3D Printers (again)

[Robert]

So I know we discussed this in a thread several months ago, but I'm bringing it back up in a new thread in case anyone has changed equipment (or just simply wasn't a member here at that time)...

I need a new 3D printer... it's time to print up some more frames for the drill templates and I just can't force myself through another manual bed leveling, adjusting, and calibration of my old MonoPrice machine. It has earned it's keep, it's time to let it rest.

Also, I believe there is some dimensional inaccuracy with the machine I have because although the templates I've printed fit, when I had some manufactured using the same source files they were off by several millimeters (enough to be unusable). If I have to blame my machine or theirs, I'm going with mine being the problem. I most likely made micro-adjustments to the models when they were designed to accommodate the inaccuracy, and now when I send those files to a properly calibrated machine the variation in tolerance is showing its ugly face.

I need a machine I can trust so I can redesign the template for proper manufacture. (printing these two at a time is just not sustainable)

I've been looking (of course) at Prusa, but an AnkerMake M5 has also caught my attention.

What are you using? What should I be looking at?

 

[vigilante398]

I have two right now, a Wizmaker P1 and an Anycubic Photon resin printer.

I cut my teeth on 3D printer with a Monoprice Maker Select Plus and it served me fine for years, but it was a hassle to run and I started to notice that printers were selling for the same price (or less) these days with WAY more features. I picked up the Wizmaker as a kickstarter perk, and it's been great. Automatic bed leveling is a gamechanger, it's SO nice. It also has some extra sensors that are supposed to monitor things like layer shift, so my prints come out brilliantly consistent, I'm very pleased.

THE BAD: Wizmaker was pretty much behind on warranty repairs right out of the gate. They tried to send people parts when they needed them, but eventually they just stopped answering emails, and a few months ago the company just vanished. No email replies, no social media presence. Just gone. The most common problem (that also affects my machine) is that the SD card slot fails and the whole controller board needs to be replaced. This happened early on with mine and they said they would send a replacement to me, but I never got it. The machine still works and I'm able to control it with Octoprint. So I still love the machine and would recommend something with similar features in a similar pricepoint (I know Anycubic has a couple comparable offerings and they've been good to me), but I owuld not recommend picking up a new Wizmaker unit.

The Anycubic Photon has been awesome. There was a bit of a learning curve just as this was my first experience with resin prints, so I had A LOT of failed prints when I was getting started, but I eventually got the hang of it. I still don't get perfect prints, most notably my corners sag when I do large prints, but I get consistently good prints, and I'm not doing anything too crazy with it. I did a couple Christmas presents that turned out really neat, and I consistently use it for RocketSockets because resin sockets work great (though only if I use "ABS-like" resin, normal resin is too brittle and shatters with very few uses).

So if you have Prusa money obviously go for Prusa, and the AnkerMake also looks excellent. But if you don't have Prusa money or AnkerMake money, Anycubic has been excellent, I've had repeated good experiences with them as a company and if my Wizmaker dies on me in the near future I'll be picking up a comparable Anycubic.

 

[flemming]

I've had a Prusa MK3 for years now and it's as close to "it just works" as I think you can get. Not the cheapest, but what's your time worth?

 

[Robert]

I have two right now, a Wizmaker P1 and an Anycubic Photon resin printer.

I was actually looking for your Wizmaker when I stumbled across the AnkerMake, thinking that was the one you were talking about.
Very good to know about the warranty with the Wizmaker. I'm a bit hesitant to get mixed up with resin at this point since I'm at least somewhat familiar with filament.

I've had a Prusa MK3 for years now and it's as close to "it just works" as I think you can get. Not the cheapest, but what's your time worth?

This has been my thinking... Of course I don't want to spend money unnecessarily but I really don't want to have to spend money twice nor do I want to spend countless hours fiddling with thumbwheels.

I have a specific task in mind so I think I'll just grab an assembled MK3 so I can get to work as quickly as possible.

 

[Robert]

What 3D modeling software do yall use? Fusion 360?

 

[vigilante398]

What 3D modeling software do yall use? Fusion 360?

I'll continue to be the weirdo outlier. I use Solidworks.

 

[Robert]

I may have to give that a shot, because although I can fumble my way through Fusion it's just so awkward to operate.

Maybe I just need a good book on the subject.

 

[Harry Klippton]

I may have to give that a shot, because although I can fumble my way through Fusion it's just so awkward to operate.

Maybe I just need a good book on the subject.

I briefly tried to mess with fusion 360 and found it super unintuitive even after watching a bunch of tutorials. I hopped off of that all together as there's dopamine to be had elsewhere

 

[vigilante398]

I may have to give that a shot, because although I can fumble my way through Fusion it's just so awkward to operate.

Maybe I just need a good book on the subject.

