(Part 2) Best products from r/3Dprinting

Hi people, longtime lurker first-time commenter!

(Incoming wall of text. Just trying to be thorough!)

​

I'm looking to buy a new dual extrusion 3D printer; specifically one that can support soluble support materials such as HIPS or PVA. High layer resolutions are preferred (~<0.1mm) but are not absolutely necessary.

• Budget: $1000 max; prefer staying within the $300-800 range. Amazon strongly preferred but printers sold directly from the manufacturer are okay as well.
  
• Location: US
  
• Pre-builts or kits are both fine. I work for my college's 3D printing lab so technical maintenance is not an issue. Although I would prefer not having to go through extensive modifications on the printer (i.e. printing new spool holders or installing a glass plate is fine, but replacing the motherboard and installing 10 new cooling fans is not).
  
• The printer is for personal use. I currently own the MP Select Mini v2 and love the high detail it provides. However, a lot of parts I'm interested in printing/designing are unprintable w/o the aforementioned support material or resin-based machinery.
  
• SLA/DLP/Polyjet 3D printing is not an option unfortunately. Spacing, high ventilation, and waste removal restrictions prevent me from jumping onto that fun wagon for now.
  
• The printer must be Cura/Simplify3D/Slic3r compatible (basically no proprietary only software; gcode is the go to).
  
  I've currently looked into several newer printers but can't figure out which one is likely the most reliable:
  
  

1. BIBO Dual Extruder and Laser Engraver - $829: I don't recognize this company and I'm still not sure why there's a laser engraver in the device but I won't complain (although this does raise some flags regarding safety). It seems to check all the boxes with dual extrusion, open-source slicers, 0.05mm layer res, etc., but it is a bit pricey and uses firmware I have yet to see on a 3D printer before (if anyone can elaborate on the firmware's reliability or whether it could be flashed w/ Marlin please do!).
   
2. Flashforge Dreamer - $799: Fully enclosed and working right out of the box is nice, but I know Flashforge really likes to push their Flashprint software (although reviewers state it is Simplify3D compatible so let me know if other open-source slicers work!). Product description states it can only print from 0.1-0.2mm, however.
   
3. Monoprice Dual Extruder (Fully Enclosed) - $799: I am partial to the Monoprice brand simply because all my experience with their devices were always excellent. This printer comes with some nice additions such as Auto-Resume features and print monitoring. However it pretty much requires separate spool holders (unless you buy small 200g spools from their website) and recommends its proprietary slicing software. Whether or not this device supports Cura is not confirmed in what few reviews exist for this machine.
   
4. FlashForge Creator Pro - $670: Another Flashforge machine which has all the same quirks as the Dreamer albeit for a slightly older model at a cheaper price. Uses buttons instead of a touch screen which is just a minor gripe. May have wiring issues according to some negative reviewers which is a big safety concern if true. Supports Simplify3D according to the product description but has no mention of Cura which makes this an iffy buy for me.
   
5. QIDI TECH X-Pro - $699: A company I haven't heard much about but I know they make budgety 3D printers (relatively speaking). High layer resolution like the BIBO and has Cura support (although it provides a modified version of it with a lot of options disabled according to reviewers). Firmware is also iffy and the printer may not have the highest build quality making this likely a no-go.
   
   These are pretty much all the printers I have found. Devices that merge two filaments into a single extruder are unpreferred as they are pretty iffy when printing with two different types of materials and need to create purge blocks really increases print time. Right now I'm learning towards the BIBO but would like to hear more about the device.
   
   If anyone has any other recommendations or additional experience with dual extruder 3D printers let me know!
   
   ​
   
   (P.S. I accidentally turned this comment into a wall of text as there was only so much information I could find on reliable, (relatively) affordable dual extrusion 3D printing. Maybe some would be willing to collaborate to make a post covering more info so others don't have to look so far!)

Friend, you may have just sold me on a prusa. At $749, it is pretty close the $1400 qidi max printer, at almost half the price. I always thought I rigid frame was better. I just remembered back in march you and I exchanged a number of messages back when I was just getting started with the Qidi. I appreciate you taking the time! I really ideally would like something that is a one square foot of print area, as an upgrade from the 6x6 inch bed I currently have. The gcreate printers look pretty sweet, but yes expensive. Great time on the oil maintenance for Qidi, I will do this as well. The chinese prusa immitator I've been looking at on Amazon is about $379, and has decent reviews, the best part is the bed is 12x12x12, so the build volume is pretty massive here . Does the Prusa printer include its own slicer? The material upgrade looks awesome, so many possibilities!

I'm pretty new to this too, I bought my Ender 3 Pro around the same time as you. Quiet printing is pretty high on my list as well as being able to print high-temp exotic filaments in the long term while maintaining reliability.

First upgrades I purchased were stiffer bed springs so I would be less likely to throw the bed out of level while removing prints or working around the printer and Capricorn XS tube since it has a more consistent internal diameter, fits closer to the filament, and can work with slightly higher temps. I also picked up a pack of bowden couplers recently as I noticed the end nearest the extruder is sliding past the coupler jaws on de/retraction; don't worry about that unless it's an issue for you. That's about $30 alone since I don't have a supply shop locally and have to order those parts in bulk. I had a Pi 3B laying around unused and flashed Octoprint onto it. Highly recommended. I have a replacement Noctua hotend fan, buck converters, and 5015 blower on order to quiet the fan noise; about $32. Just replaced the Meanwell psu fan with a 60x25mm Noctua I had lying around (Note: there may be better options in the 92-120mm range to replace part of the PSU housing, but that's what I had laying around). Next upgrade coming is the SKR Mini E3 with TMC 2209 drivers ($28) to eliminate almost all of the stepper noise. Also looking into a replacement for the control board fan and some vibration isolating feet for the frame. As far as higher temp printing I haven't made a lot of progress aside from buying a titanium all-metal heat brake ($11) winch I have yet to install or inspect, and looking into enclosure and electronics relocation avenues.

Either way the mods I purchased came in at around $100 US which should quiet the printer and help with reliability. Also looking into picking up a good M3-M4 bolt kit if any exist in the US.

Here are some links to the things I picked up and will, which may be helpful if you're in the US. Mostly from Amazon.

Type | Name | Link | Price
---|---|----|----
Reliability | 8mm x 20mm yellow springs | Link | $6.98
Reliability | Capricorn XS Tubing | Link | $11.49
Reliability | PC4-M6 / PC4-M10 Pneumatic Bowden Fittings | Link | $11.99
Silence | Noctua 40mm x 10mm 3-pin fan | Link | $13.95
Silence/Various | LM2596 Adjustable Buck Converters | Link | $10.95
Silence | 24v 5015 Radial Ball Bearing Fans | Link | $7.19
Silence/Various | SKR Mini E3 w/ TMC 2209 drivers | Link | $28.81
High Temp | Titanium All-Metal Heat Brake | Link | $11.52
TOTAL: $102.88 US + Tax

Parts already purchased/ bought with printer

Type | Name | Link | Price
---|---|----|----
Reliability/High Temp | OEM Ender 3 Glass Bed | Link | $20
Reliability | Feeler Guage Set | Link | $5
Reliability | 608zz Bearings, using with this(My Remix), this, and this, though I like this design a bit better | Link | $5.98
QoL Improvement | Raspberry Pi 3B w/ Octoprint | Link | $34.46
Silence | Noctua 60mm x 25mm 3-pin fan, goes with this mod | Link | $14.95
TOTAL: $80.39 US + Tax

Future planned upgrades

• Bl Touch (Note: if you have a Pi you don't need a separate ISP to flash a bootloader to the stock Melzi control board)
  
  
• Extruder | Zesty Nimble, Bondtech BMG, or SeeMeCNC EZR
  
  
• Cooling Duct | Either Smooth Fang or Hero Me Gen 3 in PETG/ABS
  
  
• Direct Drive | Kit or Printed (this, this, or this)
  
  
• Electronics relocation enclosure and wiring (need to research this more)
  
  
• Vibration Isolation Feet with Yellow Dot Squash Balls
  
  
• Linear rails (maybe)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MUAMRN7/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

upgraded carriage plate, should be one of the first things you do, the stock one is flimsy and prone to warping, making the print bed extremely hard to level reliably.

https://www.amazon.com/Micro-Hotend-SLOTTED-Cooling-Wanhao/dp/B01E1HANLS/ref=sr_1_fkmr3_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497736485&sr=8-1-fkmr3&keywords=i3+plus+all+metal+hotend

all metal hotend will enable you to print at much higher temp, and increase reliability of the print head. not strictly needed, but a great upgrade if you want to print abs, petg, or other higher temp filaments.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HCVJ3K2/ref=sxr_rr_xsim_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=3008523062&pd_rd_wg=sUxZ5&pf_rd_r=W5Q7RV181EJYGTBW4YDJ&pf_rd_s=desktop-rhs-carousels&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B01HCVJ3K2&pd_rd_w=ZPXZq&pf_rd_i=tri+gorilla&pd_rd_r=F2X8G4XDPCVTNXX6J560&ie=UTF8&qid=1497736655&sr=1

heater bed mosfet upgrade. again, not strictly needed, but also useful for high temp filaments like abs, as you can run the heated bed at higher temps. also solves (small possibility, i3 plus supposedly fixed issue) of stock mosfet burning out and catching fire.

https://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=i3+plus+cooler&sa=&dwh=295945a7ab3d0cd

print a cooling fan shroud, i use the ciiicooler, the diiicooler is great as well. preferably in abs. BIG quality improvement, the stock fan is useless.

these are some of the ones i use, and there's a lot of other things you can do, extruder gear, improved bearings, too many to count really, just a matter of how far you want to go for incremental gains. the carriage plate and the cooling fan shroud are the only strictly necessary ones though.

oh and i made my own version of this z-brace, don't have the files anymore unfortunately, but this one is fine:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1653631

that's also something you should do asap.

