So, I need to know what printer I should get. You all have more experience than me, so I thought I'd get some advice.
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Thoughts? I really appreciate any help you can offer.
For that budget I'd look at something in the Elegoo Neptune 3 line of printers. Depending on the size of build area you want you can get one for between $300 and $500.
Their parts are fairly common is my understanding and they are a pretty established brand at this point.
Unless you were looking at printing with ASA or ABS regularly where an enclosure would be needed. But even the Neptune 3 printers can print in that temperature range. You'd just need to work out an enclosure for it.
How important is it that you keep the same build volume?
I'd prefer to not go down that far in print volume, but I'll happily trade volume for reliability.
If you are having moisture problems, you may consider a dehumidifier? They work extremely well allowing my towels to dry properly. Humidity goes from 75-90 down to 35-40 with it on.
I'd wager that has an impact on your 3D prints as well.
If you are having moisture problems, you may consider a dehumidifier? They work extremely well allowing my towels to dry properly. Humidity goes from 75-90 down to 35-40 with it on.
I'd wager that has an impact on your 3D prints as well.
I fixed the humidity issue. I built a drybox that my filament feeds out of, and it works great. It's all the other issues that I've been having.
Okay cool. I just didn't want you to get a new one and have the same moist filament problems.
I ended up ordering a Prusa Mini+. Hopefully that will work out a bit better.
I've generally had really good luck with my Mini+. It was almost plug and play out of the box.
Of course, as I say that, the printer is actually out of commission. I suspect it's a clogged nozzle, which should be an easy fix. I just haven't taken the time to pull the nozzle, clear the clog, reassemble, and go through the first layer calibration process again. I'm also not convinced that the root problem isn't too-wet filament. I need to pick up a dehydrator or drying box and see if that fixes anything too, but again, lazy.
I assume a drying box is cheaper than a ~$200 dehumidifier. Go with what works for sure. I can only attest to dehumidifiers working amazingly.
I said dehumidifier, but I meant dehydrator. I have dehumidifiers for my basement office when the weather's warm, but they're obviously not enough to keep filament dry. Dehydrators are more in the $60 range if I can't find a cheap used one.
Thoughts on this? I'm waiting for my Prusa Mini+ for three weeks (it's now a few days overdue), and I'm a bit apprehensive given me some other things I've heard in regards to Prusa.
If you don't have time to watch the video, it's arguing that Prusa has completely fallen behind the curve, particularly in comparison to companies like Bambu Labs, and that even their upcoming Prusa XL is already kind of obsolete compared to other, cheaper machines. Add in to that their supply and shipping issues, as well as the emergence of machines like the Sovol SV-06 that are a third the price for close to equivalent quality (the video's opinion, not mine), it has made me wonder if I wouldn't be smart to cancel my Mini+ order and go with something else.
I bought a Bambu X1 Carbon (with the AMS). I promptly sold my 2 other printers (Prusa MK3 and a large Creality CR-6 Max) with zero regrets.
The X1 is expensive - the P1 is cheaper, and by all accounts virtually as good.
I haven't watched the video but from my perspective on the Bambu - it isn't perfect, but it is a complete game changer for FDM printers and what to expect.
I mean MAYBE that creator has a point about Prusa not being innovative recently but it is probably because Prusa is the standard at the mid range price point. PLUS so much from other companies are there because of the Prusa open source stuff. But you still are not going to go wrong with a Prusa printer. I've only seen one other video from that guy and it was just talking about the Bambu printer he had gotten for review. Here is one from a long time 3d printing creator. Again, feel free to get what you want BUT it may be a bit too soon to say Prusa is done for 
I bought a Bambu X1 Carbon (with the AMS). I promptly sold my 2 other printers (Prusa MK3 and a large Creality CR-6 Max) with zero regrets.
The X1 is expensive - the P1 is cheaper, and by all accounts virtually as good.
I haven't watched the video but from my perspective on the Bambu - it isn't perfect, but it is a complete game changer for FDM printers and what to expect.
That P1 does seem like a great price point. I always paint everything I print so I don't really need the AMS.
Appreciate you posting that! It's a good counter, although a few of the points didn't necessarily stick with me. That being said, I'm going to leave my order in place. It's a kit build, so hopefully I'll learn a thing or three.
I got my Prusa Mini! I’ve had it for nearly a week now, and I’m generally really pleased. It’s churned out quite a few prints, all of which were MUCH better quality than the FlashForge (even when it was working.)
I did start having some nasty stringing issues. I played around with retraction settings, temperature, and everything else I could find online, but the best I could manage was this.
I got on a chat with Prusa support. They went through all the setup and settings with me, then suggested the humidity in Tennessee might be the issue. I pointed out that PLA isn’t supposed to absorb moisture that fast, and he kindly pointed out that fact is only applicable if you don’t live in a swampy conservative hellmouth that’s at 85F and 74% humidity at the end of $&@&@$ February. Sure enough, I swapped out for some brand new filament, and the stringing was gone.
