The 3D printer and printing thread. For all things related to it.

Instead of continuing to post about my 3D printing adventures side-tracking or de-railing other threads I decided to start a special thread for 3D printing. This is an open thread for anyone to use to post files, ask questions, hints and tips, talk about experiences and trouble shooting and show-and-tell.

 

I printed my first thing other than a plastic figurine, a tool tray made to fit in the bottom of the printer, under the bed, in between the X axis rail and the LED screen plate and frame rail. The finished product looks acceptable and functions, but I think I have learned not to trust the .stl file you are creating gcode to print with to include a proper fill percentage. The tray I printed is very light and flimsy, like a disposable product, and when I returned to the Cura splicer program to look at settings the fill was set for only 20%, so the interior of the walls of the tray are a flimsy lattice work.

Otherwise I'm happy with the printer so far, I think most of the minor issues will be learning to set up print jobs with my own temperature, refinement and fill patterns to not only make solid feeling objects, but more accurate with less errors where the plastic threads broke or sagged or what ever and weren't perfect. Figure out the best way possible for my particular printer, which much of may also helped with upgrades like I am currently printing, which are guides for the filament to help with proper feeding of the plastic. Because I see "weak" spots in the tray, where it looks like not enough plastic was coming out of the nozzle, and since it's not continuous it may be exactly that it needs a more friction-less feed of the filament spool.

 

I have successfully printed out a Z-axis knob, two fan covers and an upper and lower filament guide now. I will be printing up a set of shock/sound absorbing printer "feet" next, and the last thing for the printer will be a case that covers up the currently exposed PCB under the LED screen. Then that will be the last upgrade I think I need (in as much as printable upgrades go) for my printer and will start printing device cases and cartridge cases and holders for Atari stuff after that, now that I'm getting a real feel for the printer and each item I print out is a bit better than the last.

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