Eric A
CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
I have a heavily moded Creality Ender 3 V3 and I love it. It is low hassle once setup but does take a decent amount of setup patients.
What are you 3D printing today?!?
- Thread starter Mike Labbe
- Start date
My main concern is that it works out of the box.
If I didn't have the time to try out the second hand one (due to assuming it would need calibrating), then I'm sure I don't have time to do calibration on a new machine.
I also like the idea of it having a case due to an inquisitive small animal.
As for what am I going to use it for...I'm not sure.
I have a few ideas for things around the shop, as well as a few ideas for my wife's business.
I have a few ideas to be creative with it.
I want it to make stuff.
If I didn't have the time to try out the second hand one (due to assuming it would need calibrating), then I'm sure I don't have time to do calibration on a new machine.
I also like the idea of it having a case due to an inquisitive small animal.
As for what am I going to use it for...I'm not sure.
I have a few ideas for things around the shop, as well as a few ideas for my wife's business.
I have a few ideas to be creative with it.
I want it to make stuff.
We have 11 printers in the house. My most reliable FDM printer, believe it or not, is the original Ender 3 (V1 I guess youd call it). I did modify it with a Micro Swiss direct drive extruder assembly, and added an OctoPrint server to it (so I can print directly from the PC) I use that more than all the others, for one one off projects. I don't think it has EVER clogged. It also has a glass bed.
The 'tribbles' made it up to about 744, but have since stopped. Now what to do with them?!?
Tribbles?
Humidifiers
If I were to purchase the following item, what else would be needed/a good idea to have?
Nikodeumus
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
I'm a hobbyist 3D printer. Here's my experience.
No matter what you get, there is almost always going to be a process of calibrating / fine tuning at the outset for optimum print quality.
My Reality Ender 3 V2 was easy to set up and start using quite quickly.
It didn't take long to improve print quality over the"out of the box" test print.
It's been running reliably for a few years with only minor adjustments needed occasionally.
I bought a Sunlu S9 last year. While it was Assisi easy to put together, I've been disappointed with it failing to provide consistently reliable results.
It's been so frustrating I have given up on it for months.
Not saying the Sunlu is not a quality printer. Just that the setup has not been as easy as the Ender.
No matter what you get, there is almost always going to be a process of calibrating / fine tuning at the outset for optimum print quality.
My Reality Ender 3 V2 was easy to set up and start using quite quickly.
It didn't take long to improve print quality over the"out of the box" test print.
It's been running reliably for a few years with only minor adjustments needed occasionally.
I bought a Sunlu S9 last year. While it was Assisi easy to put together, I've been disappointed with it failing to provide consistently reliable results.
It's been so frustrating I have given up on it for months.
Not saying the Sunlu is not a quality printer. Just that the setup has not been as easy as the Ender.
I've had some issues with mine, too. Currently down.
My two Sunlu T3 have been reliable. Both models discontinued
My new Ender 3 just arrived.
I won't have time to play with it until at least this weekend, as I have an RPG commitment, that I need to learn a mapping program in order to get my head around what I need to do.
Are there tools, such as side cutter, after market build plate, glue sticks, or anything else that I should purchase before (or after) I set up the printer?
It looks like a nice printer! Auto tensioning belts, auto calibration, direct drive extruder, remote printing, online firmware updates, crazy speed up to 600 (instead of 50), etc. i wouldn't count on quality printing at THAT speed, though. But I'm sure it can do more than 50. I run all my high speed printers at 50, usually, or maybe even 60, because of the quality factor.
Here is the manual https://wiki.creality.com/en/ender-series/ender-3-v3?spm=..product_1584a8ff-5f99-44e4-8a4b-95932c7ffd36.product_club_1.1&spm_prev=..index.album_1.1 Ender-3 V3
Here is a setup video. looks simple!
I'm not clear if it is a metal surface or a plastic one. If plastic, I suggest a flexible metal one.
Let us know how it does!
