I just don't see myself being okay with leaving a print unattended overnight. Probably not even if I got one of the relatively polished consumer printers, but more certainly not for the hobby-grade stuff (I have a Prusa, not that it seems central). Everything's currently in one of the very, uh, "maker-y" stack-of-Ikea-Lack-table enclosures, which is not so much a fire door as a fuel source.
I saw that ten years ago there was a kickstarter that failed for a metal enclosure, and I'm wondering what folks have seen for this sort of thing. I'd rather not move it out to the detached shop, but I half-figure that as much as I don't want to set the shop on fire either, getting it out of the living space is still preferable, but I just don't see leaving an automated thing with hot parts running all night without some sort of containment to keep it from setting its surroundings alight should things go sideways.
Experiences? Observations? Neat solutions used or seen somewhere?
I feel like filing cabinets are likely to enter in to this. Maybe discarded oven or fireplace doors?
Do you leave the Crock-Pot on while you're at work all day? Have gas appliances with an always on pilot light? How about your winter heat, shut everything off before you leave for the day then turn it back on when you return? (This sounds harsher than I mean it too, sorry)
Personal experiences with the early generation (2014/15) cheap consumer 3d printers:
- Thermocouple on the hot end unscrewed itself and set a temperature overrun code, printer shut off. Found it hours later. This was before I'd even flashed the OS that had a thermal runaway shutoff in it.
- No idea what happened on an overnight print, but the entire hot end and extruder decided to bury themselves in the middle of a print while continuing to try to print. Until it ran out of filament.
- Used a PC power supply, not hooked to the mosfet properly, capacitor in the power supply blew and tripped a breaker.
The cheapo 2022 printer has so many safeties built into it and the software that I have trouble getting it to the temps I need for certain filaments. And it runs on the carpeted floor of my living room.
I exclusively buy the cheapest, barebone, often knockoff printers and have no issues with them. I'd be more concerned with getting an enclosure to contain smells and off gassing from a name brand printer than fire risk. But that's just my personal thoughts on it.
I've seen more news reports about hoverboards, Segways, and cell phones catching fire than 3d printers. If you're really concerned about it though, you could get one of those garage cabinets made for storing flammable stuff to use as an enclosure.
Or go resin printer, that's just a vat of liquid and a light source. Although they come with their own pros and cons versus a filament printer.
Mr_Asa
MegaDork
10/17/25 2:51 p.m.
In reply to RevRico :
These are pretty much my thoughts.
Printer made circa 2010-ish? Yeah, possible fire hazard. Assembled by some guy in a basement with who knows what quality components? Yeah, maybe.
Anything from a more known brand? Nah, be more concerned with plastic particulates in the air.
