Getting back into 3D printers.

[Chako]

Back in 2020 when everyone was told to shelter in place due to the COVID pandemic, I decided to learn something new, After being told to work from home, I came across a You Tube video extoling the virtues of the Creality Ender 3. Our workplace had a smaller older 3D printer, and I was curious about it. At the time, I thought it was a good time to order one from Amazon.

I spent a good amount of time upgrading it with a vast array of parts for it. From motherboard upgraded that promised quieter and faster speeds, to bed leveling sensors that I could never get to work properly. I eventually bought a second Pro version that just had a better power supply and a beefier Z axis arm.

I fairly documented my fun in this older thread in case you want to read it,

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,84437.0.html

Well I have not used them in about 2 years now. During that time, my workplace upgraded the design program extensively and are now running Bambu Lab printers. These are enclosed XY core printers with attached multi filament boxes stored above the printer. They can print multi colours which was a feature I always wanted but could not achieve with my older 2020 bed slinger printers.

Because of my current health issues where my Doctor  wants me off of my feet as much as possible while I heal, I am thinking of getting back into printing. I looked on Amazon and saw an Anycubic Kobra S1 combo for a reasonable price. Of course Facebook appears to track me constantly as the next time I logged onto it, I now have 3D printer stuff all over the place, One link brought me to Anycubic's web sit which offered good savings over the Amazon price. I bought one and am just waiting fir its arrival later this month. I was able to get the printer combo plus 8 Kg of filament for 50 dollars under the Amazon price.

Looking forward to auto leveling and a more modern 3D printer. I am curious to see improvements over 2018 technology.

[Chako]

The printer arrived. I made the mistake in joining a Facebook forum for Anycubic and found out there is a newer Ace 2 Pro filament unit. I checked my just arrived printer and I got the older Ace Pro. Not exactly happy about that. I would expect to get the newer unit after just buying it online, but it would appear they are just rolling it out.

I have not turned on the uniot yet, but have done all the preliminary set-up so far. Just waiting for the filament I bought at the same time from Anycubic. These spools have an RFID feature which will communicate with the printer.

On the other hand, I dug up some boxes and found 3 1KG spools of PLA and 3 1.2K spools of PLA, and 1 1Kg spool of PETG that I purchased back in 2020. All of them are still in their tight vacuum sealed packaging. I wonder if this is still good lol? I should have 8 ot 10 roles coming in soon that is brand new.

PXL_20260321_010251225A by Chako, on Flickr

PXL_20260321_010707245A by Chako, on Flickr

PXL_20260321_010910972A by Chako, on Flickr

Not much bigger than the build volume of my Ender 3 printers which was 22x22x25. This S1 has a build volume of 25x25x25. At least it is an enclosed area and is a core XY design which should help with model adhesion on the hot build plate.

PXL_20260321_021414313A by Chako, on Flickr

[Vidar]

On the other hand, I dug up some boxes and found 3 1KG spools of PLA and 3 1.2K spools of PLA, and 1 1Kg spool of PETG that I purchased back in 2020. All of them are still in their tight vacuum sealed packaging. I wonder if this is still good lol?

I would think so if they are the common thermoplastic kind of filaments and not some exotic wood particle crystal color craziness. Most thermoplastics can be remelted and recycled again and again, and a filament printer do just melt them one more time.

(Also one of the reasons plastic product manufacturers really hesitate to mix or add reinforcement to the plastics. It makes recycling improbable. Most plastic products, at least in Europe, will have a stamp stating the material type and production date. That is for easy recycling. It also makes it a lot easier to weld or do glue repairs as you know what plastic you got).

[Chako]

I was going to try some different stuff. All bought back in 2020 but forgot about it until now when I vaguely remembered buying them. They are all sealed and new. What do you think?

