Random 3D printing chatter

[Frozennova]

What supports are you using? Since I started using organic support on Orca, I’ve not had any issues with quality over a wide variety of prints.

Just normal (not tree/organic) as they’d always worked well but maybe it’s time to give organic supports a go

 

[Bluecube]

Just normal (not tree/organic) as they’d always worked well but maybe it’s time to give organic supports a go

Absolutely no harm in trying. I missed the option for organic support for ages but now use it all the time when required. It works very well and is easier to remove than traditional support. Doesn’t mark the supported surface as much as the usual support either

 

[pastymuncher]

I have been thinking about getting a 3d printer for a while now so I finally pre-ordered a Elegoo Centauri Carbon today. I chose this as it get's brilliant reviews plus it's fully enclosed so it will keep our cats out when printing. Dispatch isn't until the end of the month so I have plenty of time to go looking for things to make after I have done the bits I already have lined up. I can't wait!!

Do I need a dryer for PLA? There seems to be a lot of conflicting opinions on the subject.

They must have had some stock even though their website said pre-order because mine was sent out on Monday, just got to wait for DPD to decide to deliver it now. So exciting!!

I have been looking at 3d scanners and the cheapest decent one seems to be the Creality CR Scan Ferret SE 3D Scanner at £258. Is this a decent scanner and are there any others around the same price (or cheaper) that you guys would recommend?

 

[Trig]

A scanner is the next thing I'm looking at, and I'm about to sell my Steamdeck, mmmmmm temptation kicking in...

 

[Stovepipes]

Just seen an ad for Jayo Filament seems really cheap, I assume it's good stuff?

 

[Cenedd]

@Stovepipes I've got a feeling there was the suggestion that it was the actual manufacturer for some more well-known brand of filament....but it could also be my memory playing tricks Haven't used any though.

@Trig Make sure you've watched videos on the workflow with a scanner. Not as simple as you'd first think. Often you have to spray things with non-reflective spray, or stick tracking dots on, or both. You end up with a point cloud that you can export as a mesh. If you're using Fusion 360 a mesh is a pain but you can work using mesh sections to give you useable points through a section and turn it into a sketch to work from. Definitely not point, click, object (step filenor equivalent) yet. Not saying don't go for one, just check it's not going to be a disappointment/frustration first!

Edit: Clough42 has some good videos with the process on. Most recently for his CNC mill conversion and before that a CNC surface grinder conversion.

 

[Stovepipes]

@Stovepipes I've got a feeling there was the suggestion that it was the actual manufacturer for some more well-known brand of filament....but it could also be my memory playing tricks Haven't used any though.

Don't think I need 5 rolls of filament but it looks like it's just £30 if I'm not mistaken, might have to pull the trigger.

 

[dtokez]

PLA isn't as bad as some other filaments for absorbing water. I believe for nylon (which, to be fair, I've never printed) a dryer is a must. PETG can benefit from one. I think one of my earlier rolls of PETG that kept snapping may have been that it just needed drying. The PETG-GF I've got currently seems to be able to absorb quite quickly and it's very noticeable when you print with it until the outer layers of the roll are used and then it's fine again.
So PLA maybe not and probably when you need it rather than preemptively. If you start printing other types of filament (or more expensive filament) you might want to get a decent dryer. When I say decent, in my head at least it needs a fan as well as a heater - and there are improvements to be had on top of that too.

Agree with this.

I've never needed one for PLA.
PAHT on the other hand needs about 12 hours at 90+ and even benefits from being printed straight out of a drier! Mad stuff though .

 

[Cenedd]

I'd be curious why you use nylon. "Because I wanted to" is a perfectly fine answer, I'm just curious as to if there are any properties you particularly need for what you're printing. I know when I started, I aspired to be able to print ABS. Now that I can (and have a roll), I struggle to work out why I'd need it. To the point I haven't bothered because of the disadvantages...and ASA that I tried (and used for something because it was the right colour) was a pain.
PET-CF I get. Used that because I really needed the 200°C temperature tolerance for a replacement part.
Nylon I think of for gears but I have heard that the friction coefficient of things like PETG-GF isn't that different enough to make that much difference.
Don't take this as some sort of "You're doing that wrong", I could print nylon, I'm just trying to work out WHY... otherwise I could end up with another roll in storage!