Would it be better to buy a 3D printer for about $450, or ( right now I just want a custom S3 case that works with an extended battery) would it be better to see if I could get someone to print me my case and ship it?
$450+ for a phone case seems a tad overkill 
If I sell you a case, I’ll feed your need today. But if I convince you to buy a 3D Printer, you could create whatever.
@Woody_Williams and that’s exactly why I have such a hard time deciding lol…
I figure it would cost between $10 and $20 to get it made and shipped (then maybe an additional $5-10 for time), while I could spend $450 and get a RepRap kit and build a printer (even comes with 2 rolls of filament)…
Is anyone able to make money with their printer?
It’s a big leap from wanting a S3 case to making money from a 3D printer.
I have considered offering my services through http://3dhubs.com but my biggest concern is that I have a single RepRap machine.
I have this ideal that, when people are relying on you to deliver, you should have a backup machine just in case the primary one fails for some reason.
Also consider that the likes of shapeways have access to printers way beyond what you can do with a budget one at home. So ask yourself if this is a one off where finish matters, or is it just the first of many reasons to learn and experiment
A phone case for my Droid Mini was one of the factors for me buying a printer and I can confidently tell you…just buy a case.
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Quality of a commercial case or what you can purchase from Shapeway’s and its ilk will be better than what you can get from a $450 printer.
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Designing your own case, especially something you want to hug the curves of a phone, is not easy (though I assume there are existing S3 templates).
…after you buy the case though, buy a 3D printer anyway.
@John-Paul_Hopman not many cases exist for the S3 with a 5000mah extended battery :-/