I printed my first lithophane. While it’s not perfect, I’m happy with it. It’s around 4" tall. I was home for the last inch or so and I kept waiting for it to fail. I could hear the nozzle dragging almost every single layer. I keep looking at it with a light, mesmerized at it.
I really, really, really do not need another hobby/project. But now I want a 3d printer and make these. I dont know if I can talk myself out of one anymore.
@RiotDemon@sammydog01 Sigh. Yes. I need to clear a space in my room to put it. I still do not need another thing, but…
I love the lithophane. I didn’t know you could do them with the printers. I have been admiring some of the other prints I have seen but this is the first one that grabbed me. I checked my library. I knew they had a printer but I never made time for it. You can take a free class to learn how to use it but they are full this month. The price is the same as listed above for using the printer.
@sammydog01@speediedelivery check out lithophanemaker.com if you want to make one with your library printer. Do they print stuff for you without talking the class? That’s what my library does.
@RiotDemon@sammydog01 Yes, you can email the library a file and they will print it. This may be the way to go but I will have to do some figuring. I might take the class and get my feet wet and then decide. After you take the class you can reserve the printer.
I did browse Thingverse a bit today. This is not good.
My next step is to bug one of my sisters. She teaches grade school kids how to print.
I bought a printer off of Woot (Sainsmart Ender 3) a couple weeks ago. I’d be willing to try printing this for you. Unassembled, labeled pieces in one color (probably white unless you wanted another color)
I’d ask for $50 post paid. Probably wouldn’t use more than ~$3 worth of filament, but it would probably take 2-3 days to print everything (assuming it all printed successfully the first time) So really more for labor and postage costs than material.
If you think you might want more than a one-off, e.g. regular cosplaying, your best best is probably to buy your own 3D printer. They require a fair bit of tinkering to get them to work and keep them working. and even when everything is set up perfectly, prints sometimes fail spectacularly (unless you were trying to print something resembling the floor sweepings from a hair salon) It can be very rewarding when things turn out well though!
Loaded each part for the left hand into my slicer. Right hand should be similar if not identical.
Part Weight (g) Hours Minutes
Left Hand Brace 50 5 39
Left Index 1 5 0 40
Left Index 2 3 0 28
Left Index 3 2 0 22
Left Index 4 1 0 11
Left Index Hoop 1 0 6
Left Middle 1 5 0 42
Left Middle 2 3 0 30
Left Middle 3 2 0 23
Left Middle 4 1 0 11
Left Middle Hoop 1 0 8
Left Nut (x19) 5 0 54
Left Peg (x19) 5 1 11
Left Pinkie 1 4 0 35
Left Pinkie 2 3 0 25
Left Pinkie 3 2 0 22
Left Pinkie 4 1 0 11
Left Pinkie Hoop 0 0 4
Left Ring 1 4 0 34
Left Ring 2 3 0 27
Left Ring 3 3 0 24
Left Ring 4 1 0 11
Left Ring Hoop 1 0 6
Left Thumb 1 3 0 30
Left Thumb 2 3 0 26
Left Thumb 3 1 0 14
Left Thumb Hoop 1 0 10
Left Wrist 87 7 41
Total 201 23 45
It’ll take a very long time to print, and at $0.10/gram, even the library is going to charge you $20 per hand. I’ll still honor the $50 quote if you want it, but that’s per hand.
@ciabelle thank you for the indepth reply. I think I’m going to end up saving up money to buy a printer myself because there has been a lot of other items that I thought would of been cool to be able to make. Also, knowing me, I’ll end up breaking the hand and needing replacement parts.
I really appreciate the breakdown that shows how much work this would really take.
I guess my next question is, are you happy with your model printer?
@RiotDemon Very happy, given the printed Buddha and other results in the brief time I’ve owned it so far. The Creality Ender 3 is a lot of printer for the money.
I previously had a Monoprice Select Mini. which cost about the same but the build volume was much smaller. It stopped working after a couple months and I never got around to trying to fix it.
The Ender 3 isn’t perfect either, but it is immensely popular due to its price/performance ratio. You can fix a lot of its shortcomings by printing mods from thingiverse (filament guides, cable clips, extruder knobs, storage drawers, etc.) which will improve its functionality and reliability.
It’s completely open source, so you can upgrade it with new electronics, longer side rails (for taller builds) easily replace the hot end, extruder, and so on. It has a heated bed so you can run virtually any filament you want through it, PLA, PETG, TPU, ABS, etc. the latter will warp a bit as it cools as there isn’t an enclosure, but there’s guides all over the web on how to build one on the cheap.
I’m going to add a Raspberry Pi to mine soon so that I can start/stop/monitor prints wirelessly and/or remotely rather than having to fiddle with micro SD cards. Just keep in mind that, like any hobby, it can consume as much time and money as you’re willing to throw at it.
@RiotDemon I should also mention that the Ender 3 comes half assembled. But they provide all the tools you need and instructions. You’ll want to watch a few Youtube videos for the assembly process and expect to spend a couple hours putting it together.
@ciabelle direct from their site it’s $189 with free shipping, no tax, and 1 year warranty. Decent price? Seems about the going rate most places but they charge shipping.
@RiotDemon Yes, that’s a decent price. As Walarney said. I bought mine from woot for $20 less. and they’re typically about $230 at Amazon. gearbest.com is another site to comparison shop, currently $189 with free shipping there as well.
@ciabelle I followed the same path as you with the exception that you can add a failed Kickstarter kit to the beginning of my list. Got an Amazon warehouse deals mp select mini last year that said it was like new but in reality had hosed wiring and a warped bed. Then ordered an ender 3 pro a couple of weeks ago but haven’t gotten it assembled yet. I was taken with it when I saw the print quality for the price. I hope it will be my first working printer. And I figure once I know more from a working printer, I can probably do better at fixing up the mp mini and give it to my nephews or something. If you have any tips on mods for the ender from thingiverse I’d be much obliged.
A word of advice for @riotdemon and anyone else looking to buy: the time limited sale on the creality site seems to actually be perpetual. It sucked me into ordering even though I knew I wasn’t going to be able to build it immediately but it’s still going now.
@djslack@RiotDemon Keep in mind, a lot of the build videos on YouTube were from early adopters who found problems, many of which have since been addressed. Most notably the top rail (most everyone calls them extrusions which can be confused with extruder, extruded, etc.) had misaligned holes. You’re very unlikely to have this issue unless you happen upon old stock.
