Posted on 8 Comments

Big Red One…

Delivery
Delivery

Okay, there it was… I’d had the ‘A Parcel Has Been Shipped to You’ email and when it comes from guys at Printrbot, you know there’s going to be some fun toys in the box..

So I got home and there was the box, sitting there, patiently, just waiting…

I resisted the urge to just rip the box open and took the time to put my bag down and take off my coat…. okay enough stalling, I ripped the box open.  Alright, not quite ripped open, but the excitement was definitely there.

So there it was, hiding in its box.  My initial reaction was it’s heavier than the 2014 Simple I have but then, after I engaged my brain, of course it would be, it’s more the size of the Junior than the Simple which the large 150 x 150mm build area.

So then it came out into the light.  The Big (shiney) Red One.

Big Red One
Big Red One

First impressions are, not surprisingly, impressive.  Nice solid 12mm Z axis rods guide the aluminium bearing blocks smoothly.

The main body of the printer is just 3 pieces, justifying the name Simple.  There’s the Bed, the Y axis arm and the body.  The running gear is GT2 belts and everything just feels solid.  This is a real tool, with everything in its right place and moving nicely.

I’m not saying that the wooden simple was not a tool, I used mine all the time for making pieces for printers and fixing stuff but, when you compare the two, this is a deadly serious printer.  Like comparing your Ford Focus to your Ferrari.

This also has an induction sensor to run the bed levelling process, but it also doubles as the Z stop.  So no wasted hardware on this beauty.

Induction Sensor
Induction Sensor

I haven’t got to the printing stage yet, but until then, this is not going to be a ‘cluttering up’ thing sitting on the side.  It has it’s own style and, if it performs as good as it looks, will be a must for any office, den, workshop or even living room.

More feedback after we get to printing.   I just can’t wait.

 

 

8 thoughts on “Big Red One…

  1. Hi Ian,
    Nice machine – can you share how much duty & tax added to the US$ shipped price please?

  2. Hi Richard

    Normally from the US you get hit with a 20% VAT bill. I don’t remember for this specifically.

    There was a question on one of the Printrbot sites that Shipments declared as 3D printers would only attract VAT and no duty. I’m waiting to speak to C&E on Tuesday.

    Ian

  3. Thanks Ian,
    I’m expecting the 20% vat, + from what I can work out probably best part of 2% on duty. I guess I have to wait and see when its delivered.

    Cheers;

  4. FWIW – Confirmed just 20% duty, so looks like not even the 1.7% duty I was expecting was charged.

  5. 20% duty or 20% VAT?

    Ian

  6. Not sure yet – I just paid the bill & off to pick it up from parcel force this morning.
    The amount I owed was 20.25% of the total cost (Items+shipping) so I’m assuming it was 20% vat and no duty; the .25% is either duty or rounding errors.

    I’m not sure how Printrbot declared it on the packaging either yet.

    It did sit with customs for 4 days though and logged as

    awaiting clearance – 1 day
    awaiting charging – 2 days
    revised charges to be paid – 1 day
    then forwarded on to UK processing – i.e. parcel force, at which point I rang them up – rather than waiting for the letter, to get my 17 digit payment code and settle up etc.

  7. When I spoke to them they said they only really use Merchadise, so I’m thinking maybe the customs delay is why they actually check to make sure it’s Zero Rated on Duty and only charge the VAT?

    Have fun with it though!

    Ian

  8. Final info –
    Marked as 3d printer by printrbot
    20% vat on the item amount + postage
    £13.50 handling charge by parcel force
    no duty.

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