Congrats, just got mine 2 months ago.

SeeMeCNC forums are awesome. Start reading every new post.

Best upgrade I've done: PEI Bed

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013HKZTA
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007Y7D5NQ

~$30 in upgrades; all my prints stick and pop off with ease. Also, the underside of every part is glassy and smooth. So good.

Buy "feeler gages" to assist with leveling the bed.

http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-Proto-J000AA-Master-Feeler/dp/B001HWDOK8/

My bed leveling process is kinda like this:

• Set the Z=0 spot, should be where you feel friction when pulling a single, blank piece of printer paper between the nozzle and print bed.
  
  
• Edit the radius of swing in the EEPROM settings per the instructions (I missed this the first time through).
  
  
• Setup and run the tower calibration script.
  
  
• Figure out what the gap is for the central point with the feeler gages; mine was between .006" and .007" (.006" fit, .007" didn't).
  
  
• Now use those "Go" and "No-Go" gages to check the three tower points.
  
  
• If you need to adjust all three towers in the same direction, change the EEPROM radius instead, 0.2 steps.
  
  
• Every few tower calibration runs, re-calibrate the Z=0 point. It will shift as you move screws and change EEPROM settings.
  
  Let's see, what else. If you can spare the cash, I moved to Simplify3d for all my slicing needs ($100~$150 for the license). Love it. If you can't afford it, maybe you'll find a way.
  
  Also, get ready to do a bajillion calibration runs. I mean it, don't be in a rush.
  
  Find a nice 20mm box off thingiverse or whatever, and you're gonna want to print that repeatedly while you dial in your settings. Once that's set, move on to the hollow pyramid, or the 5mm stairs.
  
  I seriously printed at least 20 of each of these while I dialed in my settings:
  
  
• Extrusion Multiplier
  
• Retraction Settings
  
• Speed
  
• Infill, Outline Overlap
  
• Printing temp
  
• etcetcetc
  
  ASAP, move over to PLA. Prints so much nicer for me than ABS.
  
  Oh, before you go to PLA, make sure you print 3x of the layer fans housings (not just 1x) and order up 2 more of the "squirrel cage" fans (centrifugal fans) from SeeMeCNC. edit: I spliced the single pair of layer-fan wires into three right at the connectors, I didn't bother running extra wire for them.
  
  Oh, and one other big improvement I made was putting connectors in-line with the hot-end and for all the fans. This way, if I have to replace a fan or upgrade the hot-end I don't have to cut and splice wires, I can just pop it off and connectorize another new one. Here are the connectors I used:
  
  
• Hot end, high-current lines
  
• Crimp tool
  
• 1 2 3 4 for the lower-current fan lines and thermistor lines.
  
  That was probably too much info -- just take your time and try not to get frustrated while you get things all set up. It is not a plug-'n-play object, it requires care and feeding.
  
  ... oh, and have fun! Whatcha gonna print?

Hey! Welcome. I also just bought my ender 3 pro as my first printer.

​

Here's a great place to start https://all3dp.com/1/20-must-creality-ender-3-upgrades-mods/

​

​

So far I've done the following upgrades:

1: Metal Extruder. 100% necessary and MUCH easier to do during initial assembly rather than an upgrade. I got mine form Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07J44QW8B/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

2. 2020 Filament Guide:

You can find this on Thingiverse and is about a hour long print. It actually made a noticeable different in some salmon skin issues I had in my first couple of prints.

​

3. Springs:

These just arrived today so I'm not sure how much they will help but one of the main causes of my failed prints so far as been issues with leveling and some of the stock springs I can see are just no good.

​

4. TL Smoother:

Another upgrade I havent had a chance to set up yet. That said, my research has come across mixed results. Some people love them and some people Hate them.

​

I'm not sure about glass beds and all, the stock plate has been working pretty well for me. I think I'm going to try it alittle more before moving to a glass bed simply cause its a bit easier to maintain but it could be the next thing on my list. I've also been considering an auto-leveler (and ardunio) since it doesn't have that function and having to relevel, watch, pray, reset has already cost me a couple hours of print time.

​

I'm not familiar with ESUN PLA+, I've been using https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J0GMMP6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and am very happy with it so far.

​

Best of luck with your printing!!

Hi, Im new to owning a 3D printer but have done several different prints at my college.

• I am currently studying computer engineering and am planning on printing stuff with micro-controllers, robotics, small electronic components, and maybe some RC projects. Anything related to that sort of stuff.
  
• My budget is up to anything around $1000 ish. If i can save money tho then that would be a great perk.
  
• I live in the USA
  
• Im totally down to do a bit of assembling, especially if it involves saving a little $$$
  
  I have been doing a lot of researching my self on 3d printing technologies. One of the things Ive noted is dual extrusion vs single extrusion. Also Ive heard a glass bed is very important?
  
  Ive read that dual extrusion can be good for certain applications like printing a structure with two materials, one which is dissolvable . Ive also read that dual extruders can have a tendency to cause a print to fail as the material can cool down in the extruder not being used. This then can cause issues when that printer extruder is used again within the same print as the material on the end does not heat up again properly?
  
  Ive looked at several good bang for the buck printers(on paper)
  
  
• Prusa i3 MK3(with multi material upgrade????) - Why is this printer mentioned...everywhere???? whats so good about it vs other printers?
  
• Flash forge 3D printer creater pro
  
• QIDI technology Xpro
  
• BIBO 3D??
  
  Please give me as much info as possible. I really don't have any experience with using different printers at all, and am really open to some good internet education. So please comment away :)

Seconding everything people have said here and want to add the following.
A glass bed with 10mil PEI from CS Hyde will do wonders for bed leveling.

Upgrade your Y plate as soon as possible, the stock one warps over enough time making bed leveling nearly impossible.

All metal hotend such as the micro swiss is amazing, no more clogged PTFE tubing, easier to clean if it does.

Z brace is a must, also print a fan cooler like the Diicooler on thingiverse. Replace the stock part cooling fan with a nice radial fan, plenty on amazon, make sure its 12v. This helps prints come out cleaner.

Yours should come with thumbwheels, if not, print some, bed leveling is easier with it.

Print some spring cups as well, keeps the springs straight and not bending when leveling the bed.

DO THE MOSFET MOD TO MAKE IT SAFE!

Watch this vid and do his printed mods https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tpcm4XEbP1Q&t=752s&list=PLyIdpN_zILcknsQzSZSiWhQ685NxkWsvD&index=2

Also, stay far far FAR away from Shaxon filament! It broke my hotend, check my post history to see the red glob of death I dealt with. I have had very good luck with eSun PLA.

Links for bought parts:
Fans: [here (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MJU6JR2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)]

Glass plate: [Here (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B2YLWF9/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)]

Hotend: [Here(https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E1HANLS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)]

Y plate: [Here (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B251KBS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)]

MOSFET: [here(https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HEQVQAK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)] and wires [here(https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017U6PGLO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)]

Just gonna go ahead and copy-paste this from elsewhere.

Congratulations on your first 3d printer!

To start, I'd follow whatever instructions come with the printer. If they're half decent, it should get everything setup and communicating with your computer. Once you can control the printer and get it moving around with simple commands, you can actually get started.

The most important thing to get a good print is your first layer. It's the only thing holding the print down, and if it isn't right then nothing else will be. The three big things you'll need to get right are your z heights, your bed material, and chemical adhesion aid.

To set your z heights, first heat up your printer, then put a piece of paper between the extruder and the bed, and then home your z-axis. If you can slide the paper between the nozzle and bed while still feeling some resistance of the nozzle, your heights are probably good. If the nozzle is pinching so hard that the paper just bunches up, you're too low, and if you can't feel the nozzle you're too high. This is also how you're going to check if your bed is level.

The second thing is bed material. If your z height seems good but your plastic isn't sticking, this is the next thing to investigate. Good printing surfaces include glass, painter's tape, kapton tape, aluminum, PEI, commercially available plates like BuildTac, or just the default print bed. Try different surfaces until you find one that works and that you like. I like painter's tape because it is disposable and I can tear it to pieces to get tricky prints off the bed.

The third thing is chemical adhesion. You can get some extra stick by treating your bed. The most popular adhesion aids are hairspray and glue sticks. ABS can also use ABS slurry, which is a mixture of ABS (usually failed prints or support material) and acetone. I use this hair spray. For a laugh, look at what other customers bought alongside this. It's all 3d printing stuff.

Once you get your printer working, I'd suggest you print out a test print or two, and if you're having major issues then come back to /r/3dprinting or /r/fixmyprint for some help.

As far as tools of the trade go, I'd make sure you have a pair of pliers or tweezers to handle hot plastic dribble from the extruder, a putty knife to help get prints off the bed and smooth tape down if you end up using it, all the screw drivers and allen wrenches that you need to tighten screws and bolts on your printer, and a set of calipers to measure prints and check that your printer is performing as necessary.

Not much really. The benefit of buying the mk2s is that you really don't need to modify or swap anything.