Key thing with assembly is to take your time. tighten bolts firmly - unless otherwise indicated - but do not overtighten anything as you can strip the screws or the aluminum threads if you bear down too tight.
Step one is to attach the left and right rails. Before going on to step 2, (connecting power supply and display panel) take a few extra steps now to save you a lot of headaches later. Fisrt make sure the vertical rails are perfectly parallel. Take a tape measure and the gap should be exactly 25 Cm top to bottom. You can also take the top rail and hold each end with your fingertips as you slide it up and down the vertical supports. If the distance between supports isn’t completely even, loosen the screws you just attached them with, adjust, retighten and try again.
Now take your X-Axis mounts, without the X-Axis gantry and slide them over their respective rails. They should glide easily up and down with minimal resistance - Gravity should lower them on their own, but it shouldn’t be a free fall. If they don’t, adjust the eccentric nut until they do.
Proceed with the installation steps as directed. Make sure the Z-Axis lead screw is vertical. It’ll probably have a bit of wobble, so it may not be perfect, but get it as straight as possible. When you install the completed X-Axis gantry, ensure you don’t have any kinks in the thermocoupler cable. Once in place, fully lower and raise the gantry by hand to make sure it’s not binding anywhere. Adjust as needed. Your top rail should now go on without any issues. If it doesn’t line up on both sides, check the alignment of your left and right rails again. Connect your cables to their appropriate motors, switches, and electronics, and you should be ready to go!
As to what parts need to be printed or ordered. That depends. Early models wrapped the hot end in cotton batting and kapton tape. Yours should come with a silicone sock which is supposed to work a lot better, and makes it easier to swap parts out if needed. The ribbon cable that attaches to the display/control panel should be clipped to the bottom rail, Some printers come with clips. mine did not, but it’s an easy print.
The PTFE couplings for the bowden tube are probably crap. It’s especially important that the bowden tube is flush with the nozzle and helpful to have it snug against the extruder motor assembly. I had to manually pull what should be spring loaded couplings out to hold the tube in place. My printer came with clips to help secure them in locked position, but if yours doesn’t, it’s probably going to be the quickest print you’ll ever do. I will probably order better quality couplings soon, but so far, this is holding up.
I mentioned filament guides and cable chains in an earlier post. You probably also want to print a fan cover for the electronics board so that a stray piece of filament doesn’t fall in and mess things up. You can print a knob for the extruder to make it easier insert/remove filament. I printed one with Yoda on top, but don’t really need it. I’ve found it very easy to insert/remove filament into the extruder by hand (and I fought like hell with this on the Monoprice printer.)
The spring arm for the feed assembly on the extruder is plastic and can crack in time. Aluminum replacements are reasonable, and you can always preemptively replace it. If printing ABS or other high temperature materials, you’ll want to replace the bowden tube. Capricorn tubing appears to be the gold (blue?) standard. A meter of it will run you about $8-10. Note, you should be careful with pets if heating the nozzle about 240 degrees. The PTFE and ABS can both give off VOCs which can be harmful to pets – deadly to birds, and can’t imagine they’re all that great for humans either. Another reason for an enclosure, and even then you probably will want to keep it in a well ventilated garage or shed.
This is getting to be a pretty long post, so will wrap it up here for now. Feel free to ask any other question you might have though.
@djslack Also, I happen to have both of my initial prints from my printers on my desk at work. Cat = Select Mini, Dog = Ender 3. I used the supplied gcode files which came with each printer with no adjustments to default settings other than leveling the beds first.
Also have to disclose that the cat was printed over a year and a half ago… For the uninitiated, the Monoprice Select Mini also ships pre-assembled. whereas you get a half assembled kit from Creality. I think the results speak for themselves though.
Since the printer has been on sale for a while I’ll keep my eye out for any other discounts.
I honestly didn’t realize that the less expensive printers could print such nice quality. I thought it was going to be a $600+ investment that’s why I didn’t look into it that much before. I’m really happy to find that a sub $200 could work so well.
I watched a few videos last night that were mentioning assembly took an hour plus. Looking at Creality’s website they say less than 20 minutes, ha ha.
@RiotDemon With more money, you can generally get higher quality components, auto-bed leveling, faster print speeds, a larger build volume, and/or an enclosure. No guarantees you’ll get any of those things by spending more money though.
You can get most of those by upgrading an Ender 3. The main board doesn’t have a boot loader, but you can buy other boards which do, or use an Arduino or RPi3+, you can buy hot ends which cost more than the entire printer if you are so inclined! I just received a glass build surface from China, so that will give me smoother prints, no warping, and hopefully easier to remove parts. I should have Sir Snake waiting at home for me to scrape off as my inaugural print on it, so we’ll see how easy it will actually be to remove a very complicated and delicate item.)
You might want to check local colleges. I just put in a search and found my local University offers 3D printing to the public. From their website:
“We offer 3D printing and scanning, single-board computers and microcontrollers like the Raspberry Pi and the Arduino, virtual reality, and much more. Visitors can come to the MakerLab to experiment with new technologies, build prototypes for personal or school projects, print replacement parts for all kinds of hardware, and learn from a community of makers interested in technology and design.”
@speediedelivery I do still 3D print, though at this time I’m not able to help print anything. Prepping to move to Colorado so everything is chaotic. I can get you in touch with a couple people who might be able to help if needed.
@sammydog01 I’ve really wanted to test it out, but the TV they hook it up to is right in the middle of the young adult section. People don’t usually look cool when playing, lol
Your libraries have 3D printers and PS4s with VR headsets? Where the hell do you people live? My local library is still using dial-up on half of its computers, which are from 1996 (they have the same 15" Compaq CRT monitors I used to have).
You could get a starting price by checking shapeways, but I would say just ask one of your friends with a 3D printer. Chances are they either won’t want to do it because printers are a pain and they don’t have the time, or they will do it for free because the filament cost is minimal. (Unless you want it to be out of metal or some composite material) Just be appreciative and make sure you finish the project because they probably spent 10 hours fixing the printer to get it to print for you. (Depending on the printer, some aren’t as bad as others)
@Fen_Star I don’t know anyone with a 3d printer. I’m thinking this is a thing I might want to buy one day because I keep seeing awesome things made with them.
I would definitely make this if I could find someone to print it. It would complete my grim reaper costume.
@carl669 no lie, I’ve wanted this for probably over ten years. I bet whoever made this print got the idea from the original website I saw where a guy made it out of wood dowels, tiny little hinges and springs. In this amount of time, I could of made them, but I digress…
Wow, that is an impressive project!
