# Is the Taz 3 still worth buying?

**URL:** <https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/is-the-taz-3-still-worth-buying/2440>\
**Category:** Hardware\
**Created:** [November 8, 2015, 2:51pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/is-the-taz-3-still-worth-buying/2440 "2015-11-08T14:51:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mutatedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8c91f0/32.png) [@mutatedmonkey](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/mutatedmonkey)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 2:51pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/is-the-taz-3-still-worth-buying/2440/1 "2015-11-08T14:51:51Z")

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I’ve been using a Printrbot Simple Metal for the past year and want to move up to a larger printer and have been looking at getting a Taz.

I have a feeling that the Taz 6 may be worth waiting for, however and can get a Taz 3 for ~$700-800 in good condition.

Are the improvements in the Taz 4 and 5 that significant that the Taz 3 isn’t worth getting? I’m not printing anything that requires ultra fine resolution. My understanding is that the big change from 3 to 4 is that they changed the Z axis from threaded rod to lead screws.

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**Author:** ![piercet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.lulzbot.com/piercet/32/12_2.png) [@piercet](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/piercet)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 7:08pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/is-the-taz-3-still-worth-buying/2440/2 "2015-11-08T19:08:47Z")

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You can upgrade a Taz 3 to Taz 5 motion specifications and extruder specifications for about $300. That would include a new hotend, a PEI sheet, new leadscrews, and the metal X end plates. You can source some of the hardware here: [http://i-t-w.com/hardware/](http://i-t-w.com/hardware/)

It does require a fair amount of work to turn a 3 into a 5, but there is pretty good documentation in the forum here for the process.

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**Author:** ![mutatedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8c91f0/32.png) [@mutatedmonkey](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/mutatedmonkey)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 11:50pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/is-the-taz-3-still-worth-buying/2440/3 "2015-11-08T23:50:07Z")

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And what if I did’t upgrade the hardware? Is the output of a Taz 3 still very good? If I can get 95% of the quality for 33% of the price, that seems like a good deal.

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**Author:** ![piercet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.lulzbot.com/piercet/32/12_2.png) [@piercet](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/piercet)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 12:02am UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/is-the-taz-3-still-worth-buying/2440/4 "2015-11-09T00:02:24Z")

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Its not as good, but it is usable. You will have some z wobble, and overall part thickness won’t be as dead on as it will be under a 4 or a 5 spec z axis. Up to you if the quality is acceptable.