Here are a few things you might want in my opinion:

• You might want some different filaments. You can stick with the brands and types that Prusa includes printing profiles for, or for other brands and types you may have to do some testing to find the right print temperature, speed, cooling, etc. Reading up on that process is a good idea.
  
  
• A paint scraper can be helpful for removing prints from the print bed, just be careful not to scratch the print surface.
  
  
• Some rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol or window cleaner is what Prusa recommends to clean the PEI print bed. You can also use rubbing alcohol for this very cool trick to help loosen stuck prints
  
  
• A good set of calipers can be handy for measuring printed objects, measuring real-world objects you're trying to model things to fit, etc.
  
  
• bookmark some fun things on Thingiverse, MyMiniFactory, etc. that you'd like to print. Especially some small things that you can print quickly in your first few days/weeks with your printer that don't require painting, other parts, etc.
  
  
• I found my printer printed much better after I calibrated the Extruder and the Z-height. A decent extruder calibration process for the Prusa can be found here. The same site has some info on calibrating z-height, or I had good luck with this method. Mine was a kit though, so it's possible those are pre-calibrated with the assembled printer.
  
  
• You can buy different size and different material nozzles for the e3d hotend. Hardened steel nozzles are recommended for most of the filaments that have stuff embedded in them (carbon fiber, wood, etc) as those are really abrasive on the standard brass nozzle and can deform it internally,, causing later printing problems.
  
  
• Paint, sealant or epoxy can be useful for finishing up models. I haven't tried it myself, but I've seen pictures of some awesome results using this epoxy to give a smooth, hardened finish to your prints. Standard acrylic hobby paints are also great for color and pizzazz to your finished prints, especially more artsy stuff.

Hey all, Im looking to get back into 3d printing. I used to own the Davinci 2.0, great device but it needed a lot of patience. I had to give it up, loved the size and quality of prints werent bad. The bed was always off an axis and its really a full time hobby.

​

To the point, Im looking to spend the least possible but my max is around 500. I dont mind building. NYC. Mostly use for parts of my dioramas 12th scale to 64 scale and some figures like boats, cars, hats, guns, maybe even cosplay peices like guns haha.

​

What type of filament should i use? Id probably prefer resin but I dont mind if someone else recommends something greater. Ive been eyeing thephoton, especially at 358 right now.

Around $540. You can get it on amazon for $540 but you can also get them on ebay or aliexpress. Anycubic usually has one up for auction every week on ebay and I've seen them sell for $450-$480.

I like the fact that the photon doesn't need to be tethered like the D7 does (unless you spend extra on the control box) though there are a few other advantages like the clear panels to see inside, linear rails rather than rods. The main advantage of the D7 I have seen is the ability to control it using a raspberry pi and, it's more easily modified, and has a taller build volume.

Thanks! I used Hatchbox PLA in 'White'

Here's a link

https://www.amazon.com/HATCHBOX-3D-Filament-Dimensional-Accuracy/dp/B00J0GMMP6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1518840025&sr=8-4&keywords=hatchbox+pla


White works REALLY well for lithophanes, best color in my opinion! Best of luck, and thank you for taking the time to comment! :)

Thanks! I got my carriage plate from Amazon, this one specifically: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B251KBS

The buildtak that came on it was awesome for about 40 days or so of print time. No issues at all, everything stuck real nice but popped off easily with a woodworking chisel. Eventually it started to wear smooth, and the plate it's attached to started to warp pretty bad in the middle. That's when I switched to glass + gluestick. btw I put my glass right on top of the old buildtak rather than try to remove it because it was really stuck on there.

As for the carriage plate, things were good for around 70 days, but eventually what happened was the original plate bent up in the corners so bad that I wasn't able to keep the bed level for more than a single print, and then suddenly I couldn't level anything at all. Since installing the carriage plate, I haven't leveled it again yet.

I'm going to suck it up and print that dii cooler too lol. Might have a friend do my first one since he has awesome cooling already.

I have a sheet on both aluminum and glass. For for both I used 3M 468 adhesive. Works great, just be careful as it loves to stick to itself and once it's down you can't straighten it out.


I used this (Amazon link): [TapeCase 12" squares (pack of 6), Converted from 3M 468MP Adhesive Transfer Tape] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007Y7D5NQ/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_Ux1sxbDHBG4C0)


Make sure your build surface and PEI sheet are squeaky clean beforehand. Alcohol is your friend (rubbing, not drinking, though that's good too). Take your time laying down the adhesive to the PEI to minimize bubbles (there will be bubbles). Smooth it out as much as you can. You'll end up with a handful of larger bubbles still, but that's OK. Peel of the remaining sheet from the adhesive, and pop those suckers. I used an exacto knife and carefully scored the bubbles, then used a small piece of the discarded backing sheet to smooth them out. Now that that's done, carefully align and lay the stickified PEI sheet onto the aluminum bed. You only get one shot here, so make it work. What I did was lay one edge down and carefully push it down, keeping the farthest edge of the PEI up until the end. Take your time and keep bubbles to a minimum. Once your down, congrats. You now have a a super surface for printing.


Why all the stuff about bubble though? Well, hot air expands. This can cause minor warping of the PEI sheet as it warms up, and can mess up your first layers. You'll have some areas that might not go down smoothly, and others that the nozzle drags on. It's annoying. Trust me, I still need to redo my aluminum the right way.


Side note: if at all possible, I'd recommend getting a PEI sheet larger than your bed. Less work aligning it, then you can cut it to fit after putting it down. Drill holes through it afterwards, hell even counter sink it a bit. You'll have a nice looking print area afterwards!



...shit, time to order a 12in PEI sheet.

Couple of thoughts -

• Preheat the bed to the print temp before leveling. On my MSP, the bed rises considerably depending on whether it's hot or cold.
  
• When leveling, use printer paper. Business cards are too thick, you really want that nozzle close to the bed so it's smooshing that first layer down.
  
• Preheat the bed for several minutes before starting the print
  
  Also, it will cost you some money but replacing the Y carriage and adding a good glass plate help too. I'll edit this in a sec with the links.
  
  Edit!
  
  Glass bed: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B2YLWF9
  Y-carriage: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B251KBS
  
  I originally was using thermal pads between the glass and the print surface. Eventually I found I had better results by skipping the pads, peeling off the print surface, and putting the glass directly on the metal bed with small binder clips on the left and right edges. I use Elmer's purple glue sticks for adhesion and rough it up with a sanding block between prints. Make sure your Y axis rods are level, as well.
  
  Good luck!
  
  

If you enjoy tinkering then the Folger Tech i3 2020 is a pretty good printer and you can read my review of it here.

Get some Super Lube or other appropriate grease to pack the bearings with so that they don't fail on you like mine eventually did.

You will want to get a good set of metric hex keys as the vast majority of the screws are metric hex heads.

A soldering iron, 16g or better primary wire, and some solder are also a must as you will have to solder the leads to the heated bed so it can be connected to the RAMPS board.

Personally if I was to go back and build mine again I would toss the Mk2 heater PCB and use a Mk3 aluminum heated bed with a sheet of PEI on top from the start. It would have saved me both money and time troubleshooting both adhesion issues and the majorly warped heater PCB.

If you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask.

Here's my favorites!

Filament standoff arm to keep it from pulling straight down

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2917932

​

And Complimentary filament guide:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2894097

​

Ribbon Cable Clips:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2960375

​

I added an SD card ribbon because the micro SD location and size Sucks!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D9JIUU0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

Fan cover to get rid of upwards draft, and keep little bits of filament out of the fan:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2935204

​

Immediately replace that crappy Plastic extruder with any metal one off amazon.

​

Capricorn Bowden Tube:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079P92HN9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

Powder Coated PEI Magnetic Build sheet! (Priceless!)

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/trianglelab-235-X-235-ender-3-Double-sided-Textured-PEI-Spring-Steel-Sheet-Powder-Coated-PEI/33008374363.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.8.221538feJjwDlN&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_7_10065_10130_10068_10890_10547_319_10546_317_10548_10545_10696_453_10084_454_10083_10618_10307_537_536_10059_10884_10887_321_322_10103,searchweb201603_52,ppcSwitch_&algo_expid=04b2bf81-a9de-45c6-9ea4-23cf0e249943-1&algo_pvid=04b2bf81-a9de-45c6-9ea4-23cf0e249943&transAbTest=ae803_3

​

Change your fans over to Noctua fans, and the printer becomes nearly silent. (amazon)

​

I got an EZABL bed leveling kit. Doing BL Touch soon, but The EZABL has pre-configured firmware, which made life easy!

Raspberry pi zero W or 3B+ with octoprint is a must!

​

These got me into sexy print land pretty quick!

PEI, Polyethylenimine, is a type of plastic and you can buy it in various forms (including sheets). It's handy because it's nice and sticky to plastics like PLA when it's heated but releases well when it's at room temperature (a few taps along the edge of the base of the print releases most things). The only issue I've had with it is that TPU sticks a bit too well, but TPU's really best printed on a pure glass bed anyways.

I've got a sheet of PEI adhered to a glass sheet and clipped to my print bed. It works great.

For alternative resin I recommend Amazing Clear Cast for half the price; https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CVYNQ4U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Yf0.ybCXPKFN7

I've done this exact process with both clear resin and wood glue, they yield almost identical results but wood glue is one part, dries much faster, and is like 3 bucks for a huge bottle. When thickened with metal powder the wood glue fills cracks even better then one coat of resin.