Just for the hell of it, I downloaded the models from thingiverse and haphazardly dropped them into a slicer (Ultimaker Cura). I did not try to optimize the layout, just had Cura auto-arrange. Depending on how dense the support, print quality mode and how crappy your printer is, you’re looking in the ballpark of at least 700 grams of filament and 70+ hours of print time in draft mode (0.2mm layers, 0.4mm nozzle). Add some time to get all that off of 6 build plates. (My printer is a highly modified pretty crappy kit printer).
10 cents per gram sounds like a bargain. There’s definitely at least $70 of cool in those hands.
Ok, so apparently a different branch of my local library added a 3d printer. They charge 10¢ a gram. Is that good? No idea. Is there some way I can figure out how much the print weighs?
/Goes back to look at the file since I have no idea what I’m doing.
@RiotDemon Depending on what type of filament you want - basic ABS/PLA, or some special look (wood, marble, etc.) Standard filament runs about $25-30 / Kg for reasonable stuff (so 2.5 cents) and more special stuff can run twice that. If you factor printer cost & maintenance, cooling, training, electricity, etc., I think 10 cents per gram seems pretty reasonable.
Also, complex prints tend to have extra support material or rafts attached - not sure if they’re charging you for the finished product only, or the weight of everything extruded. That print is a pretty complex one and would be a PITA.
@chuegen thanks very much for the info. I’m obviously completely a noob. Turns out they occasionally have classes that explain all the basics. I’m going to send in the link and they will send me back a quote in 5 days or so.
I’m always looking for fun things to print. Minimal cost in materials. Look like a multi day print with all the pieces though. If the model was done well and would slice easily, I’d take a crack at it for you.
@canuk I’m waiting for a quote from my local library. Says it could take 5 days for a response. Not even sure if they are willing to print it yet. I have no idea how to check how much material it would use. If you want to give it a go, let me know how much you’d want for your time and materials, shipping to Florida.
@fiyascoricardo I’m confused. You talk like a real person but add bizzare links like a spammer. Are you a spammer? Hey @thumperchick and @narfcake is this person a spammer or not?
What ya do is… you go down to a microsoft store and explain how you doubt any “PC” can print this complex thingverse model… sorta egg them on until they print it on the demo printers that all the microsoft stores always have sitting there…
they will likely print it… but good luck getting it out of their geeky hands after it’s done… it will likely become some fixture in the store and a thing of legends among the staff.
There are online services that will 3D print for you, as long as you have the plans. Sculpteo comes to mind but I would guess something this complex (so many pieces) might be expensive
@djslack@ciabelle go figure. Actually ordered one Saturday that will be here Thursday. Paid 180 for the one with the glass bed add-on and extra nozzles.
I guess the 10 extra saves me having to wait 3 weeks.
@RiotDemon nope, but it looks like it might be a rainy week here so maybe I’ll get some inside free time to make it happen. Or we may be building at the same time.
@djslack 2.5 hours for assembly, bed leveling, and actually starting a print. Actual assembly was 1hr 45m.
My head hurts, lol.
That video helped but there was several times I said, wait, what? And rewinded the video. Attaching the belt was frustrating. His extra steps to get stuff straight was messing with me but I got there in the end.
The paper instructions were definitely lacking.
I’m printing the test cat from the card. I didn’t want to even attempt downloading anything else and slicing it tonight.
@djslack@RiotDemon Woohoo! Welcome to the club! (Or condolences, as your thoughts will increasingly be consumed by filament, nozzle and bed temperatures, adhesion, print speed… And what do those other 500 parameters in the slicer do?)
@djslack@mehcuda67 haha, thanks! I totally understand. I sliced my first downloaded file last night and it was so many things to look at. I had even printed out a bunch of pages that had all the options but I think it was an old version of Cura. All the menus looked completely different.
I printed a fan cover and while it will work, it’s not that pretty. I guess I’ll eventually reprint it once I figure out more stuff.
The test cat that I printed looked very detailed but there was some boogers that I ended up cutting off. It did make me excited because I know the printer works.
@thismyusername reading that link… Most of it is gibberish to me, lol. I’ve been out of the computer world for so long. I’m currently using a laptop that I inherited that came with windows 7 that I upgraded to 10. It’s slow.
I think I need more research to understand where to even begin.
@RiotDemon if you are getting one for an OctoPi get a pi 3.The pi 4 version of octopi isn’t fully out of beta yet. It will even work on a pi 2 from what I hear, I am using a 3 I had laying around… so if you see a pi 2 for $10 grab that for a try. You shouldn’t spend more than $35 on a pi 3 (that’s the actual normal price).
Basically it becomes a graphical web interface for your ender… you can control it from the web interface, you can upload the sliced items and print them from octopi/octoprint and you can attach a webcam and view progress and make timelapses so when you return to a birds nest of plastic you can see where it went wrong. There are also various plugins for various things.
You can even set it up for access from remote, but I have yet to do this as I just tunnel into my home network and access it that way… so not sure it is a great idea but it is possible.
The OctoPi route is the simplest because you just put the disk image onto a sd card, pop that into the pi and presto you have a fully working copy of octoprint ready to go… you could also just run octoprint on a dedicated pc or laptop if you wanted… the pi is just lower power so more efficient power wise to keep it running all the time with the printer.
I was also initially skeptical of OctoPrint until I fumbled with microsd cards trying to do a complex print and gave it a try. Soooo much easier just controlling it from a web interface than managing moving files on a physical sd card.
Plus it’s an octopus thing… and were here at meh home of the breakfast octopus… it’s kismet.
Take the guy up on it that said $50. That’s dirt cheap, and I honestly expect he’ll back out on you once he realized what he signed up for.
I downloaded and sliced the file, and we’re looking at over 2 and a half days of print time assuming there’s no failed prints etc, and with this many parts there will be. I’d have to change at least $200, maybe as much as $300 for this, plus shipping. Looks like around 1-2 pounds of filament, so figure shipping could be up to $20. That’s unfinished, unpainted, unassembled, just removed from the build plate, the supports removed, and everything labeled/organized so you can figure out how it goes together. You’d also need to source and purchase the additional hardware yourself (not much honestly, some dental bands and fishing wire according to the read me).
@RiotDemon Yes and no. Ours doesn’t see a lot of use so it would need to be re-zero’d etc. Then you have to know the software for creating the print itself because often the Thingiverse designs are saved in a less than ideal orientation etc. I once tried a replica of Han Solo’s blaster…got as far as printing about 20 of the pieces and gave up. For more simple things it’s really a fun thing to have and I encourage anyone interested in 3D modeling to get one.
