Disclaimer: Tenlog has not compensated me for this review in any way. I purchased this printer with my own money.
The Bottom Line – 8/10
The Tenlog Hands 2 is, in my opinion, the best IDEX printer you can buy for the price. The dual heads allow for better print quality and more flexibility in not only multi-color, but also multi-material designs. The ability to keep each print head at an entirely different temperature, and out of the way of the other print head, is life changing compared to the older 2-in-1 style head of the Replicator 1 dual. My only laments with this printer are the fact that it is difficult to find replacement parts and the Ender-3 style frame is not sturdy enough for higher speeds.
Print Quality
The print quality of the Hands 2 is excellent, as long as you don’t mind a leisurely print speed of <40 mm/s. I usually push that up to 60 mm/s, but the quality is certainly affected. The dual head of the printer moves on a dual rail x-axis with the motor attached. This makes the print head (and printer) wobble violently at very high accelerations and print speeds. The dimensional stability of the prints is not generally affected, but it does show up as ringing on the surface. Stringing, bridging, and all the other fun 3D printer quality issues can be nearly eliminated with extensive tuning, but it will take a while. The one print artifact which I have been unable to eliminate (at an acceptable print speed) is ringing after text or very sharp corners. This is due to the exceptionally heavy print head assembly, and really cant be avoided with this design.
Software
Tenlog uses standard GCODE files to communicate with the printer, and provides a Cura profile for their IDEX printers. This lets you continue to benefit from the state of the art in slicing software updates.
Hardware
I find the build quality and hardware of the Tenlog Hands 2 puzzling. the printer is full of peculiar decisions, from the VGA cables for data and power transmission to the largest motors on the entire printer being located on the extruder. The x-axis linear rail, the dual, independent z-leadscrews, and the color touchscreen are surprisingly advanced features for such a low-cost machine, but the rest of the components are as you would expect, and the overall stability of the frame is lacking. The printer is also difficult to source replacement parts for, as it is discontinued by the manufacturer. Despite all these drawbacks, I still feel it’s worth buying one if you every find it. Why? Because it works, and it works really well. It’s probably the most reliable printer I’ve ever owned.
Final Thoughts
The Hands 2 is one of the best printer’s I’ve ever owned. The design, despite it’s quirks, works flawlessly in single and multicolor prints alike. Truly a joy to use.