"Wood glue dires rather than hardens"
I'm not sure why you'd need the part hardened?

"you can't rely on it being perfectly clear."
Wood glue is an opaque off-white color, it's obviously not clear. You mix enough metal powder in and then buff it with steel wool to a polished finish or use a patina.

I use the ADIMLAB gantry i3 pro. It is a workhorse and when tuned right can go for a month or more without needing maintenance. It is 370 usd and is HUGE. I use it for cosplay and am currently making a suit of iron man armor.

It is a great first time printer and I couldn’t recommend it more.

The customer support is amazing and couldn’t be better.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CPQQ57D/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_qlS1DbCFFAEB7

HATCHBOX 1.75mm White PLA 3D Printer Filament - 1kg Spool (2.2 lbs) - Dimensional Accuracy +/- 0.05mm https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J0GMMP6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_EBHPCb8CJ9QV2
Its only $20 and you could crank out a lot of minis at high quality. I'm not familiar with other printers other then my monoprice mini v2. So i can't attest to the quality/price. If you're interested in just minis for now then i would honestly get: Monoprice Select Mini 3D Printer V2 - Black with Heated (120 x 120 x 120 mm) Build Plate, Fully Assembled + Free Sample PLA Filament and MicroSD Card Preloaded with Printable 3D Models https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073ZLSMFT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_nFHPCb6W5JNDZ

Its print ready right out of the box and user friendly. Lots of mods to do and lots of youtube videos to guide you along the way, a great beginner's 3d printer. Plus it doesn't break the bank.

Honestly as long as you purchase the aluminum Y-axis plate and use spacers alongside my Z-axis bed leveler you will get just as nice results. If you have a wood Y-axis plate you may not want to use spacers and possibly look into auto bed leveling solution.

I use something like this for lubricant: http://amzn.com/B000XBH9HI

As for the spacers I use aluminum spacers that are (I think) 1/4" OD 1/4" Length >3mm ID. Aluminum while the difference is most likely very little, it still is slightly better. I just would recomend going to a hardware store and finding spacers with an OD of 1/4" and length of 1/4" the ID does not matter as long as you can fit a 3mm bolt through it. Best to find something with a somewhat thick wall.

>https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079P92HN9/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F1K1LTC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (a bit more than 20$ now sorry! lol)

You get enough from these two products to upgrade more than one printer as well, I love capricorn tubing, I wish it was just standard with every printer also just double checking that you're using 1.75mm filament I don't know the CR10 that well if that's an option that wont work with these products if you're using a larger filament. Good Luck!

Hotend replacement:
I replaced the stock hotend/PTFE tube setup with an all-metal Micro Swiss hotend ($50):Amazon link to the Micro Swiss all-metal hotend kit: https://amazon.com/gp/product/B01E1HANLS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bed leveling:

1. Most importantly, I purchased a glass bed to eliminate the never-really-level printbed.Amazon link to the borosilicate glass bed ($25): https://amazon.com/gp/product/B07BHG5HCV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
   
2. Since that didn't I completely fix the warped bed issue, I also replaced the aluminum Y-carriage underneath with a thicker, stronger carriage and my bed leveling is now perfect. I still re-level before every print just in case, and now never have leveling-related problems.Amazon link to the aluminum Y-carriage ($28): https://amazon.com/gp/product/B07B251KBS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
   Frame Stabilization:
   I printed the parts, and purchased the hardware at Home Depot for the Z-brace mod, which stabilized the printer frame:Thingiverse link for Z-brace mod for I3 Plus: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1653631(note the original Thingiverse link in comments, which is required for the other Z-brace parts: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:921948)
   
   Cooling:
   I printed a Dii Cooler in PETG and replaced the stock cooler with one of those 24V "squirrel cage" fans, which provided much better cooling for all sides of my prints. Before that it really only cooled the front of prints, leaving the sides and especially the rear of prints looking pretty bad.Thingiverse link for Dii Cooler for i3 Plus: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1025471

I can't say this is what the "best" method is, just what has worked for me in the past:

• Coat with epoxy and/or use epoxy putty to deal with any large gaps or to make up for rough edges.
  
  
• Let it dry overnight
  
  
• Then LOTS of sanding. So, so much sanding. I honestly love this part, so carthartic.
  
  
• Spray paint automotive primer. I think the reason it has to be this specific type is because it does a good job of filling in the cracks and holes. I also give it a few rounds of sanding with a 220 grit sandpaper after priming to give it a silky smooth surface (yes, you can sand this type of primer!)
  
  
  My biggest gripe with 3D printing was that the ridges were always present. This process makes it so the ridges are non-existent and easier to paint!
  
  Edit: I should mention I've mostly worked with large scale cosplay props. This process might not work for everything, like you probably don't need to put epoxy on small stuff.

Good to know. I'm looking over at https://www.3dprintedtabletop.com and they seem to be all in on the Ender 3. as a good mini printer and I'm seeing a lot of people here recommending it as a first printer. So now I'm wondering if this is the right model to get? ( https://www.amazon.com/Official-Creality-3D-Removable-220x220x250MM/dp/B07K3SZBHJ/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?keywords=ender+3+pro&qid=1555890462&s=gateway&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1 ) Also are there any upgrades that are worth getting? 230 is right in the middle of my price range so I have some extra cash to "plus" it up a bit if possible.

​

Thanks for the help. Cheers.

​

Edit : Now that I'm looking into it the Ender 5 is only a little bit more and seems to be more reliable than the 3.

Couple of questions. First, I will be getting my first printer and wondering if certain printers use certain programs better?
Second, I want to use the printer to make my own custom board games, (Catan and D&D pieces) do any one printer do a better job with this?
I have no knowledge of how the programming works yet and just want to know what I am getting into before I jump right in.

Edit: The first printer I was looking at was ADIMLab
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CPQQ57D/?coliid=I1C3MXODC8HJYO&colid=2YI1JED33NYNA&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Edit 2: My price range is $300-$850. US Resident, I have a friend who will help me set up if needed.

Nozzles

PTFE. This is the cadillac option. Cheaper tubing is very cheap, like $5 for 5 feet or something.

I didn't mention these as I haven't installed them, but stepper dampeners. Please see the stickied thread on /r/ender3 about these, if you want to order them!

The springs I ordered. Note: I couldn't quite replace the one where the wires attach to the bed. I didn't play around too much, I just left that one on there. The other three have held solid, and the next time I'm adjusting my bed, I'll try to put that one on there as well.

Hope that helps!

Edit: Reddit markdown not liking my links, I'll try to fix them

My beautiful wife wants to buy me a kit for my bday, I live on a acreage in Canada so I pretty much am narrowed down to Amazon. I found three kits I like , just wondering if any one could give me some input on which would be the most bang for the buck. I currently own a Anet A8 and in the process of slowly building a Hypercube from scratch, my first build so it's taking a while,. Thanks for the input.

1 - FLSUN Large Size Cube 3D Printers with 260 * 260 * 350mm Large Printing Size,Auto-Leveling System, Heated Bed,Full Gifts,One Roll PLA Filament 1.75mm, Metal Frame CA Stock https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07J65MM6B/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_F23CCb114XN6Z

2 - Tevo Tornado 3D Printer Gold Color. Large Printing Size Support Off-line Print. SD Card Reader +Tool Kits + Hotbed + Factory Original Supply and Canadian After-Sale Service (300 * 300 * 400mm) https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07DFNLRC6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_p33CCbP0VSVXQ

3- ADIMLab 3D Printer Assembled 24V Prusa I3 3D Printing Size 310X310X410 with Heat Bed, Glass, Control Box, MK10 DirectDrive Extruder, PLA, Auto Leveling Upgrade Available https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07CPQQ57D/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_-33CCb371TENB

Alright, seeking advice here (duh, right?)...

I'd like to keep the purchase under 1k USD so strongly considering the Prusa MK3S kit, though I noticed the below options. I'd like dual extrusion, but mainly for support materials (dissolvable), but not a requirement. Does anyone have any thoughts on the other two or should I stick to the Prusa at this price point? TIA!


Flashforge

https://www.amazon.com/FlashForge-Structure-Optimized-Platform-Extruder/dp/B00I8NM6JO and subsequently ...

Qidi

https://www.amazon.com/QIDI-TECHNOLOGY-Printer-Newest-Model/dp/B076BLQWHY

I'm noticing a trend involving multi-tailed foxes...

Very cool, but I have a question. Do you think the filament would still be sensitive enough to heat if it was coated in epoxy such as this stuff to give it a nicer, more "sculpture"-like finish? It'd be fun to have something like this, but I typically do everything I can to obscure print lines on display pieces. Can't prime or paint this though, obviously.

Actually, the parts are pretty standard, so it doesn't really matter where you buy from.

