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Meet the MakerPi M1 Mini 3D printer! I was one of the lucky winners from their recent competition, so I thought I would share my experiences with this mini one-touch 3D printer!
MakerPi M1 Specifications
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Layer Thickness | 0.05-0.3mm |
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Print Speed | 40-60mm/s |
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Printing Method | SD Card |
| Average Power | 24V-48W |
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Print Precision | ±0.1-0.3mm |
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Nozzle Diameter | 0.04mm |
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Filament Diameter | 1.75mm |
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Print Material | PLA |
| Nozzle Temperature | Up to 220°C |
| Build Volume | 100mm x 100mm x 100mm |
MakerPi Packaging
The MakerPi M! came packaged in a plain brown box with shipping labels on. Within this, dense foam securely cushioned it. I was hoping it would have it’s own branded box!
What’s In The 3D Printer Box
Here is what you get in the box for the MakerPi M1:
- PTFE Tubing
- Micro SD Card Reader
- SD Card
- Test prints from the factory
- Manual
- Sample of filament
- Filament holder
- Power adapter
- USB cable
Let’s get started!
Before starting any print, it requires a little setup for the MakerPi M1. First off; it is installing the PTFE tube. Upon inspection of the tube, either end wasn’t flush, so I cut the ends so they are flat. Otherwise, this may have caused issues!
Next comes the filament holder. This is laser cut from acrylic and just slots into the hole in the side of the machine. Unfortunately, it is not big enough to fit on a 1kg spool, however, I’m sure something can be adapted if you wish to do so. Insert your filament into the feeder, then you are ready to get started!
MakerPi M1’s 3D Prints
On the supplied SD card that comes with the MakerPi M1, there are 2 test files, however, they are of the same model. Also included is their version of Cura, a setup video and a PDF of the instructions. When slicing your objects to print, they have to be saved as 0.gcode as this is how the one-touch 3D printer works. As a result, this means you won’t be able to choose from multiple files, also because there is no display.
To start the print, I inserted the SD card and plugged in the printer. I then moved the switch at the back to the left to start the load sequence. The front button flashes red which means it is heating the hotend then when at temperature, will feed the filament through. Once the filament oozes out of the nozzle, just put the switch back to the middle to stop it. Press the button at the front to start printing!
When starting the print, it required no levelling at all! It got straight to work. The pre-sliced file on the card prints with a brim as the MakerPi M1 one touch mini 3d printer does not have a heated bed. I easily removed the brim. A great-looking print which printed good, however, with some slight banding it appears which may have been down to print speed? Here it is compared to the factory model that was included. Removal from the print surface was easy and being magnetic. Just pops right back on the printer!
Test print on left – Factory print on right
XYZ calibration Cube And A Benchy
Before slicing my own prints, I installed their version of Cura, which comes on the SD card. Once installed, it is all set up and ready for you to use.
I printed an XYZ calibration cube and the one and only Benchy! This has used up all of my sample filament but as a result, allows me to test the pause function. A press of the button pauses your print, however, doesn’t move the nozzle away from the print sadly. As a result, the heat from the nozzle will cause a defect to your print! Aside from that, changing the filament was easy and after pressing the button again, the print carried on!
The XYZ cube didn’t print perfectly but was within proportions of its 20mm size. The Bency printed great also, dealing with the overhangs and some detail with the lettering.
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- Nozzle rested on print during filament change
The Once and Future King
I like the look of this model found on MyMiniFactory so printed this with 3DQF Regal Purple filament I used when I paused the print earlier for a filament change. Here are the results!
As you can see, I suffered some warping of which is because of not having a heated bed. If you were to print something that uses a lot of the build surface, I would recommend some glue stick or hair spray! This printed well and again dealt with the overhangs. Out of all these prints, I haven’t had to level the bed after taking off the magnetic build platform. As a result, the build surface just goes back on and you’re ready for your next print! In addition, if you want to learn more about the MakerPi M1 and any of its other printer, you can check out their site here
Where to buy
If you are looking at buying the MakerPi M1, you can purchase through Gearbest, although the postage is steep! It is also available on Banggood for a similar price. Let’s hope it becomes more widely available through other retailers soon!
MakerPi M1 3D Printer Conclusion
What do I make of the MakerPi M1 one touch mini 3D printer? For its size, it produces some great prints! Perhaps not the best quality because of its limitations, but for some basic prints, it would do the job with ease. If you want your kids to get into 3D printing, this would be a good starting point for them to learn the basics of how the 3D prints are produced. After that, you can upgrade to perhaps the Ender 3 and teach them how to put together a printer to understand its workings.
What would I change? An on/off button would be great as to turn off, you need to unplug it. The spool holder could be adapted so it can hold 1kg spools whilst still on the housing of the MakerPi M1. Perhaps some larger feet to raise it up a little from the surface as the bottom gets warm.
The good bits? It’s a good small size! Perfect for placing on your desk due to its small footprint. Thank you MakerPi for this fantastic prize!
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I just started using my makerpi MI yesterday, and I agree, it could use a bigger spool holder (I just ordered something off Amazon to work) and a proper on/off switch would be a huge plus. So far I’ve printed 2 D&D minis as practice prints and so far they look really good even for an FDM printer. This is going to be good for small prints, single NPC/PC minis and small monsters. And the other nice thing is it is quite portable, just pick it up and take it with you due to its small size.
I just started using my makerpi MI yesterday, and I agree, it could use a bigger spool holder (I just ordered something off Amazon to work) and a proper on/off switch would be a huge plus. So far I’ve printed 2 D&D minis as practice prints and so far they look really good even for an FDM printer. This is going to be good for small prints, single NPC/PC minis and small monsters. And the other nice thing is it is quite portable, just pick it up and take it with you due to its small size.