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Post by jreimers on Dec 29, 2017 17:43:32 GMT
Anyone doing it? If so what printer are you using?
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Post by notso on Dec 30, 2017 18:20:35 GMT
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Post by Derek the Admin on Dec 31, 2017 5:56:51 GMT
There should be plenty of space, there is just a 1mb per attachment limit.
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Post by planbprojects on Jan 10, 2018 4:20:31 GMT
I've done a lot of 3D printing, its what prompted me to buy my Carve King. Mostly using my printer-bot simple metal, but I've also got a Mendel-Max I built a while back (rarely use, do not recommend the design). I also maintain craftbots, and Makekits for a 3D printing lab on campus.
The Makeit's are probably the best at printing everything but overhangs (The SM was modified with a blower fan), but are staggeringly unreliable.
The Craftbots are good all-around printers with decent print quality above .05mm layer heights. My one complaint is that they are very hard to modify for proper cooling, and thus tend to have stringing and bridging issues (no more than most stock printers mind). I've also found them to be really reliable for the first 2000 or so hours, after which point board and motor issues start cropping up (if you figure those are wear parts it's not really too bad, I haven't had any of the printers I maintain experience two main board failures yet).
The Printerbot SM is the default in it's size class for a reason, and it prints really well once the cooling is dialed in. That said, the Simple Metals are a bit expensive for what they offer. They do crop up on ebay for 50% - 70% off though.
We just got a Monoprice select mini, but I haven't seen it print enough to really comment on it yet.
(This is a strange first post for a CNC forum, but on some level appropriate. 3D printing is what got me interested in CNC in the first place).
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Post by ahahlberg on Mar 2, 2018 23:35:38 GMT
Any other thoughts on 3D printing? I'm looking at some mods for my Carve King that would involve making a few intricate parts to mount a dust shoe and also some shields for the limit switches and it appears most of the 3d Printers out there are capable of making parts in that size range, right down to the units I've seen for $129. But I think I'd prefer a unit with at least a 250x250x250mm build volume. What has surprise me is how many vendors there are for these printers. There appear to be 3 or 4 basic designs that are reused by dozens of manufacturers both as finished products and as DIY kits.
The key issues I've heard about are structural rigidity at large Z-axis offsets, heated bed temperature regulation and temperature range if you want to work with ABS, and extruder issues ranging from having a filament end detector switch to being able to set the nozzle temperature high enough for some of the more robust structural filament types to the extruder feed mechanism wearing out from working with harder/more abrasive filament compositions.
Having built a Carve King, and numerous other DIY projects from furniture to PCs I'm thinking the best value comes from a DIY kit - but there are so many out there.
Anyone have any advice on a solid brand or basic design type?
There are so many overtly and covertly biased reviews out there I find it hard to decide what to get.
So anyone willing to go out on a limb and recommend one - or at least help narrow the field? I was looking at a FolgerTech FT-5 R2 but keep seeing people recommending Creality CR10 S in various video reviews.
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Post by notso on Mar 3, 2018 16:35:37 GMT
Big thing is if you plan to use ABS you MUST get an enclosed printer. ABS does not do well unless enclosed. Anyone says otherwise is truly lying to you. ABS shrinks rapidly if a high temp is not kept causing the bottom layers to shrink as they cool and that causes warping. But... ABS is still my choice of filament, higher melt point. however PLA is a little stronger and doesn't need enclosure. But might as well be prepared!
I built my first printer, PLA only, and it was a good experience.
Sold it and as mentioned above bought the flashforge and I love it.
SOOOOOOOOO many hours of printing on it and not 1 hardware failure.
Still using the original print heads etc for over 3yrs now.
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Post by ahahlberg on Mar 4, 2018 1:45:41 GMT
Yeah, that's a theme I've run across many times now. ABS and at least one other filament type are subject to shrinkage if the air temp isn't kept uniform during the build. I figure I can build an enclosure since most of the pre-builts I've seen are pretty expensive when you go up in print volume - thousands - and I was hoping to stay well under $1000, preferably closer to $500 since the difference translates to buying more filament for printing.
