3D Printing

[DoubleF]

For that price diff I'd just buy new. My understanding is that if there's even one damaged component in that kit you might go crazy figuring out what's going wrong. It's different if it's brand new and nothing should be wrong.

I get it though. I've been mulling getting a 3D printer too to learn and teach my kids about how it fundamentally works. It might be the only modern tech that I can actually show my kids that instant gratification isn't possible.

[Superflyer]

Yeah for $50 just go new with a warranty. There are a number of things that if you are not familiar with you can just be beating your head against the wall trying to figure out. Namely a slightly warped bed or an belt that is a little over used and loose.

[photon]

Yeah been watching lots of videos, I think I'm going to be trying to print PETG instead of the usual PLA. The PETG seems a bit more finicky, and 3D printing in general seems finicky having to dial settings in on a printer by printer and filament by filament basis.

The Bambu A1 mini looks really cool, though it is closed source and I'll have to check to see if it's big enough to print what I have in mind.

[Superflyer]

Yeah it can be finicky when you first start but once you get it, it is usually pretty good. It just takes time to get over that curve.

[Ironhorse]

I've had my Mars resin printer for about 4 years now. Just finished printing a bunch of Rapidashes. Resin gives amazing detail compared to filament.

Spoiler!

[photon]

I was thinking about trying to get into figure painting so I considered a resin printer since I could print my own figures but if I do that I should probably just start with pre-made kits so I can figure out if I'm any good at painting first before I get a printer.

What I'm doing now is a lot bigger and I don't need the detail.

[fleuryisgod]

I just sent an inquiry to the public library and the response was they didn't offer this service. Who do you email so I can give that a try?

Or if anyone on here is looking for a project I'm looking to make a LED light ring with camera mount for a dartboard setup. I would obviously pay for the help!

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Every library here offers 3d printing. Send the file to them by email and usually printed in a couple days. $0.10 per gram finished product. Once I realized this I completely abandoned the notion of 3d printing at home.

[photon]

EldrickOnIce is in Chicago

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by photon

I was thinking about trying to get into figure painting so I considered a resin printer since I could print my own figures but if I do that I should probably just start with pre-made kits so I can figure out if I'm any good at painting first before I get a printer.

What I'm doing now is a lot bigger and I don't need the detail.

The downside to resin printing is that you need an area that is well ventilated. You probably don't really want to just have it in a random room. You also need more space than a filament printer as you'd need a cleaning station and isopropyl alcohol baths to dissolve uncured resin.

For me, this is the biggest hang up I have so far. The printer/venting, whatever. But the cleaning station stuff, etc. is a another few hundred bucks. Dumping any chemical liquids involved is something that I also haven't finished figuring out and researching yet.

[photon]

Ended up ordering a Sovol SV06 off Amazon for $259, lots of reviews say it's a great beginner printer and is basically a Prusa MK3S+ for a lot cheaper.

It has a direct drive extruder and a full metal hotend which I wanted so I could print PETG without worrying about PTFE fumes at higher temperatures that other hotends that have a PTFE tube have. Has a big enough build area to print what I've got planned. Got some tool steel nozzles as well so I can print some more abrasive filaments (some makers I watch use carbon reenforced filament to great success for enclosures and such).

My wife says this counts as my father's day gift lol.

[Canadianman]

there is a big thread on redflagdeals.com about Bambu printers on sale right now.



https://forums.redflagdeals.com/bamb...i-249-2695507/

[photon]

Yeah I looked really hard at the A1 mini, $10 less than the one I got, but that build area is tight for what I want to do. Plus it's proprietary, though that may not matter for me if it does what I want as is.

[combustiblefuel]

I recently jumped hard into 3d printing. I got a ankermakem 5,ankermake 5c, creality k1max and a creality k1c.

It's been so handy to just make things I need around the house. I've made shelving , organizers ,drawers etc etc along with the occasional fun things.

It's pretty addictive. Now I just need a space to store all the filaments I've got every thing from basic pla to the fancy stuff like nylons with CF and just received a shipment of PEEK.

[photon]

Just printed my first benchy! I must admit I'm super impressed at how clean it printed, just the tiniest whisps of stringyness but otherwise it looks super clean. I assume the gcode for the file that came on the card is well tuned for success (it had a bit of a raft, not sure if that's default in a benchy).

Bed leveling was really easy with the inductive sensor, everything seems simple enough.

Took a loooong time though, like 1:45, but I guess that's probably the most conservative settings for an initial feel good success.