So I came up with this as a solution:
It’s a Lack enclosure. On top is an airtight drybox with a hygrometer and silica gel to keep it bone dry. The filament travels through that PTFE tube down into the enclosure, so it’s not exposed to the filthy soup I’m breathing each day before it hits the hot end. It works GREAT. The first prints I’ve done in this setup have been damn near flawless.
Love the Lack enclosure! I just finished building one for myself as well.
For those of you who use Octoprint, what do you use it for and what kinds of extensions do you like to use? I recently installed it and connected it to my Prusa MK3S. So far, other than providing a camera interface (which I can do just fine without Octoprint...), I haven't really found a whole lot of real use for it yet. I mean, it's cool that I can send jobs to my printer directly from the Slicer, but the printer is literally behind my workstation and so it's not like I have to walk very far with the SD card.
In fact, Octoprint gotten in my way twice already. If I have a pause inserted into a print so I can swap filament or do something else, I find that it locks me out of my Prusa front console so I can't move the head or do the things I'm used to doing. (Of course, maybe I'm supposed to do that from the Octoprint web interface? Not sure...) The second thing is that if the Raspberry Pi reboots for some reason (e.g. I bump the power cable), when the PI rebooted and Octoprint reconnected to the printer, it caused the Prusa to reboot, forcing the print job to halt and there was no apparent way to recover from it. Whoops.
Maybe there's ways to address both of those issues. I'll have to keep digging but any advice from those who have spent more time with it would be greatly appreciated!
A guy I used to work with had a Prusa knockoff printer 4 years ago when I worked with him. He replaced the OS on the controller with Klipper and was able to print at impressive speeds. He sent me this video last week of another guy's printer. I don't know if that is a H-bot or a CoreXY printer, but, it is amazing.
Watch at least until the 3:30 mark. If you want to skip a little, start at 2 minutes in:
-BEP
I've seen a few Vorons hit similar speeds. If I had more money... and time... and technical skill... and space... and proper tools, I'd definitely want to build a Voron Trident. The speeds you can reach with a Core XY are kind of insane, as Bambu is demonstrating.
The former coworker told me today that he is building on of those monsters. He sent me pics of printing some of the pieces (in PETG). I’m interested to see how it turns out.
-BEP
The former coworker told me today that he is building on of those monsters. He sent me pics of printing some of the pieces (in PETG). I’m interested to see how it turns out.
-BEP
That's interesting. I know the Voron team specifically recommends against printing the parts in PETG, instead suggesting either ASA or ABS. But considering that Prusa prints all the parts for their printers in PETG, I'd imagine that it should be okay.
The mini is tuned in pretty damn well. I’ve produced some really cool prints over the last few days.
That's interesting. I know the Voron team specifically recommends against printing the parts in PETG, instead suggesting either ASA or ABS. But considering that Prusa prints all the parts for their printers in PETG, I'd imagine that it should be okay.
It might because his printer isn't enclosed. Not sure.
The mini is tuned in pretty damn well. I’ve produced some really cool prints over the last few days.
Awesome. (more) PICS PICS PICS!
-BEP
Yeah I've been printing a lot of ABS on my prusa this month and the default bed setting is 100C 1st layer and 110 after. Even having a fan on in the same room can push the bed during that change and I even have a new 3rd party power supply on it.
Anyone have any ideas what could be causing these tiny defects in the layer lines?
A few notes:
This is a roll of brand new filament. Once it was removed from the vacuum sealed packaging, it was immediately transferred to a dry box with a hygrometer measuring 10% humidity. So I don’t think wet filament is the problem.
I’ve tried turning down the retraction length settings from 3.2 to 2.0 mm.
Anyone have any ideas what could be causing these tiny defects in the layer lines?
I remember seeing some people having similar issues like that because of the Power Loss Recovery setting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi7Q... has a good walk through on how to turn it off ... assuming that is the issue.
What setting did you have for the Z Seam Position & Seam Corner Preference? I can't tell for sure but since that is a round object there is not a corner to hide the seam in so depending on the settings it could that.
Got some tricolor silk filament and printed this planter from Cults3D.
The fact that it’s different colors from different angles makes it really vivid.
What's everyone's filament of choice? I've had some really good luck lately with PolyTerra PLA. The matte finish comes out really cleanly. A few people have suggested Hatchbox to me, but I've had some issues with it.
What's everyone's filament of choice? I've had some really good luck lately with PolyTerra PLA. The matte finish comes out really cleanly. A few people have suggested Hatchbox to me, but I've had some issues with it.
I've had good luck with Eryone & Polymaker's PLAs.
Spidermaker is my favorite. It's a lot more expensive than it used to be, but it doesn't shrink, minimal stringing and a great matte finish.
I've never had a problem with black hatchbox. I always filler/primer and paint the stuff I print though. There is some newer cosplay PLA I may start buying because it is supposedly easier to sand.
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