Getting a new 3D printer, my there are so many - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 18, 2023, 11:21:00 am
content: My creality ender 3 v2 seems to have decided to quit and I have lost patience with it. I was hoping to get a dual nozzle self enclosed printer next but they seem to be quite pricy and I'd always want a little workhorse.The Anker Make has made a lot of noise lately, bit pricier but allegedly fast, seems to get mixed reviews, as a printer it seems great but many are not keen on the slicer.Anything I should look into?

author: jc101
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2023, 02:02:19 pm
content: I have been closely looking at the Bambu Lab X1 lately. I have a project that requires custom enclosures, so I'm mulling over getting a 3D printer to do the prototypes.What I don't want is anything that soaks up time to be able to use. The Bambu also seems to be quite zippy, which would be of use too.

author: Infraviolet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2023, 08:06:17 pm
content: Creality's CR20 Pro type works pretty well for me, can be maintained using all the same spares you already probably have around for your ender. Some issues with bed levelling though, inherent in the printer's design of using fully automatic bed levelling without any adjustment scrws, so not great for bigger prints. Works reasonably well as a printer, but wouldn't be an upgrade over what you already have.

author: bonifacio
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2023, 10:42:29 pm
content: I have a CR6-SE and somewhat content. Been a decent workhorse since it's Kickstarter campaign. Auto-leveling has been a lifechanging for me.Now you have me considering a new printer.The Ankermake M5 does seem like a more finished product. The comparable one would be a Bambu P1P. Everything else seems to be a price jump.Main thing to consider is the M5 bed volume is almost an inch less.

author: dobsonr741
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 19, 2023, 12:48:01 am
content: Sovol SV06 for $240. Has all the recent must haves.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 19, 2023, 06:41:05 am
content: Yes I did find the Bambu X1 having seen the P1P and I'm not even on the fence anymore, I want that one I think. No more need for dual nozel with the really cheap addon of the multi spool thing and the speed is a nice bonus. I know that if I got the P1P I would regret it.

author: jc101
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2023, 09:18:48 pm
content: My Bambu X1 Carbon Combo arrived this week. Pretty impressed so far working perfectly straight out of the box. Naturally, the UK price was cut by £120 the day after it arrived

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 29, 2023, 05:11:51 pm
content: I'm not impressed. Clearly the shills on youtube were paid so much they were willing to lie out of every orifice.The prestored models don't print at all, that was when I finally got the damn thing. I had to pay twice and I am still waiting for a refund on the first one. The first one I addressed to work, they missed out the company name on the address and blamed the carrier, uttur assholes, they could not be bothered to set an auto responder when the went on holiday. Presumably they just have monkeys in the UK doing the shipping and the comms are done in china.no it does not take 20 minutes to set up like people claim, it needs a really solid surface or prints will be rubbish, I managed to get their benchy to print after I modified their settings and even at slow speed it was awful. it's like these people don't get 3D printing, the build plate was set to 35C, I don't know what is special about their PLA but i never got anything to work in the past at under 50.So, sure, I got it to work when "I" sliced a model, very nice too, so apparently it's just a case of actually understanding 3D printing. I struggled to get the printer to link up to my account, maybe their chinese servers went on holiday too. Frankly I feel lied too, this was not the dream setup it was meant to be. Maybe they listened to all those hardcore people that complained that it was being made too easy for the masses.i suppose I would recommend it as a printer but I feel rather ripped off considering I was promised a fault free workflow and it feel like those fucking enders all over again for 6 times the price.The software is bloody awful, makes no sense at all, I know I have only experience of cura but this thing is just shit! Basically bambu labs seem to have one ability and one ability only, to do the hi speed compensation crap, at everything else they are a failure. Unlike my ender every print ends up with a trail of filament from the nozzle. So the software that the youtube shills called a bit quirky and I'm sure they will sort it out - a year ago - is actually bad in my opinion and not snomething that you can just say, yea it's early days andh will get better, Bambu labs sure must pay well.This is all on the X1 carbon combo, yes I see the X1 is not sold now and everyone is ravetting on about the price of that and now when you come to buy it's a case of bait and switch. So I have had all this trouble while using all of their stuff, not even tried putting my own filament in.