The printing is SUPER quiet, like quiet enough that I don't mind it being on the desk behind me. The power supply fan though is very loud. Will have to put it somewhere else and probably setup a camera so I can keep an eye on it, the only downside of this printer is no filament sensor (though adding one seems pretty easy).

So a few questions.. should I remove the filament every time I turn the printer off? Internet seem to say no need for the easier filaments if the printer is going to be used again "soon". Otherwise the filament might get too humid. Not sure what soon qualifies as.. a day.. a week?

Is that valid for our dry climate in Calgary? Should I invest in some rechargable silica gel packets and store my filament in a ziplock bag with those if I'm not going to use it within a few days?

Anything else i should do after printing? Didn't seem to be a lot of "after your first print" instructions. I let it cool down to somewhat close to room temperature before turning it off.

[photon]

Oh and any suggestions for a print in place articulated dragon?

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by photon

Oh and any suggestions for a print in place articulated dragon?

Nothing specific but the are the #1 design right now so they are numerous and plentiful.

Thingverse,printables.com, ankermake site, creality cloud, etc etc

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by photon

Just printed my first benchy! I must admit I'm super impressed at how clean it printed, just the tiniest whisps of stringyness but otherwise it looks super clean. I assume the gcode for the file that came on the card is well tuned for success (it had a bit of a raft, not sure if that's default in a benchy).

Bed leveling was really easy with the inductive sensor, everything seems simple enough.

Took a loooong time though, like 1:45, but I guess that's probably the most conservative settings for an initial feel good success.

The printing is SUPER quiet, like quiet enough that I don't mind it being on the desk behind me. The power supply fan though is very loud. Will have to put it somewhere else and probably setup a camera so I can keep an eye on it, the only downside of this printer is no filament sensor (though adding one seems pretty easy).

So a few questions.. should I remove the filament every time I turn the printer off? Internet seem to say no need for the easier filaments if the printer is going to be used again "soon". Otherwise the filament might get too humid. Not sure what soon qualifies as.. a day.. a week?

Is that valid for our dry climate in Calgary? Should I invest in some rechargable silica gel packets and store my filament in a ziplock bag with those if I'm not going to use it within a few days?

Anything else i should do after printing? Didn't seem to be a lot of "after your first print" instructions. I let it cool down to somewhat close to room temperature before turning it off.

Moisture only is a problem in my experience with fancier filaments like Asa, abs etc etc. I haven't run into a moisture issue with basic pla,pla+ or hyper pla .

I went th route of getting multiple Creality space pi filament dryers. There cheap and I just run the filament with the dryer set correctly. I really only got the dryer boxes for abs and Asa as the can absorb enough moisture even from 100% dry be for a print can be done .

If your using basic pla or pla+ you should be able to keep that stuff out a long time before moisture is an issue.


I've amassed over 54 different filaments now. I'll spend the day slicing , throw the filament(Asa,nylon, abs)in the dry box over night . Go to the computer and hit print on my way to going to make the morning coffee. I've learned my lesson to trust those materials will just flawlessly print over night.
For different types of pla I'll just throw it in the dryer and let it run 30mins to an hour before a print.

[photon]

I've got PLA+ and some PETG so I won't worry about moisture for now and see how it goes.

[photon]

Just realized I was going to run out of the small chunk of filament that came with the printer before my print was done, so just learned how to change filament in the middle of a print. I just waited for it to be in the infill part and hit the change button and set the temperature for the new filament and away it went. Pretty neat.

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Every library here offers 3d printing. Send the file to them by email and usually printed in a couple days. $0.10 per gram finished product. Once I realized this I completely abandoned the notion of 3d printing at home.

That works if you get the exact measurements correct first go or the strength, looks etc right first go . If not yikes that's expensive if you need to reprint for any reason . 10 cents a gram must be for basic pla only.

Example I needed to print a mechanical part for a product prototype it weighed 178g . That would have cost me $17.80 . I needed it to be printed out in 8 different types of filaments with different types of fuzzy skins . I'd pay between 17. 80 no fuzzy asking very little infill to 28.80 with better infill, wall strength etc. That would be very expensive .


On top of that I just posted ads on Facebook that I will model and/or will print for others so my machines are almost paid off in a matter of weeks. I know this is an extreme example but even say you have a prime membership and get ankermake 5c for the special $350 price . By the time you have used 2 spools of filament you save money vs paying for a print service if you 3d print even moderately. Going through 2 2kg spools takes nothing .