3D Printer Blog

[Chako]

hmmm...

Both Ender 3s now have the same firmware but slightly different menus. 

I tried updating the Pro to the most recent and it will not update. I bet because it notices that the SD card firmware version is the same as the one already installed, so it will not do the update. There shows a month difference in the dates however, and I gather there was some updates in that months time to reflect the slightly different menu options. Nothing too serious however. At least there is no difference in the classic mode. The slight differences only show up on the touch screen side.

Testing both printers out now with a 7 hour bowl print.

[Chako]

IMG_8839A by Chako, on Flickr

[Chako]

Just finished. I do not have much of the red PLA left on the spool.

IMG_8847A by Chako, on Flickr

[Chako]

The Ender 3 Pro comes with a magnetic build plate that I didn't much care for. I tried it once, and quickly placed a glass plate on top of the glued magnetic mat that covers the heated aluminium bed. I have found that the glass build plate glues itself to this lower magnetic sheet something fierce however. Today, I struggled to separate the glass from the base, more so than in removing the printed bowl from the glass plate. I got fed up with the situation and started to peel that glued magnetic surface. It took some time and patience...

IMG_8848A by Chako, on Flickr

Now there should be no more issues of the glass plate gluing itself to that magnetic under-layer.

IMG_8850A by Chako, on Flickr

[Chako]

Received my 5 promised nozzles that should have came with the first Ender 3X. It only took several months.

[Chako]

Update time. I did finally receive my upgrade metal bed adjustment knobs about a month ago. I have not installed them yet but will soon do that. With that in mind, after waiting 6 months or so for them, I ordered another set from a different seller to keep the Ender 3 Pro the same. I just hope these do not take half a year to get to me!

With that said, I have re-started printing. I got into 3D printing as something to keep me sane when COVID 19 struck. Since work started in September, I have not devoted any time to 3D printing, but now that I am on my holiday vacation...time to get back into the swing of things. During the months of inactivity, the black PLA broke off at the extruder on the Pro. In hindsight I should have removed the PLA from both printers and stored them properly. I did finish the red PLA in the Ender 3, and that came out great as a nice bowl. I then reloaded the black in the same machine and am currently printing my most ambitious print to date. So far 3/4 the way through a 23 hour print. Even though the black PLA broke on the other machine, and because of this, I did not have much expectations, it is working well so far.

So, back into printing stuff, and still slowly upgrading both machines.

[Chako]

Here is a photo of my longest print to date. I wanted to try this female figure to see if the printer was capable of something like this. Not doing a bad job. There is a bit of light stringing here and there, but that is to be expected on something like this. I imagine a light toothbrushing afterwards under some water will removed most of it. I am still in awe at how intricate you can print items. I think that will never get old with me.

20201229_001704A by Chako, on Flickr

Yikes, I only have 4 more photos on my free Flickr account. Guess I may have to start paying for that service soon.

[Vidar]

I am still in awe at how intricate you can print items.

Then you should really try resin printing. Decent machines doesn't cost much these days, and as far as details go it is at different level.

I did some ABS printing recently. I haven't done that in years, and the filament was years old too, but they turned out ok. Many old filaments can get refreshed by a few hours to dry in an oven, but I didn't even have to bother with that.

[Chako]

The printers are cheap enough but I use my living room and am wary of the smell and toxicity of resin. I have no windows close by.

The print just finished 10 minutes ago. I let the glass plate cool of to room temperature and still could not remove it safely. I ran the plate under cold water and the model just poped off on it's own. I love the use of a glue stick on the smooth side of the glass plate.

[Vidar]

I believe there are some resins around now which addresses those issues but I haven't tried any of them myself. My printers are well separated from living areas so not really much of a concern for me. (And I have gas masks if needed too).

I thought about trying some of those metal sintering filaments to make actual metal parts, but the pricing of those were well beyond curiosity or reason for my use. Hopefully they'll come down to useful levels at some point.

[Chako]

Metal sintering is definitely priced out of the range of most people.

[Vidar]

Metal sintering is definitely priced out of the range of most people.

The big machines certainly are, but you can get filaments for normal filament printers that can then be sintered in normal furnaces. Detail levels, issues with shrinking and deforming and so one would be a challenge for sure, but the process might make certain parts and materials interesting. But with the prices for those filaments being what they are they don't make sense to me compared to say more detailed lost wax casting or just using metal printing services. Others might have more suitable use cases I assume.

I do like the development though - metal printing seem to become closer and more affordable every year.

[Chako]

If someone told me you could buy an awesome 3D printer for around 300 dollars, I would have laughed. The march of progress.

[pfrsantos]

If someone told me you could buy an awesome 3D printer for around 300 dollars, I would have laughed. The march of progress.

Yeah, but still...

[Chako]

  

[Don Pablo]

I'm looking into a 3D printer now.
I was looking at the Ender 5, but that seems to be a bit of a neglected black sheep for some reason, in favour of the upgraded versions of the Ender 3 such as the Ender 3 V2 and alternatives from other companies. I'm curious as to why that is.