author: Infraviolet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2023, 05:22:18 pm
content: " I struggled to get the printer to link up to my account"I would, for one, never even consider buying any equipment which required linking to an account and dependence on online servers to use it.I'd heard Bambu printers can be made to work with Cura (https://www.printables.com/model/420771-bambu-lab-x1-carbon-cura-profile), might that get you out of the dire software problems you describe?P.S. so your post is a good warning for others you might make the very top line of it a note of which exact printer model had all these problems

author: jc101
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2023, 05:25:54 pm
content: That is the polar opposite of my experience. It took about 30 mins to get it out of the box and plonk it on the desk. The desk/bench is fairly hefty, 1" ply top on top of a 2x4 frame, all stood on some newel posts. Though it did make the monitors at the other end move a little when running. Adding the anti-vibration feet has solved that. Account linking was seamless. It also offers a LAN-only mode that doesn't need the "cloud", but you need to turn it on occasionally to get firmware updates. For anything sensitive, I can also just print from an SD card anyway.This is the first print from it with all the default settings, printed from the screen on the printer itself.Edit to say ordered Friday the 23rd, and delivery was Tuesday the 27th. Not having a 3d printer before, I can't compare the software to anything else. It seems OK to me at the moment, once I understand all the various terms etc.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 29, 2023, 05:45:09 pm
content: You can use an SD card, it's basically what I had to do on my ender 3, it's now working and yea that is cool, I am just so amazed at the awful shipping experience and the fact that I can slice models for printing better than they can, I mean i really want to know how some of those youtube shills got their benchy's to print, mine was just having none of it.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 29, 2023, 05:47:58 pm
content: Quote from: jc101 on June 29, 2023, 05:25:54 pmSo yours is in green? mine just prints in white, apparently the white is support material. I don't know if this is to mean it is different or just that it's the cheapest stuff they could muster that may not be exactly white. I can't see how to change the colour though, the picture is in white so I assume it just auto pilots.

author: jc101
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2023, 05:55:56 pm
content: I got a green PLA, white support filament, and a black PLA-CF (I think, not opened that yet). The inbuilt jobs want to load the filament from the first slot in the AMS, so that is where I put the green PLA. I've seen videos where jobs have been printed with the support filament, and they are just blobs, basically. It's designed to break away easily from the main print, not to print the whole job.The software has a button to sync the AMS load into the job, so it will pick the right spool when it comes to print. The symbol to the right of the - sign.I went through the wiki manual before the printer arrived.Edit, the display shows white as it's read the RFID in the spool so it knows that is what you loaded. But the internal jobs, I think, will take what is in slot 1 regardless. Swap it to green PLA, and the AMS will change to a green block.

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2023, 06:18:53 pm
content: @dobsonr741Well, I bit on a flash sale at Amazon and got the Sovol SV06 Plus. It's affordable, and with inflation, every $100 I spend today saves me $10+ next year (remember income taxes). I should have it by the weekend and assume it has a starter roll of something. PLA? Any hints for setting it up?Related to this, I dabbled in 3D CAD about 25 years ago, ended my updates to SolidWorks 2007, but never really felt comfortable with it. (I hated context sensitive icons.) I haven't done any 3D in the past 10 years. What is the most intuitive, free thing to use today?John

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 29, 2023, 06:34:27 pm
content: Quote from: jc101 on June 29, 2023, 05:55:56 pmAha, makes more sense, I mean those RFID tags seem to be more useful for showing fancy pictures in the right colour rather than picking the right filament, another monumental cockup, they seem to have put more effort into the marketing than the machine, along with paying the shills off who don't really tell you anything useful. One shill showed off a nice white benchy, it's amazing, the most user friendly printer made unfriendly.I mean the filaments that are oh so special actually stick together so that the reel rears up in the AMS, they claim this stuff is superior, never had such shit, the crap creality supplied never stuck together.Just loaded the green in the first slot, pictures still show white and starting a new benchy print. Just noticed the self adhesive surface stickey is 90 degrees out on the magnetic plate. I mean it really is a case of having a bunch of perhaps good engineers that never saw daylight until they finished the job and a bunch of useless assholes screwing it up after them.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 29, 2023, 06:37:34 pm
content: Oh yea, the rubber feet, I pulled mine off dragging it on the carpet, but wait! there are holes in the centre, now i wonder what they were for...... too bloody cheap to use a screw?

