October 9, 20232 yr has anyone tried a desktop ABS injection molding kit? I am wondering about their cost effectiveness. Might be of interest: What we Learned Making a Plastic Injection Mold with a Chinese Mold Maker https://www.airgradient.com/blog/lessons-learned-plastic-injection-mold-making/
October 18, 20232 yr I can help you with that. The number of 3-D printers you need is N+1, where N is the number you already have. Applying that rule to your circumstances, N=0 and N+1= 1. Therefore you need one 3D printer at the moment. This thread once again tweeked my interest in getting a 3d printer especially as interest has quadrupled after I came off my bike a couple of weeks back (gravel + tree nuts + not paying enough attention) and am now nursing a double fracture of the Pelvis 'Pubic Rami' bones, so that's me off the road until Xmas. Thus I've time in hand and the challenge of getting into CAD programs, slicer software and the intricacies of 'printer tuning' have their appeal. I'm limiting myself to a printer of sub £200 because (a) I may not like it (or 3DP as a hobby) and (b) a bit like my first bike, I don't know enough aboutt them to make a truly informed view as to what features I needed vs what I'll use 3DP for . My top two favourites are either the SOLVOL sv06 or the Elegoo Neptune 3 Pro - now I know that both of those printers are being superceeded by the SOLVOL sv07/Neptune 4/4pro, but I'm not interested in bunging an extra £50-£60 into a hobby I've yet to explore (or new features that I'll not make use of )and by the time, if there is such a time, that I fully explore what I have got, there will likely be further models out there to consider. INSPIRATION? I've a few things in mind as first projects but I can't think that I'll be using a 3DP for too many trinkets/toys, but more as a tool for such things as enclosures for electronic projects et al. Having said that, I realise that as far as 3DP goes, I don't know what I don't know, so I'd be very interested to hear what others do with their printers? And of course, are there any particular comments regarding my buying intentions e.g. preferences, alternatives in that price point? One factor I've still to get to grips with is the support network/knowledge base for either printer as undoubtedly this will be a steep learning curve for me. Ping [mention=3847]saneagle[/mention] [mention=36783]portals[/mention] [mention=6303]Woosh[/mention] [mention=9614]Nealh[/mention] Cheers, B4t
October 18, 20232 yr Author I'm limiting myself to a printer of sub £200 because (a) I may not like it (or 3DP as a hobby) and (b) a bit like my first bike, I don't know enough aboutt them to make a truly informed view as to what features I needed vs what I'll use 3DP for . Sorry to hear about your problems. I send my best wishes for a quick and full recovery. Listen to what this guy says. Search his channel for Elegoo, Neptune and 3D to find other relevant stuff. With this sort of technology, it's a bit like the microcomputer boom in the'80s. The best thing you can do is get the same one as everybody else, then there will always be plenty of help when you need it. Like ebikes, if you have a niche model, you're on your own when it comes to problems, so my advice is to get the most popular printer in your price range. I'm pretty sure that there's not too much difference in the print quality between the different printers, but there are differences in the way you get them ready to print and the time to print. Expensive ones, like mine, are fully automatic. It has self levelling and optical systems that check everything as it's going, as well as automatic parameter setting for different filaments and things like that. You have to do more things manually with the cheaper ones and check the print quality yourself as they go. As well as the printer, there's the slicer software. Make sure that you choose a printer that works with one of the popular slicers. The slicers have settings for the common printers, which saves a lot of messing about. I have three projects on the go at the moment. Unfortunately two of them are a bit secret. If I show you the stuff, it might give away the secrets. Fot the third project, I've made a battery enclosure, and I'm now working on the controller box/battery mount and lock mechanism. I also made a bracket to hold my TSDZ LCD to the stem cap. Another success was a tap adapter for my sister. The tap just pulls off, and underneath is a plastic grip that has internal and external splines to turn the shaft with the tap, and grip the tap to stay on. |Her's broke. She's a trainer for Blender, so she knocked up a design and sent it to me. I printed it and took it down to her. It worked perfectly.