.5 Kg Eryone Rainbow PLA
.5 Kg Eryone Silk Copper PLA
.5 Kg Eryone Silk Gold PLA
1 Kg Print OX Bronze Metal PLA
1 Kg Print OX Transparent Purple
1 Kg Print OX Wood PLA
1 Kg Print OX Transparent Red PLA
1 Kg Overture White PETG

[Vidar]

PLA and PETG are both thermoplastics so I would assume yes. Give it a try. What is the worst that can happen? (Be warned, I'm good with famous last words. In particular "How hard can it be?" keeps slapping me in my optimistically naive face).

[Chako]

You are right, the only way is to try it. 

[MadPlumbarian]

I’d so love to get into this, the kid bought me a printer, but some how the printer lost the program or something, the kid rebooted it but it just didn’t end up right,, idk, but there’s a LOT I’d like to print!
JR

[Whoey]

How much did you pay for that empty box   

I really want to do this too, and maybe a laser cutter...

Still would love a machine that does all the things with different modules...

[Chako]

The filament just arrived.

Got 4 PLA, 3 PLA highspeed, and 1 PLA Plus in mixed colours. These are all Anycubic RFID 1 Kg spools.

Whoey, it was a first anniversary sale special where you order 8 and you get what you get. The printer is $639 Canadian right now. With the added 8Kg filament deal, it maxed out at $765 all told. I was prepared to buy it off of Amazon. ca for $799.

MadPlumbarian, you should try to get yours working again. 

[Whoey]

Seems reasonable

[Vidar]

Still would love a machine that does all the things with different modules...

Does it do all things well? I got a few different machines, and maybe apart from putting a laser head in a 3D printer or machining center I don't think they would be a great all-in-one mix.

I want a concrete or pottery 3D printer.  Seems like a total mess, and likely is, but a fun mess. Except for the cleaning.

[Chako]

Going to look into installing the software, installing the spools, and hopefully try it out tomorrow.

The instructions could be a lot better, at least what they give on paper.

I just looked into the mixed bag of filament they gave me. I am not familiar with the Plus and High Speed stuff.

AI Overview
PLA is a standard, easy-to-print material for decorative models. PLA Plus (PLA+) contains additives for improved toughness, durability, and heat resistance. PLA High Speed (or High Flow) has a higher melt flow index for fast printing, allowing for rapid melting and cooling to reduce print times significantly.

Here is a breakdown of the differences:
PLA (Standard): Ideal for beginners and decorative projects due to its ease of use, low cost, and wide availability. It is more brittle than PLA+ and requires lower temperatures (180–220 °C).

PLA Plus (PLA+): A refined formulation (often containing additives) that makes it less brittle (more ductile) and more functional for load-bearing or frequently handled parts. It often has slightly higher temperature resistance (200–250 °C).

PLA High Speed (HS/HF): Specifically engineered to melt and cool quickly, supporting speeds up to 600 mm/s. It has high fluidity, allowing for high-speed printing (e.g., on Bambu Lab or Creality Hyper Series).

Key Takeaways
Use PLA for inexpensive, simple, non-functional models.
Use PLA+ for parts that need to withstand impact or heat.
Use High Speed when print time is the primary concern, ensuring your printer can handle the high speeds.

[Vidar]

I haven't done 3D filament printing the last 2-3 years I think, but my experience with PLA as a material was a mixed bag. Likely because they came from different manufacturers. One was quite stiff and easy to print well. I believe that was the one of unknown origin included with the printer. Then some third party PLA was similar to that but not as good, and two rolls in particular was almost soft and rubber like when done. These day it likely both better and more consistent especially if it comes from the manufacturer with RFid for easy parameter settings.

[Chako]

Same here, it has been a couple of years. My workplace went with Bambu Labs and I was impressed with the core XY enclosed concept with attached multi-spool holder. The Anycubic S1 appears to offer much of the same at a lesser budget with the added bonus of the 4 spool holder being able to actively dry the filament.

[MadPlumbarian]

Here’s mine, I just don’t know the first thing of it besides that it’s in the attic,, the kids the one with any knowledge of computers, heck he had one custom made that freaking cools with liquid..
JR

[Chako]

I have 2 of those.