Here is the manual https://wiki.creality.com/en/ender-series/ender-3-v3?spm=..product_1584a8ff-5f99-44e4-8a4b-95932c7ffd36.product_club_1.1&spm_prev=..index.album_1.1 Ender-3 V3
Here is a setup video. looks simple!
I'm not clear if it is a metal surface or a plastic one. If plastic, I suggest a flexible metal one.
Let us know how it does!
Nikodeumus
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
My Ender 3V2 came with a glass build plate.
I had trouble fine tuning the first layer to stick so have been using a basic office glue stick to help with that.
Not ideal. But works when you need it to work.
The glue washes off all the filament types I have used.
A bit of a pain to do when batch printing a lot of items, but not as aggravating as having failed prints.
The Sunlu came with a flexible plate. I also had trouble with first layer adhesion.
I didn't want to put glue on the flexible plate as I wasn't sure if it would wash off as easily as it does off the Ender glass plate.
I liked the idea of a flexible plate, so bought one for the Ender.
But, given my disappointment with the Sunlu flexible plate, I have not tried it on the Ender.
Both came with tiny snippers to cut away supports, rafts and little "fuzzies", they work well enough.
I also picked up a set of super fine files for removing "fuzzies" in hard to reach areas.
Of course, if you dial in your settings perfectly, you should have practically no "fuzzies" at all.
Eventually I upgraded some of the Ender components and mechanisms. All simple and not too expensive.
I had trouble fine tuning the first layer to stick so have been using a basic office glue stick to help with that.
Not ideal. But works when you need it to work.
The glue washes off all the filament types I have used.
A bit of a pain to do when batch printing a lot of items, but not as aggravating as having failed prints.
The Sunlu came with a flexible plate. I also had trouble with first layer adhesion.
I didn't want to put glue on the flexible plate as I wasn't sure if it would wash off as easily as it does off the Ender glass plate.
I liked the idea of a flexible plate, so bought one for the Ender.
But, given my disappointment with the Sunlu flexible plate, I have not tried it on the Ender.
Both came with tiny snippers to cut away supports, rafts and little "fuzzies", they work well enough.
I also picked up a set of super fine files for removing "fuzzies" in hard to reach areas.
Of course, if you dial in your settings perfectly, you should have practically no "fuzzies" at all.
Eventually I upgraded some of the Ender components and mechanisms. All simple and not too expensive.
Do you have any thoughts on the Benchy controversy, and the Bambu controversy that have been getting news?
I have glass on my favorite printer (original Ender), and it has flawless adhesion. I mist it with a spritz of hair spray, and that works as an adhesion and release agent. I wash it probably every 8 months, scrape it in the sink with hot water and run it through the dishwasher.
The other prints all have flexible plates. Some are flat, some are textured. The textured ones have great adhesion, the flat ones are difficult. In general, the flexible are easy to work with because you can flex it to release a finished print that hasnt cooled down yet.
Z adjustment and making sure that first layer is "Squished" to the surface is the most important thing for success, beyond making sure it is level.
Mike
PS: Bambu makes a great reliable (yet overpriced) product, and yea a lot of people are upset because it isnt open source. Stratasys is suing them for patent violation, and there is a class action going to prompt a recall. The creators of Benchy don't want people re mixing their design and redistributing it, as a license violation, and many sites have pulled all the re mixes.
The other prints all have flexible plates. Some are flat, some are textured. The textured ones have great adhesion, the flat ones are difficult. In general, the flexible are easy to work with because you can flex it to release a finished print that hasnt cooled down yet.
Z adjustment and making sure that first layer is "Squished" to the surface is the most important thing for success, beyond making sure it is level.
Mike
PS: Bambu makes a great reliable (yet overpriced) product, and yea a lot of people are upset because it isnt open source. Stratasys is suing them for patent violation, and there is a class action going to prompt a recall. The creators of Benchy don't want people re mixing their design and redistributing it, as a license violation, and many sites have pulled all the re mixes.