I have been looking at the big box for a while, and finally decided to take the plunge. i went on the website yesterday to order one, and there was no prices or anywhere to order. I emailed support and today i received this reply: Hi Mark, We are currently out of stock of BigBox printers. We have no dates for when they will become available again. Regards Greg not really helpful or informative! has anyone here any idea of what is happening thanks in advance
Hmm I know what it's like to have decided to get a printer and then to be made to wait! ;-) In your shoes I'd pick up the phone...
Seems to me like a parts shortage. If their suppliers can't get them realistic time frames, it throws off the entire 'just in time' inventory. Send a private message to greg to get the scoop.
Very alarming, I am telling everybody I know about how the BigBox and it is not even for sale any more.......!?!? I hope they are not killing it... I am still hoping for a lot more development in the software side. I am worried now
I agree that is a very bizarre response (particularly from someone so close to the BB project), de-listing it from the site rather than showing out of stock or a pre-order timeline is also a bit crazy after going through all the effort to promote and develop the thing on KS. Perhaps financially it doesn't stack as a real product or perhaps they are doing a major update (or price change) and don't want to announce the changes quite yet ? That's all in the category of FUD I guess but I really can't think of any other vaguely sensible reasons for pulling it from the site and Greg responding to a potential customer with such a dismissive email.
I guess we have to remember that BigBox and E3D are separate businesses. BigBox could cease production at any time and E3D just carries on as before...
I wouldn't worry too much. There is a good community with a significant investment in terms of running BB printers, most if not all of the development since launch has come from the community not E3D. It's why I picked an Open Source printer, for those that have them, regardless of what happens now or in the future, there will be spares available and updates will continue. Plus the main bit of software (Marlin) is really just some config on top of an entirely separate open source project.
Actually what *IS* distressing is the Titan upgrade kits have also been pulled. I guess I'll have to figure out what is required and pull all the bits together to convert a BB pro to a Dual Hybrid myself.
Yeah, the Titan upgrade was one of the things I was also keeping a keen eye on also. Thought at least it was going to be officially supported. While I also agree the community is great, many have rather different upgrades, so getting support for a particular configuration may become increasingly difficult...
Then I was just in time with ordering mine. On Monday only the BigBox Dual was available. Tuesday all where gone...
Not yet, but when I ordered it stated that orders made would have a wait time for about 4 weeks. So I have patience and trust that E3D will send it when they're ready to do so I have time as I can't commit to a build right now... So if it's four weeks or 8 I don't care...
I also managed to order a Big Box in time - the product was taken down from the shop just a bit later. Wrote an email before ordering asking why the Pro disappeared and when they were expecting it back - with no answer to date! Over 3 weeks has passed. Still put a order for a Big Box and got an estimated delivery time of 2-3 weeks when I asked them. Not very confidence inspiring. Will the support simply choose to ignore customers when they want to?
It is quite funny, i ordered mine at 5.8. and got it already at 15.8. And now they don't even sell it anymore, must be a quick part shortage that they didn't know of i think ? Glad i got mine.
Check out the post "Future production/support/spares" for an answers to your questions. I won't spoil it for you by telling you what has been shown there...
There are enterprising members of this community that have built the BB entirely from scratch by sourcing the components themselves. Many are standard and available in the E3d store. The thing that people seem to find most challenging is lasercutting the frame cost effectively. That is where your local Fablab/Makerspace might come in handy (and introduce you to another branch of digital fabrication!).
There are disadvantages to living in the country! ;-) Laser cutter pricing is notoriously untransparent but there's a UK company created by makers that imports them from China, checks them out and sells them on in a fair way: http://justaddsharks.co.uk/cutters