I bought them from various sources (electronics markets, amazon, and some local shops), so my links are just to be seen as examples:

• PSU Switching Power Supply 400W 12V 33A for 3D Printer Kits 115V/230V S-400-12 (got mine locally for 20€)
  
• MOSFET BIQU Heat Bed Power Module Expansion Hot Bed MOS Tube for 3D Printer or alternatively TriGorilla 3D Printer Heating Controller MKS MOSFET for Heatbed Extruder MOS Module (this one is huge, but powerful)
  
• Power socket & switch https://www.amazon.com/URBEST-Module-Switch-Certification-Socket/dp/B00ME5YAPK - here any 10A 250V 3 Pin IEC320 C14 type will do
  
• T-Belt RepRap Champion 5 Meter 6mm Width GT2 Timing Belt for Reprap Delta 3D Printer Kossel Rostock
  
• Pulleys BIQU GT2 20Teeth 3mm Bore Aluminum Timing Belt Idler Pulley for 3D Printer 6mm Width Timing Belt (Pack of 5pcs)
  
• Bushings 3D Printer Solid Polymer LM8UU Bearing 8mm shaft - Igus Drylin RJ4JP-01-08 for Anet A8 Prusa i3 3D Printer RepRap (warning: you need 8 pcs of these bushings. Couldn't find any listed offer with 8)
  
• Borosilicate Glass Signstek 3D Printer MK2 MK3 Heated Bed Tempered Borosilicate Glass Plate 2132003mm
  
  Printed upgrades:
  
  
• Z-Endstop for 3mm Glass
  
• Improved Fan duct or Fan duct for Anet A6 because my original fell out and killed a print as well as the fan mounting plate
  
• PSU cover
  
• Y-Belt holder
  
• Table nut and cover spring
  
• Anet A6 Dual Mosfet Holder (works only for the small MOSFETs)
  
• Z-axis calibration spacer (not really necessary but nice to have) - print two
  
  There is one small error in the assembly videos: The bed mounting plate (the H-shaped thing) is mounted upside down in the video. The bar that goes across the axes and connects both outer plates should be under the plates, not above as in the assembly videos.
  

I've been experimenting with different things.

Plastruct Plastic Weld makes a pretty solid bond. The only time I've had trouble with it is lately while trying to bond sections of a sword blade that are 0.3" thick and 3" wide. The sections with the most stress on them can snap if I let it flex enough.

I used Gorilla Glue to glue together pieces that left gaps. It expands and fills, so that was handy. The bond seemed strong, so I'm going to try that on the blade pieces next.

I've also used Loctite gel control super glue and it worked fairly well, but I don't believe the bond is as strong as Plastic Weld.

As for finishing prints, my current method is to use XTC 3D to smooth the print. After that, I prime, sand, and paint using spray paints. I will probably get an airbrush soon to try for nicer looking paint jobs.

Which hair spray are you using? Ive tried several kinds but Aquanet Extra Super hold (purple bottle) is hands down the best.

I dont recommend those. Not only do they end up too short but the quality is often questionable.

If you want a bundle of colors in high quality, I really love AIO robotics. They sell a 12 pack of half kilos. Its enough for big prints but small enough to not have filament get too stale.

Also the colors are so rich and the Orange is the closest I found to Prusa in PLA.

AIO Robotics ZEUS Premium Filament Bundle, PLA, True Popular Pantone Colors (Pack of 12) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K59SDF4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_iGdgzbX0RJ291

I recently stopped using blue tape and switched to PEI sheets on glass. I'll never go back. I think this would be a good thing for you to try, the PEI sheet releases pretty easily once cool.

PEI (Polyetherimide) Sheet, Opaque Natural, Standard Tolerance, ASTM D5205 PEI0113, 0.03" Thickness, 12" Width, 12" Length https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013HKZTA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_j.9Dxb7FAEG3J

TapeCase 12" squares (pack of 6), Converted from 3M 468MP Adhesive Transfer Tape https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007Y7D5NQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_S.9DxbBW56J7Z

Do yourself a favor and use some 3M 468MP transfer tape and a piece of PEI. You'll never have to worry about adhesion again. PLA and ABS stick to it perfectly and pop off when cool without issue. I've had hundreds of prints without adhesion issues, even when my offset is way off and I'm printing at 0.4mm height instead of 0.1mm. If you want to see what it looks like, check out the post I submitted yesterday

That's a very good point. I'm confident in my soldering skills, I neglected that others may not be. I have seen a few FET's out in the wild. I'm not sure if they are all created equally.

I'm aware of the reprap one:
http://www.reprap.me/power-expander.html
and the Amazon Trigorilla one:
https://www.amazon.com/TriGorilla-Printer-Heating-Controller-Extruder/dp/B01HCVJ3K2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482884825&sr=8-1&keywords=3d+printer+mosfet

Can anyone chime in on the best Mosfet solution for those that don't have the skills or want to possibly void their warranty?

yeah these printers are actually a great starter printer. I also did not know what I was printing (thought it was a dove at first) because it all comes up as 'gcode' on the SD card.

I bought this filament from amazon for $23 although it looks to be out of stock. they have plenty of other colors, and I can attest to the glow in the dark working well. fun for kids

problems so far havent really been anything serious, i bought the upgrades before i even built it so i cant really talk for the stock version

Upgrades i bought for it

• Silicone Heated Bed From Folgertech($25)
  
• Tri Gorilla Mosfet($19)
  
• Custom cut piece of glass from lowes ($6)
  
• Microswiss CR10 All Metal Hotend bought the CR10 version because they use the exact same hotend and its a direct replacement
  
  other than that havent really had any problems with it its been a great printer so far, i am going to start printing some upgrades for it soon but its printing really nicely so far, if you do end up getting it ive got my s3d profiles i could email you ive got them looking pretty good, the retraction was one of the longest settings to get dialed in for me as this is my first bowden tube printer
  
  if you have any more questions let me know

 

Thingiverse

 

Prusa Multi-Material!

We're having a LAN party so...I decided to cut up an existing heartstone model from thingiverse for multi-material.

I'll upload the model to thingiverse later today for my fellow nerds/geeks.

 

Images

 

Print time: 35hrs

Detail: .15mm

Filament:

Stone

Blue

 

The stone filament worked, surprisingly, great with the multi-material. Multi-material is insanely picky about filament quality so I'm pretty happy with the outcome. The first print I tried had some bleeding with the blue, so I increased the wipe tower a bit, which solved the issue.

After months of fighting with the MMU, I think I've finally got it tuned in...knocks on wood.

"Amazing Clear Cast" is cheaper than XTC

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amazing-Casting-Products-Various-Clear/dp/B00CVYNQ4U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466331013&sr=8-1&keywords=amazing+clear

(Allegedly food safe too)

I'm a connoisseur of purple.

• Polyalchemy Nightshade is gorgeous. At $35/.75kg it better be. :)
  
• MakerGeeks Royal Purple is really nice, but they're very unreliable to order from.
  
  Other than that, I enjoy Ziro Marble and Proto-Pasta Teal.

pair of calipers. pretty cheap on amazon and should be a standard tool for 3d printing.

here is a pair for $13 shipped
https://www.amazon.com/SE-784EC-Digital-Caliper-Metric/dp/B003MA08VQ

personally I would go with something better.

These are well reviews and liked and come with a case

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00INL0BTS/

$40

There are a lot of variables in play here, but I strongly recommend getting the upgraded carriage plate from Gulfcoast Robotics (fka RepRap Champion).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07B251KBS/

Not only will it improve initial leveling, it will hold level longer. The stock carriage plate is prone to warping and may be the twisted component that is throwing things off for you.

You can't, I've destroyed mine and installed PEI.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KBGJU5S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Stick it down with this stuff here:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007Y7D5NQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

When you use this stuff you just wipe it with rubbing alcohol to clean the surface. Then it gives you near perfectly smooth prints where it touches the surface. The prints pop off easy after it cools but holds tight when it's warm. Personally I find it a waste of money to buy glue sticks/hair spray if you don't have to. Although I did buy glass I never installed it after this worked so well. It's amazing stuff and you'll never have to replace it.

thank you all for your input! i ended up picking this up on prime day, i hope its a good choice, any input would be fantastic:

https://www.amazon.com/Creality-Upgraded-Ender-3X-Tempered-Printing/dp/B07GDJTVXJ/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=luxnwatts+ender+3&qid=1563280332&s=gateway&sr=8-3

i got some white filament 1kg for the testing, i figured it would be the best for painting vs black. i appreciate everyones input and thank you, sorry if i copy and paste but i wanted to let everyone know with the same sentiment.

It’s ZIRO “Marble Color” PLA from Amazon! ($21.00)

Awesome Filament. Hides Layer Lines Incredibly Well.

It’s as smooth as normal PLA, just looks textured from the speckles.

This was printed at .2mm on my Ender 3. One of my Favorite Materials And Prints to date!

This is the one sold by Creality themselves (fulfilled by Amazon, makes it easier when dealing with warranty claims unless the local seller is particularly supportive):

https://www.amazon.com/Official-Creality-3D-Removable-220x220x250MM/dp/B07K3SZBHJ

​

The Ender 5 probably gives you a better chance for miniatures because the bed moves in the Z axis (as in, it's slowly dropping instead of flying back and forth), the only reason I would recommend considering the Ender 3 if you can afford the 5 is because more people have them so there's a larger community.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CVYNQ4U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Clear cast resin works very well and is food safe. I combine it with Raptor PLA that I anneal to survive dishwasher temps. Once coated and annealed, the parts are food and dishwasher safe.

I have a v2.1 w/ a glass bed and I have no issues at all w/ aquanet hairspray.

Now when you say you've tried hairspray, was is the OG aquanet hairspray exactly like This? I spray down the glass lightly and that'll last me a good 5-10prints. And since I'm printing w/ petg my first layer height is a little on the high side and I still don't have any adhesion issues.

If that was the exact hairspray you used then the only thing I can think of is using a strong cleaner to make sure that your glass doesn't have any residue that's keeping your prints from sticking.

