During the start of COVID I was quite bored spending all day at home and I had just began teaching myself 3D CAD, so I decided to get a 3D printer to try manufacturing some of my designs and learn a new skill during quarantine. After doing some research I determined that the Ender 3 was the right printer for me, cheap and easily modified. I'll never forget the day I received it in the mail, I had just learned that I had been accepted into UW's engineering program and thus was already having a great day, so getting the printer in the mail was just the cherry on top! I spent the next couple hours building it and carefully calibrating it before starting my first print. Over the next few days my addiction to 3D printing slowly began, like many 3D printer owners I found myself printing more calibration prints and upgrades than non-printer related parts. I grew obsessed with maximizing the performance of printer, whether that be quality, speed, noise, etc. This obsession led me to making major changes to both the hardware and firmware of the printer, and spending more money on upgrades than the original cost of the printer itself!

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⚠ Caution! major 3D printing nerd talk ahead ⚠

​Some of the upgrades that I have made include:

• Swapping out the stock mainboard for a BIGTREETECH SKR mini E3 V3

• Replacing the mainboard, hotend, part cooling, and PSU fans with quieter or more powerful fans

• Custom part cooling fan duct

• PEI build plate

• BL Touch V1.3 Bed Leveling

• Raspberry Pi 4 for running OctoPrint and now Klipper/Mainsail

• Knockoff Raspberry Pi camera for remote print monitoring

• Various printed parts, mounts, and aesthetic pieces

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3D printing has not only allowed me easily bring my designs my life but has also led to me growing my skills in mechanical design and basic electronics. In many ways I credit this 3D printer for starting me along the path of studying engineering.