@ciabelle I’m going to bug you about your knowledge, if you don’t mind.
I got a few prints that looked okay off my printer. Then I made the mistake of trying to add a tray that had me take my Y axis tensioner off to install it. Found out my dimensional accuracy was off. I had a hell of a time after that. All my circles were squished ovals. I don’t know how many times I tried to adjust the tension, something was wrong. All my prints started to get knocked off. If the print did make it, the right side would be smooth, the left or left front corner would be rough. My z axis rod came loose at one point in all of my testing. I also had to move the z switch to compensate for the glass bed.
I installed new yellow springs because the machine didn’t stay level.
I also installed a metal extruder.
I calibrated the extruder before and after. It originally was under extruding, but my first ever print was almost perfect, so I don’t know if I should reset it back to the original.
Yesterday I got so frustrated that I ended up taking my machine apart until I got to the step to add the side extrusions. I made sure they were straight and I put the machine back together.
Things I noticed when I took it apart:
The side spool holder that I had printed wobbled. So I ended up putting the spool holder back at the top until I can print/make a separate spool holder. I’m wondering if the wobbling made my prints terrible.
When I got back to the point of leveling the bed, it was way too low. I don’t know what changed during reassembly. I haven’t moved the z switch again, because I’m not sure I need to.
I printed a pre sliced leveling test that prints five squares. The left two and the middle printed perfectly. The right two showed it was a smidge too close. I adjusted and then I attempted to print the ender cat.
The raft looked perfect for the first few layers and then my nozzle started to drag across the print. It managed to print about 1/4" above the raft before it knocked the print loose. Looking at the quality of what did print, the front half of the cat felt smooth, the back half felt rough.
I’m at my wit’s end. Before I tore it down, I had made a few posts on Reddit asking for help, but the topics didn’t get much traction so I gave up asking there.
@RiotDemon Hmmmm… You’re alternately experiencing issues which seem related to the X, Y, and Z axes. Some ideas:
Is there any wobble on the X-Axis gantry? Check for any binding.
Make sure the bed is heated before you level it. Increasing the bed temp may help with adhesion.
It might be that your Z offsets aren’t dialed in just right. Are you using a different size nozzle than stock (0.4mm)? If so, your slicer settings need to be adjusted accordingly.
These are just guesses, but I’m not an expert. A forum which might provide more help is the Ender 3 FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ender3ender3procreality/ A few gurus hang out on there…
@ciabelle thanks. I’ll check it out. I’m not sure how to check my z offsets.
I’ve tried to do many searches about the print getting knocked or the nozzle dragging. The answer was always the same that my bed wasn’t level. That kept throwing me for a loop because it was level.
I do test the leveling with the heated bed. If the print makes it, it usually is super stuck on the glass so I don’t think it’s an actual adhesion issue. I have some prints where I could actually see the nozzle lines dragging.
I’m going to attempt some different leveling prints and then post some new photos to the FB group.
@RiotDemon FB is annoying, but it’s much easier to post photos, plus it probably has a bit more of a critical mass of support than reddit in many cases.
@medz haha, I understand the price. My library said they could do it but in the end, I got the printer with glass bed for $150 so it will eventually feel like I got my money’s worth.
that’s a decent price. As Walarney said. I bought mine from woot for $20 less. and they’re typically about $230 at Amazon. gearbest.com is another site to comparison shop, currently $189 with free
I printed my first lithophane. While it’s not perfect, I’m happy with it. It’s around 4" tall. I was home for the last inch or so and I kept waiting for it to fail. I could hear the nozzle dragging almost every single layer. I keep looking at it with a light, mesmerized at it.
RIP, Orion.
@RiotDemon It’s fantastic, and an excellent memorial to Orion. Well done. No doubt Orion is mewing down with approval.
@RiotDemon Just wow.
I really, really, really do not need another hobby/project. But now I want a 3d printer and make these. I dont know if I can talk myself out of one anymore.
@speediedelivery as soon as I saw a video about lithophanes, I instantly thought about Christmas gifts.
This has probably been one of the most frustrating hobbies ever, but things like this are a little win for me.
@RiotDemon I’m so excited for you! Keep us up to date on your projects. I want to see them all!
@speediedelivery Same here- maybe they’ll be on sale for the holidays?
@sammydog01 thank you
@RiotDemon @sammydog01 Sigh. Yes. I need to clear a space in my room to put it. I still do not need another thing, but…
I love the lithophane. I didn’t know you could do them with the printers. I have been admiring some of the other prints I have seen but this is the first one that grabbed me. I checked my library. I knew they had a printer but I never made time for it. You can take a free class to learn how to use it but they are full this month. The price is the same as listed above for using the printer.
@sammydog01 @speediedelivery check out lithophanemaker.com if you want to make one with your library printer. Do they print stuff for you without talking the class? That’s what my library does.
@RiotDemon @sammydog01 Yes, you can email the library a file and they will print it. This may be the way to go but I will have to do some figuring. I might take the class and get my feet wet and then decide. After you take the class you can reserve the printer.
I did browse Thingverse a bit today. This is not good.
My next step is to bug one of my sisters. She teaches grade school kids how to print.
I bought a printer off of Woot (Sainsmart Ender 3) a couple weeks ago. I’d be willing to try printing this for you. Unassembled, labeled pieces in one color (probably white unless you wanted another color)
I’d ask for $50 post paid. Probably wouldn’t use more than ~$3 worth of filament, but it would probably take 2-3 days to print everything (assuming it all printed successfully the first time) So really more for labor and postage costs than material.
On Thingiverse, you can also order things printed: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2616236/apps/print/#apps. I don’t know what they’d charge though – could be more, could be less than what I’m asking.
If you think you might want more than a one-off, e.g. regular cosplaying, your best best is probably to buy your own 3D printer. They require a fair bit of tinkering to get them to work and keep them working. and even when everything is set up perfectly, prints sometimes fail spectacularly (unless you were trying to print something resembling the floor sweepings from a hair salon) It can be very rewarding when things turn out well though!
Loaded each part for the left hand into my slicer. Right hand should be similar if not identical.
It’ll take a very long time to print, and at $0.10/gram, even the library is going to charge you $20 per hand. I’ll still honor the $50 quote if you want it, but that’s per hand.
