3D Printing Planning on buying a new filament printer

[John Kemker]

My Ender 3 has been giving me nothing but headaches since before I started the upgrades. When I first got it, I was able to print lots of objects with pretty decent results. Now, I can't even get it to extrude onto the plate. /sigh

Went to the 3D Printing Discord server and they have a flowchart on how to pick a new printer. Considering size and budget, I'm leaning towards the Tronxy X5SA. It will let me print larger parts and still be affordable.

 

[cwbullet]

With all the upgraded I put into my Ender-3 to get it to print reliablY, I could have bought another Prusa. I recommend you look at all fo the features and fino on that fits you budget. Before you buy, scour the internet for negative reviews.

 

[John Kemker]

Thanks for the advice, Chuck.

Not liking the reviews I'm seeing for the Tronxy. It seems to be finicky setup for a relative beginner. Then there's the bed adhesion issue: It has too much! Reviewers seem to all agree that the bed doesn't want to let go of the print without a fight.

So, I looked at the Sovol SV03 and the Elegoo Neptune 3 Plus. Sovol is nice, but almost $500. The Elegoo appears to be affordable and work right out of the box. I especially like the fact that it comes with auto-bed-levelling, direct extrusion, and filament runout detection.

Might be a bit before I can pull the trigger, but looks to be my next 3D printer.

 

[OzHybrid]

Thanks for the advice, Chuck.

Not liking the reviews I'm seeing for the Tronxy. It seems to be finicky setup for a relative beginner. Then there's the bed adhesion issue: It has too much! Reviewers seem to all agree that the bed doesn't want to let go of the print without a fight.

So, I looked at the Sovol SV03 and the Elegoo Neptune 3 Plus. Sovol is nice, but almost $500. The Elegoo appears to be affordable and work right out of the box. I especially like the fact that it comes with auto-bed-levelling, direct extrusion, and filament runout detection.

Might be a bit before I can pull the trigger, but looks to be my next 3D printer.

There are some great choices available. Voron kit would be how I'd go. You'll need an enclosure if you want to print ABS.
My Tronxy has becom unreliable as I pushed it harder. It's a custom board so you can't replace a stepper driver. Ask me how I know.

 

[cwbullet]

The key to buying a printer is picking a size first and then looking for features.

 

[OzHybrid]

The key to buying a printer is picking a size first and then looking for features.

I have 330*330*400. I think if I had 400*400*500 I'd be happy.... No wait....500*500*800 yep, thats what I want....and much faster.

 

[cwbullet]

I have 330*330*400. I think if I had 400*400*500 I'd be happy.... No wait....500*500*800 yep, thats what I want....and much faster.

Fast is not always the best feature when printing rocket parts. You have to make sure they are strong.

 

[OzHybrid]

Fast is not always the best feature when printing rocket parts. You have to make sure they are strong.

And that my wife will let me...... No I'm an independant person. Darling how do you spell independant ......

 

[OzHybrid]

Fast is not always the best feature when printing rocket parts. You have to make sure they are strong.

I forget you guys don't do irony well. It's always amazing when someone finds Larson funny.
Anyway..... in engineering speeds and feeds are critical. Even more so in a filament printer where feeds, speeds, filament open times, contraction rates, cooling times, bed temperature, filament extrusion temperature............ have to be taken into account.
If I had a Voron, I would not be going as fast as possible, but would be going as fast as practicable for my required print.
Sometimes I print superfast. Because I need an object in a timeframe. Sometimes at super hi res because I need it. Der Red Max Whistles..
Everyone has to make their choice, put the money down and make the best of that decision.
There are some great printers. And we've come a long way in a short time.
Time to pick one. Deep breath, and the winner is......

 

[Alan R]

Now, I can't even get it to extrude onto the plate. /sigh

I was having similar problems a few weeks ago. But I just tore down the print head, cleaned, installed a new nozzle and bowden tube and I'm back to 100%.
Upgrade if you've got the money, but nozzles are cheap.

 

[John Kemker]

I was having similar problems a few weeks ago. But I just tore down the print head, cleaned, installed a new nozzle and bowden tube and I'm back to 100%.
Upgrade if you've got the money, but nozzles are cheap.

Oops! Forgot which printer was being talked about in this thread.

