3D printing

[paul73]

I've been using the regular Priline carbon fiber polycarbonate for years. It's no miracle matetial but it seems pretty tough, definitely won't soften in the hot sun like PLA and prints easily. I was suprised how quickly it wore a brass nozzle. I need to try their Superhard as I've always wished the regular stuff was stiffer.

i was playing with superhard for a couple of days now.
so, i run on a non-modified firmware, so the max nozzle temp i can set is 260 deg. it seems to work ok-ish.

the stuff sticks well to the baseplate, best with a brim printed. the issue i see is the layers adhesion. it seems to be printing best with a standard 'super quality -0.12' profile, i set plate to 105deg, and it seems to go ok this way. only customizations that did not seem to mess up the results are 'infill layer thickness' set to 0.4 and supports set to a 'tree'. fan at 0.

The issue with other speeds - standard at 0.2 etc begins with long single lines/strings that get ripped off with attempts to print on top or layers just disconnecting. the print that goes now seems to look very solid, compared to 0.2 ones. takes forever, of course.

amazon is delaying delivery of the enclosure, so, will see if with the enclosure higher internal temps in it will make 0.2 layers prints stable. 0.12 layers seem to be melting into one another properly.

also curious that issues with layers adhesion were never apparent for tree support structures - only for the model actual walls. filament is fed from a sunlu drier running at 55 deg.

 

[Kevin_NH]

so, i run on a non-modified firmware, so the max nozzle temp i can set is 260 deg. it seems to work ok-ish.

the stuff sticks well to the baseplate, best with a brim printed. the issue i see is the layers adhesion. it seems to be printing best with a standard 'super quality -0.12' profile, i set plate to 105deg, and it seems to go ok this way. only customizations that did not seem to mess up the results are 'infill layer thickness' set to 0.4 and supports set to a 'tree'. fan at 0.

The issue with other speeds - standard at 0.2 etc begins with long single lines/strings that get ripped off with attempts to print on top or layers just disconnecting. the print that goes now seems to look very solid, compared to 0.2 ones. takes forever, of course.

amazon is delaying delivery of the enclosure, so, will see if with the enclosure higher internal temps in it will make 0.2 layers prints stable. 0.12 layers seem to be melting into one another properly.

Safe to assume your "infill layer thickness" is an exact multiple of your layer thickness? e.g if layers are 0.12 then infill thickness could be 0.12, 0.24 or (maybe) 0.36.

PC is one of those filaments which are going to suck to print without a good enclosure, especially at the lower end of the temperature range and higher speeds/extrusion rates.

 

[paul73]

Safe to assume your "infill layer thickness" is an exact multiple of your layer thickness? e.g if layers are 0.12 then infill thickness could be 0.12, 0.24 or (maybe) 0.36.

PC is one of those filaments which are going to suck to print without a good enclosure, especially at the lower end of the temperature range and higher speeds/extrusion rates.

yeah, it is .36 now, from the project i just looked at. amazon updated on the enclosure, seems like may be tomorrow.

 

[pastera]

If you are getting poor layer adhesion then you can try three things
1 Raise the temperature but too high gives you oozing and stringing
2 lower your speed
3 lower your layer height

All three work to transfer more heat from the layer you are currently printing into the layer underneath helping them to melt together.

A draft shield might also help keep heat in the part but I haven't used one to see how well they work.

I haven't seen any utility in messing with infill layer thickness. If you are trying to minimize print time on a large number of thebsameor similar parts then optimizing infill layer height could save time.

 

[paul73]

I haven't seen any utility in messing with infill layer thickness

it cuts down print time, a lot.

 

[pastera]

it cuts down print time, a lot.

I normally crank up infill speed if I want to get things going faster but nothing is slower than a fast failed print.
I also have a X5SA that is much faster so the Ender gets used mostly for TPU.

 

[scheming]

i was playing with superhard for a couple of days now.
so, i run on a non-modified firmware, so the max nozzle temp i can set is 260 deg. it seems to work ok-ish.

also curious that issues with layers adhesion were never apparent for tree support structures - only for the model actual walls. filament is fed from a sunlu drier running at 55 deg.