Easier to read version of table…
@ciabelle thank you for the indepth reply. I think I’m going to end up saving up money to buy a printer myself because there has been a lot of other items that I thought would of been cool to be able to make. Also, knowing me, I’ll end up breaking the hand and needing replacement parts.
I really appreciate the breakdown that shows how much work this would really take.
I guess my next question is, are you happy with your model printer?
@RiotDemon Very happy, given the printed Buddha and other results in the brief time I’ve owned it so far. The Creality Ender 3 is a lot of printer for the money.
I previously had a Monoprice Select Mini. which cost about the same but the build volume was much smaller. It stopped working after a couple months and I never got around to trying to fix it.
The Ender 3 isn’t perfect either, but it is immensely popular due to its price/performance ratio. You can fix a lot of its shortcomings by printing mods from thingiverse (filament guides, cable clips, extruder knobs, storage drawers, etc.) which will improve its functionality and reliability.
It’s completely open source, so you can upgrade it with new electronics, longer side rails (for taller builds) easily replace the hot end, extruder, and so on. It has a heated bed so you can run virtually any filament you want through it, PLA, PETG, TPU, ABS, etc. the latter will warp a bit as it cools as there isn’t an enclosure, but there’s guides all over the web on how to build one on the cheap.
I’m going to add a Raspberry Pi to mine soon so that I can start/stop/monitor prints wirelessly and/or remotely rather than having to fiddle with micro SD cards. Just keep in mind that, like any hobby, it can consume as much time and money as you’re willing to throw at it.
@RiotDemon I should also mention that the Ender 3 comes half assembled. But they provide all the tools you need and instructions. You’ll want to watch a few Youtube videos for the assembly process and expect to spend a couple hours putting it together.
@ciabelle I love that you can print parts to make it better.
I’ve got it on my list. Now to watch a million videos on YouTube in the meantime to learn something while I save some extra cash for it.
@ciabelle direct from their site it’s $189 with free shipping, no tax, and 1 year warranty. Decent price? Seems about the going rate most places but they charge shipping.
https://www.creality3d.shop/collections/3d-printer/products/creality-ender-3-3d-printer-economic-ender-diy-kits-with-resume-printing-function-v-slot-prusa-i3-220x220x250mm?gclid=CjwKCAjwg-DpBRBbEiwAEV1_-Hv0bUF1u8HV1DDM8CPl6GifYrjqs5AFlOok1Eil8_o6D5QkFcWFQBoCnAEQAvD_BwE
@RiotDemon Woot!'s had them a couple of times recently for $160. https://wootstalker.com/recentw.php?type=&search=creality
@RiotDemon Yes, that’s a decent price. As Walarney said. I bought mine from woot for $20 less. and they’re typically about $230 at Amazon. gearbest.com is another site to comparison shop, currently $189 with free shipping there as well.
@ciabelle I followed the same path as you with the exception that you can add a failed Kickstarter kit to the beginning of my list. Got an Amazon warehouse deals mp select mini last year that said it was like new but in reality had hosed wiring and a warped bed. Then ordered an ender 3 pro a couple of weeks ago but haven’t gotten it assembled yet. I was taken with it when I saw the print quality for the price. I hope it will be my first working printer. And I figure once I know more from a working printer, I can probably do better at fixing up the mp mini and give it to my nephews or something. If you have any tips on mods for the ender from thingiverse I’d be much obliged.
A word of advice for @riotdemon and anyone else looking to buy: the time limited sale on the creality site seems to actually be perpetual. It sucked me into ordering even though I knew I wasn’t going to be able to build it immediately but it’s still going now.
@ciabelle @djslack I read this article earlier today that seemed to have a lot of decent info and links:
https://m.all3dp.com/1/20-must-creality-ender-3-upgrades-mods/
@djslack @RiotDemon Keep in mind, a lot of the build videos on YouTube were from early adopters who found problems, many of which have since been addressed. Most notably the top rail (most everyone calls them extrusions which can be confused with extruder, extruded, etc.) had misaligned holes. You’re very unlikely to have this issue unless you happen upon old stock.
Key thing with assembly is to take your time. tighten bolts firmly - unless otherwise indicated - but do not overtighten anything as you can strip the screws or the aluminum threads if you bear down too tight.
Step one is to attach the left and right rails. Before going on to step 2, (connecting power supply and display panel) take a few extra steps now to save you a lot of headaches later. Fisrt make sure the vertical rails are perfectly parallel. Take a tape measure and the gap should be exactly 25 Cm top to bottom. You can also take the top rail and hold each end with your fingertips as you slide it up and down the vertical supports. If the distance between supports isn’t completely even, loosen the screws you just attached them with, adjust, retighten and try again.
Now take your X-Axis mounts, without the X-Axis gantry and slide them over their respective rails. They should glide easily up and down with minimal resistance - Gravity should lower them on their own, but it shouldn’t be a free fall. If they don’t, adjust the eccentric nut until they do.
Proceed with the installation steps as directed. Make sure the Z-Axis lead screw is vertical. It’ll probably have a bit of wobble, so it may not be perfect, but get it as straight as possible. When you install the completed X-Axis gantry, ensure you don’t have any kinks in the thermocoupler cable. Once in place, fully lower and raise the gantry by hand to make sure it’s not binding anywhere. Adjust as needed. Your top rail should now go on without any issues. If it doesn’t line up on both sides, check the alignment of your left and right rails again. Connect your cables to their appropriate motors, switches, and electronics, and you should be ready to go!
As to what parts need to be printed or ordered. That depends. Early models wrapped the hot end in cotton batting and kapton tape. Yours should come with a silicone sock which is supposed to work a lot better, and makes it easier to swap parts out if needed. The ribbon cable that attaches to the display/control panel should be clipped to the bottom rail, Some printers come with clips. mine did not, but it’s an easy print.
The PTFE couplings for the bowden tube are probably crap. It’s especially important that the bowden tube is flush with the nozzle and helpful to have it snug against the extruder motor assembly. I had to manually pull what should be spring loaded couplings out to hold the tube in place. My printer came with clips to help secure them in locked position, but if yours doesn’t, it’s probably going to be the quickest print you’ll ever do. I will probably order better quality couplings soon, but so far, this is holding up.
I mentioned filament guides and cable chains in an earlier post. You probably also want to print a fan cover for the electronics board so that a stray piece of filament doesn’t fall in and mess things up. You can print a knob for the extruder to make it easier insert/remove filament. I printed one with Yoda on top, but don’t really need it. I’ve found it very easy to insert/remove filament into the extruder by hand (and I fought like hell with this on the Monoprice printer.)
