Is It Worth Buying a 3D Printer Just for Miniatures?

3D printing has become more and more accessible in recent years, enabling users to create three-dimensional objects from their homes. Miniature models, often used in tabletop gaming or as collectibles, are one of the most popular 3D prints. But is it worth purchasing a 3D printer solely for printing miniatures?

Buying a 3D printer just for miniatures is worth it if you print models and sell them in bulk. However, if you plan to buy a 3D printer for printing miniatures as a hobby, the initial costs and price per model may be too high.

In this article, I’ll explore factors to consider when buying a 3D printer for miniatures. I’ll also assess whether buying miniatures is more cost-effective than 3D printing them yourself. Let’s jump right in. 

Deciding Whether To Buy a 3D Printer for Miniatures

3D printers have a wide range of uses, from printing plastic prototypes to creating custom pieces. While the technology offers exciting possibilities, it is important to consider how much time and money you are willing to invest into buying and learning how to use a 3D printer.

How Much Do 3D Printers Cost?

3D printing technology has experienced tremendous evolution since its inception in the 1980s. While the early 3D printers cost a pretty penny, users can now get a low-cost printer for between $100 to $400. 

Users can also purchase professional 3D printers for as low as $1,000. As expected, the increased acceptance and adoption of this technology has seen more and more people come aboard and use these printers for personal use. 

What’s the Cost of the Initial Investment?

Considering just how much 3D printing miniatures can cost you initially is important. Considering that you will likely need a professional printer, the initial investment may be high. 

The price of a professional 3D printer ranges from about $1,000 to $10,000. While you can get cheaper options, this may come at a steep price of lower print quality. If you are planning to make large quantities of miniatures, the overall cost of materials may be high.

Whether or not this initial cost of investment makes the purchase a smart decision depends on other factors, such as the cost per model, as discussed below.

What’s the Cost per Model?

Economic principles dictate that the unit price of a product reduces with increased production of that product. If you want to print miniatures for sale, you have to factor in the cost per model, as this will affect profits from each unit. 

Determining the number of miniatures you plan to make and how it affects the cost per model is crucial. For mass production, the cost per model will be significantly lower, which would justify the initial investment cost.

However, if you plan only to make a few miniatures as a hobbyist, the cost of a model may be too high, and it may make more economic sense to buy the miniatures than 3D print them yourself. Printing your own miniatures will also cost both time and money.

Why Buying a 3D Printer for Miniatures Is Worth It

Printing your own 3D miniatures in bulk costs less money than buying them in bulk. In fact, the cost reduces even further when you increase the production volume. 

Say you want to buy around 500 miniatures in bulk, each costing around $0.5 per piece. Your total investment will be around $250. Sounds like a bargain, right? Now, consider using a 3D printer to print these miniature parts yourself. 

The cost per unit for a miniature can be as low as $0.06 from a materials standpoint when using thermoplastics. Five hundred units will, therefore cost you just $30.

In comparison, a resin miniature will cost you about $0.21 per piece in materials. Consider the following reasons. Five hundred units will thus cost you around $105 in material costs alone.

The 3D printer cost, in this case, can be considered a capital investment.

The Price of Bulk Filament Material Is Low

Filament material is generally very cheap when you buy it in bulk. For instance, a 250 ml (8 oz) resin bottle can be as low as $25. 

A 250 ml (8 oz) bottle of resin is enough to create over 35 models, meaning the cost per model is roughly $0.6. The price of filament drops even further if you buy this filament material in bulk.

For instance, a 500 ml (16 oz) bottle can cost approximately $50. This can reduce the cost per model to roughly $0.2. 

The cost of thermoplastic filament is also very low if you buy it in bulk. When you consider the low cost of filament material, you’ll find that it’s more economical to purchase a 3D printer to make miniatures than buy them.

The Cost of Investment Is Relatively Low

While the upfront costs of printing your own 3D miniatures can be high, the total cost of investment is relatively low when considering the lifespan of a normal 3D printer. A 3D printer will give you around four or more years before a replacement is needed. 

You can consider the price of the printer a capital investment, and its price is discounted across its expected useful life.

When you spread the cost of a 3D printer across four years, the cost of initial investment pales compared to the cost of buying normal miniatures in bulk for a similar period. 

Verdict

Based on the above points, buying a 3D printer to print miniatures is worth it from a cost perspective. With enough patience, you can print many miniatures for a fraction of the price of buying miniatures and sell them for a profit. 

However, the caveat is that this is only true when producing these miniatures on a large scale. The costs associated with using a 3D printer to make miniatures from a hobbyist perspective may be high due to the high cost per model.

Conclusion

In closing, buying a 3D printer to print miniatures is worth it from a cost perspective. 

Given the low cost of bulk filament material and the long average lifespan of a 3D printer, the average cost of using a 3D printer to print miniatures is relatively lower than buying miniatures.