I totally forgot about this since I haven't run a stock Ender in a long time. But the white teflon tube that comes with the printer... it's shite. It off gasses VOC once it gets near 230c and burns soon after. Which mean the end of the tube at the hot end is probably black and charred, and more importantly, swollen. It'll induce clogging and underextrusion when you print fast or thick layers. The genuine blue Capricorn ptfe tube is good to ~260c and then does the same as above. Your best solution is to get an all metal hotend (or just an all metal throat) and you can hit 300c+ easily and safely.

Is the sunlu dryer the S1 or S2? The S1 is notorious for registering wrong temps and run cooler, as the idiot designers stuck the thermistor next to the heating element and not include a fan inside.

And best of luck with the PC. I haven't ventured far from PETG yet. Show us some of your prints!

 

[paul73]

I totally forgot about this since I haven't run a stock Ender in a long time. But the white teflon tube that comes with the printer... it's shite. It off gasses VOC once it gets near 230c and burns soon after. Which mean the end of the tube at the hot end is probably black and charred, and more importantly, swollen. It'll induce clogging and underextrusion when you print fast or thick layers. The genuine blue Capricorn ptfe tube is good to ~260c and then does the same as above. Your best solution is to get an all metal hotend (or just an all metal throat) and you can hit 300c+ easily and safely.

Is the sunlu dryer the S1 or S2? The S1 is notorious for registering wrong temps and run cooler, as the idiot designers stuck the thermistor next to the heating element and not include a fan inside.

And best of luck with the PC. I haven't ventured far from PETG yet. Show us some of your prints!

I am on capricorn tubes and steel nozzle and now got an enclosure and it seems to work very well for PC.
The little sunlu thing I noticed to run kinda cold, but it seems to be getting top of a spool to about 40-45 at 55 setting. I think it is enough now considering top of enclosure gets warm from a baseplate.

Will play with it a bit more before doing any more upgrades, last 2 24hr projects finished ok, so, will see.

 

[NH Phantom]

I normally crank up infill speed if I want to get things going faster but nothing is slower than a fast failed print.
I also have a X5SA that is much faster so the Ender gets used mostly for TPU.

How are you liking that x5sa printer?

 

[namedpipes]

I can't level the frigging print surface to save my life, so it doesn't really matter what I use for filament...

 

[paul73]

I can't level the frigging print surface to save my life, so it doesn't really matter what I use for filament...

for my ender 3 that $40 leveling sensor was a life saver thing. i am very happy i got it.
i still leveled it well, when it measures it shows corners at 5.6mm, 5.7, 5.7 and 5.8mm. close enough. it prints good and i do not touch it.
it also helped to swap out stock springs for yellow flat ones.

 

[pastera]

How are you liking that x5sa printer?

I got the Pro version for $289 shipped
For that price it's a great deal
The stock firmware I got was essentially unusable so I built my own Marlin build for it. Now they have Marlin builds.
The inductive bed leveling is workable but swapping to a BL Touch makes things much easier.
Glass bed is cheap - they sell 2 as a package so you don't need to let the bed cool so the parts release when doing sequential prints.

Looks like Amazon has the pro with a glass bed for $380 right now
That has the "updated" capacitive sensor that works better than the inductive (but an actual touch sensor is most accurate)

Pros
Fast
Large print volume
Filament sensor
Easy to enclose
Decent customer support (I had a part with a stripped thread and they replaced it easily)

Cons
Not as much community support
Need to know which end os a wrench to hold when assembling (directions suck)
Chitu firmware has a few nice options but overall sucks.

If you like to tinker and already have some experience it's a decent printer but not something for a first timer who isn't handy.

 

[paul73]

Amazon has the pro with a glass bed for $380

to me that whole family of devices was jsut too confusing to even to begin messing with, as it always shows on amazon with such a price delta - you got to know very well what the heck are they and what the diffs are. and i do not know, and not sure i want to know - delta from $399 to $594. a $594, really? well, may be for those who need it.
a $150 was way nicer - and i am very grateful for that tip, btw.

plus, as i got it now in the enclosure and, hopefully, as fire safe as it gets - i do not care how slow it prints as long as it prints well.
i really think this ender 3 v2 is as a sweet spot for small home printing as it gets, with the upgrades i did to it.