author: jc101
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2023, 06:50:02 pm
content: The colour of the PLA supplied is random, not everyone gets green from what I’ve seen.I had to pull the original feet with needle nose pliers to get the anti vibration feet on. They had some double sided tape on and needed a good tug.It’s a shame your having such a hard time with it, for me it has been effortless so far. As this is my first 3D printer I have no baseline. But so far it’s printed anything I’ve given it and results have been great as far as I’m concerned.Maybe raise a ticket with them in case you have something iffy with yours?

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 29, 2023, 07:13:33 pm
content: Oh and the "power button" only turns the screen off, it's like they put it in and then realized that they did not have the hardware or software support for it so just have it turn the screen off. How much could I get paid to shill this?

author: jc101
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2023, 07:16:41 pm
content: Looks like you need to return it for a refund.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 29, 2023, 07:17:35 pm
content: Quote from: jc101 on June 29, 2023, 06:50:02 pmGreen benchy has come out fine, it's just that for all the hype, it feels like a bit of a lie.Basically they engineered the shit out of the frame to make it fast and did all the calibration and then left the rest up to some work experience student. For all the work they apparently put into this they apparently could not put a power button on that actually turns it off, with green in my first slot I still get white pictures.Like you I have black, green and support white.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 29, 2023, 07:19:19 pm
content: Quote from: jc101 on June 29, 2023, 07:16:41 pmwhy? so that I stop moaning about it and devaluing the investment they put into the youtube shills? As a printer I do like it, it's just that I can also see all through the overhyped crap. I'm an engineer, evaluating solutions is my job so that I don't use the wrong solution myself.

author: jc101
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2023, 07:42:52 pm
content: Nope, just if it was causing you so much grief, then why suffer?Do a video of the issues for all to see the downsides, or just post the full list here to warn people.The power button is a "display sleep/wake" button, as shown as such in the manual. Reading it before buying that wasn't an issue for me. There is a switch on the back if I need to physically turn it off, much like a load of other test gear.I'm not a supporter, fan, or evangelist of Bambu. Nor of any other 3D printer, as this is my first. After much research and reading the manuals/wiki, I bought one. It's early days, but so far, everything is pretty much as I expected it would be based on my research. Except for my monitors shaking when it printed, the anti-vibration feet solved that.Your experience in the 3D printing world is obviously way more than mine, so it may well be overhyped and expensive. For me, I want something that just works out of the box so I don't have to waste time getting usable results. It may come back to bite me later on, by so far so good.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 29, 2023, 08:36:42 pm
content: well my experience has only been of an ender 3. It is much better it's just "interesting" to have one for real and compare to what the youtubers say which is careful in pointing out that there are problems but then just glossing over them like it's nothing.The power button, is, a power button, that is what the symbol on it tells me. In my opinion it was meant to be one but they had, um, communication issues within the teams. so they came up with a face saving solution. the screen goes out on a timer anyway. This tells me that they messed upanything that is the user interface just looks sloppy, or is it the smart phone way taking over.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2023, 03:04:17 pm
content: +1 for the Bambu X1. It just works, software is easy to use, fast and produces decent quality with no faffing about.Obviously needs to sit on a solid surface - that's just physics.Cloud stuff is a convenience and optional - you can avoid it but I think there may be issues doing firmware updates if you do.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 23, 2023, 12:16:54 pm
content: Mine has been OK as well although they seem to set their bed temperatures too low with PLA and it never sticks unless I set it up at least to 40C. I have had lots of problems with their matte PLA, it just keeps pulling away. I suspect they have the flow rate set too high and I have just been messing about with some PETG that was not theirs that will only work at 5mm^3/s but the manufacturer says 8-12. setting it to 5 after lots of other tests was the only way to get it to print.

