Hi, I am new to this group and also I know nothing about 3D printing. I would like to get started but don’t want to buy a piece of junk. I have been lookin around for a 3D Printer but have know idea what I am looking for. I want a printer to play around with and eventually print out two dragons… Hopefully around 12" tall if that’s possible. My price range is $1,000.00 or under.
What would you recommend?
Buy an i3 Prusa from their web site. Virtually everything on the cheap, such as ebay, and the no warranty market is a copy of, or rip-off of the i3. Do not buy something because of how its advertised. Come up with a game plan if what you want to use it for. Filament printers are where you want to start.
You can also pick up a copy of Make: Magazine and it will give you a buyers guide, a comparison of this years printer lineup.
https://makezine.com/comparison/3dprinters/how-we-test/shootout/
I’d recommend an i3 too, but unfortunately it falls outside of your 12" tall requirement. 
You picked a funny time to join the group, since G+ is going away in a couple months 
@MidnightVisions @MidnightVisions thank you for the reply I appreciate it. I will check out the i3 Prusa now.
Somebody else recommended this to me… Is the i3 better?
https://m.gearbest.com/3d-printers-3d-printer-kits/pp_441281.html
@ThantiK thx I would of liked 12" but it doesn’t have to be quit that large. Since you both recommend the i3 I am definitely checking it out in abit. Thx for the reply
There are many printers out there. Some cheap, some good and some are cheap and good. Not sure how much 12" is (we use metric system here), but the tronxy x5s has a 330x330x400mm build area. With 400mm beeing the max height.
I guess there are some “delta” printers out there that might go a bit higher, but usually the size of the build platform is smaller with those.
You could also cut the model is pieces and print them separately. This way yiu can glue them together afterwards and go as high as you want.
@Randy_E , the i3 just has a bunch of features and quality control that the others don’t have. While the Creality CR-10 and others might be great second printers, the i3 has heated spring steel removeable bed, auto calibration and square compensation, recovery from a power outage, filament sensor to detect clogs, noctua fans, quiet stepper drivers, and is essentially the “Toyota Camry” of the 3D Printer world. It’s the printer on which all other 3D printers are judged by.
The prusa has 24/7 support, and is the standard everybody tries to beat. creality is one of the cheap ebay no warranty things i mentioned. As this is your first time in this field, the prusa is what you need.
As said, look up the Make magazine buyers guide to see what’s available for equivalent machines.
@MidnightVisions okay I came here looking for experienced user advice and I was a bit skeptical how much this guy knew about 3d printers. Looks like I will be owning a i3 then. Thank you for your time and help I appreciate it.
@MidnightVisions I completely forgot to Look it up after reading your post. I will be sure to do that right thx man!
@Ryan_Carlyle LOL @ lol. Even I will admit I chuckled at the Toyota comment. Although it may not be far from the truth…
By the way - what Dragon are you looking to print? Something from ThingiVerse.com?? In the 3DP world from several forums and also from NYC World Maker Faires - I’m kinda known as the Dragon guy. This pic is from my 2017 NYC MF exhibit space - surrounded by my creations (original smaller one is 4.5 feet longer, newer one built onsite was 9 feet long)…
missing/deleted image from Google+
If anyone’s the dragon guy, it’s Loubie. 