I am considering purchasing a printer

[Erfolg]

3D printers are no longer the new kids on the block. As some would say" a lot of water has flown under the bridge".

 

A this time, I wonder what is a good printer for the home user, who wants a tool to produce items for both modelling and around the house. From my perspective, these are typically my wants.

• Reasonable price
• can be a kit or ready built
• not to big
• easy to use, not a temperamental faf.
• Suitable for in the house usage.

On this type of basis, what is currently worth considering?

[John Lee]

I've just been through the same thinking and ended up buying a Creality CR-6 SE last week.

 

It worked straight out of the box and with no previous experience I was able to print my first test piece within an hour of it being delivered. I've since successfully printed several other bits both from published files and self design, albeit with some trial and error.

 

All in all so far so good. 

[Barryorbik]

As with adopting any 'new' technology or machine there is a fairly steep learning curve.  I had an Ender 3 Pro for my Birthday in February and after carefully building it up it worked straight out of the box just like Johns.  I have since spent about £35.00 upgrading the original machine by changing the bed levelling springs to silicon rubber blocks, fitting a dual drive gear extruder, that is better with rubbery filaments lite TPU or TPE, and better Capricorn filament guide tube and glands.  The 3D design programme that I use is Tinkercad which is pretty intuitive, and the slicer programme I use is Cura.  For lots of ideas Thingiverse has loads of items aready to download and print.

It has certainly kept my little grey cells going during this lockdown and gives another outlet for creativity.

 

Barry

[Andy48]

I've got a Flsun Q5 delta printer. It was on sale for £160 from Amazon, now about £195. Worked perfectly out of the box, but like anything technical, a sharp learning curve. The self-levelling kit works well too. I also bought some Magigoo for the printer bed, and this makes a huge difference. When the bed is warm, the first layer sticks well, when cold, the printed piece just lifts off, no scraping which could damage the bed. I've not had to add/change anything on the printer, and the delta arrangement means a small desktop footprint.

 

Printed quite a lot of stuff now, some I've designed, some off Thingyverse. Examples include wing servo boxes, servo trays and battery boxes.

 

[leccyflyer]

I'm on my second 3D printer. The Malyan M150 from HK was impressive for a beginner, and I had some good results, mainly printing pilots and scale details. It was a good learning tool, but always a bit pernickety and as parts began to wear the usability of the printer took a nosedive. Lots of failed prints. I replaced that with an Ender 5 Pro last year and that has just been superb, straight from the box, turning out better quality prints all round, much more consistent. It has a larger bench footprint, but the frame is so much better and more solid  than the Malyan, the feed of the filament is better and the results are better. I'm particularly impressed with the basic technology, which just works and the build bed starts off high and then descends in a very controlled manner. The magnetic build surface works well and prints popoff with a gentle flex. I'd read lots of positive reviews of the Ender printers before buying this one and haven't been disappointed.

[adrian garnham]

I have an ender 3 version 2 and am very pleased with it.

Takes a while to get everything dialled in but once that's done correctly I am very pleased with the results.

[Erfolg]

I have purchased the basic Ender 3.

Why the basic model, rather than the newer models? The price is now very low, at £110, delivered from "Box". Also there are a lot of spares and upgrades available, at apparently affordable prices.

The down side is that this model basic model does not have the easy release base plate, also there is an issue of rigidity of one of the uprights.

At a personal level it should meet my needs and wants, particularly as a self teaching aid. I have not got it yet, though I have overnight dreamt up, must have projects. Also there is the software issues of understanding, and the important what it is appropriate for me, to obtain and from where. Then the consumable issues of what is available, then what I should purchase, again for a numpty to take on board, from an informed position.

Edited August 11, 2021 by Erfolg

[Erfolg]

I remember that RCM&E had an article on the subject of 3d printers. Does anyone remember which month or months?

 

The general subject seems something that the mag, could consider as a one of, or a series, covering current knowledge.

• Machine types and capabilities
• Software and computer requirements
• System operation
• materials, the capabilities, limitations, costs etc.
• availabilities of programs for component suitable for our hobby, adaptation and caution that may be appropriate.

Just an idea.

 

Of course even if viable, as an idea, there is the issue of suitable knowledgeable author or authors. May be some feed back, in the form of question and answers (where it is viable tp place, is yet another issue).

[Tosh McCaber]

Hi Leccy,

What projects have you been building with your Ender?

[Erfolg]

The Ender 3 printer arrived this morning. Now that is a fast service, I expected days of waiting.

