Random 3D printing chatter

Thanks, if I get the bug I’ll no doubt look at newer models but for now would just like to get the Ender going as there’s some tool storage-type parts I want to print.
 
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If you want more from your Ender 3, rather than replacing it (Kobra S1 Combo now sub £500 on a deal this week), then I would look at some sort of replacement mainboard, the SKR Mini E3v3 went into both of my Ender's, silent steppers and Klipper makes the whole Ender 3 life much easier, especially when you start to consider things like the screw level adjust and so on, there's also the Pad7 which I bought, both great additions to the Ender3, but you can still only do so much with them...
 
I avoided Klipper for so long. But it is the biggest improvement to 3d printing with my Ender 3 I've ever made. It's simply amazing. No more compiling and flashing Marlin for simple tweaks, can print way faster and so much more QoL improvements to the general printing experience.
 
I avoided it, because I didnt know better, once you start with it though, its so much better than Marlin and once you start upgrading other bits on the machine the QoL is so much better
 
I don't really know what klipper is or why I need it but I have an old raspberry pi somewhere and everyone seems to suggest using it with my Sovol SV06 so I guess I'll upgrade when I have time.
 
Klipper is controller firmware for a 3D printer. It's an alternative to Marlin which does a similar thing but in a slightly different way.
If you're looking at a Pi, chances are you're looking at OctoPrint (or specifically OctoPi whiois OctoPrint packaged for a Pi). That's a good thing but different. OctoPrint connects to your existing controller and feeds it jobs that you can load via a web interface rather than having to shove an SD card in. It can also handle a webcam and various plugins for monitoring and all sorts of things.
 
I know Bambu Lab is getting a lot of stick at the moment for their software changes but as a hobbyist, all this talk of 3rd party firmware, controllers etc makes me shudder and absolutely no regrets going Bambu
 
Agreed....mostly. I like my X1C - so much I bought an A1Mini so I could get two things wrong simultaneously. I do swear at it on occasions - it's not as faultless as I'd like...but it's miles better than what I had. The thing about firmware is simply two things:
1. Freedom: My printer, I bought it, I should be able to run what I want on it, use what brand of filament (or ink or toner) etc. I'm not sure Bambu have stepped over that line but there is a fear they might and your printer may suddenly not work or run on different rules. You only have to look at HP Instant Ink to see why people are jumpy.
2. Trust: Bambu are based in China. There is a lot of fear that companies there (and elsewhere to be honest) may not be trustworthy. A lot of that may be unfounded but it's only paranoia until it's true....and it's impossible to prove "Hey, we're trustworthy!". Regrettably we're moving beyond question everything and into trust no-one....and not unjustifiably. Look at the M&S cyber incident as an example, or HP+ with their requirement to log in to an identifying account and then send every print job via HP's servers even when the printer is sat right next to you. There is good reason for people to be nervous.... even if it turns out not to be true in BL's case.
 
Trig said:
If you want more from your Ender 3, rather than replacing it (Kobra S1 Combo now sub £500 on a deal this week), then I would look at some sort of replacement mainboard, the SKR Mini E3v3 went into both of my Ender's, silent steppers and Klipper makes the whole Ender 3 life much easier, especially when you start to consider things like the screw level adjust and so on, there's also the Pad7 which I bought, both great additions to the Ender3, but you can still only do so much with them...
Click to expand...
Thanks.

I manually levelled the bed this evening, got it pretty good around the perimeter but it’s slightly dipped in the middle, hence why I must have bought the yet unfitted BLTouch a couple years back.

I printed a Bulbasaur and a BLTouch bracket using some new esun PLA and it stuck great and the results were loads better than I was expecting. The Bulbasaur has a great finish but one odd line down the back.

BL Touch bracket looks good.

I don’t think the print speed will really bother me for now, as I’m not prototyping/waiting around for it to finish.

I think I’ll continue with the board flash and getting the BLTouch fitted to compensate for the slight dip in the centre of the print bed.

