So I searched and didnt see a thread for this anywhere so figured I would start one since its a decent sized hobby these days and had a few questions for those deep into this. Feel free to discuss projects and any ideas on 3d printing in general.
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Wanted to start this thread to discuss what printers people are using and looking for reviews on the entry level to medium level home printers. I have been looking into getting a decent printer to start out with and am torn between a few different ones by Bambu, or Creality. If anyone has experience with a good printer thats entry level friendly I would appreciate the recommendations.
I have a small local 3d printing business (along with coffee), mostly as a hobby than anything. Been printing off and on for about a decade now. Currently using a Prusa i3 MK3S+ for most of my prints.
What price range are you looking to get in at?
So price range is flexible if it's the right setup but not trying to go over 500 or 600 on the machine knowing I'll need money to cover materials and stuff. I have a friend who owns a creality 3 pro that he has upgraded but is gonna sell it to upgrade to the Bambu p2p new one. I like that one but the price is a bit steep and was thinking starting with the. Ender 3 pro with a few upgrades is a good entry spot.
Mainly want to make movie props like prop star wars guns/helmets etc. If it works well my main goal is to make custom PC cases I love making them but find it hard to do with wood/metal.
Currently trying to create a custom R2D2 PC build but not wanting to try and fab a metal one with a welder so thinking I can print parts to assemble with some design modification.
If you're near a MicroCenter they have the Ender V2 on sale for $199 and the Ender S1 on sale for $279. I believe the sales run until the beginning of April.
I've got the Ender V2. For the price, it's great. Easy to assemble, and the learning curve wasn't too bad.
Ended up trading some electrical work for a Ender V2 pro with a few upgrades on it thats already been setup and run a bunch. Came with a tent as well which is a big plus to avoid issues with the cat in the house. Pretty nice being able to trade some work for nice entry level printer to start out.
No lie the first TKP thread i ever made back in 2017 was on 3D printing and little traction lol. Did a quick search and didn't find it, but this is great discussion
(Edit: found it here - link -- i locked that and let's use this one)
I would pay money for someone to 3D print me a small (maybe 3" long or so? Some of you might call that average idk) horse on a treadmill
I've had HOAT on my shortlist to design for a while. If I ever get around to it I will let you know.
Here's my only tech design that's close to complete. I have a lunch pail design I'm still ironing out.
https://www.tinkercad.com/things/lPRkg7rrps4?sharecode=y5aEUZJc0b5fVz2kw...
Edit: I forgot I made that logo to remix this koozie rack from an OSU fan. I haven't printed it yet, so idk how it'll turn out.
https://www.tinkercad.com/things/eOhLbC2Hmdn?sharecode=47cfNOTowe0kkML9F...
In a word
pls
Working on it.
Edit: getting closer, need to slow the print down to get the horse's tail to not look like he's taking a number 2.
Thanks for giving me reason to bring this to life.
Be still my heart 😍
I would print the lo and the rack in separate pieces and glue it on. I think that logo would print a lot better laying on its back.
Good call. I'm still very much a n00b.
I feel like now the tech has evolved so much, when I entered into the workforce 10 years ago in automation it was in its infancy. Now every company I work at has a industrial one and it's becoming commonplace for engineering departments to use them now. We just got a carbon fiber one to print out end effector tooling that is so much better than using cnc aluminum tooling. I wish I could use the one at work for fun stuff.
I have a Monoprint MP Voxel. It has a 150mm x 150 mm x 150 mm print space. There are things I really like about it and things I don't.
Things I like:
Things I don't like:
I've never done any 3d printing, but I've been fascinated by these designs that will allow you to combine Legos, lincoln logs, tinkertoys, and all sorts of building toys.
I really doubt the Lego adapters are going to work with any regularity. Lego's have an INSANE tight tolerance for the blocks that are hard to recreate on a consumer 3d printer.
