The 3D Printer Thread

[Max-U52]

Most excellent, Wibbs. Knowing that both you and Alwyn have a CR10 makes this noob feel much, much better (and more confident knowing that back-up is out there).

Now for some more newbie questions

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[midlife306]

Hi Alwyn, this is the second time I’ve seen it mentioned about turning the heat bed off after the first few layers??
My experience is the exact opposite.
I print on glass, I use a Pritt-stick for adhesion. I print with PLA & the bed temp that works for me is 55 degrees, I keep the bed on throughout the print.
Now, the only time I’ve had a print failure due to lack of adhesion was 18 hours in when one of the wires became detached from the bed & it cooled while still printing?
I have 2 glass beds, when one print finishes I have the spare ready to go on to start the next print, I put the finished print still on the glass against the skirting board, as the glass cools naturally you can hear the print gradually cracking off the glass until it falls off due to gravity.
What am I missing?
Cheers
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AlwynTurner]

OK I've got a real Friday afternoon jobby here. First the control display wasn't properly connected, now the print quality is awful. I finally spotted the reason as it was printing. The actual print head was wobbling because some lazy so-and-so couldn't be bothered to tighten the bolts holding the hot end assembly to the z-axis frame. I'm livid!

I'm just waiting now to see what else falls off.

Alwyn

[wibblywobbly]

The actual print head was wobbling because some lazy so-and-so couldn't be bothered to tighten the bolts holding the hot end assembly to the z-axis frame.

Well that will teach you not to be so lazy!!

[wibblywobbly]

This how I get super adhesion. The brush is just kept in a tub of water next to the printer. One coat lasts many prints.

By the time the bed has reached 48c the glue is dry, the nozzle then heats up and it prints.

[AlwynTurner]

I'm a bit ticked off really. The Creality is supposed to be at the top end of the market in terms of quality and I've been messing with this thing since 4pm this afternoon and I still don't have a decent print off it. Now it looks like the z-axis is not lifting as it should, I thought I'd overtightened the z-axis adjuster so slackened that off a bit but it sill looks as though it isn't moving properly. This thing really isn't out-of-the-box functional and I'm getting ready to pack in for the night. Maybe tomorrow in a better mood I will have more success.

Alwyn

[AlwynTurner]

Gave it one final go and found the reason. The z-axis screw wasn't properly seated. I did tighten it up when I was assembling but like a dimwit didn't check that it was properly seated, so eventually it worked loose.

DOH!!!!!

Anyway hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

Alwyn

[AlwynTurner]

YAAAY - A PERFECT PRINT - AT LAST.

Decided I couldn't go to bed totally pee-d off and tried one last time, with perfect results.

There is light at the end of the tunneil and it isn't a train coming the other way.

Alwyn

[Max-U52]

Well, the printer has arrived, so I'm now about 20% of the way there.

I plan to make a video series of my experiences so guys here can see what's involved and will hopefully want to try this for themselves. I really do believe 3D printing is the future. They now have 3D printers that can work in zero gravity and they beam files to the space station so they can make the parts they need right on the spot, and I even saw one show that said it won't be long before astronauts are 3D printing the very meals they eat. There's even a new printer out there that you can feed in old plastic bottles and the machine turns them into filament and then prints with them! If you think about it, this technology just might change the world. imagine, instead of going to the store to buy a product you simply go online, secure the files and print the product yourself. Just the immense savings in transportation cost for goods will make a huge difference. (what we'll do with all those lorrie drivers I don't know, but we'll figger somethin' out)

I doubt I'll post much of this at RCU. There's just too many trolls that can't wait to rag on a guy. You guys here at RCTW are much better dudes so I think I'll post most of it here.

So here's the first video, and the first thing I learned. The table top you use for the CR10 must have a flat stable area at least 18 x 20 inches. Right now I'm off to the big box store to fix that little problem (my table is only 17 inches wide!).

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[AlwynTurner]

If you are buying a piece of ply then I suggest you get it larger than 18x20 so you have workspace around the printer, also be aware that when the print bed goes all the way back when doing autohome at the start and end of the print job, the cable on the back of the print bed overhangs the frame by about an inch and a half, and if you don't allow for that then the printer will just keep banging against the wall and making an almighty racket.

Hence the advice to have a larger work base to prevent this. Otherwise you will be ging back to the home supplies store for a bigger piece.

Have fun!

Alwyn