 

[pastera]

I can't level the frigging print surface to save my life, so it doesn't really matter what I use for filament...

Which printer?
Easiest to use a 0.002" feeler gauge and push/pull - get the tension so it just starts to buckle when you push it.

If you are using a flexible print surface then you need to manually mesh the bed if the plate isn't flat - but you likely need to flash custom firmware to do it.
If you have a creality printer with the 32 bit motherboard just spend the money on a touch probe. The BL touch clones are super cheap. the CR touch is better quality but cost $40

 

[pastera]

I can't level the frigging print surface to save my life, so it doesn't really matter what I use for filament...

If you are coming to the casting seminar bring your printer and we'll get that squared away too

 

[namedpipes]

If you are coming to the casting seminar bring your printer and we'll get that squared away too

Hmm. When is this?

The printer is a four or five year old a8 clone. I use a feeler gauge with about the same success as a sheet of paper. I have a leveling sensor to try but been so long since I tinkered with the printer I'll have to redo the learning curve. I might just buy a new commercial printer that isn't a kit

 

[pastera]

Hmm. When is this?

The printer is a four or five year old a8 clone. I use a feeler gauge with about the same success as a sheet of paper. I have a leveling sensor to try but been so long since I tinkered with the printer I'll have to redo the learning curve. I might just buy a new commercial printer that isn't a kit

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A8 is the same size as an Ender3
Just building new firmware that allows you to adjust z offset on the fly makes life a lot easier.

 

[scheming]

Ooof. The A8 is hot garbage. The most infamous of the spontaneous-combust printers. Hopefully the clones are better.

Printers have come so far in the last 3 years, you can get really good prints from sub-$200 printers quite easily

 

[pastera]

Ooof. The A8 is hot garbage. The most infamous of the spontaneous-combust printers. Hopefully the clones are better.

Printers have come so far in the last 3 years, you can get really good prints from sub-$200 printers quite easily

New firmware with thermal runaway is free so that's where to start
But I agree, pretty much anything modern is going to be better.
If Microcenter still has the $99 Ender 3 deal then I would suggest just tossing the A8 but it's always easy to spend other people's money

 

[paul73]

the $99 Ender 3 deal

i understood that was a lousy deal. with that base ender 3 pro you need to swap out, well, pretty much everything? bed, board, power supply is vertical with that infamous combusting to flames fake xt60 connector.
ender 3 v2 has all this shit fixed, very well fixed, and for $161.82 plus $10 tax.

 

[pastera]

I'll agree with the connector but the rest?
Nothing wrong with the 4.2.2 board. It's not the silent board but it does then job fine.
Bed? I agree that glass is a better surface for most people but what's the problem with the bed

 

[scheming]

New firmware with thermal runaway is free so that's where to start
But I agree, pretty much anything modern is going to be better.
If Microcenter still has the $99 Ender 3 deal then I would suggest just tossing the A8 but it's always easy to spend other people's money

Prob. But I never had one, so no idea if poor firmware was the only issue. Just read lots of horror stories online. I have the A8+ I got for $99. Absolute , with their gantry design that bends z rods.

Both Ender 3s are good. If you live in an apartment or don't have separate space to home a printer, the E3P can be annoying with the beeps and whining noise after awhile. $35 for a new silent board and $40 for a more robust meanwell PSU, and you're better off with the v2. But if you don't care for those and just want to print on the cheap, the $99 deal is near unbeatable.

 

[pastera]

Prob. But I never had one, so no idea if poor firmware was the only issue. Just read lots of horror stories online. I have the A8+ I got for $99. Absolute , with their gantry design that bends z rods.

Both Ender 3s are good. If you live in an apartment or don't have separate space to home a printer, the E3P can be annoying with the beeps and whining noise after awhile. $35 for a new silent board and $40 for a more robust meanwell PSU, and you're better off with the v2. But if you don't care for those and just want to print on the cheap, the $99 deal is near unbeatable.

