3D printer

[gotoPzero]

Can anyone give me some advice.

I want to get into 3D printing. A combination of just stuff for fun but also stuff for my hobbies.

The parts need to be strong and able to cope with say -10c and +30c.

I would also like a printer that comes with software - I assume thats a thing or do I need to buy separate SW?

A mate of mine has a printer so I went to have a look at it the other night and it looks ideal for what I want to do however he wasn't really sure on specs and the like.

Anyone able to recommend something that is suitable for lets say hobby level printing with possibility of some light commercial work? (just in case!)

[Hanslow]

If you haven't already, have a read through https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[gotoPzero]

Ah thanks thats exactly what I was looking for.

[Griffith4ever]

As for software, regardless of what it comes with, unless its quite specialised, you will end up using Ultimaker Cura. I've tried Slic3r, Creality Slicer, amongst several, and I always end up back with Cura. The special slicer versions that come with printers are always always compromised in some way.

3D printers are fed "GCode" - which is quite simply a text file with coords and temps. i.e. got to X,Y, at xspeed and temp etc etc. Unless you buy something very niche it's going to want Gcode, and using one good, well understood slicer program (Cura) makes life much easier and it'll work with any printer that uses Gcode.

Here is some Gcode. It tells the printer what's what, then sends shed loads of coords.

M107
M190 S60 ; set bed temperature and wait for it to be reached
M104 S180 ; set temperature
G28 ; home all axes
G1 Z5 F5000 ; lift nozzle
G29

; Filament gcode

M109 S180 ; set temperature and wait for it to be reached
G21 ; set units to millimeters
G90 ; use absolute coordinates
M82 ; use absolute distances for extrusion
G92 E0
G1 Z0.350 F7200.000
G1 E-2.00000 F2400.00000
G92 E0
G1 X15.504 Y24.289 F7200.000
G1 E2.00000 F2400.00000
G1 F1800
G1 X17.637 Y23.595 E2.06940
G1 X185.537 Y23.595 E7.26444
G1 X187.181 Y23.990 E7.31677
G1 X188.468 Y25.087 E7.36909
G1 X189.162 Y27.220 E7.43849
G1 X189.162 Y167.220 E11.77028
G1 X188.767 Y168.865 E11.82260
G1 X187.670 Y170.151 E11.87493
G1 X185.537 Y170.845 E11.94432
G1 X17.637 Y170.845 E17.13937
G1 X15.992 Y170.451 E17.19170
G1 X14.706 Y169.353 E17.24402
G1 X14.012 Y167.220 E17.31342
G1 X14.012 Y27.220 E21.64520

[dudleybloke]

I don't have one but my friend does and he popped round last night with a few test pieces for me to measure for him as he's just installed Klipper and he's very pleased with the results.
He's used various software over the years but says Klipper is by far the best he's used.

[gotoPzero]

Cheers now reading that thread I will post on there - a lot to learn!

[ARHarh]

It depends on what you class as strong. Parts can be made to cope with certain strains in certain directions but if you want parts that behave like steel its not going to happen, well it might if you spend £m's on a metal fusion type machine. Even if you just want the to behave that injection moulded ABS you are going to struggle. Temperature can also be a big issue with FDM style printers as they work by melting plastic at reasonably low temperatures. ABS may cope but is far more difficult to print. And if you want to leave the parts in a car in mid summer forget it, especially if they are a dark colour. I don't know how resin behaves in these temperatures.

Also if you are aiming at a DIY level machine be prepared for a lot learning, and probably tinkering with settings.

[brman]

as an owner of three 3dprinters I would say the starting point is to decide what you really want from it.

A hobby?
Then go right ahead, low initial cost but lots of tweeking and playing and upgrading (eg ender3) or higher initial cost (prusa or bambu labs) but probably less messing to get results. The choice is yours.

A means to get custom parts made in plastic?
Think very carefully. Even an ender 3 will end up costing many hundreds (the printer, filament, tools, bits to fix it, upgrades you never knew you needed etc). That ender3 will probalby do the job to start with but you will still get frustrated. ABS prints cracking, higher spec materials not able to print etc. So you will starting thinking about something better. = more money, more time. etc etc.
A year down the line you realise the overall cost (likely north of £1000) could have bought you a LOT of parts printed from one of the many companies that will do them for you on professional machines with correspondingly better quality and materials.

Don't get me wrong, I am not sure I could cope without a 3dprinter. Both for home and work stuff. But as a cost affective way of getting functional prototype parts I have my doubts