IMG_8751A by Chako, on Flickr

Are you using Cura Slicer on your computer?

[Chako]

I installed the slicer program that came on the USB Drive, and copied everything to a folder on my desktop. Then I plugged the drive into the printer after being walked through several steps. Installed the first spool of gray PLA into slot 1. I tried to print a Benchy but failed as I did not push the PLA filament all the way into the Ace Pro unit. That was a quick fix as this time I witnessed the filament being taken up by the unit.

The 25x25x25 build field with door closed.
PXL_20260323_123657454A by Chako, on Flickr

This is super easy as everything is now automated.
PXL_20260323_123830516.NIGHTA by Chako, on Flickr

The first roll. RFID is it going to work?
PXL_20260323_124123870.NIGHTA by Chako, on Flickr

PXL_20260323_131341597.NIGHTA by Chako, on Flickr

If I buy Anycubic filament, they self set themselves with RFID. It worked. You can also use other filaments with a few easy extra steps to set some parameters.
PXL_20260323_131347880.NIGHTA by Chako, on Flickr

PXL_20260323_131423622.NIGHTA by Chako, on Flickr

The USB socket is in a convenient location, that is unless  the printer is in a printer farm with other printers next to it.
PXL_20260323_131615994.NIGHTA by Chako, on Flickr

These are a few built in starter models already on the USB drive. I had to print the test PLA boat first as is traditional.
PXL_20260323_131635306.NIGHTA by Chako, on Flickr

The auto level is big. I loved my Ender 3s but manual leveling sucked a lot. This feels like cheating...but it will take me 45 minutes to print the test boat and lets see what the results will be.

[MadPlumbarian]

I have 2 of those.

IMG_8751A by Chako, on Flickr

Are you using Cura Slicer on your computer?

I have no clue, I’d have to ask the kid nice workstation with all the leather tools!
JR

[Chako]

Thanks.

I just finished my first print. Auto everything is super nice. The Benchy came out nicely.

PXL_20260323_142804131A by Chako, on Flickr

PXL_20260323_142851582A by Chako, on Flickr

PXL_20260323_143224000A by Chako, on Flickr

PXL_20260323_143239226A by Chako, on Flickr

PXL_20260323_143251655A by Chako, on Flickr

[Chako]

Just finished a second print found on the USB drive, the flexi dinosaur. It turned out great.

PXL_20260323_152529808A by Chako, on Flickr

PXL_20260323_152722630A by Chako, on Flickr

PXL_20260323_153120757A by Chako, on Flickr

My  next step is to figure out the new slicer on the computer and see if I can print a poop collector. The one thing this printer does terribly is wastage of filament if multiple colours are going to be used because it only has the one print head. There is a rear hole where the printer eliminates the waste filament as it purges the print nozzle. This will catch the poop and shunt it to the side for easier pick up.

[Chako]

OMG, I can print from the computer to the printer wirelessly. Big advancements from the 2018 Creality Ender 3 printers I have.

[Grant Lamontagne]

1- Auto bed leveling is, IMHO an absolute necessity.  I got rid of both my first two printers because bed leveling was such a complete PITA and occupied more time than printing did.  My current printer is a cheap Da Vinci Mini W+, which doesn't have much going for it (especially now that Da Vinci has gone under) but it does at least have auto bed leveling.  I would never suggest anyone gets a printer without this feature.

2- I would 100% go with an enclosed unit for my next one.  I am probably going to go with the Bambu Labs models next and I absolutely will go with an enclosed model just to maintain ideal temperature and humidity levels a lot more effectively.

3- I have owned three separate 3D printers from three different manufacturers and I have never printed a Benchy on any of them.  As a further crime against the entire industry, I have no intention of ever printing a Benchy on any printers I own in the future.

4- I would very much like to reclaim poop as I hate waste of pretty well any kind.  Unfortunately, the cost of grinders and extruders don't seem to have come down as much as the price of the printers themselves.  Like many people who have experimented with 3D printing, I have a pile of failed prints that I would absolutely love to reclaim.

