Reddit reviews M3x0.5mm Zinc Plated Nylon Insert Hex Lock Nuts Black 100pcs

You can be assembled and printing with the included tools in about half an hour, with no prior 3D printer experience. That's not a problem.

Actually getting the most out of the printer though, that depends on what you want to use it for.

I use it for making functional prints, replacement parts, and sometimes cool trinkets. I am not an artist, if you want to model and print sculptures, good luck. I haven't a clue.

If you're like me and want to make what I make, here's a list of things you should get:

• Calipers. Measuring is so important. I have these.
  
• M3 nuts/bolts. Possibly also M4 and M5 depending on what you're putting together. I bought this.
  
• Nylon locknuts. They won't shake loose over time, good for making thumbscrews with. My choice.
  
  Things you should print:
  
  
• Z-braces.
  
• DiiiCooler
  
• Thumbscrews, there are loads of M3 nyloc-insert thumbscrew designs on thingiverse, pick one you like the look of. The ones that came with the printer sucked though, and nylocs are great.
  
  Things you should download:
  
  
• Get the latest Cura, I think it might still be in beta. Don't use the version it comes with, you'll be missing out.
  
• Fusion 360. It's free for hobbyists and businesses making under 100k/yr. Learn to use it.
  
• Not a download, but try some Tinkercad tutorials and see what you think of that. It's more of a "light" software than Fusion is, meant for children, but both have their place and have slightly different features, despite being made by the same people. Sometimes Tinkercad is easier to use than Fusion for a certain task, most of the time it's the other way around for me though.
  
  While I'm making suggestions, I'd say you should get some PLA and PETG to start with, ignore ABS entirely. It's slightly cheaper per kilogram, but there are toxic fumes to worry about and it really needs an enclosure to print (well).
  
  PLA is cheap enough, but doesn't flex as much as ABS so it's better for different applications. PETG is like the best parts of PLA and ABS, but you have to print at lower speeds.
  
  I print at 45mm/s, 5 second minimum layer time using both PLA and PETG and it works perfectly. 210C/60C for PLA and 250/70 for PETG.
  
  If you have any questions, you know where to find me. :)

Nuts and bolts on Amazon are kinda weird in that there is some predatory pricing taking advantage of how damn many search results you're going to find. The part linked from the first thingiverse page is $7 for 10 locknuts. You can get 100 of them for $8 if you do some searching on your own. I've actually bought these and they're fine:

uxcell® M3x0.5mm Zinc Plated Nylon Insert Hex Lock Nuts Black 100pcs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015A3DT2W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_K5roxbXPHB1XJ

There are some silver locknuts for cheaper, or normal nuts if you just want to use blue thread locker with them. You may be wondering why the hell you would want 100 of these... The answer is that M3 nuts and machine screws are ubiquitous for assembling 3D printers, accessories for printers and printed contraptions in general.

Source: a certain company forgot to include half the specialty screws and nuts in my printer kit, had to learn way too much about finding them on my own.

Anyway, if you're in the US pm me with your shipping address and I'll front you a few of these guys. They'll probably survive in an envelope.