Yes, Lego has invested lots of money in trying to find a sustainable alternative to the ABS plastic they've used forever. Part of it is trying to replicate the signature snap, part of it is ensuring the piece wont deform or change at all over any time frame/environmental condition, part of it is ensuring scalable and versatile mfg (colorant compatibility, etc)
When i was funemployed for a bit after finishing grad school at vt, i looked into applying there but not sure a relocation to Denmark would have been good for me as a person in the end
Well, they are building a Lego factory in Chesterfield....
I certainly get the pieces needing to fit. When I was a kid, my grandma had a random basic Lego set that was old, probably from the 60s. I got it when she died, and merged it in with my own Legos. I ended up sorting those pieces out because they never fit right with any of the stuff I had ever gotten. Not to mention that whenever my kids get any sort of Lego knock off, I make sure that we keep those pieces separate from the real Lego collection, because they never fit right.
I use a Lulzbot TAZ 6 at work for a few things in our lab. It's a pretty standard extrusion 3d printer, if a bit old at this point.
It works really well for PLA, ABS, and plastic composites (like a copper-PLA hybrid). It has a heated bed, but the bed isn't shielded/surrounded so it loses heat very easily. Which isn't a big deal for plastic, but attempting any metal prints means it's basically impossible. I've had a lot of problems trying to print with a steel material that you end up sending to a shop that does debinding and sintering.
It does require a USB connection or SD card and the user interface can be a bit clunky from time to time, but it does give you the ability to pretty easily adjust temperatures, wall thickness, infill, extruder temperature, etc.
I don't have a great idea of what's considered a standard home 3d print setup, but a cursory search suggests this is somewhere in the vicinity.
Have a SOVOL SV01. Currently out of commission due to under extrusion. I suspect the PTFE tube is bad but have had the time or motivation to fix it.
I tend to print stuff for board and miniature games, like organizers and upgraded tokens, etc.
One of my favorite things to print for people are lithophane boxes. They make really good gifts and look amazing. They take FOREVER to print on my printer because they look best when you print really slowly. The fewer vibrations the better. And your printer better be sitting on something solid (i.e. not a folding table).
Box I made for my sister's MIL
Yeah, I really like the lithophane boxes you have made... I am also partial to the Joanie on the Stony that you made for me.
However the Rocktopus that you made for Mini LancerHokie is weird as Hell.... It gives me Sid from Toy Story vibes.
Have a Bambu Lab XC1 on its way. Been watching for a while and almost pulled the trigger on a Prusa a number of times. Also woodwork, so for me it's a compliment to that for organizing and tools.
Maybe try this one? The finished products are structurally sound and delicious.
https://gizmodo.com/3d-printer-chocolate-cocoa-press-candy-desert-make-h...
I have a Creality CR10 we got my son. I cannot get it to work correctly. Anyone have an instructional or YouTube series they recommend for the basics?
Let's assume I'm a complete idiot who has no idea what he's doing.
What are you struggling with?
Pretty much everything. I got it constructed. But doesn't seem to be leveled as first attempted print was a fail.
Wonder if there is a tutorial or video series that can show the basics and how to perform functions.
Check out Jason Bardwell's videos. I think he primarily does Sovol and Ender printers but bed leveling is the same regardless of printer.
I've got an Ender at home that is fun to tinker with. If you are just getting into this hobby, know that there is probably going to be a lot of tinkering, trial and error and frustration to get what you want out of it. I think it can be worthwhile anyway, but I don't think we're quite to the "buy it and just print what you want with the click of a button"-stage yet.
That said, I've printed some cool stuff. Some cosplay stuff, some miniatures, some tools and other stuff. That opens up the finishing and painting end of things which is another rabbit hole to go down.
If someone finds a good model of Lane Stadium, the Commonwealth Cup or better yet Lane, Cassel and the Beamer Barn together that would be awesome.
Not exactly what you asked for, but here's a pretty cool find I've had saved.