The spring arm for the feed assembly on the extruder is plastic and can crack in time. Aluminum replacements are reasonable, and you can always preemptively replace it. If printing ABS or other high temperature materials, you’ll want to replace the bowden tube. Capricorn tubing appears to be the gold (blue?) standard. A meter of it will run you about $8-10. Note, you should be careful with pets if heating the nozzle about 240 degrees. The PTFE and ABS can both give off VOCs which can be harmful to pets – deadly to birds, and can’t imagine they’re all that great for humans either. Another reason for an enclosure, and even then you probably will want to keep it in a well ventilated garage or shed.
This is getting to be a pretty long post, so will wrap it up here for now. Feel free to ask any other question you might have though.
@djslack Also, I happen to have both of my initial prints from my printers on my desk at work. Cat = Select Mini, Dog = Ender 3. I used the supplied gcode files which came with each printer with no adjustments to default settings other than leveling the beds first.
Also have to disclose that the cat was printed over a year and a half ago… For the uninitiated, the Monoprice Select Mini also ships pre-assembled. whereas you get a half assembled kit from Creality. I think the results speak for themselves though.
@ciabelle @djslack these replies are super helpful, thank you!
Since the printer has been on sale for a while I’ll keep my eye out for any other discounts.
I honestly didn’t realize that the less expensive printers could print such nice quality. I thought it was going to be a $600+ investment that’s why I didn’t look into it that much before. I’m really happy to find that a sub $200 could work so well.
I watched a few videos last night that were mentioning assembly took an hour plus. Looking at Creality’s website they say less than 20 minutes, ha ha.
@RiotDemon With more money, you can generally get higher quality components, auto-bed leveling, faster print speeds, a larger build volume, and/or an enclosure. No guarantees you’ll get any of those things by spending more money though.
You can get most of those by upgrading an Ender 3. The main board doesn’t have a boot loader, but you can buy other boards which do, or use an Arduino or RPi3+, you can buy hot ends which cost more than the entire printer if you are so inclined! I just received a glass build surface from China, so that will give me smoother prints, no warping, and hopefully easier to remove parts. I should have Sir Snake waiting at home for me to scrape off as my inaugural print on it, so we’ll see how easy it will actually be to remove a very complicated and delicate item.)
@ciabelle Thank you for all the advice. That’s like three hours worth of googling and reading other forums you put together for us!
You might want to check local colleges. I just put in a search and found my local University offers 3D printing to the public. From their website:
“We offer 3D printing and scanning, single-board computers and microcontrollers like the Raspberry Pi and the Arduino, virtual reality, and much more. Visitors can come to the MakerLab to experiment with new technologies, build prototypes for personal or school projects, print replacement parts for all kinds of hardware, and learn from a community of makers interested in technology and design.”
@bogie Are you still working with your 3d printer?
@speediedelivery I do still 3D print, though at this time I’m not able to help print anything. Prepping to move to Colorado so everything is chaotic. I can get you in touch with a couple people who might be able to help if needed.
@Bogie @RiotDemon has a thingverse print she was looking for info about. I remembered you have good knowledge about this stuff.
Don’t be a stranger once life settles a bit
I tweaked some settings to try another lithophane. This time it’s my other cat, Zoomer, that also passed this year.
Quality is getting better. Still not perfect. It’s lovely to start this before going to bed and wake up to something beautiful like this.
@RiotDemon Beautiful! About how much does the plastic cost for one of those?
@sammydog01 This one was calculated at a whopping $0.47. Plus around the electricity of a lightbulb while it runs.
Our public library has a 3d printer you can use for less than $4000. In fact it’s free. Did you check yours?
@sammydog01 Does it work?
@Fen_Star I’ve never tried. Maybe I should.
@sammydog01 same at our library - you simply pay for the filament you use when they weigh the print output.
You simply upload the print file and wait for it to queue.
They also have a laser engraver and computer-driven embroidery “printer”.
@sammydog01 they have a PS4 with a VR headset, but no 3d printer
@sammydog01 so doing another search, apparently they recently added a 3d printer at a different branch of the library.
Last time I searched, they didn’t have it.
Now my post is pretty pointless.
/giphy shame
@RiotDemon Honestly the PS4 with the VR headset sounds cooler.
@sammydog01 I’ve really wanted to test it out, but the TV they hook it up to is right in the middle of the young adult section. People don’t usually look cool when playing, lol
Your libraries have 3D printers and PS4s with VR headsets? Where the hell do you people live? My local library is still using dial-up on half of its computers, which are from 1996 (they have the same 15" Compaq CRT monitors I used to have).
@ShotgunX Florida.
@RiotDemon That makes me feel so much worse…
@ShotgunX cuz Florida is the joke of all the states, right?
@RiotDemon Florida man ‘Jason Bourne’ arrested in Pinellas Park library
@ShotgunX I’m on the other coast.
I’ve lived here since 1990. I get it. It’s the dick of America.
@RedOak Gosh you have a great library. The ones around here struggle with having even the basics.
@RiotDemon Florida man is arrested in college library foot-sniffing case
@ShotgunX Michigan.
@Kidsandliz we are lucky. But we do pay for it in property taxes. So I guess it’s far from free.
Our Library was fairly traditional until a few years ago but finally woke up.
You could get a starting price by checking shapeways, but I would say just ask one of your friends with a 3D printer. Chances are they either won’t want to do it because printers are a pain and they don’t have the time, or they will do it for free because the filament cost is minimal. (Unless you want it to be out of metal or some composite material) Just be appreciative and make sure you finish the project because they probably spent 10 hours fixing the printer to get it to print for you. (Depending on the printer, some aren’t as bad as others)
@Fen_Star I don’t know anyone with a 3d printer. I’m thinking this is a thing I might want to buy one day because I keep seeing awesome things made with them.
I would definitely make this if I could find someone to print it. It would complete my grim reaper costume.
POPSOCKETS! SPROCKETS! DAVY CROCKETT! AWESOME!
i don’t have a printer, but that looks cool as fuck.
@carl669 no lie, I’ve wanted this for probably over ten years. I bet whoever made this print got the idea from the original website I saw where a guy made it out of wood dowels, tiny little hinges and springs. In this amount of time, I could of made them, but I digress…
Wow, that is an impressive project!