 

On opening the box my said "how much was that then, more than the £110 you told me". There is a lot of it and it looks good. No I said, it was £110 delivered, but it does look good value, we will see, the proof is in the eating.

 

It has taken most of the day to assemble it, carefully. Jokingly I said you need an Engineering Degree to assemble this thing. Ah, I knew it, was fired back, you just repair fridges. If I could repair fridges, I replied,  i probably would be doing better.

 

I have a few screws left over, as it comes with more than is needed. More disturbingly, there are quite a few cable ties that the instructions do not show where to use them. Plus there is a plate, the same size as the platern or base plate, where ther is no indication as to its use. The biggest concern is that there is a ribbon connector that is not mentioned in the instructions, that appears to potentially go to the control panel, where there are 3 identical connections. Perhaps it does not matter which slot is used? or maybe it should go somewhere else.

 

Now I have got it, the next issue is what do I do next?

 

So where to next?

 

 

[leccyflyer]

On 11/08/2021 at 16:49, Tosh McCaber said:

Hi Leccy,

What projects have you been building with your Ender?

Hiya Tosh

 

Mostly scale details and yet more pilots. ? I've been printing the freely available pilot busts from Thingiverse since I got my first printer, which was my main reason for buying one, but have recently taken the step of paying for a few pilot files and am finding the quality is better. So, things like instrument panels, gunsights, cockpit details, ejector seats, exhausts, dummy engines, recently underwing radiators and oil cooler for my Kyosho Spitfire refurb.

[leccyflyer]

50 minutes ago, Erfolg said:

The Ender 3 printer arrived this morning. Now that is a fast service, I expected days of waiting.

 

On opening the box my said "how much was that then, more than the £110 you told me". There is a lot of it and it looks good. No I said, it was £110 delivered, but it does look good value, we will see, the proof is in the eating.

 

It has taken most of the day to assemble it, carefully. Jokingly I said you need an Engineering Degree to assemble this thing. Ah, I knew it, was fired back, you just repair fridges. If I could repair fridges, I replied,  i probably would be doing better.

 

I have a few screws left over, as it comes with more than is needed. More disturbingly, there are quite a few cable ties that the instructions do not show where to use them. Plus there is a plate, the same size as the platern or base plate, where ther is no indication as to its use. The biggest concern is that there is a ribbon connector that is not mentioned in the instructions, that appears to potentially go to the control panel, where there are 3 identical connections. Perhaps it does not matter which slot is used? or maybe it should go somewhere else.

 

Now I have got it, the next issue is what do I do next?

 

So where to next?

 

 

Is the plate you refer to flexible? If so, that's likely to be the magnetic build plate that some of the Ender printers are supplied with -it sits on top of the base plate and is the surface that the printer builds the print on. When the print has finished the plate can be removed, a quick flex pops the printed part free - much easier than messing about with adhesive tape or disposable sacrificial print surfaces. I found with my Ender5 that a quick light dusting with hairspray hugely improved the adhesion of the first layer.

[Tosh McCaber]

Hi Leccy,

I see that you're well into 3D printing!

I must say that I've seen quite a few whole models being prefabricated out of separately printed parts, and am impressed!  There's also a section in Aerofred advertising 3D kits and parts.  However, a few questions:

How easy/ how long a time is it to get to the stage where you can construct all these intricate parts?

What software do you use?  I have used Autocad for my Architectural drawings since the late 90s, and know that it had quite a steep learning curve over several years, and I'm still learning!  If I buy a printer, I don't want to spend a great deal of time learning how to use software, when I could be building model aeroplanes!!  Are they worth the money, or of more value to people who like  getting into this side of the game?

(My nephew, who's an electronic geek (computers are his business) bought one, and has produced a model of the Coronavirus(!), along with various brackets for components.  However, he tells me that it is invaluable!)

Etc, etc!

As a last basic question, how does it/ does it connect to a computer?

 

 

[Erfolg]

Leccyflyer

 

It seems you are correct. The evidence is compelling. For one the plate fits the platen area perfectly, secondly the purpose of the  clips supplied, becomes pretty obvious.

 

The pictures below show the item. 

 

In my defence I have never taken any real interest in 3d printers, other than a general understanding of what they can do. The specifics of how they are operated, and so on, just passed me by.

 

Again, coming from a position of no knowledge, I am assuming that it is the black surface that is used, for printing? The other side is what appears to be a clear plastic, probably polycarbonate or Perspex.

 

Yet another question, do you print straight onto the surface, or is some surface preparation needed?