Lithium grease is more for weather resistance and heavy duty. I wouldn't use anything heavier than the ptfe silicone.

http://www2.dupont.com/Consumer_Lubricants/en_US/applications/faqs.html

Honestly though $6.82 and free shipping http://www.amazon.com/Synthetic-Grease-Syncolon-Purpose-Lubricant/dp/B000XBH9HI

That stuff is really good and not too heavy.

Sure can!

Get one of these sheets from Mcmaster carr:
12"x12" 3/32nd thick sheet of Ultim PEI plastic
http://www.mcmaster.com/#8685K41

Stick it to the existing glass with this adhesive:
3M 468MP transfer adhesive
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007Y7D5NQ

Trim it to fit, then print on it as you normally would. remember to re-adjust your Z stop to compensate. For ABS at least I have not found anything that works better so far, and I've tried most things. You don't need ABS slurry with it, you can print without brim, things just stick, and then release when cooled off. Polyethalene Tape is garbage compared to this stuff. It's by far the best upgrade you can do for your printer after the heated bed itself, and it costs under $40 to do. If you are having trouble getting things to stick to your bed, this is the way to go. It supposedly works just as well for PLA, though I have not tested that personally.

There is a brand called QIDI TECH that sells printers that are basically clones of Flashforge's range.

Here is a redditors review of a QIDI TECH 1 after having the printer for 12 months. From what I have seen around the subreddit they are good machines, so if you are wanting to save a bit possibly go that route. Flashforge is a reputable brand though, either would be a good choice. The Creator Pro equivalent would be the QIDI TECH 1 or the X PRO.

Most cheap calipers are fine for measuring prints for accuracy. If you want to get something a little better than the cheapest but not spend too much, I'd recommend these. They're probably not more accurate than other digital calipers in the $20-$25 range, but the absolute origin feature makes them easier to use since you don't have to zero-out each time you use them.

My best results have been prints in clear resin, but "transparent" PLA can be enhanced as well.

I bought the following:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PFXK4JY

You mix it like epoxy, and lightly coat the outside. I use my hands (with gloves). It removes minor blemishes, and makes for a "smoother, shinier" part.

It is not for everyone; sometimes I prefer the "frosted" look on a part.

PRO TIP: Buy a box of thumb tacks. Put a bunch of them point up so your part can dry without sticking to anything.

I also have a self-built i3 that was loud when first built. I was able to cut down on noise by doing the following:

1. Added rubber feet to all printer parts that touch whatever the printer is sitting on. My printer was turning my hollow IKEA table into giant soundboard.
   
2. Added stepper motor vibration dampers (the type sold here) to X and Y steppers.
   
3. Adjusted the current on my stepper motor drivers. Too high or too low will cause noise.
   
4. Fiddled with bearing alignment on X and Y carriages. They're loud if even slightly out of alignment.
   
5. Added a larger, slower spinning fan to my E3D hotend with an adapter found on Thingiverse.
   
6. Cleaned my linear rods with rubbing alcohol and lubricated with PTFE lubricant. I used Finish Line Dry Teflon Lube, but any will do. (As an aside, you should also use synthetic grease on your threaded rods. Nothing to do with noise, but will help extend the life of your parts.)
   
   Also, periodically make sure that all nuts are tight. They tend to loosen from vibration allowing washers to rattle around.
   
   My next step will probably be using IGUS Drylin bearings in place of my ball bearing LM8UUs, but this plan is on hold while I consider switching to a CoreXY configuration.
   
   Hope this helps!

Ok great I'll try that! Would something like this do the trick? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002K33AFM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_tFNsxbAEW8P9Z

If you want a beginning printer go with Monoprice select mini v2. It has a small printing bed but it has good quality and is easy to set up. I got mine from https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Select-Mini-Printer-Assembled/dp/B073ZLSMFT/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=monoprice+select+mini+3d+printer+v2&qid=1558146876&s=gateway&sprefix=monoprice+selec&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1 for $190 or you could get one off the official website.

Personally, I love my Qidi X-pro. I ended up getting 2 because of how reliable and consistent it is. It's expensive for it being a mid-tier printer, but it's a HUGE step up from the da Vinci jr 1.0.

It's got a heated bed, dual extruder, minimumal setup/maintenance and a really sturdy casing.

A real QoL feature that has really become attached to is its ethernet capability, allowing you to print much more quickly over LAN opposing to loading your file to an sd card.

The only real downside I've come across is it's kinda a hassle to navigate the frame due to it's thickness, the print area isn't big (300mmx250mmx300mm I think?) and it's not a widely known printer like a prusa, so it doesn't have a big community.

I guarantee there are a lot better printers out there for cheaper than the Qidi X-Pro, but it's one that's held the test of time for me and I've had very little to no problems for me.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076BLQWHY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_a.C2CbJRHJBHM

It's marble, it prints like crap. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IIAC2MW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Just note that it can jam pretty easily. Luckily on this run it hasn't for me. But I'm also running it hot. In fact, if you zoom in and see the first surface area (at the bottom of the symbol) you can see where I didn't run it hot enough.

Here you go: Imgur

The camera's out of focus, I need to fiddle with it. Its also one of the no-IR filter ones, so the colors are not accurate.

Its not a great angle if your goal is to shoot build videos, but its a good enough one for monitoring the print to make sure it hasn't gone horribly wrong.

The orange came from this combo pack:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01K59SDF4

Alright so I'm set on buying the ender 3 printer, and I see on amazon there's this offer right now, is luxnwatts considered a reliable reseller?

Also should I bother waiting for prime day to see if there's a sale? I don't overly expect any big sales but I'm curious for other opinions.

Finally, what are your recommended brands of filament for the Ender 3, or what are some characteristics that you look at when buying?

EDIT: Looking now I also see the 3X for sale, is the glass plate worth the extra few dollars?

Polyurethane won't harm plastic. Someone posted this stuff last year and I gave it a shot, works great and I highly recommend it.

I ordered this one, and it got to me in Canada pretty quick for a decent price: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B251KBS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've literally only done two prints since I got it installed though, so I can't say how big an improvement it is on the original yet.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013HKZTA/ref=biss_dp_t_asn
http://www.amazon.com/TapeCase-squares-Converted-Adhesive-Transfer/dp/B007Y7D5NQ/
Do note I am using a rostock, but psi will work on all regardless, it's also acetone resistant, so you could clean really easily

For figures you’re going to want to get an SLA 3d printer. Something like this ANYCUBIC Photon UV LCD 3D Printer Assembled Innovation with 2.8'' Smart Touch Color Screen Off-line Print 4.53"(L) x 2.56"(W) x 6.1"(H) Printing Size https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078N2TSYS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_B3XKDb4GBGPPH
It makes super smooth prints and since you aren’t trying to build anything huge.

Can you design or model with any of the software out there?? That’s the key for making a new head for your legends, Mezco figs or whatever but I know a lot of people are doing it so maybe you know someone who can hook you up with files and some you can find online but if you want to make your own stuff you’ll need to learn. There’s a lot of tutorials on YouTube.

Amazon actually can change a price many times per day based on this. To find the best deal on a given filament you can use this website currently it looks like hatchbox is at an all time high.

The Photon seems to have pretty good reviews on Amazon.com and reviews elsewhere all seem to be better than average considering the more complicated processes involved. I have been following both printers since release (just ordered a Photon last week) and it has had far less issues than the D7 did on release (which I didn't buy for that reason). Both printers seem to have about the same overall quality control now from following their Facebook groups etc. I have mixed opinions on how the D7 is constantly fixing things and releasing revisions (current printer version is 1.5). It seem great they are improving it but I would not want to buy one and then have to spend $125 a few months later on an upgrade kit to fix issues.

You can use xtc-3d from smooth on to get a super nice smooth finish, that's what I did here

I've been wanting to try this 'marble' filament for a while,
Looks pretty cool.

https://www.amazon.com/ZIRO-Printer-Filament-1-75mm-Marble/dp/B01IIAC2MW/

It's just PLA but that doesn't make it less exciting.
Not too expensive either.

Twice your price range but I have these.

There is a great comparison video of several different calipers in the reviews. Some of which I think are in your price range.

I love my PEI sheet, at first it was strong enough I had to put my glass in the freezer to remove prints, after a while it dulls a bit, but if you sand it lightly it'll make it grippy again. Also alcohol / acetone wipe down every once in a while helps.

The one I use:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074XJLWL6/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_gSfsDbWX1S36A

Heat that bed up. 90c or so should work.

Hairspray + 90c bed works great for ABS for me. Have to actually let it cool before I can pop it off.

Also, which hairspray are you using? I tried one that only sorta worked, then moved to the "standard" Aqua Net:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002K33AFM

> Amazing clear cast FDA Resin

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amazing-Casting-Products-Various-Clear/dp/B00CVYNQ4U

I like the igaging stuff. iGaging ABSOLUTE ORIGIN 0-6" Digital Electronic Caliper - IP54 Protection / Extreme Accuracy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00INL0BTS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_ZQERAbVQDZTS9

It’s won a lot of caliper shootouts on YouTube.

This is the caliper that I bought:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00INL0BTS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

I wish I bought a 3mm hexdriver so that I did not have to use the hex key.

My biggest tip would be to pre-install or thread the screws in first when installing any screw to the frame. The threads need to be cleaned of the powder coat. This will make installing anything to the frame go much smoother.

Other than that use the online manual read the directions clearly and read the comments, they are very helpful.

Have you tried lubricating the z-axis threaded rod? It's not mentioned anywhere in the assembly guide, but I found that a liberal application of super lube did wonders for my RepRapPro Mendel. The Z axis used to bind constantly when it moved too fast and now it's perfect.