Ooo, thats pretty nifty. Any idea where you found it? Might be able to put a few of these together of significant places and make a nifty anniversary-type gift for Mrs MattBoard
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5825534
For starters into the realm of printing what tools or things can be handy or a thing that make it easier per se? Had one friend recommend a good set of dykes for trimming the material but any other things would be welcome. Also if anyone has recommendations for where to buy material I'm all ears.
Snips for clearing off supports and zits and such. - amazon
Some small files - amazon
For painting minis I bought a pair of lighted magnifying glasses - Michaels (with the jewelers tools)
Gorilla/crazy glue - walmart
A set of hex button head screw kits (for assembling more complex builds) various sizes - amazon
Some small rare earth magnets - amazon
I get my filament from MatterHackers
I buy my filament off Amazon. eSun PLA+ is my go to. You should get a good spatula for removing prints from the bed, a micrometer and a set of calipers if you are going to do any "precision" stuff. A laser thermometer is good for verifying bed temp.
Heresy! You must print the spatula, as is tradition! :D
In addition to what others have posted I would say a brass brush to clean your nozzle when it's gunked up, a hobby knife for post processing, and a small set of needle nose pliers are some pretty commonly used tools for me.
For your snips look at getting "flush cutters" or "diagonal shears". They make for cleaner cuts and are a bit easier for tight spaces in a lot of prints.
Thanks everyone for all the answers, got a nozzle cleaning kit some brushes and files, and some snips as well. Going to build an enclosure for the printer to run inside due to a psycho cat in the house.
Thought of one last question for now do people recommend glue on the print bed to keep the print from moving during the print? I saw some folks recommending it but opinion online seems split on using it or not.
If you have a good surface, your bed is level and your nozzle height is set properly, you don't need glue (or hair spray or painters tape.) People use those to make up for improper set up (but you can't tell them that).
couldn't find the models that I needed this week for some projects so I downloaded the Fusion 360 free version from Autodesk. If you are looking for a way to put together some STLs of your own, the interface was pretty easy to use and the price point was exactly what I was looking for.
There is an excellent video series called Learn Fusion 360 or Die Trying on YouTube if anyone needs help learning or re-learning.
I've been trying to transition from tinkerCAD to fusion360, thanks for the recommendation.
I just started this, thanks again for the recommendation. It looks like the guy who put it together has 2 different fusion 360 3DP courses, one that's 13 episodes and one that is 32. I wondered if you have insight into if the 32+ hr one is worth it before I sink an entire work week into it.
I watched the 13 video series (actually only the first 5 or 6 videos). It looks like the 32 video series is newer which means that the UI he shows will be the same as what's currently in the software.
And you may only need the first few videos to get started working with the software. I'd also recommend working along with the videos. I watched them on my iPad while duplicating the actions in the software.
Thanks again for your responses. I discovered Firefox/YouTube's PIP while watching the intro to Fusion 360 video. Game changer.
You might look at the playlist to see if there are topics that are covered that you want know about.
Update:
Printed a handle to turn an old filament spool into a useful spool for cables. FYI - a 1kg filament spool will hold 100' of ethernet if it is spooled decently tightly. (Not pictured: CAD for end cap to keep the spool from falling off)
Edit: Link if anyone wants the STL https://www.printables.com/model/458328-filament-spool-handle
we got a bambu X1 Carbon at work. Very easy to use and flexible for lots of materials/build styles. Been really impressed and a little depressed that it cost us maybe $2000 with all the goodies and I paid almost that much to build a super simple reprap mendel back in the day.
The P1S looks like a really good deal. Most of the upgrades of the X1C (and an arguably better build plate) bit $400 cheaper. The only thing that would be nice would be a hardened nozzle but that can purchased and installed separately.
Probably going to pull the trigger on one with the AMS soon.
The AMS is nice but it's a major pain if you get brittle filament. You'll spend an hour fishing out pieces that mess with the sensors/filament feeder. Same issue you'd have with any feed system but having four spoils sitting there increases your chance of an issue.