author: usagi
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2023, 06:38:52 am
content: I'll just repeat what I posted elsewhere:I have been 3d printing since 2011, I have had many printers.The Bambu X1C+AMS is the best printer I've ever owned, hands down. It's the first printer I could recommend to a complete newbie and be confident they'd be successful out of the box without fiddling. I've been printing more on this printer in the past 6 months than I have in the past 6 years.Now Bambu has the P1S available, it is unbelievable value for money and one I would easily recommend for beginners.

author: abeyer
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2023, 05:57:07 pm
content: Quote from: usagi on August 24, 2023, 06:38:52 amI dunno, I think it depends a lot on the beginner... maybe they are good value, but imho they're still quite expensive as a first device for someone who may not even stick with it or use it frequently. Given how many ender 3 and similar cheap but reliable bed slingers are out there and getting retired as people move to some of the newer printers, they're almost free for the taking. Why not start with those and make a decision from there? Seems like a good way for a beginner to evaluate "Do I enjoy this enough, and see enough value in it, to justify upgrading to a $1k+ tool to make it easier?"

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2023, 06:02:19 pm
content: Quote from: abeyer on August 24, 2023, 05:57:07 pmThat depends on the "..but reliable" part - for a beginner, they need something that just works with minimum messing about. Nothing's going to put someone off as much as something that needs endless fiddling to be useable.I have no idea how the Ender fits into that, but so many of the comments about Babmu are to the effect of "it just works" that it seems that's relatively unusual...

author: abeyer
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2023, 07:00:28 pm
content: I don't have enough experience w/ different printers to really have an expert opinion... but I bought an ender 3 some years back and even if I were to bill my time out at my consulting rates, I don't think I've ever spent $1000 worth of "fiddling" with it (beyond the initial assembly and calibration, as I bought it in kit form.)It's a good fit for my fairly light usage, and if my only option were the $1k "just works" I wouldn't have bought a printer at all. Not saying the Bambuisn'ta good option for some... just that it might not be a blanket recommendation for everyone.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 24, 2023, 08:52:55 pm
content: Bambu labs is not all that it is cracked up to be. I continue to see people struggle with their materials on their printers. Their profiles are all wrong. I wasted £10 worth of material before realising that this must be the case as it just would not print the simplest model properly.I don't know if it is the printer or the materials but I have a roll of petg that I have to print at 5mm^3/s or I just get a mess. petg is usually 12mm^/s. Their own matte PLA on their own settings chosen by them was very poor.Bambu labs did one thing and one thing only. They made a mechanism that could move fast, an that is it, not print fast, move fast. Look at their specs, they never say print, always move. As for 3D printing they don't seem to know more than the average beginner themselves.Complain on their forum and you get the post deleted, well I suppose at least it is not full Chinese style censorship....

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2023, 09:36:46 pm
content: Quote from: abeyer on August 24, 2023, 07:00:28 pmSame here - I got an Ender 3 Pro about four or five years ago. It actually worked very well "right out of the box" until ... it didn't. When it didn't make a good print I realized - this is not something ready to be sold in a Walmart. My gosh they couldn't handle the returns because of disgruntled customers.Since then I've modded it a WHOLE lot partly to improve it and partly because I enjoy doing it. But this sort of machine - hobby - ain't like getting a toaster oven and expecting it to give you great toast for ten years with no issues. I don't care how well made the 3D printer is, you are going to have problems - because there are too many variables at play for it to give you good prints each and every time. It's still partly science lab experiment and will be for some time to come. A paper printer is a reliable and predictable device, a 3D printer ain't.The final problem is where it all comes together at the exit point of the nozzle onto the print bed or previous layer. Temperature, humidity, speed, material quality, residue/dirt in nozzle, nozzle wear, heat sink cooling fan speed, part cooling fan speed, extruder accuracy, software control, adhesion, bed temp, stupid slicer settings, software bugs, and just an unpredictable set of physical properties of the whole printing environment - it's a complex mix of variables that don't always do what is desired because the machine has no idea how to compensate for them in real time. Plus the quality of the original model you are printing, and then how the model is prepared for the machine - the slicer. I don't care how good the machine is the print can turn out bad not because of the machine at all but because the G code file wasn't prepared the best way. So yea yea spend $1000 on a 3D printer and see if it produces quality prints the way you want each and every time. It won't happen as often as you wish. But if you understand this, it can be a very useful tool.