 

 

[leccyflyer]

You print onto the surface that has Ender printed on it.  My example is magnetic and doesn't have any clips. On some of my first prints the first layer didn't quite stick properly, so since then I've given the surface a light touch of hairspray and haven't had a single issue since then.

 

As mentioned previously one of the critical things is to get the bed levelled properly, with a sheet of A4 paper -there are video tutorials available which show this process. That first layer is the crucial one and it needs a good level bed, with the correct clearance to allow the printer to lay a perfect bead of plastic.

[leccyflyer]

34 minutes ago, Tosh McCaber said:

Hi Leccy,

 

 

 

I see that you're well into 3D printing!

 

 

 

I must say that I've seen quite a few whole models being prefabricated out of separately printed parts, and am impressed!  There's also a section in Aerofred advertising 3D kits and parts.  However, a few questions:

 

 

 

How easy/ how long a time is it to get to the stage where you can construct all these intricate parts?

 

 

 

What software do you use?  I have used Autocad for my Architectural drawings since the late 90s, and know that it had quite a steep learning curve over several years, and I'm still learning!  If I buy a printer, I don't want to spend a great deal of time learning how to use software, when I could be building model aeroplanes!!  Are they worth the money, or of more value to people who like  getting into this side of the game?

 

(My nephew, who's an electronic geek (computers are his business) bought one, and has produced a model of the Coronavirus(!), along with various brackets for components.  However, he tells me that it is invaluable!)

 

 

 

Etc, etc!

 

 

As a last basic question, how does it/ does it connect to a computer?

 

 

Hi Tosh

 

First thing - the prints can take several hours, so I wouldn't bother to connect my printer to a computer at all. I just put the gcode file on a microSD card, put that in the slot on the printer and print from that. It's the simplest way IMO.

 

It's very quick to get to the stage of producing usable parts if the files are available online, with zero CAD skills required - you are just printing from a file and the slicer programme takes care of all that- you aren't designing anything, just making sure that the printer parameters are set correctly. There is plenty of advice and available profiles for different printers. If you can program a simple aero model on your DX9 you can certainly handle the slicer software. You can even download it for free and just have a play with it - give Cura a try, it's quite intuitive.

 

I've used Meshmixer and Sketch-Up for the manipulation and tiny bit of designing that I've done so far. I haven't got to the stage of printing a whole aeroplane yet and seriously doubt that I would ever bother doing so-there is a danger that the printer can turn into a hobby in itself, modifying bits and pieces to improve print quality etc. The models also take several days to print all of the parts  - however you would get much more expert advice from the 3D Printed Pilots user group. It's not really what I got my printer for -and it has paid for itself several times over in the number of pilots and other bit's I've produced so far. 

 

[Ron Gray]

1 hour ago, leccyflyer said:

 

First thing - the prints can take several hours, so I wouldn't bother to connect my printer to a computer at all. I just put the gcode file on a microSD card, put that in the slot on the printer and print from that. It's the simplest way IMO.

Personally I prefer to use Octoprint to send files and control prints rather than copy to SD, but appreciate that is probably a step too far when first entering the world of 3D printing!

Edited August 13, 2021 by Ron Gray

[leccyflyer]

Not a choice for me Ron - no Internet in the workshop and every megabit of bandwidth is precious in the house, since we are at the end of a very long bit of copper wire. The MicroSD route is simple and it works.

[Ron Gray]

Ah, my printer is in my office, not in the workshop! Does make it a little bit of an issue for smelly printing though ?

[Tosh McCaber]

Hey Leccy (and you others)- You could start up a profitable little industry, offering your sevices to the club!!

[Andy48]

Just spotted this: Flsun Q5 for under £140 shipping free from the UK.

 

https://www.banggood.com/Flsun-Q5-3D-Printer-Kit-200+200mm-Print-Size-Supprt-Resume-Print-With-TFT-32Bit-Mainboard-or-TMC2208-Slient-Driver-or-Colorful-Touch-Screen-p-1591796.html?rmmds=detail-topright-recommendation&cur_warehouse=UK

 

Have been really pleased with mine. Can't go wrong at this price.

 

[leccyflyer]

3 hours ago, Tosh McCaber said:

Hey Leccy (and you others)- You could start up a profitable little industry, offering your sevices to the club!!

I've probably printed almost as much stuff for others FOC as i have for myself and Mike often jokes about me looking after the Club Printer ? If there is something in particular  that you need, let me know - I won't be printing any full airframes though, that's way too much work getting things just right.