Just for the hell of it, I downloaded the models from thingiverse and haphazardly dropped them into a slicer (Ultimaker Cura). I did not try to optimize the layout, just had Cura auto-arrange. Depending on how dense the support, print quality mode and how crappy your printer is, you’re looking in the ballpark of at least 700 grams of filament and 70+ hours of print time in draft mode (0.2mm layers, 0.4mm nozzle). Add some time to get all that off of 6 build plates. (My printer is a highly modified pretty crappy kit printer).
10 cents per gram sounds like a bargain. There’s definitely at least $70 of cool in those hands.
@mehcuda67 thanks for your input! I’ve decided to purchase a printer. Now I just have to choose which one!
Ok, so apparently a different branch of my local library added a 3d printer. They charge 10¢ a gram. Is that good? No idea. Is there some way I can figure out how much the print weighs?
/Goes back to look at the file since I have no idea what I’m doing.
@RiotDemon I bet it’s less than $4000.
@sammydog01 bargain of $3999!
@RiotDemon Depending on what type of filament you want - basic ABS/PLA, or some special look (wood, marble, etc.) Standard filament runs about $25-30 / Kg for reasonable stuff (so 2.5 cents) and more special stuff can run twice that. If you factor printer cost & maintenance, cooling, training, electricity, etc., I think 10 cents per gram seems pretty reasonable.
Also, complex prints tend to have extra support material or rafts attached - not sure if they’re charging you for the finished product only, or the weight of everything extruded. That print is a pretty complex one and would be a PITA.
@chuegen thanks very much for the info. I’m obviously completely a noob. Turns out they occasionally have classes that explain all the basics. I’m going to send in the link and they will send me back a quote in 5 days or so.
I’m always looking for fun things to print. Minimal cost in materials. Look like a multi day print with all the pieces though. If the model was done well and would slice easily, I’d take a crack at it for you.
@canuk I’m waiting for a quote from my local library. Says it could take 5 days for a response. Not even sure if they are willing to print it yet. I have no idea how to check how much material it would use. If you want to give it a go, let me know how much you’d want for your time and materials, shipping to Florida.
Thanks.
@canuk Sculpteo comes to mind but I would guess something this complex (so many pieces) might be expensive
@fiyascoricardo I’m confused. You talk like a real person but add bizzare links like a spammer. Are you a spammer? Hey @thumperchick and @narfcake is this person a spammer or not?
@fiyascoricardo @narfcake @sammydog01
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
What ya do is… you go down to a microsoft store and explain how you doubt any “PC” can print this complex thingverse model… sorta egg them on until they print it on the demo printers that all the microsoft stores always have sitting there…
they will likely print it… but good luck getting it out of their geeky hands after it’s done… it will likely become some fixture in the store and a thing of legends among the staff.
Lots of unique pieces…maybe around $4,000 plus filament costs.
@medz @RiotDemon To be clear, this guy is kidding.
There are online services that will 3D print for you, as long as you have the plans. Sculpteo comes to mind but I would guess something this complex (so many pieces) might be expensive
https://www.sculpteo.com/en/
@capguncowboy turns out my local library system has a printer now. Waiting to get a quote back.
Creality currently has a sale (beyond their perpetual sales) on the Ender 3 and apparently their entire line: Get it now for $170 here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32858931045.html?storeId=2846085&gps-id=5298742&scm=1007.14677.110221.0&scm_id=1007.14677.110221.0&scm-url=1007.14677.110221.0&pvid=cbc3214c-fa7f-47a1-a831-dbef0a4fa810&spm=a2g1y.promotion-20181111.promoteRecommendProducts_6431156.0
If you go, kick in the extra 43¢ for the 3X - includes glass bed and extra nozzles.
@djslack @ciabelle go figure. Actually ordered one Saturday that will be here Thursday. Paid 180 for the one with the glass bed add-on and extra nozzles.
I guess the 10 extra saves me having to wait 3 weeks.
DJ, have you put yours together yet?
@RiotDemon nope, but it looks like it might be a rainy week here so maybe I’ll get some inside free time to make it happen. Or we may be building at the same time.
@djslack apparently this is the video we should be watching while assembling.
/youtube ender 3 assembly printed tomb of horrors
What filaments did you buy? I took a chance and ordered some inland pla+ from micro center. Watched a few decent reviews.
@RiotDemon I have some inland I picked up from micro center as well.
Thanks for the video, gonna take a look now.
@djslack I’m watching this one now. I like this guy. To the point.
It briefly talks about miniatures but it has a lot of basic info on how to print.
@djslack 2.5 hours for assembly, bed leveling, and actually starting a print. Actual assembly was 1hr 45m.
My head hurts, lol.
That video helped but there was several times I said, wait, what? And rewinded the video. Attaching the belt was frustrating. His extra steps to get stuff straight was messing with me but I got there in the end.
The paper instructions were definitely lacking.
I’m printing the test cat from the card. I didn’t want to even attempt downloading anything else and slicing it tonight.
@djslack @RiotDemon Woohoo! Welcome to the club! (Or condolences, as your thoughts will increasingly be consumed by filament, nozzle and bed temperatures, adhesion, print speed… And what do those other 500 parameters in the slicer do?)
@djslack @mehcuda67 haha, thanks! I totally understand. I sliced my first downloaded file last night and it was so many things to look at. I had even printed out a bunch of pages that had all the options but I think it was an old version of Cura. All the menus looked completely different.
I printed a fan cover and while it will work, it’s not that pretty. I guess I’ll eventually reprint it once I figure out more stuff.
The test cat that I printed looked very detailed but there was some boogers that I ended up cutting off. It did make me excited because I know the printer works.
@djslack @mehcuda67 @RiotDemon I love purple.
@RiotDemon some of these might come in handy.
https://www.instructables.com/classes/tagged/3d-printing/
@djslack thanks! I’ll give them a look.
Hey @RiotDemon if you have a raspberry pi laying around I recommend you check out OctoPi.
(or even normal ol OctoPrint if you don’t mind keeping a machine on).
@thismyusername I do not have a raspberry pi. I don’t really know anything about them. Wouldn’t have a clue which kind to purchase, for example.
I’ve seen that it is an upgrade that most people seem to eventually add to their printers.
@thismyusername reading that link… Most of it is gibberish to me, lol. I’ve been out of the computer world for so long. I’m currently using a laptop that I inherited that came with windows 7 that I upgraded to 10. It’s slow.
I think I need more research to understand where to even begin.