author: ToHu
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 25, 2023, 07:19:46 pm
content: I did try different low -mid end FDM printers, including the MakerBot and i was sure that there is no really usable 3d printers under $5000 until i bought a used Formlab SLA. I use this one already 3 years, i print a lot of parts, and those are not toys, but real parts mainly for product prototypes and low volume productions, but i have also some parts for our mass production, very small parts that i can print 50 at a time. For those 3 years i have one misprint, and it was partially my fault. Definitely is something i do recommend. It has a lot of benefits compared to many of the popular SLA.1 - it's a laser not DLP2 - you have a resin cartridge's , it will itself, siting on the desk next to may workstation, no smell, no mess.3 - the speed and quality is quite good for an SLA4 - formlabs offer wide range of materialsThe only downside is the price of the resin, you no need to buy a original resin, but in that case you don't have autofill, or you need to hack the original cartridge rfid, but having on mind all the benefits i can leave with the resin price. Regarding the thanks and platform, Formlabs recommend to change the resin tank on each 1-2 l of print, but if you careful you may print 5-6 liters before you need to change the thank. The building platform i never change, i have two that allow me non stop print, one of them was used come with the printer, the second one is new. Both of them works well and i do not see any reason to be changed.I don't want to sound like an advertisement, but this is probably one of my best buys ever, it payout hundred times.Also having SLA allow you to print real parts, most FDM's are even not close to the quality, strength and usability of SLA parts.

author: baldurn
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2023, 08:07:53 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on June 29, 2023, 05:11:51 pmThe pre sliced benchy is a party trick. It can print incredibly fast - if you are lucky. But it will always be poor quality because it was sliced to flex the speed not quality.Slice your own benchy. It will be at least 50% longer to print, maybe even double time. But it will be proper quality and show the real print speed - which is not bad.And yes you still need to understand 3D printing. Get a different build plate than the default. Spend a little time tuning materials, temperatures and speed. It is well worth it and then it is actually a quite good printer.

author: usagi
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2023, 11:03:05 am
content: Quote from: Simon on August 24, 2023, 08:52:55 pmsorry to hear you have problems.as a contrary data point, mine moves and prints very fast, as does my friend's. the local makerspace is starting to replace their printers with the bambu p1s as well.i print hatchbox petg at 18mm^3/s. i've started experimenting with difficult filaments and managed to get a benchy in POM - that was a lot of work but fun to try.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 26, 2023, 05:41:13 pm
content: Quote from: usagi on August 26, 2023, 11:03:05 amOh I can print PLA fast no problem. The PETG was my own and may just be rubbish. But their own matte PLA with their own settings was a mess.What I am saying about printing and moving fast is generic. other fast printers above 100mm/s all say up to their fantastical speeds. This is because actually if you do the math on the flow rate you discover that high speed movement is quickly capped by the flow rate of the material. For example on the bambu printer it is not uncommon that reducing the layer thickness does not increase the print time by much, the reason is that you were never going to print at that speed with that layer thickness as you hit the materials flow rate, they just don't tell you that the machine is not going to hit the speeds you set.As to the built in benchy it is more than a party trick. it was shown by the various shills on YouTube as proof of how good it was. You say it will always be poor quality, well they seemed to like it. But then paid advertising will just be lies.

author: baldurn
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2023, 06:23:46 pm
content: I use lower layer height to get better quality without increasing print time. So it is not useless.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 26, 2023, 06:53:47 pm
content: Quote from: baldurn on August 26, 2023, 06:23:46 pmthat is exactly my point, no the speed is not useless. But do not read, 500mm/s movement as my 0.2mm layer prints will now print 10x faster than my crappy ender 3 did. NO! what the speed gives you is the ability to print at a better quality at the same speed. because you can't exceed the flow rate of the material. Bambu lab's seem to be attempting just that. I have had massive problems with their PLA matte, on their printer with their profile. I see complaints on their forum of the exact same problem with their PETG materials.