Then you'll want to learn something like sculptris.

I just found out about this today, it might be appropriate for you if you want to keep costs down. Traditional FDM printers (what most people have) are better for engineering parts. The only other printer I can think of would be the Form 2/3, which is 2-3k.

https://www.amazon.com/ANYCUBIC-Assembled-Innovation-Off-line-Printing/dp/B078N2TSYS/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=ANYCUBIC+Photon+UV+LCD+3D+Printer+Assembled&qid=1562307287&s=gateway&sr=8-3

So I want to get the Ender 3, and unfortunately I’m locked into using Amazon (gift cards). There’s a litany of different listings for the Ender 3 and Ender 3 Pro; I’m not sure which listing is best, or if there’s a real difference. The prices are within a reasonable range of each other (230-250 for the regular, 270-300 for the Pro), but I know that QC can vary widely by machine. Does anyone know of/have any suggestions for which listings are the most reliable? I’m leaning towards the regular since the Pro features aren’t something I’m interested in as much.

Various Listings:
Creality Ender 3 3D Printer with Resume Printing Function for Home & School Use 220x220x250mm https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FFTHMMN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1QfxCb1NEWRV0

Official Creality 3D Ender 3 Printer Fully Open Source https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D218NX3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_sRfxCbNXRZ5AW

Official Creality 3D Ender 3 Pro Upgraded 3D Printer with Removable Magnetic Bed https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K3SZBHJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XRfxCbH8D4B7B

Official Creality 3D Ender 3 Pro Upgraded 3D Printer with Removable Magnetic Bed https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K3SZBHJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XRfxCbH8D4B7B

Hatchbox generally has really good filament. They put the suggested print temp on the spool. 220C is pretty hot for PLA, I print at 180-200C and I still get that glossy finish.

One of the suggested tips for better prints is to print as cold as your extruder can handle, but cold printing PLA dulls the finish on most brands. So go with the manufacture suggested temp. If this is what you're printing with, they recommend 180-210C.

I started with a pair from harbor freight, but then decided I wanted something a little more substantial, so got these off of Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00INL0BTS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and moved the HF pair out to the garage. These iGaging ones do feel more substantial.

I've heard good things about alumilite

https://www.amazon.com/Alumilite-Amazing-Clear-Cast-16/dp/B00CVYNQ4U/ref=pd_cp_469_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00CVYNQ4U&pd_rd_r=95RX3FEYH8ACZV3CMAJ7&pd_rd_w=ELYiq&pd_rd_wg=lmfYr&psc=1&refRID=95RX3FEYH8ACZV3CMAJ7

Although, I dont believe it is dishwasher or microwave safe

WD-40 is not a lubricant, I use mobil grease, but this would be just fine ( see link) or stop at a auto store and get a multi purpose grease.

Super Lube 21030 Translucent White Color 3 oz. Automotive Accessories https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XBH9HI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Yk22Cb96K4F0F

I have a maker select v2 and recently switched to 3 point leveling with one of these. Highly recommended.

This gives an excellent overview of the benefits of 3 point leveling.

I was having the same problems as you prior to the upgrade. I couldn't get even leveling across the bed which led to my printer collecting dust for a few months.

Oh yeah. Sticks so well that, if the bed is heated, you can't even get the finished object off of it until you wait for it to cool to room temperature without the risk of damaging it.

Amazing stuff that no one should be without.

This is the stuff I have - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013HKZTA/ref=biss_dp_t_asn

Put it on with this - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007Y7D5NQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I used the Windex+credit card trick for both sides of the adhesive.

Cut it to size with an Xacto knife score and a metal rule. Snaps just like plexi.

You can see it in the original pic. He's sitting on a big yellow slab of the stuff. If you use a Z sensor you'll have to adjust for the height and so on.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HCVJ3K2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_dp_PI.Cyb7TB37GQ

This is the board I'm looking doing. I like it because of the heat sink.

I know there is that is half the price, but the heat sink I think is better.

Aio robotics has a 12 color pack for $139 USD

AIO Robotics Universal Premium Filament Bundle, PLA, True Popular Pantone Colors (Multi-Pack of 12)

No, it was a weird promotion+coupon that I'm pretty sure I found posted on reddit. I can't find the old details now. My total order was $6.03 including tax. I think each person could only get one. I just assume any large rainbow colored print I see is somebody burning through one of those rolls :)


This was the filament: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FCQ9WDJ

I would get some of these to upgrade your print surface. I got them for my printer, and prints stick perfectly Everytime with absolutely no hairspray or tape, just clean it in-between prints.

https://www.amazon.com/Gizmo-Dorks-Printer-Surface-Adhesive/dp/B074XJLWL6?adgrpid=61477283172&hvadid=274674964725&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9033692&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t2&hvqmt=e&hvrand=1527745715342828080&hvtargid=kwd-304685224209&keywords=pei+sheets&qid=1535906270&sr=8-1-spons&tag=hydsma-20&ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa&psc=1

Marble PLA is just light gray PLA that has tiny bits of black PLA added to make it look like marble. I've used this one in the past with good results:
https://www.amazon.com/ZIRO-Printer-Filament-1-75mm-Marble/dp/B01IIAC2MW

https://www.amazon.com/ANYCUBIC-Assembled-Innovation-Off-line-Printing/dp/B078N2TSYS/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=anycubic+photon&qid=1566830737&s=gateway&sr=8-4

I would get this.. I sill might.. Yeah :) I most likely will.

Sure! it was available at a promotional price of $6 last week so I decided to pick up a spool. It has a nice shine to it, as well as the rainbow coloration.

Don't use anything that can eat away at the plastic in your linear bearings. Highly suggest Super Lube Synthetic Grease

https://www.amazon.com/Super-Lube-21030-Synthetic-Grease/dp/B000XBH9HI/ref=asc_df_B000XBH9HI/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167152075853&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17297344115033260690&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027607&hvtargid=pla-315922229188&psc=1

What i use on my printer, same model and rebrand name.

"v2.1" is a label that means nothing anymore, since there have been four revisions of v2.1 and the most current model is still called v2.1

Wanhao has never done a "mosfet change" in the board, they upgraded under-rated connectors to properly handle the amount of power needed to pass through them; they didn't add anything.

If you want to be sure, open the box and look at things for yourself.

Edit: Apparently Wanhao did update a mosfet. But I haven't seen any reports of someone who had something like this in their printer. It's likely the updated mosfet is visually identical to what they replaced.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FCQ9WDJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

But last week there was double stacking coupons that made it $5.59 before tax. It was great for the the $5.59 I would of been disappointed had I paid the for $28. I looked for the original post where someone generously called out the super cheap price, but my search skills are apparently not good.

I replaced the old Buildtak bed on my 200x200 RAMPS i3 clone with a GizmoDorks PEI sheet and have been very happy with the results.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B074XJLWL6

At the time of this posting, there's a 10% off coupon (activated by clicking). Different sizes are also available.

What WayGroovy said.

I picked up This Pair

They are pretty nice and affordable. I would stay away from the 20 dollar throwaways. They are more trouble than they are worth.

You can get the extruder here with a halfway decent tube. That includes a tube but it isn't as good as the capricorn tube, which you can get here. I ended up getting the extruder with the not-as-good tube, and have been running that. I have a capricorn tube on standby in case I need it but so far haven't, so maybe the tube included with that extruder is good enough, but I may also just be lucky.

​

There's no instructions included with that kit, so you'll want to follow along with something online. Here's a video from the same channel I linked to earlier that should help.

Bought this one and works wonderfully.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K59SDF4/ref=psdc_6066128011_t4_B076CB9W4M AIO bundle on amazon - what i prefer. handy to have the full spectrum on hand. quality is decent.

You need some thermal pads(https://www.amazon.com/400mm-205mm-Silicone-Thermal-Heatsink/dp/B007PPEW52/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1435448186&sr=8-1&keywords=gino%20pad) roughly 1"x1" to put under the 4 corners of the bed. This will raise the glass bed up by 0.5mm and will prevent a warped aluminum bed from influencing the leveling process. Heat the bed up and clip some binder clips on the 4 corners over the thermal pads. Let it sit for a few minutes. This ensures the pads are compressed and in full contact with the 4 corners of the bed. Once you are ready to level the bead, the clips can be removed. The pads are sticky enough where the glass bed won't slide off while printing. With a glass bed, you need to apply a material the plastic will still to. This can be a glue stick, Auqua Net hairspray(brand is important https://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Net-Unscented-Aerosol-Spray-11/dp/B002K33AFM) or a sheet of PEI. Auqua Net hairspray works great, but needs recoating after a few prints.

I'm using this with my Monoprice Maker Select V2. I removed the build-tak and installed this. (First I installed the 3M adhesive to the PEI, then the PEI to the printbed.)

Main thing I changed was going from a 50c bed to 60c (Sometimes 70c)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074XJLWL6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

It is working great. It has formed some small spiderweby cracks, but nothing to worry about.

https://imgur.com/cO9tleW

https://imgur.com/5jLuAHH

https://imgur.com/40838J9

​

​

​

I have used Ziro Marble PLA with good results. I have gone through about 1.5 rolls, and it prints just fine.

It’s actually marble! Looks great and hides some small imperfections
ZIRO 3D Printer Filament PLA 1.75mm Marble Color 1KG(2.2lbs) - White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IIAC2MW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Y05iDbDAKXX8T

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B078N2TSYS/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1

Enjoy!

