The IKEA "Lack" table has reached legendary status among 3D printing enthusiasts. It’s amazing they can sell a table for $9 even if it is made out of sawdust and glue. People often ask if our enclosures will fit on one of these tables, and that's disheartening since, objectively, it's a shitty table for a 3D printer.
There. I've said it. Or rather, written it down in public. What's wrong with it? The only advantage to the Lack table is its low cost, but everything else about it makes it a poor choice.
It's too small.
Only the smallest 3D printer enclosures fit on it. And that does not include the Prusa MK3S+, despite what their enclosure plans describe. We make enclosures that a suitable for 24/7 use, year after year. On a bed flinger 3D printer design, the most significant point of failure is the heat bed power cable, which means you want zero contact between the cable and the back of the enclosure. The Lack table isn't deep enough if you're going to use the entire bed size of the Prusa and not create a potentially dangerous electrical short, or, at the very least, require that you replace the cable regularly. Sure, you can move the bed wires to the side, but that is not only extra effort but is a potential source of failure down the road.
It's too loud.
The light artificial wood in the Lack table means it amplifies any vibrations from a 3D printer. We've measured the Prusa MK3S+ as one of the quietest printers on the market, but when you place it on top of the Lack table suddenly, you've created a speaker. You've taken an exceptionally quiet printer and now need to start adding dampeners and concrete pavers.
It's too short.
If you're working on 3D printers a lot, perhaps even for a job, bending over to work on a short table will eventually hurt your back. Professional work tables are always higher to reduce stress on your back muscles.
We view a 3D printer as a tool, and if you're going to put it on a table, it should be:
- Large enough to support the printer, an enclosure, and enough space to do work.
- Be sturdy enough to dampen the printer's vibrations.
- Have wheels so you can move around your 3d printing workstation whenever you want.
We're big fans of heavy gauge restaurant tables that are available from used restaurant supply stores all over the place. They are cheap, solid, quiet, the right height, and usually come with wheels. If you can't find any used, this is our favorite size of restaurants table 30"x48" in 18 gauge steel, only $210 or so before wheels and shipping brand new.