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2023, 07:06:01 pm
content: I understand the appeal of speed, but can't see it as a primary selection feature for a hobby person. I use my printer to make parts, and have made literally 100s over the three or four years I have owned one. Some of the prints have taken a full day to print, but that is still days faster than I could build them using other construction techniques. And I have lots of projects to keep me occupied while the printer sits there laying down a tiny thread of plastic. To me, complaining about the speed of a hobby 3D printer is kind of like complaining that the cheap PCB houses take days to deliver their boards.If you are a production house that answer is different.

author: baldurn
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2023, 07:23:59 pm
content: If I print the same object on my Prusa and my Bambu, the Bambulab will finish in approximately half the time. For me that is typically an extra iteration per day.I also print everything in ASA which my Prusa is horrible at. I love the automatic filament change. I rarely use it for multicolor prints, but it is genius as a storage system. The app and ability to monitor the print remotely is also very useful.These are the reason I recommend this printer. Obviously not perfect and you still need to use your brain. But currently something of the best for the price. Although I suppose you could build an open source Voron printer if you want to beat it.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 26, 2023, 08:40:31 pm
content: The filament change over unit is nice, but as you say, best for storage. For multi filament prints it is hopeless unless the colour changes are strictly across the whole layer. otherwise you waste more material than you print! Naturally the YouTube shills never show you this. They mention it and then assure that it is OK, because you can change the settings to make it less. I thought this odd, because if it could be less then why not have it as less as default. Of course, another lie from Bambu labs that the shills were paid to pedal. It takes an amount of material to force the old stuff out, if you don't waste enough you will just waste the entire print as the filaments will be mixed.The speed is nice as you can print higher quality at the same speed. The PLA CF materials are very nice and the layer don't show as much, but they do show at 0.2mm, but if you can run at 0.08mm and still print in the same time it is perfect as now the layers disappear. The wall dithering is also very nice, this greatly increases print time but again if the print speed is that fast then again you can allow the printer to do more work as it works faster so again a better result in the same time.That is what the speed is really about. Of course it is not how Bambu labs sell the printer but then they have already made clear that they are liars and they don't care. Once they have your money they have won. Oh the support was the other lie. While a 3D printer youtuber is making a video telling you how awsome the support is people on the bambu forum are complaining of no support. It took them 5 weeks to refund me with no even an apology or some gesture of good will considering that they had just slashed their prices, but then it's that chinese mentality all over again, got your money, now go fuck yourself, we can pay another youtube shill who will claim that this is just a spontaneous video and that he is not being paid for it. Yea right, it's funny how youtube is rammed with praise for BL while their forum is full of people complaining about just basic customer service.

author: usagi
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2023, 08:42:31 pm
content: Quote from: CatalinaWOW on August 26, 2023, 07:06:01 pmit's not a primary selection feature but it is a huge deciding factor. if a print is going to take 16 hours i'll likely not bother. but on my x1c it takes 8, i'll do it. and i can iterate a lot faster as a hobbyist if a print takes 30 minutes instead of 2 hours. i print way more on my x1c than i ever did on my previous printers, because now it's so easy to do so.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2023, 12:10:50 am
content: Quote from: Simon on August 26, 2023, 08:40:31 pmHopeless seems harsh, it's slow and uses a lot of filament, but it can do it, unlike most other printers. Not the right tool if you do a lot of multicolour obviously, but certainly useableAIUI it can reduce wastage by flushing into infill or support.

