This Massive DIY CoreXY 3D Printer Was Built for Under $500

Every maker should have access to a 3D printer in their workshop — there really isn't a faster, more flexible way to produce custom enclosures, brackets, and functional mechanical parts for your projects. While several 3D printing technologies exist today, fused-filament fabrication (FFF) remains the most widespread, affordable, and practical choice for hobbyists and professionals alike. The catch is that most FFF 3D printers ship with a modest build volume of roughly 200 mm (7.87 inches) cubed. If your ambitions run bigger, Joshendy's homemade DIY CoreXY 3D printer is worth a closer look — it delivers a 300 mm (11.8 inches) cubed build volume and came together for less than $500.

Why the CoreXY Layout Works So Well

CoreXY is a 3D printer motion system born out of the RepRap Project. It follows a Cartesian approach rather than a delta configuration, but it relies on an intricate dual-belt drive layout that sets it apart from more familiar designs like the Prusa i3. That belt arrangement does add a bit to the build cost, but the payoff is significant: the stepper motors stay put — only the extruder motor travels — and the print bed simply moves along the Z axis. Reducing the moving mass like this makes CoreXY an excellent choice for large-format 3D printers, because you can scale up the build volume dramatically while adding only a fraction of extra moving weight. Joshendy leaned into this advantage and kept his costs low by fabricating a significant portion of the parts himself.

Inside the Build

The frame on Joshendy's machine was assembled primarily from aluminum extrusion, though it also required a handful of aluminum sheet-metal components. Luckily he had access to a CNC router and machined those pieces in-house. Several parts still needed to be sourced, including the BigTreeTech SKR Pro controller board along with the E3D Hemera hot end and extruder assembly. The mechanical hardware is genuinely heavy-duty throughout, with 12 mm ballscrews handling the Z axis and 12 mm linear rails driving the X and Y axes. To keep thermal conditions stable and prevent warping, Joshendy constructed an acrylic enclosure that fully encases the printer. Nothing here reinvents the wheel, but the fact that he pulled off such a large, rigid 3D printer for this little money is genuinely remarkable.

Prefer a Plug-and-Play Option?

If building a large-format 3D printer from scratch sounds like more of a project than you're ready for — or if you want factory-grade reliability from day one — there are exceptional turnkey machines on the market now that deliver comparable build volumes, smart features, and best-in-class print quality straight out of the box. A strong example is the Bambu Lab X1-Carbon Combo, a multi-material CoreXY-based printer that's earned a reputation as one of the most advanced consumer 3D printers available today.