In an apartment the silent board is a great option.
I have a basement room to print from so silent isn't a concern

 

[paul73]

In an apartment the silent board is a great option.
I have a basement room to print from so silent isn't a concern

the board in printer i got makes no noises at all. it is a 32bit 4.2.2 board, i think. well, whatever. the fans are noisy, but, now in the enclosure - none of that matters. all i hear is some remote hum of the fan, but it`s greatly subdued.

 

[pastera]

the board in printer i got makes no noises at all. it is a 32bit 4.2.2 board, i think. well, whatever. the fans are noisy, but, now in the enclosure - none of that matters. all i hear is some remote hum of the fan, but it`s greatly subdued.

The silent one is 4.2.7 but the 4.2.2 is much quieter than the old 8-bit

 

[paul73]

The silent one is 4.2.7 but the 4.2.2 is much quieter than the old 8-bit

yeah, i did not dig too much into that. the name of the item on amazon was
'Creality Ender 3 V2 3D Printer Upgraded Silent Motherboard MeanWell Power Supply and Carborundum Glass Platform Resume Print, Comes with 1.75mm Filament Print Size 8.66x8.66x9.84 inch'

but the board had 4.2.2 written on it when i opened it. go figure. still, it made no hi-pitch or any noises with steppers running.
or may be i got sufficiently deaf, it is also possible. should have asked kids if they heard anything.

 

[scheming]

The silent one is 4.2.7 but the 4.2.2 is much quieter than the old 8-bit

but the board had 4.2.2 written on it when i opened it. go figure. still, it made no hi-pitch or any noises with steppers running.

You're both right actually.
The 4.2.2 board comes in 2 varieties, silent and non-silent. Yes, they have 2 different boards under 1 model name.
E3Pro 4.2.2 is NOT silent
E3v2 4.2.2 is silent

4.2.7 is the silent E3v2 board, but packaged for retail sale only. Does not come inside any printers.

 

[paul73]

You're both right actually.
The 4.2.2 board comes in 2 varieties, silent and non-silent. Yes, they have 2 different boards under 1 model name.
E3Pro 4.2.2 is NOT silent
E3v2 4.2.2 is silent

4.2.7 is the silent E3v2 board, but packaged for retail sale only. Does not come inside any printers.

it`s like - you would think it cannot be more confusing than it is already is, yet, wait - it does!
but, it works. i used an aeroshell anti-seize gun grease on the z bolt, btw, it seems to fit there very well as a lube.
at least i have now something to use it on, as this half ounce jar would last me probably over 10000 barrel replacements.

 

[scheming]

it`s like - you would think it cannot be more confusing than it is already is, yet, wait - it does!
but, it works. i used an aeroshell anti-seize gun grease on the z bolt, btw, it seems to fit there very well as a lube.
at least i have now something to use it on, as this half ounce jar would last me probably over 10000 barrel replacements.

Wait until you find out there are 5 variants of the 4.2.2 board, each with different stepper drivers
C = HR4998
E = A4988
A = TMC2208
B = TMC2209
H = TMC2225


Never used aeroshell, just know they're pricey but good stuff. I just use bike chain lube on my z rod.

 

[paul73]

Wait until you find out there are 5 variants of the 4.2.2 board, each with different stepper drivers
C = HR4998
E = A4988
A = TMC2208
B = TMC2209
H = TMC2225


Never used aeroshell, just know they're pricey but good stuff. I just use bike chain lube on my z rod.

it is an anti-seize for ar10 and ar15 barrel nuts. well, can be used on bike chains too, but, gets expensive. generally, it is an awesome thing for any thread lubrication.

this whole thing is really only starts to mature, with those 3d printers, i guess it will all get formalized and closed down from open source to proprietary builds soon enough. like amateur drones eventually ended up with the DJI running the show money wise. i think i jumped into it at a right time - it is not locked down yet, but already mature enough to actually work, mostly, as expected.