author: usagi
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2023, 03:54:41 am
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on August 27, 2023, 12:10:50 amI use the multi material AMS to do removable supports, eg solid PLA support interface for PETG. it doesn't waste very much material in that scenario and it works excellent.the AMS is a big convenience too, I leave 4 different materials loaded at all times and I never have to bother changing out filaments - it does it all for me. this was annoying on my previous printers and frequently would cause me not to even bother printing because I didn't want the hassle. now I just hit print from my computer and never even have to get up from my chair when I switch from PETG to ASA to PC to PA+CF.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2023, 01:58:58 pm
content: QuoteDo you find the AMS keeps the PACF dry enough?

author: usagi
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2023, 07:49:19 am
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on August 27, 2023, 01:58:58 pmyes, AMS with dessicant seems enough to keep them dry for months.i printed some ams dessicant holders off of printables.com to hold dessicant. it keeps my humidity meter reading off-scale low.https://www.printables.com/model/272340-bambu-lab-ams-dryer-pod-w-snap-fit-lids

author: boggis the cat
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2023, 06:01:51 am
content: Quote from: Simon on August 26, 2023, 08:40:31 pmEvery review I saw specifically pointed out the amount of wastage.QuoteThen you immediately contradicted yourself. These "shills" clearly aren't shilling very effectively.QuoteWhy are you ranting about imaginary "shills"? What they state is correct - you can tune the filament changes to reduce waste, if you want to trade the time you'll spend for the material waste. The main selling point is ease of use, though, not most cost-efficient prints.QuoteSpeed is severely impacted with filament swaps. Their new A1 model seems to address the print time issue with filament swaps, but is still single head so wouldn't improve material waste.I'm surprised you didn't complain about this inevitable X1 / P1 series design compromise.QuoteUnclear what you're trying to say. Do you not understand the concept of time?QuoteConfusion?QuoteSo the evil Chinese stole your money, but then gave it back when you couldn't figure out how to use the easiest to use printer on the market?Looks to me like you are a bit clueless, with some racism on the side. Your first attempt at printing on this machine was using the provided support material, right? It is clearly marked as such. What did you think it was?I suppose you could argue that Bambu Lab should protect you from your stupidity, but stupid people are very good at finding ways to work around protective features so it's an endless task. Perhaps they assumed reading comprehension and a manual would be sufficient.No printer is flawless, and my recently acquired P1S has been good aside from the AMS, which has retraction failure issues. My thinking is it is down to motors being too weak (cost-cutting measure, most likely - what do the engineers who designed it know?) and also scrimping on the bowden tubing lengths. Every bend creates drag which the AMS motors have to overcome, and they're pretty marginal. I am surprised that they haven't beefed up those motors by now - possibly there is an issue with current draw through the wiring, which may also have been 'improved' by some management type.3D printers aren't quite 'consumer friendly' yet, so I will have to work on the AMS.I was getting reasonably close to zero waste prints on my Sovol SV04 IDEX machine, but that was sucking up a lot of time and not generating any useful prints - endless calibration cubes and benchy's are not my ideal production schedule. If you want zero waste, and dual colour / material is acceptable, then get an IDEX and tune it in.Or if you really only want speed you could spend the same money on a Voron 2.4 or RatRig, and build it yourself. A lot more flexibility than the proprietary Bambu Lab machines. But if it doesn't work you know who to blame.Oh, wait. It would be those devious Chinese again, right?

author: aeberbach
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2023, 06:12:57 am
content: I considered a Bambu, but the cloud thing killed it for me. They could also respect open source a little more. Waiting on my Prusa MK4 kit...

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2023, 07:44:55 am
content: Quote from: aeberbach on October 11, 2023, 06:12:57 amYou don't have to use the cloud - local network and SD card are supported

author: aeberbach
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2023, 08:11:01 am
content: What is it that doesn't work without "cloud" then?

