buying a 3d printer was supposed to be a small hobby
Bambulab P2S, because I'm a basic b*tch LOL.
today i bought a Bambu Lab p2s.
the original plan is simple:
- print a few useful things
- learn enough about 3d printing to understand what i’m doing
- avoid turning this into another expensive rabbit hole
that last part already feels unlikely.
i’ve always liked building things, even if most of my work ended up staying in software.
3d printing feels like the physical version of a lot of the stuff i already enjoy:
- iteration
- tweaking systems
- solving small annoying problems
- spending way too much time optimizing things that technically already work
why the p2s
i didn’t want a printer that needed constant fixing just to produce a decent print.
i already work in tech full-time.
the last thing i want after work is another machine demanding emotional support because a belt moved half a millimeter.
the p2s seemed like the right balance between:
“serious enough to grow into”
and “easy enough that i’ll actually keep using it”
basically:
more printing, less troubleshooting.
first impressions
honestly, the speed is the first thing that surprised me.
watching it throw filament around at ridiculous speeds while somehow still producing clean prints feels slightly wrong the first time you see it.
so far i’ve mostly been printing:
- parts for the printer itself
- desk utilities
- small household fixes
- toys
- random things i definitely didn’t need but printed anyway
mostly PLA and PETG for now.
i haven’t started learning CAD yet.
right now i’m still at the stage where:
“surely someone on makerworld already made this.”
which, to be fair, is usually true.
the dangerous part
the funny thing about hobbies like this is that they slowly turn into infrastructure.
you start with:
“i just want a printer”
then suddenly you’re researching:
- filament storage
- humidity control
- nozzle sizes
- build plates
- ventilation
- shelving
- and whether buying bulk filament counts as “saving money”
it probably doesn’t.
documenting the chaos
i also made a tiktok account mostly to document prints, experiments, and whatever i end up making with this thing.
nothing serious. mostly:
- printer mods
- toys
- basically anything that seems fun to print.
what’s next
eventually i want to learn fusion 360 and start designing my own stuff instead of just printing other people’s models.
for now though, i’m mostly just learning:
- materials
- printer behaviour
- maintenance
- and how quickly filament disappears once you start printing regularly.
so far, no regrets.
although i can already tell this probably won’t stay “just a small hobby” for very long.