Solidworks still works very similar to what I remember of Fusion 360. I started on Fusion and transitioned over when I got Solidworks training at work. The general process of starting with a 2D sketch then extruding/cutting/etc to turn it into 3D is still the same, but I like the way Solidworks runs.

It's a little pricey though, I probably wouldn't have gotten into it if I didn't get a license through work.

 

[Harry Klippton]

The general process of starting with a 2D sketch then extruding/cutting/etc to turn it into 3D is still the same,

I had a sense that I was approaching fusion the wrong way but couldn't find anything that articulated it this clearly. This was my problem. Thanks for that

 

[Robert]

It's very likely (almost certainly) my lack of familiarity with the software.

 

[ITG6]

I think the new king of printers that just work out of the box is Bambu Labs. They are not cheap but the features and performance are pretty crazy.

I wanted to build a Voron for a while now but the X1 Carbon makes it seem like a lot of effort for about the same result.

 

[Robert]

I just checked out the Bambu X1, that's like the Apple of 3D printers!

I'm a bit apprehensive, although if they were shipping today I'd probably cancel the order for the Prusa and give it a shot.

 

[vigilante398]

I looked at the Bambu briefly when I had my heart set on a multiple filaments model. We had a couple printers at my old job that had dual extruders, they always used one side for ABS and the other for a water soluble support. So you can use as much support material as you want, then when the print is finished you just throw it in a wash station and the supports disappear.

*gets decent printer*

"if only I didn't have to worry about leveling the bed"

*gets printer with auto-level*

"if only I didn't have to worry about removing printed supports"

(repeat endlessly)

 

[Fingolfen]

We've got a Prusa... as others have said.... it "just works"

 

[Alan W]

My (old) business has a few Raise3D printers. They're a lot more expensive (now than when we bought them!) than most of the printers that would be under your consideration, however, I needed larger build platforms—the big one does just under 2 feet tall by 12 x 12 inches; and we've built sectioned models that were 11 feet tall with it. Dimensional accuracy was very high—when we first got the first printer I set up a series of tests for it and it was within .003 inch in each axis, with the Z axis staying about the same—pretty much all I could ask from a filament printer. Layer stepping is about on par with other semi-pro level machines. We have had to replace various parts over the years, but none of the drive parts. The self leveling, etc. works great.

For software, I was always on Vectorworks, but if I were not adverse to learning more programs, I think Rhino is great—we had one Solidworks seat; but unless you have an educational discount, it's very expensive; and their upgrades are not cheap either. New versions are never compatible with old versions (though you can export to earlier versions), which in a business setting was a pain. For slicing, we use Ideamaker, which might be a Raise3d product—but it's good. When I first started working with 3d files, ProE was the main software, and when Solidworks came in, it was cheaper (everything's relative) and was so much easier than ProE that most of my clients switched to Solidworks.

I haven't looked at new filament printers in the past 5 years or so; and have been thinking of getting something small for myself for use at home. I'll be more in the Prusa range though—so I look forward to what others have to say.

 

[ITG6]

I just checked out the Bambu X1, that's like the Apple of 3D printers!

I'm a bit apprehensive, although if they were shipping today I'd probably cancel the order for the Prusa and give it a shot.

Biggest concerns I have seen of them is that they are not open source. They seem to work great, crazy fast and replacement parts are pretty cheap.

I can't really justify buying one over my Ender 3.....it just keeps working and I don't use it enough lately that I need to upgrade. Then I think about the speed difference and never having to level again.....

 

[Alan W]

Biggest concerns I have seen of them is that they are not open source. They seem to work great, crazy fast and replacement parts are pretty cheap.

I can't really justify buying one over my Ender 3.....it just keeps working and I don't use it enough lately that I need to upgrade. Then I think about the speed difference and never having to level again.....

I think that’s a very valid concern. And I also agree that their having replacement parts is important—but with so many proprietary parts, if I considered one, I’d budget in a few replacement heads, etc. from the get go.

I also think the notion of less mass for the guide rods (hence, carbon fiber) is dumb, considering that the main mass being moved is the head, along with the umbilical. (That’s just the machinist in me bitching, though.)

 

[JetFixxxer]

I have a Longer 4KPro, it printed great then about six months ago it went to the sh**ter. I haven't had a good print since. I've been troubleshooting when I feel like it. Might get another hotend for it.

 

[Robert]

I may end up regretting this decision, but I ended up cancelling the order for the Prusa and ordered the Bambu P1P.

I know it's a bit scaled down from the X1 / X1 Carbon, but it should be more than capable of what I plan to use it for.

Reviews seemed to favor it over the Prusa in terms of quick start / speed / ease of use, and that's what's most important for this particular project.

We shall see....


I was tempted by the X1C ...