October 18, 20232 yr If unsure, it might be worth designing something and then asking somebody on here to print it for you.
October 18, 20232 yr Sorry to hear about your problems. I send my best wishes for a quick and full recovery. Thank you , that's very kind of you to say that. Listen to what this guy says. Search his channel for Elegoo, Neptune and 3D to find other relevant stuff. Yes, I liked Robert's very down to earth appproach to looking at things - a kindred soul in that yes for me a 3DP will be another tool in the box, albeit probably one of the more complex ones I've had of late, but then again I cut my teeth on MS-DOS, dial up modems and command line stuff and have survived to tell the tale! With this sort of technology, it's a bit like the microcomputer boom in the'80s. The best thing you can do is get the same one as everybody else, then there will always be plenty of help when you need it. Like ebikes, if you have a niche model, you're on your own when it comes to problems, so my advice is to get the most popular printer in your price range. I couldn't agree more - a few years back I bought a Nissan Elgrand for a campervan conversion, a vehicles only ever made for the Japanese Domestic Market and as such technical info was scarce - fortunately the Elgrand owners club, an online forum proved invaluable With that experience in mind I've pressed the button for the Elegoo Neptune Pro3 as it seems to have a large community. I have three projects on the go at the moment. Unfortunately two of them are a bit secret. If I show you the stuff, it might give away the secrets. Fot the third project, I've made a battery enclosure, and I'm now working on the controller box/battery mount and lock mechanism. I also made a bracket to hold my TSDZ LCD to the stem cap. TSDZ - that's a bit of a revelation - can't wait for the great reveal.
October 18, 20232 yr Author Thank you , that's very kind of you to say that. Yes, I liked Robert's very down to earth appproach to looking at things - a kindred soul in that yes for me a 3DP will be another tool in the box, albeit probably one of the more complex ones I've had of late, but then again I cut my teeth on MS-DOS, dial up modems and command line stuff and have survived to tell the tale! I couldn't agree more - a few years back I bought a Nissan Elgrand for a campervan conversion, a vehicles only ever made for the Japanese Domestic Market and as such technical info was scarce - fortunately the Elgrand owners club, an online forum proved invaluable With that experience in mind I've pressed the button for the Elegoo Neptune Pro3 as it seems to have a large community. TSDZ - that's a bit of a revelation - can't wait for the great reveal. It's all in this thread: https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/new-project-started.46218/
October 18, 20232 yr I'm limiting myself to a printer of sub £200 Personally I wouldn't do that, you may well get a sub-optimal experience that will put you off 3DP, as mentioned support forums are very important, go with a known brand with support channels If you want to buy new then spend £300+ and/or look at some of the new Creality models. Or pickup something like a CR6 SE second hand or end of line, they are excellent printers with huge community support, so much that a custom firmware exists that improves the UI hugely as well as giving UI eSteps calibration, auto bed-levelling etc. Don't believe the hype re plug'n'play 3D printers....yet to see one that can auto clean out a hotend clog... ;-)
October 18, 20232 yr Either way, great you're getting in to the 3D design aspect, however don't underestimate the printer maintenance either, they have learning curves too.
October 18, 20232 yr Author Either way, great you're getting in to the 3D design aspect, however don't underestimate the printer maintenance either, they have learning curves too. I've never had to do any maintenance to mine yet. Just replace the empty rolls of filament. It does auto-feeding, so that's not exactly difficult. I guess something will wear out eventually. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. It can't be as difficult as an ebike.
October 18, 20232 yr I have changed my heated plate and nozzles. Not difficult at all. One of my two filament feeders has died. It's one of the reasons I am looking for a new printer.
October 19, 20232 yr With bambu labs entering the market recently, 3d printing is more accessible than ever. Their printers are nearly as easy to use as inkjet printers! and are much faster at printing than anything we have seen before. You might want to consider one. Otherwise, be prepared for lots of maintenance and tweaking.