Regarding flashing the firmware on my 1.1.3 board, is the Arduino Neo still the go to method? Should I be looking at an Arduino clone from China?

I also need some jumper cables and DuPont cables for the BLTouch?
 
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The odd line down the back sounds like a seam - where the one layer's extrusion comes all the way round and meets itself. You will probably have options about it in your slicer to align the seams, put them at the back or spread them out randomly. Random sounds good (and try it) but I found it just meant you had blobs all over the part rather than in on place. A scalpel or a small sharp chisel with a flat back is quite good for taking those back to flush if necessary. Some filaments take that and it looks perfect, others look like they've been messed with.

I think all Ender beds dip in the middle. Not that they're supposed to, mind.

Dupont cables you've got two options. Buy some or buy the tool and crimps to make your own to the length you need. Depends how many time you're going to need them or if a premade size is close enough.
 
Yeah line down the back sounds like the seam, there's various things you can do to hide that in the slicer though.
With a BLTouch and screw tilt adjust or whatever it was called, I managed to get a magnetic bed on an Ender 3 down to 0.08something, mental...
 
Thanks, it does sound like this is a seam, I’ve not used Cura for anything other than positioning models toward the corner of the print bed and slicing them as-is. I’ll digest some Cura guides/seam positioning YouTube videos.

Just printing the usual Ender 3-self upgrade parts and will then try some calibration cubes and post the results. Hopefully you guys can steer me to what to research next based upon how those turn out.

Will also hunt through my IT junk to see if I already have an Arduino, cables, etc.
 
If you are printing upgrades at the mo, and its a stock Ender3, there's a small round speaker cover thing that takes some of the volume out of the annoying beep they make, there's also better cooling, and tooless removal system called Minimus.
 
Thanks, will look in to Minimus, haven't heard of that before.
CPU fan shroud came out really well, so far so good...

Think I'll pick up a different colour filament, the one I am using is eSun PLA+ Black. I am getting good results so tempted to stick with it, unless the overwhelming consensus is with another brand? ...and so it begins......
 
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The best filament is the one you've got tuned in and works for you. Almost to the point it's irrelevant what others find good. I'd try PETG though if you want to explore. Still easy to print but usually glossier, tougher and more flexible - it'll bend a bit rather than just snap. Perfect for snap-fit or Flexi parts like catches.
 
Had a print come off of the bed today part way through, ran bed levelling again and then success.

The bed seemed ok, adjusted by a few fractions for a tighter fit against a sheet of paper. How sensitive is it all to being perfect?

Just waiting on some bits to fit the BLTouch.
 
Your first layer needs some squish to it but not so much that it can't squeeze any plastic out. It's usually when you get a light drag to a piece of A4 slid under the nozzle. That done at each of the adjustment points and bear in mind that adjusting one helpfully throws the others off so you have to go round a few times.
If the part has let go, that can be a 1st layer issue or it can be an adhesion issue. Try wiping down the bed with a piece of kitchen towel with a drop of Fairy liquid - or if it's removable, wash it in the sink with some fairy, then rinse and dry it.

You could print a 1 layer square that covers a good chunk of the bed, including the problematic part. You'll be able to see from top or under (once peeled off) whether the extrusion is even everywhere.
Your touch probe is going to help if the bed is warped enough that you can't parts of it within range for the 1st layer.
 
Tesla said:
Had a print come off of the bed today part way through, ran bed levelling again and then success.

The bed seemed ok, adjusted by a few fractions for a tighter fit against a sheet of paper. How sensitive is it all to being perfect?

Just waiting on some bits to fit the BLTouch.
Click to expand...
Bltouch is a bit slow but it was pretty consistent for me when I used to have an ender.
It should solve your problem.
 
Have just dug it out and I had actually bought the Creality version, CR Touch. Will this still work with my 8-bit board?

I think the connector on the wiring harness is for plug and play on newer boards so that'd need some modifying to fit my old board, at least.
 
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