAN BUILD A FULL-SIZE 3D PRINTER OUT OF ELECTRONIC WASTE FOR ABOUT 65 DOLLARS
A full-size FDM printer built almost entirely from scrap monitors, dead office printers and PC power supplies — new parts cost about 65 dollars.
by Substation33
WorkshopOpen-hardware
- difficulty
- ●●●●○
- time
- a weekend-plus
- license
- license not specified
- repo
- repo 0 stars
●●●●○ · a weekend-plus · license not specified · 0 stars · repo
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- 3D printer + filament — printable parts — files are in the repo
Partner
COMPAREE VERDICT
This is a project for someone who already has access to e-waste — ideally a lot of it — and the tools to cut 8 mm acrylic sheet. The entire design assumes you will harvest smooth rods, stepper motors, bearings, and ATX power supplies from scrapped office printers and dead PCs. If you have to buy those parts new, the cost advantage disappears and you are better off with a kit. The 18-part video series is thorough, but there are no written step-by-step instructions, so expect to pause and rewind. The print volume is modest (200 × 200 × 180 mm) and the machine is not fast, but it will print, and the social enterprise story is real: Substation33 has diverted more than two million kilograms of e-waste from landfill and the printers go to schools. The single thing most likely to go wrong is discovering halfway through that the smooth rods you pulled from a dead printer are bent, pitted, or the wrong diameter — check and measure every salvaged part before you commit to the frame cuts.
IN THE REPO
NOT IN THE REPO
- —STL files, DXF acrylic templates, and a written BOM are on Thingiverse.
- —The build is documented as an 18-part video series, not written assembly instructions.
- —There is no firmware in the thing files — you source and flash your own for whatever board you buy.
- —The $65 USD figure is for new parts only (hotend, controller, drivers, belt, endstops); the rest is salvaged e-waste.
- —Licence is CC BY-SA 3.0 — you can modify and sell derivatives if you share alike and credit the creator.
- —Version 2.07 is the 200 × 200 × 180 mm build quoted at $65 USD; do not confuse it with v2.06 (under AUD 100) or v3.07 (a different large-format machine).
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Partner · KickstarterHeyGears G1: 10M+ colors and transparent parts in one print, plus UV printing on flat objects. Figures, parts and labels — no painting.
Videos
Sub 33D V2.07 - 3D Printer Assembly Video Tutorial
Part 1 of the 18-part assembly series; the full playlist is linked in the description.
Gallery
Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Download the thing files from Thingiverse (STLs, DXF acrylic templates, BOM, and links to the video series.)
- 2.Source your e-waste donor machines(You need scrapped office printers for smooth rods, steppers, and bearings, plus a dead PC for the ATX PSU. Measure and test everything before cutting the frame.)
- 3.Watch the first video in the assembly series (The 18-part playlist is your primary documentation; there are no written instructions.)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
KNOWN ISSUES
- The $65 figure is new parts only — if you have to buy smooth rods, steppers, and a PSU at retail, the cost advantage vanishes and a kit printer will be faster and less frustrating.
- Salvaged smooth rods from office printers are often bent, corroded, or undersize — measure the diameter and roll them on a flat surface to check for wobble before you commit to the frame.
- There is no firmware in the thing files — you choose and flash your own for whatever controller board you buy, which means you need to be comfortable editing configuration files.
- The acrylic frame must be cut accurately or the printer will bind; if you do not have access to a laser cutter or CNC router, this is not the project for you.
- The 18-part video series is the only documentation — no written steps, no troubleshooting guide, and some of the parts shown in the videos are specific to the Substation33 e-waste stream.
- Print volume is 200 × 200 × 180 mm, which is smaller than many current budget kits — this is a learning platform and a waste-diversion exercise, not a high-performance machine.
Can I build this without access to e-waste?
You can, but the cost will climb past $200 if you buy smooth rods, steppers, bearings, and an ATX PSU new. At that point a kit printer will be faster, better documented, and easier to troubleshoot.
What controller board should I use?
The thing page does not specify — RAMPS 1.4 or an equivalent 8-bit board is implied by the era of the design, but you can use anything that fits the firmware you choose. No firmware is provided in the files.
Do I need a laser cutter for the acrylic?
Yes, or a CNC router. The frame is 8 mm acrylic and the tolerances matter — hand-cutting with a jigsaw will not get you a working printer.
How do I know if my salvaged smooth rods are good enough?
Measure the diameter with calipers (8 mm is common but not universal), then roll them on a flat surface — any wobble means the rod is bent. Check the chrome plating for pitting or rust.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
The $65 figure is new parts only — the rest is salvaged e-waste. If you had to buy smooth rods, steppers, and a PSU at retail, would you still build this or just get a kit?
Substation33
Substation33 is an Australian social enterprise that recycles electronic waste and employs people who struggle to find work. They have diverted more than two million kilograms of e-waste from landfill, and the Sub33D printers are donated to schools.
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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.
CompareeTEAM1d agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: the thing page clearly separates v2.07 ($65 USD, 200 × 200 × 180 mm bed) from the earlier v2.06 and the large-format v3.07 — do not mix the versions. There is no GitHub repository, no official Substation33 YouTube channel (the videos are on a personal account), and no firmware in the download — you source and configure your own for whatever board you buy. The 18-part video series is comprehensive but it is the only documentation, and some of the salvaged parts shown are specific to what comes through Substation33's e-waste stream. The single biggest trap is assuming your salvaged smooth rods are good enough without measuring and checking them for straightness first.