[Chako]

The 5 is a good machine...but the 3 usually beats it in price. I read folks having issues with the build platform slipping down during printing on the 5 as well. The 5 is sturdier, but the 3 is also rock solid.

If I had to do this again, I would buy the CR 6 SE. I did have a lot of fun upgrading both of my 3s though.

[Don Pablo]

After more research I realized that the ender 5 might be smoother in printing some things, but it mostly does what the ender 3 can do with a less bulky frame. The ender 3 already looks huge.
So that leaves out the ender 5, and now am looking at all three versions of the ender 3.

Of which, the ender 3 Pro seems to offer the best balance of upgraded design Vs increased cost. Does that seem about right?

Why would you go with the CR 6 SE instead?
I'm interested in any printers that might be better than the Ender 3 for whatever reasons.

[Chako]

Ender 3 and Ender 3 Pro are almost the same machines. The Pro will net you a better power supply and a thicker Z rail. I have both and can't really see any differences due to that more stable Z rail. The updated Ender 3 are nice. What Creality did was to look at what people were doing upgrading their Ender 3, and included some of those upgrades to get the version 2. After looking at the version 2 closely, I was better upgrading things a little here and there. Not only was it fun to do so, but some of those third party upgrades are better built than what Creality gives you. If you read this thread, you will have a very good idea of what you can do with the Ender 3/Pro as far as third party upgrades.

The Ender line is their entry level series. The CR is a step above. The CR 6 SE gives you a bit more niceties...the biggest is automatic leveling. Dual Z axis timing belts is a bigger improvement over the wider Z stability bar on the Ender 3 Pro. I would think that having built in automatic leveling is a great idea.

Either way, you cannot go far wrong with a Creality no matter what you get down the road.

[Don Pablo]

So I've settled on an Ender 3 Pro (I think.... ).

Now to find out if there's anything that I'd want to upgrade pronto. I can live with leveling and using the screen and such being a bit fiddly, I think.
And if I read the interwebs correctly, Ender 3's come with 32 bit boards now.

So that leaves printing filament guides? 

[Chako]

That is good. I was going to suggest the biggest bang for your buck was to upgrade the motherboard that runs quieter.

[Don Pablo]

It arrived!
I spent Saturday building it.
Veeery carefully. Followed a video, making sure that everything was as squared and parallel as I could.

But you can see where I am with printing so far.
More bed leveling or do I need a glue stick? 

I'll include the better bed springs in my next order, btw.
I don't want to level all the time.

[Chako]

That is why I suggested the CR 6 SE. All I can say...once you get the hang of manual leveling...it does get easier. Get yourself a glue stick. Also get yourself a glass build plate.

I am excited for you. Watching a 3D printer working great is one of those fascinating things that gives the viewer a deep sense of satisfaction.

You probably already know this web site...but if not...

https://www.thingiverse.com/

[Don Pablo]

I got a glass bed with the printer. That's why I needed the glue stick, I guess.

So I went and cycled to a shop, now I have some glue sticks.
Printing a Benchy now! This is supposed to expose problems with the printer settings, right?

[Chako]

I have never printed one, but yes.

[derekmac]

Make sure to do the extruder calibration as well.  https://all3dp.com/2/ender-3-calibration-how-to-calibrate-your-ender-3/

[Don Pablo]

Thanks for the heads-up.
I'll do it once my proper 1kg spool of PLA arrives in the post.

This is what I've printed so far with the starter filament (excluding all the test bed-leveling prints  ).



The 20mm calibration cube is 20.00mm ±0.02mm in the X and Y dimensions according to my micrometer. 
On the other hand, the Z dimension (height) is 19.93mm ±0.02mm. 
I see a tiny bulge in the bottom edges of the cube, I suspect that the nozzle is ever so slightly too close to the bed for the first layer.
But if I try to adjust it to be better, I bet I'll manage to mess it up.
0.07mm too short doesn't sound too bad anyway.

[pfrsantos]

Thanks for the heads-up.
I'll do it once my proper 1kg spool of PLA arrives in the post.

This is what I've printed so far with the starter filament (excluding all the test bed-leveling prints  ).

(Image removed from quote.)

The 20mm calibration cube is 20.00mm ±0.02mm in the X and Y dimensions according to my micrometer. 
On the other hand, the Z dimension (height) is 19.93mm ±0.02mm. 
I see a tiny bulge in the bottom edges of the cube, I suspect that the nozzle is ever so slightly too close to the bed for the first layer.
But if I try to adjust it to be better, I bet I'll manage to mess it up.
0.07mm too short doesn't sound too bad anyway.

Nice start! I like the boat!

 

Just try not to pablo it...

 

[Don Pablo]

Just try not to pablo it...

 

I haven't shown the prints that went smurfed up and were binned on the first layer.

[Chako]

That looks good.