Did all that. Traded the Ender to someone for a LOC Warlok, which flew this last weekend.

 

[JohnCoker]

Entertaining flowchart, but it's the sort of thing that's obsolete as soon as it's made. (Not to mention being oversimplified.)

I always suggest going with what the people you interact with most have so you can help each other.

 

[John Kemker]

Entertaining flowchart, but it's the sort of thing that's obsolete as soon as it's made. (Not to mention being oversimplified.)

I always suggest going with what the people you interact with most have so you can help each other.

I ended up with the Elegoo Neptune 3 Plus. I've been very happy with it and Elegoo's warranty service. No extrusion and they led me through diagnostics, then sent me a new main board when we determined the problem.

 

[cwbullet]

I ended up with the Elegoo Neptune 3 Plus. I've been very happy with it and Elegoo's warranty service. No extrusion and they led me through diagnostics, then sent me a new main board when we determined the problem.

It is an interesting printer and design. What type of leveling sensor does it use?

 

[John Kemker]

It is an interesting printer and design. What type of leveling sensor does it use?

If I remember correctly, it's a non-contact sensor.

 

[mtnmanak]

I am surprised the X1 Carbon hasn't been mentioned anywhere. I am in the market for a first 3D printer and I am about 99% there in pulling the trigger on the X1. It doesn't seem to have a huge print volume space, so I get it may be ruled out immediately by a bunch of experienced folks in this space, but for a first time purchaser, I am finding it hard to see anything else on the market that meets my needs out of the box, even if it is in a walled ecosystem.

 

[CalebJ]

I didn't realize Tronxy was still around. That was my first 3d printer and it was kind of a constant maintenance mess of things being finicky. Gave up on the whole thing for a couple of years and eased back in at the beginning of the year with a bottom shelf Ender. So far it's been significantly less fiddly.

 

[wsume99]

I am surprised the X1 Carbon hasn't been mentioned anywhere. I am in the market for a first 3D printer and I am about 99% there in pulling the trigger on the X1. It doesn't seem to have a huge print volume space, so I get it may be ruled out immediately by a bunch of experienced folks in this space, but for a first time purchaser, I am finding it hard to see anything else on the market that meets my needs out of the box, even if it is in a walled ecosystem.

I have an ender 5 plus that is basically stock. I've been using it for 4 years now IIRC. I'm looking to upgrade now however my biggest concern is about print volume. I've been eyeing the X1 and P1S but I am concerned about the print height because 10" is not very much when printing a NC. I also really would prefer the software be open source and not have to use their cloud server (which seems to be corrected).

Right now I'm debating between the Qidi X-Max 3 and building a Voron 2.4 with a custom z height. I'm leaning towards the Voron but have not made my decision yet.

A Prusa XL would just about perfectly meet my needs but I'm not going to spend $2.5k for a printer plus enclosure and wait 6-9 months to receive it when other options are immediately available with roughly equivalent performance at substantially lower cost.

 

[JohnCoker]

I am surprised the X1 Carbon hasn't been mentioned anywhere.

This is an excellent printer. I think it wasn't mentioned because it's more expensive than most of the ones discussed. (Some people also have issues about it not being open source, but if you just care about print quality and speed it's hard to beat.)

 

[mtnmanak]

Since this will be my first foray into the 3D printing world, I am probably going to go with the X1 and take the time to learn the ins and outs of 3D printing, then, maybe, upgrade to a Prusa XL in a year or two.

I have the fervent concern that getting into another new hobby is going to proliferate out of control just like all the other ones C'est la vie. At least when I end up with a print farm next year I maybe able to be the neighborhood "print guy"! Need. Bigger. Shop.

 

[thzero]

Think you'll find the X1 is a great machine. Check out my various threads in the last 6 months or so for what I've been producing with OnShape and X1 for rocketry (and I ain't no engineer by trade either).

 

[cwbullet]

Since this will be my first foray into the 3D printing world, I am probably going to go with the X1 and take the time to learn the ins and outs of 3D printing, then, maybe, upgrade to a Prusa XL in a year or two.

I have the fervent concern that getting into another new hobby is going to proliferate out of control just like all the other ones C'est la vie. At least when I end up with a print farm next year I maybe able to be the neighborhood "print guy"! Need. Bigger. Shop.