I've got a resin printer for minis. I've been using water washable resin, but I'm unhappy with how brittle it is. If I buy regular resin and alcohol wash, if I later do some prints to use up the rest of the water washable resin, can I rinse them in alcohol?
I finally have a semi-permanent printer setup/location in the new haus and have started redesigning HOAT to be used as a trophy for TKP's Pick6. Looking for any feedback from the 3DPers, engineers, and other pick6ers on here. I made the top portion of the treadmill to look more like Lane's scoreboard and have been trialing different free-to-use horse designs around the interwebs. Scaling is off on the horse and treadmill obviously, I will probably scale up the treadmill as much as I can to match the big horsey. Any feedback welcome.
I would buy a small one of these from you without the picks champ bit.
Have been hoping for this for a while
deleted
Dammit and im no where close to winning this year.
I had my best weekend this weekend and didn't enter my picks on CBS 🙄. Pretty much tanked my season.
Just got a Bambu Lab P1S. OMG this is a great printer. It's not cheap. $699 for the printer alone and $950 if you get the Automated Material System.
But it's fast and the slicer/printer management software is really good. The AMS is easily wort( the money for multicolor and just having 4 spools loaded and ready to go.
The AMS looks amazing. I have a cheap single extruding printer and it's a huge pain in the ass for even doing 2 colors. I have selfishly been trying to talk my uncle into buying the P1 so I can fool around with it.
Will toot the Bambu horn all day long. Great out of the box printer. Have the X1C and AMS and have loved it. P1S is the better bang for $.
Looking to get into this for me and the kids. What software is everyone using, or can recommend, for doing the design work in? Anything free?
It depends on what you want to make, your experience with design software, and personal preference.
I hadn't used a CAD program since middle school when I purchased my printer. I started doing simple designs in tinkercad and then tried a handful of programs until settling on Fusion 360 and have been working through the YouTube series dzilla77 recommended above. It is super helpful, most of the 3d modeling software I have tried is not very intuitive and taking courses makes you 1000x more efficient.
Here's an older infographic to help choose a starting point for modeling. It's pretty helpful, but again I think what you are trying to design and what program makes the most sense to you is the one to go with:
Perfect. Thank you. Fusion360 it is based on excellent info graphic.
Testing my F360 skills and vase mode settings. Far from perfect, but should make for a fun project.
I didn't want to upvote this due to the loluva helmet but then I saw the T, well done.
This season I started collecting minis of every team we play. This was the only way I was displaying a lolUVA helmet.
What is that, the Commonwealth Shot Cup?
Not one that would hold liquid well. It's a scaled down model of the Commonwealth Cup that's missing some of the details. My end goal is to make a 1/2 scale model to display.
Reviving this thread with a new HOAT print for a friend.
Anyone doing anything interesting with their 3D printer these days?
Your friend has pretty strong brown water game.
That's actually my bar. Our friend will probably be getting her HOAT at the VMI game. Sadly I don't dabble in bourbon much these days, we have 2 little ones and a glass just puts me straight out. My dad has quite the collection and gifts us bottles from time to time and my wife must have double oaked in the house in case of emergencies.
Woodford double oaked is legit.
My daughter and her now husband buried a bottle of that one month before the wedding to prevent rain. This is a thing.
It worked! Incredible weather and a toast for the groom wedding party while getting ready will not be forgottwn.
Well, since someone revived this thread, I printed up this one a few weeks ago
Just started painting a Rocinante this week and will finish it when we get back from vacation.
Edit: Rocinante in process
That's real nice stuff.
That's nice work. One of my favorite ships too.
Been running a A1 for 2 years now with the X2D out will be upgrading to that later this year.
Having a solidworks license through work makes this hobby unbelievably addicting to a tinkerer.
Just finished a full scale LOTR Anduril need to finish it and sand it and glue it together for the tv decorations wall. Now to stockpile filament for a full size R2D2