Looking for a 3d printer

Cyber-Mav · 4 Jul 2023 at 08:04

My kid is turning 10 and for 10th bday was looking to get a 3d printer. Filament ones seem to appeal to me due to no mess. Looking at fully enclosed units needs to be cheap, reliable and easy to use.
Fully enclosed for safety reasons and also incase i put it in an area where wind might hit it although it will be indoors.

Whats good value for money with fully enclosed ones? Kid will use to make small toys and stuff. I might try it out to make small car parts like broken window switch etc.

Cyber-Mav · 4 Jul 2023 at 22:16

probably best to give a budget, 200 quid or less?

Cyber-Mav · 5 Jul 2023 at 17:32

Bah, could go with an ender 3 and maybe put a box over it with a acetate sheet as a window?

Cyber-Mav · 6 Jul 2023 at 19:04

Looking at a weefun tina2. Anyone used one? Seems to be ok for 150 quid

Cyber-Mav · 11 Jul 2023 at 22:05

looking to go this route mentioned above, the ender 3 just pops up everywhere its on everyones recommended list.
should i go new or is there value in getting a 2nd hand used one?

Cyber-Mav · 23 Jul 2023 at 15:06

Looking to go forwards with this now. 200 quid budget seems to get me an ender 3 neo for 180 quid.
Anyone got any other recommendations for my budget? Hoping to order in next day or too so i can be up and running come next weekend

Cyber-Mav · 23 Jul 2023 at 17:38

Thanks will check out some vid reviews of it

Cyber-Mav · 27 Jul 2023 at 20:25

Ended up getting a weefun tina2 printer for 100 quid. Straight out the box ready to print did a cat ring from the supplied memory card and printed perfectly. Its a small printer but that i knew from the reviews, found a good place for it for now, its noisy but the kiddo is more than happy with it. Will get some pics up when im on my computer.
But so far i recommend this for beginners.

Cyber-Mav · 28 Jul 2023 at 23:26

some pics:

Cyber-Mav · 4 Aug 2023 at 20:42

Burning through filament fast. Kiddo got the printer working day and night :cry:

Cyber-Mav · 17 Aug 2023 at 19:47

Now looking to mod the printer with a faster fan upgrade.

Cyber-Mav · 18 Aug 2023 at 08:42

@ vince, also noticed another issue today, printer was as usual doing its overnight job and this time i noticed the blue cover over the hot end is coming loose. pushing the cover back in place works but when hot end heats it pops off from that side again. any tips on what i can do to sort this?

Cyber-Mav · 19 Aug 2023 at 13:22

Its not split, just loose. Its a tina 2 printer so not sure if these socks are proprietary size or universal?
I know it uses whats called a mk8 nozzle

Cyber-Mav · 19 Aug 2023 at 23:32

hmm yea that should work i guess. would a band of polyimide kapton tape stuff work too? or is there too much heat there for it?

Cyber-Mav · 23 Aug 2023 at 22:30

Vince said:
I've probably got a ton of socks that will fit that. Give me it's measurements and I might be able to send a little care package I have a ridiculous amount of 3d printer spares. I don't even use one on my hot end. Go in commando!! Updated my hot end / extruder to a titan aero some time back and never looked back.

excellent, the hot end takes mk8 nozzles with m6 thread. apparently same as an ender 3. i know the heatbrake has a 30mm fan on it. here is weblink to spare parts list: https://www.weefun3d.com/collections/tina2-parts
i will see if i can get photos for you tomorrow with ruler up against it for some measurements. printer is a weefun tina2 basic non wifi model.
finally back in action today thanks to new magnetic build plate.
this website has pic of the hot end:

Entina Tina2s Hotend Kit

Suitable for Entina Tina2S All series 3D printer models for part replacement, if you don't know how to check your 3D printer model, please contact us by email.

www.entina3d.com

Cyber-Mav · 23 Aug 2023 at 22:34

thats a pic of it

Cyber-Mav · 3 Sep 2023 at 16:11

Use a wire tie with the plastic insulation removed from it in the end. Seems to be ok

What you guys think?

Cyber-Mav · 12 Sep 2023 at 18:07

Crappy unbranded 8 gig card that came with printer died today. Good thing i got branded spares. Probably pointless contacting company since at most all they will do is send me another crappy unbranded card that wont last

Cyber-Mav · 14 Sep 2023 at 20:41

Whats that?

Cyber-Mav · 16 Sep 2023 at 07:26

thanks for that, i will reroute it. although it is very tight in that it digs into the silicone and i tried moving it around by hand and it doesnt go anywhere but as you say better safe than sorry.

other option was wrap a band of kapton tape over it.