I appreciate the heads up on the deal but just a little bit more effort would save everyone so much time. On mobile it's a ridiculous exercise to open a tab and swap back and forth between the image as you manually type in the coupon code. And that's if you find the right product. I tried searching for it manually and thought I located the right filament but the coupon code wouldn't work. Even switching to a desktop requires manually typing it and of course both the url and the code have zero's and oh's.

Here's the product link

Here's the coupon code: 4NO6Q4Z4

EDIT: I really suggest staying away from plastic calipers. There are metal calipers that are similarly priced and will last much much longer and are higher quality.

I usually recommend these from Harbor Freight because they do fractions:

https://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-digital-caliper-with-sae-and-metric-fractional-readings-63731.html

And these from Amazon because the quality is much higher for a very good price, but they don't do fractions.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00INL0BTS

I use both depending on what room I'm in.

I went with this Mosfet for my Maker Select and am very pleased with it:

ANYCUBIC 3D Printer Heating Controller MKS MOSFET for Heatbed Extruder MOS Module https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HCVJ3K2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_5g3yWwXefECUF

It used to be branded TriGorilla. The thing is a beast.

So if anyone ever ends up in a situation like mine, I'd like to leave a note here. I purchased an aftermarket mosfet board (as long as it supports 5v switching you'll be fine). I soldered into the bypass pad on the main board, ran this to my + input on the mosfet and ran a jumper wire to the - from the power supply. Then I wired up my power supply and the bed, and the bed is heating properly. I bought a super beefy mosfet with a heatsink which is probably overkill, but it's working, so I can't complain.

Now I just have to figure out how to mount this thing in the box...

I just noticed that the official seller of the Ender 3 Pro design has lowered the price to $300, and is on sale besides for just $260

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K3SZBHJ/

If you get this, be sure to also get these essential tools:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072WS3M9H

^ for cutting support structures off of your models, the angled cutting head makes it easy to get into small crevices

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075SLTY8B

^ after slightly bending the removable magnetic heatbed, use this to help pry the 3d print off the rest of the way

> +/- 0.05mm

Can you explain how this is higher accuracy than (any other) filament? From what I know, even "standard" filaments like Hatchbox claim that kind of accuracy. You can get pretty cheap filament for down to +/- 0.03 mm.

Looks good. I've been wanting to print up a car too.

You should look into XTC-3D.

I see them so often, that I wonder if it is inevitable with the process. Another approach would be to just smooth them out and paint it. This is a good material for smoothing a print: http://www.amazon.com/XTC-3D-High-Performance-Print-Coating/dp/B00PFXK4JY

Is the Monoprice select mini a good printer for a beginner? Specifically this one:
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B073ZLSMFT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_4YQTAbRCYEVB5

Hatchbox is awesome and is in stock.

I fought with a cheaper PLA last night, could not get it to stick to my PEI surface no matter what combination of nozzle and bed temps.

I threw in a roll of Hatchbox and it went down as smooth as cream cheese on a warm bagel!

This is what I used. I clean my rails every few weeks and apply this to them.

https://www.amazon.com/Super-Lube-21030-Synthetic-Grease/dp/B000XBH9HI/ref=pd_sim_328_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=31-xhQ8JfAL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR120%2C160_&refRID=H3FTJJAS37BZQ08QAHTP

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078N2TSYS/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1A5FQE7R5RISB

This is the first one I got and cost is all relative, for me the 500USD I paid was cheap for what it did. Build one warhammer army and break even on cost. However yes some of them are very expensive.

https://www.amazon.com/AIO-Robotics-Universal-Filament-Multi-Pack/dp/B01K59SDF4/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1540503656&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=aio+robotics+pla&dpPl=1&dpID=41Ej52quwJL&ref=plSrch

This what I ordered originally, and this was the "Bright Green" color. Not sure if it's sold by itself or not

That's possible if you're overconstraining the bed and warping it yourself. That's why people recommend 3 point leveling nowadays.

Instead of the bed, look to see if the y-carraige is bent. That's the thing under the bed that the bed rides on. https://www.amazon.com/Gulfcoast-Robotics-Carriage-Duplicatior-Printers/dp/B07B251KBS you can get replacments of those. And if that's bent, you'll run into issues too.

Try this, I just got some and it's working well.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IIAC2MW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00INL0BTS/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_pLbZDbZK580M6

Had mine for about 2 years. It has been reliable and repeatable. I haven't put it on a calibration block set but everything I've used it for has fit together as expected.

https://smile.amazon.com/ZIRO-Printer-Filament-1-75mm-Marble/dp/B01IIAC2MW/

The picture has a label, Ziro... so it's Ziro Marble Filament. Bit of a misnomer though because it's actually more of a peppered plastic than it is marble. Looks cool though

This is using the Ziro marble filament.

It took about 10 hours.

Model of the original at the Minneapolis Art Institute

Would it be worth the extra $10 to get this board instead?

TriGorilla Mosfet Board?

https://www.amazon.com/ADIMLab-Assembled-Printing-310X310X410-Available/dp/B07CPQQ57D/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1542915406&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=adimlab+3d+printer&dpPl=1&dpID=41CUcYPkqPL&ref=plSrch

Worth the money?

Thoughts on the Qidi Tech X-Pro?


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076BLQWHY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_07CaBb777QFFY


Edit: Main uses would be to create figurines/statues/dice/miniatures/busts, in house parts/mounts for electronic projects I work on and possibly even cases/buttons for handheld projects


Edit 2: This would also be my first 3D printer

There are several videos on youtube for first time ender 3 setup. Mostly they cover some detailed orientated techniques like...

1. make sure all assemblies are square.
   
   
2. The belts should be tight but make a low note when plucked
   
   
3. your bed should not be able to wiggle side to side (tighten rollers)
   
   
4. Your z axis rod shouldn't need to be bent into place (print a spacer after initial assembly and install)
   
   
5. Buy new springs off of amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FY47BX7/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
   
   
6. Buy new tube for filament feeder (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079P92HN9/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

This has been recommended as a brush on application in the past.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CVYNQ4U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You can order this stuff off Amazon and it's specifically made for 3d prints. The ones I've done have a mirror finish, and you can tint it directly to make candy automotive style finishes. Or you can prime it and paint it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00PFXK4JY/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1525533010&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=xtc-3d&dpPl=1&dpID=51jOz30NOXL&ref=plSrch

theres photon on amazon sale

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078N2TSYS/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_4?smid=A1A5FQE7R5RISB&psc=1&pldnSite=1

Thank you for the information, that was very helpful. My Maker Select V2 just arrived yesterday so I was just relaying what I have read thus far (basically about 4 days of reading about them non stop).

The other method I was referring to in my original post is this one which is using a MOSFET board. http://3dprinterwiki.info/wiki/wanhao-duplicator-i3/di3-advanced-mods/heatbed-terminal-burning-fix-with-mosfet-board/ What do you think the "best" fix would be out of the 3 available? (Replace connectors, rewire heat bed to PSU, install MOSFET board)

The highest rated MOSFET board on Amazon is unfortunately unavailable right now, otherwise I would already have that on the way. Same as the OP, I would like to fix this early on before it does become a problem but with no prior soldering experience and being anal, I would like to avoid the method which requires it.

Batter to be safe than sorry . Got one of these and not disappointed

Note that I'm completely new to 3d printing.

These little blocks are 20x20x5 millimeters. The grey was printed with the shown settings, and the white was similar settings, but all travel speeds were set to 30mm/sec.

• Printer: https://www.amazon.com/ADIMLab-Assembled-Printing-310X310X410-Available/dp/B07CPQQ57D/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
  
• Filament: hatchbox 1.75mm +/- 0.03
  
  Things I've tried
  
  
• Switching the filament. I've tried 3 different filaments (all Hatchbox at the same dimensions, but 3 different colors) and all exhibit the same issues.
  
• Re-leveling. I've done the paper test ad-nauseum
  
• Checking my x-steps, y-steps, z-steps, and e-steps. All of these seem perfect as far as my measurement goes. 100mm movement on any axis takes exactly 100mm, and extrusion of 100mm of pla takes exactly that.
  
• Cleaning the nozzle. I don't know if I'm cleaning it exactly right, but I've tried a few times. This is a new printer, so I'm not sure if this would easily be the issue. It never seems to have trouble extruding, though.

The carriage plate needs to be replaced (assuming you have the stock one) it's very thin and bends easily.

https://www.amazon.com/Gulfcoast-Robotics-Carriage-Duplicatior-Printers/dp/B07B251KBS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1537520960&sr=8-3&keywords=i3+carriage+plate&dpID=41LSqGT%252BKzL&preST=_SX342_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

had the same problem you did with my i3 plus, installed that a few years ago, and it's been rock solid ever since.

I use https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000XBH9HI on leadscrews and https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UKUHXK on linear rods.

Superlube http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XBH9HI/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_Pbvsub127V363

This stuff is what I just grabbed. Will be here tomorrow.

pei sheet

adhesive

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013HKZTA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

AND


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007Y7D5NQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've been making PLA mugs using a resin coating - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CVYNQ4U?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00

I haven't tried it for long-term full submersion, though.

I use these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00INL0BTS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_tu9KBbW7NBX32

HATCHBOX 3D PLA-1KG1.75-WHT PLA 3D Printer Filament, Dimensional Accuracy +/- 0.05 mm, 1 kg Spool, 1.75 mm, White?