3D Printing thread

PurpleMonster · Apr 14, 2016

Great to know! I did see the poly Filament as well and want to give that a go too. But i know my Makerbot wont like the sustained temps for printing with it lol. I need to upgrade the carriages before I ramp the temps up that high.

I think having all the Printer heads in this thread will be great and useful for our hobby!

Thanks for joining in guys!

Glasswalker · Apr 14, 2016

Do you have the ability to edit your posts? Maybe scouring the forum (and even this thread) for links to other threads on 3DP and making a combined list in the OP would be a great resource. For example the links to other 3DP threads, Reef safe plastics, and so on. Some good info in those as well.

If we can centralize/gather enough info/resources maybe the mods can sticky this one as well for a go-to source for 3DP info.

PurpleMonster · Apr 14, 2016

Unfortunately I cannot find an edit button, maybe its there? But maybe the Mods can hook it up and give me that Edit button on there or if they can just add the resources as they become avail.

Mods? Help please

PurpleMonster · Apr 14, 2016

Alright guys/gals, once i have enough info compiled I will ask the mods to add it to the OP and we can continue to do so and keep the thread updated with good info as a one stop shop. So i guess to help in adding useful info, when adding your Pictures or your files lets also add some details on how to get the same print quality.

Printer Used:
-Printer Speed:
-Material:
Slicer Used:
Print Resolution:
Extruder Temp:
Bed Temp(if used):
Infill:
Supports(Yes or NO):

What other details will be useful? I will have the info added to the OP so that everyone adding can have a Guide if you will.

thanks.

805reef · Apr 14, 2016

Maybe the mods would be interested in creating a new 3d printing sub forum. 3d printing is growing and there is so much that can be done that is reef related.

Hopefully @revhtree see's this thread and likes the idea.

tamu2010 · Apr 14, 2016

Glasswalker, have you printed your 3-D rock yet? What speed and Infill did you use? I took your 3-D rock but did not come out like I expected. I am trying figure out if it was a setting that is not matching yours.

Glasswalker · Apr 14, 2016

@tamu2010 I have not printed it yet, I'm a bit backed up with other print jobs right now. Will definitely print but will likely be a little bit (week or so).

So I have no idea how well it prints out. I designed it so it "should" be printable though. The interior structure is the thing I'm most concerned about.

Also it's an "organic" shape, meaning it will likely need support to hold up the bottom of the rock during print. (no flat surface). I should probably have just cropped the bottom flat... Maybe I'll do a V1.5 for that

revhtree · Apr 14, 2016

Cool thread!

Glasswalker · Apr 14, 2016

@tamu2010 do I understand that you attempted to print it and it didn't turn out well? If you could post a pic I could likely provide input on what went wrong, and either help you tweak settings, or adjust the design to compensate.

tamu2010 · Apr 14, 2016

@Glasswalker sounds good, i'll take a picture tonight

Windy · Apr 16, 2016

My printer is waiting for a controller card. My first reef project is to make my own removable Oscar Overflows for my broodstock tanks.

Glasswalker · Apr 16, 2016

@Windy, what printer do you have?

Windy · Apr 17, 2016

Windy · Apr 17, 2016

This is a picture of my build. Actually mine will print 200mm x 200mm x300mm.

fetta · Apr 17, 2016

Would love to get a printer, does anyone have a recommendations on one budget friendly if possible thanks in advance

Glasswalker · Apr 17, 2016

There are a pretty vast array of 3D Printers out there these days, with varying strengths/weaknesses on each. Plenty are very cost effective, but many that have a low cost are either kit printers (meaning you get a kit of parts and build it yourself), or lower end "enthusiast" printers which are pre-built (these at least come pre-built, but are targeted to the hobbyist/enthusiast so it may require more tinkering/fiddling to get it just right).

Also depends what you mean cost effective. Many very high quality printers can be had in the $1500 - $3000 USD range.

A great resource for investigating what printers are out there, and how they are rated is via 3D Hubs. They maintain one of the largest database of all 3D Printers out there, and have extensive comparisons using objective metrics of all printers. They keep a comparison page, and even have a "best of" each quarter usually.

You can see breakdowns of things like ease of use, reliability, cost, and so on on each printer. And they are broken up by categories such as kit printers, enthusiast printers, and "Plug and Play" (which means it comes fully assembled, works with minimal tweaking, and typically has a robust warranty).