You also commented that PLA is stronger than ABS - being ignorant yet of the detailed differences in the various filaments and trying to absorb as much as I can as quick as I can, are you saying that using PLA, an apparently much easier to work with filament, is safe to use for structural elements? In some of my reading so far there have been descriptions saying PLA would deteriorate in sunlight or in higher ambient temperatures. Can you recommend a reliable source for information on filaments versus application?
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Post by notso on Mar 4, 2018 3:52:41 GMT
Thqat is true, PLA is stronger, but it degrades in lower temps which is why I like ABS. I also use HIPS if I run low on ABS, that is a good support material and similar quality as ABS but melts in Limonene and ABS melts in Acetone (I make my own glue for parts with the scrap from prints). You have to remember you get what you pay for, the larger the build volume the longer you need to preheat the bed to get the ambient temp up. Also you might get cheaper nozzles and those you don't want! Get a pack of Guitar strings too. The B and high E are good for cleaning out the nozzles, the G might go through too. I find that PLA also sticks and gunks up the extruder wheels too easily (inside the motor is a wheel like on a zippo lighter that grabs the filament and pulls it through, it can get plastic inside the tiny grooves and then it won't grab to feed so you have to clean it by hand) Most toys and household items are made with ABS (not printed, but vacuum formed or some such other method) all3dp.com/pla-abs-3d-printer-filaments-compared/ |
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Post by ahahlberg on Mar 4, 2018 6:33:31 GMT
Your statements are the kinds of things I'm looking for - clues to what matters so I can decide. It would seem to be key to efficient printing that you have a nozzle and heating element that are capable of maintaining a steady temperature accurately at both slow and fast feedrates - or at least within the range of feeds you expect to use which, in turn, depends on what materials you wind up using. And then, as you point out, there is ease/difficulty of feeding the filament. I was looking at the Tevo Black Widow which had a machined metal extruder housing with what appeared to be a brass toothed drive wheel. Then I looked at the FolgerTech FT-5 which appeared to have a plastic extruder feed housing with a similar brass toothed gear inside. It would seem. theoretically, that the metal extruder housing might be more thermally stable - or it might lead to propagating heat further up the filament making it softer and thus more prone to gouging the filament leading to chip build-up in the driving gear. The more I peel this onion the more layers I find.
I guess I was hoping someone might offer the magic bullet of some obvious best choice. But the reality appears to be that you have to do the homework and learn the componentry and look carefully at what is in each offering and how difficult it would be to change to a better component in whatever choice you make for the base unit. Then once you have it running and trying to make things you can upgrade the components.
I also noticed there are two major approaches to feeding the filament, one feeds the filament from closer to the supply spool and then through a long semi-rigid tube to the hotend which is what I think they call a Bowden feed and then there are those that put the filament feed mechanism right next to the hotend and nozzle - which on the surface would seem to make more sense (no lash in driving the filament) given that you keep some kind of air gap between the hotend and the extruder drive so that you don't make the filament too soft to be driven properly.
I may just wind up buying something on the assumption that it will need work to make right so ease of "maintenance" becomes the top criteria! I did enjoy building the Carve King and like the fact that I know where every part goes and how to take it back apart and check and refine things. Guess I should just count on doing the same with any printer I choose!
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Post by notso on Mar 4, 2018 15:35:02 GMT
If you truly want to find out, and I hate to say it, you can always buy one for a couple hundred and see how it feels, get to know how it works, then you can buy the good one after a few months. Thats how I learned. I went from a single extruder to dual so I can print multi color or use 1 for the part and the other for the support material.
The good news is if you get known brands of parts you can always upgrade feed motors and nozzles.
My dreamer, I have modified A LOT already just in printing new spool holders etc that mount on top of the machine and not on the back etc. Made more holders for inside as well so I can hold 4 spools, but only feed 2 of course (Dual extruder).
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Post by ahahlberg on Mar 4, 2018 21:03:11 GMT
I guess like with any hobby you just have to get into the vernacular and the third party mod support to find out how much things vary - took me a month or so to decide on my Carve King, guess I shouldn't be surprised it will take as long for the printer. But I think you may be right about just diving in. My initial need is for some supporting parts to augment my Carve King that are under 6" for the maximum dimension and there seem to be plenty of printers that will make parts with that as the max dimension, and that are enclosed, and some seem capable of replacing key parts, and below $300. I've paid more than that for tools I use less than once a year! Thanks for the factual and spiritual direction on this - just do it!
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