X1 is not a bad machine. You will not be upset with that. Since they allowed a true LAN option, I am much happier with it. It is on PAR with the MK4 now. It is a better first-printer option out there than most.

 

[mtnmanak]

Thanks for the feedback! I am going to order one. I am comfortable with the CAD side of the equation, but have to admit I am clueless about a lot of the mechanics of 3D printing itself. I am hoping it is somewhat intuitive (for example, I keep seeing sites saying you need a glue stick - I have no earthly clue why you you need a glue stick or what you do with it). I imagine there have to be some 3D printing 101 (like, no kidding I am a beginner) videos out there, but they seem to be difficult to find. Most videos assume you know something about the basic process. I need to find the proverbial "tell me like I am a 5 year old" site.

It feels like the first time I made an EX motor - got all the ingredients, read Prof Terry's book, mixed everything up, cast it, thought I did great right up until I thought about how I was going to get an igniter up the solid grains and did a head slap... oh yeah, they need a core geometry... doh.

At the end of the day, the only way to learn is to move forward! Going to rip the bandaid off and get one!

 

[John Kemker]

(for example, I keep seeing sites saying you need a glue stick - I have no earthly clue why you you need a glue stick or what you do with it).

In some cases, the glue stick is used to help bed adhesion. I have a PEI sheet on my printer and usually print PETG, so no glue stick needed. It sticks great while hot, then when it cools off, comes off with just a flex of the sheet.

 

[thzero]

Core XY vs gantry style. Built in

Thanks for the feedback! I am going to order one. I am comfortable with the CAD side of the equation, but have to admit I am clueless about a lot of the mechanics of 3D printing itself. I am hoping it is somewhat intuitive (for example, I keep seeing sites saying you need a glue stick - I have no earthly clue why you you need a glue stick or what you do with it).

Read the instructions that come up with the printer (well unless its a creality, then well good luck!)

 

[cwbullet]

In some cases, the glue stick is used to help bed adhesion. I have a PEI sheet on my printer and usually print PETG, so no glue stick needed. It sticks great while hot, then when it cools off, comes off with just a flex of the sheet.

Be careful with that. As the PEI matures, you will need hair spray or glue stick for a release agent. PETG and a few other filaments will begin sticking too much and if you keep printing, it can destroy your bed without a release agent.

 

[John Kemker]

Be careful with that. As the PEI matures, you will need hair spray or glue stick for a release agent. PETG and a few other filaments will begin sticking too much and if you keep printing, it can destroy your bed without a release agent.

PEI sheets are inexpensive enough to just replace it when that starts to happen.

Right now, I'm trying to figure out why I *still* can't extrude with my Neptune 3 Plus, even with a new main board. I'm thinking it might be the extruder itself. /sigh

 

[OzHybrid]

PEI sheets are inexpensive enough to just replace it when that starts to happen.

Right now, I'm trying to figure out why I *still* can't extrude with my Neptune 3 Plus, even with a new main board. I'm thinking it might be the extruder itself. /sigh

It's a direct drive. Not many places for it to go wrong.

Is the head getting hot? If you remove the nozzle, can you extrude unheated filament? Is there any gap between nozzle rear face and heatbreak for a blockage to build up? Pressure on the feed roller? Is the grub screw for the drive roller fully in and driving?
Test the cable for the extruder on another stepper to show driver is ok.
That's it. No more ideas.
Norm

 

[John Kemker]

It's a direct drive. Not many places for it to go wrong.

Is the head getting hot? If you remove the nozzle, can you extrude unheated filament? Is there any gap between nozzle rear face and heatbreak for a blockage to build up? Pressure on the feed roller? Is the grub screw for the drive roller fully in and driving?
Test the cable for the extruder on another stepper to show driver is ok.
That's it. No more ideas.
Norm

Fresh nozzle. I can extrude filament manually, using the wheel on the extruder. Nozzle gets hot, not a problem. I've already looked at the heatbreak and it's clear. Driver is brand-new, as it's a new main board. Two main boards both with dead drivers is unlikely.

 

[cwbullet]

PEI sheets are inexpensive enough to just replace it when that starts to happen.

Right now, I'm trying to figure out why I *still* can't extrude with my Neptune 3 Plus, even with a new main board. I'm thinking it might be the extruder itself. /sigh

I would bet it is a clog.