October 19, 20232 yr Pressing a button on a £1000+ printer is not hobby 3DP,. When it goes wrong do you have to call the photocopy/technician guy to fix it for you? What does pressing a button teach you? Not how to 3D print. Or slice. Or how 3D printers work. Or how to calibrate them, replace parts then dial them in. Or anything really.
October 19, 20232 yr They can be had for £400-600 and just work. by that logic no one should press a button on anything they cannot fix.
October 19, 20232 yr The guy in post 53 doesn't want to spend £400-600. Given they are mechanical and involve hot filament something going wrong is only a matter of time.
October 19, 20232 yr I haven't yet got 3D printer but for my first cheaper foray in to it I was looking at this one. Creality 3D Ender-3 3D Printer 780437202511 | eBay One can always buy a better one later but if it doesn't suit ones needs or finds it not their liking then at least a large amount of funds isn't wasted on trying to re sell it at a loss.
October 19, 20232 yr Buy a cheaper printer and you will need to learn it mechanically inside and out and learn how to replace mechanical and electronic components when they clog/fail etc. This will put off the majority of users who don't have the time, inkling or skills. The Ender linked above is a prime example of this, it's a great little printer (loads of online support) when it's dialled in or an absolute nightmare to get anything to print (badly setup) so printer is returned/sold/stored in loft by it's owner. Edited October 19, 20232 yr by portals
October 19, 20232 yr fwiw ive dabbled in tinkercad twice now with specific and basic requirements, Both times i landed in youtube getting schooled by children.. humbling but rewarding..
October 19, 20232 yr I have changed my heated plate and nozzles. Not difficult at all. One of my two filament feeders has died. It's one of the reasons I am looking for a new printer. You should be able to buy a spare and swap out the defective extruder? What printer do you have?
October 19, 20232 yr I have an old Replicator 4. It's just not worth buying a replacement extruder. I still use the remaining good extruder. My main problem is I cannot print any thing taller than 3cm, I think the print detaches itself through vibration.
October 20, 20232 yr Some people buy iPhones or Samsung's latest (I buy Oppo or Doogee): Some people buy new cars (I go for ones well and truly run in) and then there's ebikes costing thousands (my bike and conversion was just under £500) and I've never been let down or disappointed with my purchases so that's why I've gone for an entry level 3dp that on launch one year ago was around $80/35% more than today's price ( because the next model with more bells and whistles is now out). Will my purchase break on me or be less than perfect? I expect so at some time/point but I shall thoroughly enjoy fixing/finding out more about these things. Tinkercad - what a great tool that is and now I'm looking into Slicer s/w, Klipper, gcode, Octapi and so on and postie hasn't even delivered the printer box yet (PS for newbie 3dp'ers: you don't need to get involved with all the above to get printing, it's just that I'm an inveterate tinkerer!).
October 20, 20232 yr Author Some people buy iPhones or Samsung's latest (I buy Oppo or Doogee): Some people buy new cars (I go for ones well and truly run in) and then there's ebikes costing thousands (my bike and conversion was just under £500) and I've never been let down or disappointed with my purchases so that's why I've gone for an entry level 3dp that on launch one year ago was around $80/35% more than today's price ( because the next model with more bells and whistles is now out). Will my purchase break on me or be less than perfect? I expect so at some time/point but I shall thoroughly enjoy fixing/finding out more about these things. Tinkercad - what a great tool that is and now I'm looking into Slicer s/w, Klipper, gcode, Octapi and so on and postie hasn't even delivered the printer box yet (PS for newbie 3dp'ers: you don't need to get involved with all the above to get printing, it's just that I'm an inveterate tinkerer!). It's going to make you very happy.
October 20, 20232 yr postie hasn't even delivered the printer box yet What did you buy, an Ender, new or second hand? If it's the latter hopefully you'll get a good one that the previous donk owner gave up on so should be in decent nick. Start at the start though, buy a fresh roll of branded PLA/PLA+ such as Sunlu/Eryone/Jayo/eSun and get it dialled-in before moving on to more advanced topics such as Octopi etc. Don't skimp on cheap unbranded PLA and keep it dry in a sealed bag with a moisture pad, damp filament is a nightmare to print.
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