@RiotDemon if you are getting one for an OctoPi get a pi 3.The pi 4 version of octopi isn’t fully out of beta yet. It will even work on a pi 2 from what I hear, I am using a 3 I had laying around… so if you see a pi 2 for $10 grab that for a try. You shouldn’t spend more than $35 on a pi 3 (that’s the actual normal price).
Basically it becomes a graphical web interface for your ender… you can control it from the web interface, you can upload the sliced items and print them from octopi/octoprint and you can attach a webcam and view progress and make timelapses so when you return to a birds nest of plastic you can see where it went wrong. There are also various plugins for various things.
You can even set it up for access from remote, but I have yet to do this as I just tunnel into my home network and access it that way… so not sure it is a great idea but it is possible.
The OctoPi route is the simplest because you just put the disk image onto a sd card, pop that into the pi and presto you have a fully working copy of octoprint ready to go… you could also just run octoprint on a dedicated pc or laptop if you wanted… the pi is just lower power so more efficient power wise to keep it running all the time with the printer.
I was also initially skeptical of OctoPrint until I fumbled with microsd cards trying to do a complex print and gave it a try. Soooo much easier just controlling it from a web interface than managing moving files on a physical sd card.
Plus it’s an octopus thing… and were here at meh home of the breakfast octopus… it’s kismet.
Take the guy up on it that said $50. That’s dirt cheap, and I honestly expect he’ll back out on you once he realized what he signed up for.
I downloaded and sliced the file, and we’re looking at over 2 and a half days of print time assuming there’s no failed prints etc, and with this many parts there will be. I’d have to change at least $200, maybe as much as $300 for this, plus shipping. Looks like around 1-2 pounds of filament, so figure shipping could be up to $20. That’s unfinished, unpainted, unassembled, just removed from the build plate, the supports removed, and everything labeled/organized so you can figure out how it goes together. You’d also need to source and purchase the additional hardware yourself (not much honestly, some dental bands and fishing wire according to the read me).
@iandidar thanks for the advice.
I ended up buying a printer already.
Duuuuuuuude. Now I have to print that skeleton arm.
56 individual pieces…wow. Almost want to do it just because…but then I’d have to setup the printer again and it wouldn’t be fun anymore
@tightwad are they an absolute pain in the ass to set up? That’s kind of what I’m gathering the more research I’m doing.
@RiotDemon Yes and no. Ours doesn’t see a lot of use so it would need to be re-zero’d etc. Then you have to know the software for creating the print itself because often the Thingiverse designs are saved in a less than ideal orientation etc. I once tried a replica of Han Solo’s blaster…got as far as printing about 20 of the pieces and gave up. For more simple things it’s really a fun thing to have and I encourage anyone interested in 3D modeling to get one.
Looks like this is the printer that they have at the other library:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B017GUBHDK/ref=sspa_mw_detail_6?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I’m really curious if they will even take on the task of printing so many pieces or if I’ll have to submit each one individually to them.
Might be worth just saving money and buying my own if it’s going to be expensive.
@ciabelle I’m going to bug you about your knowledge, if you don’t mind.
I got a few prints that looked okay off my printer. Then I made the mistake of trying to add a tray that had me take my Y axis tensioner off to install it. Found out my dimensional accuracy was off. I had a hell of a time after that. All my circles were squished ovals. I don’t know how many times I tried to adjust the tension, something was wrong. All my prints started to get knocked off. If the print did make it, the right side would be smooth, the left or left front corner would be rough. My z axis rod came loose at one point in all of my testing. I also had to move the z switch to compensate for the glass bed.
I installed new yellow springs because the machine didn’t stay level.
I also installed a metal extruder.
I calibrated the extruder before and after. It originally was under extruding, but my first ever print was almost perfect, so I don’t know if I should reset it back to the original.
Yesterday I got so frustrated that I ended up taking my machine apart until I got to the step to add the side extrusions. I made sure they were straight and I put the machine back together.
Things I noticed when I took it apart:
The side spool holder that I had printed wobbled. So I ended up putting the spool holder back at the top until I can print/make a separate spool holder. I’m wondering if the wobbling made my prints terrible.
When I got back to the point of leveling the bed, it was way too low. I don’t know what changed during reassembly. I haven’t moved the z switch again, because I’m not sure I need to.
I printed a pre sliced leveling test that prints five squares. The left two and the middle printed perfectly. The right two showed it was a smidge too close. I adjusted and then I attempted to print the ender cat.
The raft looked perfect for the first few layers and then my nozzle started to drag across the print. It managed to print about 1/4" above the raft before it knocked the print loose. Looking at the quality of what did print, the front half of the cat felt smooth, the back half felt rough.
I’m at my wit’s end. Before I tore it down, I had made a few posts on Reddit asking for help, but the topics didn’t get much traction so I gave up asking there.
I appreciate the guidance.
@RiotDemon Hmmmm… You’re alternately experiencing issues which seem related to the X, Y, and Z axes. Some ideas:
Is there any wobble on the X-Axis gantry? Check for any binding.
Make sure the bed is heated before you level it. Increasing the bed temp may help with adhesion.
It might be that your Z offsets aren’t dialed in just right. Are you using a different size nozzle than stock (0.4mm)? If so, your slicer settings need to be adjusted accordingly.
These are just guesses, but I’m not an expert. A forum which might provide more help is the Ender 3 FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ender3ender3procreality/ A few gurus hang out on there…
@ciabelle thanks. I’ll check it out. I’m not sure how to check my z offsets.
I’ve tried to do many searches about the print getting knocked or the nozzle dragging. The answer was always the same that my bed wasn’t level. That kept throwing me for a loop because it was level.
I do test the leveling with the heated bed. If the print makes it, it usually is super stuck on the glass so I don’t think it’s an actual adhesion issue. I have some prints where I could actually see the nozzle lines dragging.
I’m going to attempt some different leveling prints and then post some new photos to the FB group.
Ugh. FB. I hate it.
@RiotDemon FB is annoying, but it’s much easier to post photos, plus it probably has a bit more of a critical mass of support than reddit in many cases.
@RiotDemon My initial quote is looking much more reasonable now, eh?
@medz haha, I understand the price. My library said they could do it but in the end, I got the printer with glass bed for $150 so it will eventually feel like I got my money’s worth.
@RiotDemon, I’d recommend that you try this same post at
EDIT - Nevermind, reading is fundamental
that’s a decent price. As Walarney said. I bought mine from woot for $20 less. and they’re typically about $230 at Amazon. gearbest.com is another site to comparison shop, currently $189 with free