5- My Da Vinci is limited to PLA, which admittedly is my filament of choice for most printing, but it would be nice to be able to use different materials, specifically ABS for tougher prints.

6- I am sure your chipped filament rolls won't be as frustrating as the Da Vinci ones, but I have had issues with mine claiming there was no filament left on the spool when there absolutely was, and other issues.  As it is, nowadays when I use the machine I leave a blank spool with the "all purpose" chip in it on the printer and I just feed from a spool hanging behind the machine as it's easier than putting up with the machine's bullsmurf.

Def

[Chako]

Surprisingly, that was my first Benchy printed. I was dying to try the printer and it was an easy file to run.

[Grant Lamontagne]

There was certainly no judgement in my post!

It's kind of cool how a Benchy has become the official measurement of speed for 3D printers.   

Def

[Chako]

No offense taken. 

So far I am impressed with this printer. Doing my poop chute print in 2 parts. The tray took 5 hours and the chute part will take a couple more hours. The hardest part is using the Anycubic slicer program. The chute part would not fit the build plate once automatic tree support was enabled. Finding the support sub menu was more challenging than I care to admit. I ended up reducing the bottom flange from a 5 to a 4, which appeared to eliminate the error allowing me to print  the second piece.

[Chako]

Here is a photo of the larger bottom tray for collecting the poop waste materials.

PXL_20260323_213837444A by Chako, on Flickr

PXL_20260323_213843882A by Chako, on Flickr

I am going to attempt installation later today.

Last night I had an issue with the slicer software. After printing the 2 part poop chute assembly, it refused to load anything else. I ended up re-installing the slicer software and that fixed it. I then looked for something cool to print. I came across a flexi beaver. I let it print all night and a half hour past my waking up, it finished.

PXL_20260325_100507115A by Chako, on Flickr

PXL_20260325_100518395A by Chako, on Flickr

PXL_20260325_114035546A by Chako, on Flickr

PXL_20260325_114052117A by Chako, on Flickr

These flexi models always fascinate me.

[Chako]

Trying my first 2 colour print. This should be interesting. If this works, a dream of mine will be fulfilled. If I like it so much, I might buy a multi head machine down the road that would eliminate the biggest issue with this printer, all the purge waste it produces and the lengthy time to print anything with different colours.

Here I installed the chute part held via 3 hex screws located on the back of the printer.

PXL_20260325_133936721A by Chako, on Flickr

This design is rather genius. The large tray fits onto the chute for easy removal later.

PXL_20260325_134048307.PORTRAITA by Chako, on Flickr

The bottom of the removable tray fits on the base of the chute secure. Just pull up when it is time to clean it out.

PXL_20260325_134108649.PORTRAITA by Chako, on Flickr

I also just loaded the Ace Pro with 3 other filaments. I decided to use the PLA  this time, keeping thee high speed and Plus PLA for later. I did have some difficulty loading spool #2 and spool #4. For some unknown reason, the gear feed would not take up the slack. I had to feed the filament in a few times for i to work properly. Not a big issue, but I do remember others having similar issues with the Ace Pro.

PXL_20260325_140232235A by Chako, on Flickr

[Chako]

Ok, the first piece was a breeze to print. I just had to tell the software what colour I wanted to print from and it did everything else. It is a keychain for my homecare nurse that comes in every second day for wound care treatment.

PXL_20260325_144532210A by Chako, on Flickr

I am very happy I printed the poop shut prior to trying my hand at something multicolour. I can see where there is a lot of wastage purging the single print nozzle between colours, but this little guy did not take that long to print. It turned out great. Here is the waste it generated.

PXL_20260325_144652577A by Chako, on Flickr

I can see a few ways to minimize the waste...print a sheet of objects would maximize efficiency. Try not to print complex objects that necessitate many colour changes, and possibly something in the software that could be tweaked down the road. I might upgrade to a multi head printer down the road once I get used to this one.

[Vidar]

That does look great. 

[Chako]