Keep in mind 3D Printing is still a relatively new industry, and actually using a 3D printer does have some learning curve (though the community is huge, and there is tons of useful info out there). As a result, getting "good quality" results sometimes takes a bit of learning first, so if you do go out and buy one, and your first prints aren't mind-blowing, be ready to stick with it, go ask for help, and get suggestions for ways to improve your technique. In that way it's much like this hobby/community

lol.

Anyway here is the link to the printer recommendations/reviews on 3D Hubs:
https://www.3dhubs.com/best-3d-printer-guide

And here is the ENTIRE list of printers (sorted by overall rating in each category):
https://www.3dhubs.com/3d-printers

And of course if you have specific questions, or need further help, I'm happy to do what I can so don't hesitate to ask me

fetta · Apr 17, 2016

@Glasswalker thank you for all the info will definitely be looking into it....

Glasswalker · Apr 17, 2016

Some things to consider just from my personal experience:

See if you can get your hands on real sample objects printed on the printer you are considering. 3D Hubs is a great way to do this (order a small sample object from someone who owns the printer you're considering). It will give you a better idea of what the printer is capable of (keep in mind many hub operators are pros at this, and have optimized their printer, but at least you know what it's capable of in experienced hands).
Build volume is a big one, but it's not the ultimate requirement. Most things you can slice up and print in multiple parts to accommodate smaller size. That said bigger is certainly better in most cases.
The print head must be capable of reaching temperatures minimum 230C to 250C to print in ABS. But if you want to print in more exotic materials, you might need higher temps. A head that can handle 300C to 350C is an advantage
Heated bed is a must. It really is...
Heated chamber (enclosed print area) is good too, but not a must.
1.75mm filament is far easier to work with, tends to have less problems in general. 3mm filament has many more issues.
If you are working on parts for your reef, you don't want an SLA printer (resin printer). These make extremely high quality prints, but the chemicals used aren't reef safe as far as I know.
Before buying a printer, confirm availability of materials for your location. If the printer uses proprietary materials, you'll want to be able to get them easily, obviously generic materials cost much less, but in some cases could void warranty, so use this in your decision making process.
Dual Material prints are cool, but the only real practical use for this is printing using soluble support material. There are very limited use cases where blending rigid and flexible materials in one print create neat capabilities, or where multi-color prints are "neat", but to justify the price, only the support material makes it "really worth it". I've been able to do just fine for the past 4-5 years without needing soluble support material (however I've picked up a knack for figuring out how to best print a part and make it work for my printer). If you don't want to think about exactly how your part will print, support material can help with this.
Consider if there are other consumables for the printer. Some printers use a sacrificial print bed for example, which must constantly be replaced. Others use an adhesive compound you must re-apply regularly, and so on.
Be wary of printers that advertise printing materials such as Nylon and Carbon Fiber on a brass nozzle, these materials are abrasive and will RAPIDLY destroy a brass nozzle. Hardened Steel or Tungsten print nozzle is required to print these materials (So make sure it either comes with one, or has an optional upgrade if you intend to print in these materials).
Keep in mind your tolerance for tinkering/fiddling...
- If you like a lot of DIY and tinkering/fiddling, a cheaper kit based printer can be a fantastic experience. My first printer I designed/built from scratch myself. My second was a RepRap, and third was a Kit printer (original Ultimaker).
- But keep in mind if you just want to USE the printer, and not tinker with it, you may want to lean towards the higher end enthusiast, or Plug and Play type printers.
- My original Ultimaker, in it's first year or so I tinkered (tweaking, adjusting, calibrating, tuning, and occasionally repairing problems) about 20% of the time I used it for. But as it aged (just replaced it a month ago with a CEL Robox, after about 4 straight years of use). I was doing more like 60% tinkering & 40% printing/using. (but even now it still produces fantastic prints, I just replaced it because I am basically running a 3D Printing business now and I needed the reliability, I've had my fun tinkering already lol).
A robust frame is really important. Rigidity will affect print quality (and reliability). If it looks flimsy, be wary. Solid Steel chassis can certainly be an advantage. That said I've seen very high quality printers made of wood (example being the original ultimaker).