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2023, 11:17:58 pm
content: Quote from: aeberbach on October 11, 2023, 08:11:01 amAutomatic firmware updatesRemote camera view / operation from outside your local network

author: boggis the cat
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2023, 10:32:10 pm
content: Quote from: aeberbach on October 11, 2023, 06:12:57 amThese are very different beasts. The Prusa XL with multiple heads is the ideal way to do this, albeit it hasn't got an enclosure. It's also pretty expensive, and still a bit 'beta' from the problems I have seen.The real weak spot with the X1 / P1 series is the AMS unit. It only just works – most of the time.I expect Bambu Lab to update the AMS with whatever their larger enclosed design will be called. If not, then it will still be an Achilles's heel.

author: DavidKo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 20, 2023, 10:24:42 am
content: I have had the same idea cca 3 months ago. I had updated from Anet A8 - OK it was not Anet any more, I have changed guide rods, bearings, vertical part was a Prusa clone etc. I had used glass on the bed for printing and Ikea Lack as enclosure. Let's say, it had worked.I had chose to go with better printer. My candidates were:Prusa MK4 - build volume 250 x 210 x 220 mmCreality K1 Max - build volume 300mm^3Bambu Lab P1S - build volume 254mm^3On the beginning I wanted to buy Prusa, but quickly changed my mind. Enclosure is necessary (I can use my old from Anet), which is quite big due to the bed slinger design. XY printers are smaller and have bigger build volumes, chosen ones comes already in enclosure. At the end I chose P1S with AMS and I have not found any issues with it (K1 does not have possibility of automatic material change). I almost do not use PLA. Mostly I print from PETG or in special cases from ABS.My remarks:Compared to Anet the printing is fast and the printer is compact (needed footprint is cca 40x40cm), AMS I have on topI user Orca SlicerI do not use the AMS for colorful printing - I use it for filament storage and to ad color in one or two layers. Yes it produces a lot of poo if one wants to print in color.I useIkea 365+ boxfor external feeding of filament that does not fit to AMSbigger spools need to be rewind to smaller one, AMS Hydra can be printed or external filament input can be used (I have printedY splitterto make the job easierI do calibration of new filament spools+ I do additional the temperature tower calibrationI use 0.4mm nozzle and print in normal mode - for me it is fast enough and I have no reason to use 0.6mm nozzle like on Anet

author: MarkF
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2023, 12:30:16 am
content: I started looking at the ElegooNeptune 4or theNeptune 3 Pro. Does anyone have any thoughts on these printers?The Neptune 4 is running Klipper instead of Marlin. It appears all these manufactures are rushing to move to Klipper.I'm not sure how I feel about a web based printer controller. I'm usually not big on web-based anything.I have had a Creality CR-10 Mini for several years now.

author: Randy222
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2023, 11:08:11 pm
content: I not sure of all the specs available, nor the actual requirements of the OP.I do run an Ender Max Neo. It's an ok middle-of-road unit. I did though install cross bracing and some angle corners to stiffen the frame, and, it sits on spring loaded dampers. Prints are good for my needs.

author: abeyer
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 05, 2023, 02:33:39 am
content: Quote from: MarkF on November 22, 2023, 12:30:16 amI believe you can basically ignore most of the web part if you don't care to use it. The bigger change in Klipper is the offloading of more of the motion control computation to the cpu in the pi rather than the micro in the printer... and that part isn't really tied to any of the web ui stuff.

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 05, 2023, 03:53:55 am
content: Quote from: abeyer on December 05, 2023, 02:33:39 amYou can completely ignore the web part, setting it to use only the LAN, or even just using microSD to transfer files.

author: MarkF
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 05, 2023, 07:29:34 am
content: Thanks for the Klipper comments.Anyone have any thoughts or experience with the Elegoo printers?

author: Lindley
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2023, 09:00:58 pm
content: Quote from: MarkF on December 05, 2023, 07:29:34 amHave you seen this and the several other Elegoo posts on the Reddit forum ?https://www.reddit.com/r/ElegooNeptune3/comments/14379se/neptune_3_pro_vs_neptune_4_pro/

author: MarkF
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2023, 09:13:21 pm
content: Quote from: Lindley on December 06, 2023, 09:00:58 pmNo, I hadn't seen them. Thanks.