3D printing advice

[Tris]

I am interested in 3d printing and wondered if anyone can recommend sites or information for complete beginners?
I have absolutely zero experience with computer based design so it really does have to be eejit proof.
TIA

 

[pe2dave]

Learn from youtube?
Equally tempted (extractor adapters).

 

[Gerry]

For basic design using shapes have a look at www.tinkercad.com you will find tutorials on youtube too.
You can produce some very complex designs with it too once you get used to it.

Gerry

 

[Garno]

It's something that interests me as well, what puts me of is getting the plans to print from.
Saying that I have just found this site that gives a good list of sites with free plans, I hope you find it useful.

Gary

It would help if I put the link in.

https://all3dp.com/1/free-stl-files-3d-printer-models-3d-print-files-stl-download/

 

[Tris]

Thank you all for the input. I found thingiverse the other day and it looks like a fascinating rabbit hole

 

[Bodone]

As you've found, Thingiverse and Instructables www.instructables.com .

 

[paulrbarnard]

Thingverse and GrabCAD are my two favourite sites for files and inspiration.

 

[EddyCurrent]

A 3D printer is fine, I have a Creality CR-10, but it's not much use if you can't design the parts to print yourself.
That means drawing items in 3D to create an STL file or similar format.
For software my choice is Rhino7 for CAD and Simplify3D for the printer, of course I use Rhino7 for other work as well.

Open source software can also be used such as, FreeCAD and Cura

 

[paulrbarnard]

A 3D printer is fine, I have a Creality CR-10, but it's not much use if you can't design the parts to print yourself.
That means drawing items in 3D to create an STL file or similar format.
For software my choice is Rhino7 for CAD and Simplify3D for the printer, of course I use Rhino7 for other work as well.

Open source software can also be used such as, FreeCAD and Cura

Simplify3D is an excellent choice to drive the printer. It also works on a Mac.

 

[Westy619]

I've been doing 3D printing for about a year so I'm no expert. I bought a Prusa MK3S based on the countless views online that, while being more expensive than the chinese machines, its one of the easier machines to learn with as there is far less tweaking required to get really good results.

While sites like thingiverse are great and can provide some great things to print, you really will want to learn how to design your own parts otherwise you're never really using the full potential of the technology. I use Fusion360 to design my parts and export the STL file into the Prusa slicing software. Its still currently free for hobby users and there are countless youtube tutorials to help you learn. Fusion360 is a CAD/CAM system so once you've learned it, you can also go down the route of CNC Routers.

I recommend PETG for filament over the common PLA. Its almost as easy to print and has great strength, isnt brittle which makes it great for jigs and anything that is to be used as a 'functional' part.

 

[pgrbff]

I recently bought a Creality Ender 3 V2 for my 12 yera old son, or rather he sold all his old toys on ebay and bought it himself. I think the most important thing to bear in mind when considering 3D printing is that it isn't plug and play, at least not at the bottom end of the market. There is quite a steep learning curve. There are a lot of resources to help you, but you will probably have to put an awful lot of time into it. Every print is different. Before printing you have to consider carefully lots of different parameters and work out how best to proceed, it is by no means automatic.
I'd be interested to know if spending more makes it easier.

 

[paulrbarnard]

I recently bought a Creality Ender 3 V2 for my 12 yera old son, or rather he sold all his old toys on ebay and bought it himself. I think the most important thing to bear in mind when considering 3D printing is that it isn't plug and play, at least not at the bottom end of the market. There is quite a steep learning curve. There are a lot of resources to help you, but you will probably have to put an awful lot of time into it. Every print is different. Before printing you have to consider carefully lots of different parameters and work out how best to proceed, it is by no means automatic.
I'd be interested to know if spending more makes it easier.

My experience is a little different. I draw the item in CAD, export as STL, load into Simplify3D. If I drew it upside down or on its side I select the face I want on the bed then click position. Finally select the material type and resolution and print.
I watch the first layer going down to make sure it’s stuck but then it just gets on with it. If the first layer doesn’t stick I check the bed level and adjust that as it’s the most likely problem, well that or having the wrong filament in. The bed temperature is what ensures good adhesion.
What software are you using to do the print? If your having to set and adjust parameters all the time I would recommend taking a look at Simplify3D.

 

[Tris]

It sounds as though it would be worth spending some time using tinkercad or similar to see how I get on before taking the plunge.
Looking at thingiverse I saw lots of things that are adaptable to something else so I know I'll need to be able to modify designs at the very least.

The creality machines seem keenly priced but does that mean there's a lot of setting up and room for improvement?

 

[pgrbff]

Cura. The biggest problem is having to constantly re-level the bed. Everyone suggests changing the springs but that hasn't helped. It can still need re-leveling after one print. After about 10 days of printing, some items fantastic finish, others terrible, nothing was working, plus lots of stringing. I changed the nozzle and all is well again, except now levelling in exactly the same manner, with the same copier paper, I have had to change the z offset because the nozzle is too close to the bed and everything is sticking too well.
The point I was trying to make is that you have to want to put the time into it. My son is very mature for his age but he still expects to draw in tinkercad, use the default settings in cura, print and expect a perfect item every time. But as you said, you need to make sure the print is sticking, the z offset is correct and re-start if it isn't. It isn't plug and play, and I can't help thinking that there must be a few people out there who have given up because it isn't straightforward and don't have or want to put the time into get it right.
Someone who has 6 printers recently told me that after a few years at it he is learning something new every day.

 

[pgrbff]

It sounds as though it would be worth spending some time using tinkercad or similar to see how I get on before taking the plunge.
Looking at thingiverse I saw lots of things that are adaptable to something else so I know I'll need to be able to modify designs at the very least.

The creality machines seem keenly priced but does that mean there's a lot of setting up and room for improvement?

I was surprised how many simple faults there are with the machine, things that could so easily and cheaply put right. The forums are 90% how to "upgrade" or improve the performance, and unfortunately, there is a lot of the blind leading the blind.
Yes it is obviously a good idea to get involved in designing with Tinkercad or similar, I just sat down to try Fusion 360, but I think it more important you get a good basic knowledge of slicing.

 

[city17]

I think there are two different problems, one being faults with cheap printers, and the other being general 3D printing difficulties.

If you buy a cheap printer (I got the Artillery Genius), things might work great straight out of the box (as was the case for me), but quality control isn't great and you could have a bent bed, weak springs, or some other issues. Usually those problems aren't fatal and can be solved/worked around, but probably not by a complete beginner.

If you want to prevent those risks, I'd suggest going with the Prusa Mini+. It's also quite affordable, but you eliminate the quality issues and you get perfectly optimized profiles straight away. Plus actual customer support (unlike most Chinese makers).

But that only solves the first of the two problems. Even if you have a perfectly set up printer, not all your prints may come out perfect. There's simply things you need to learn about how a 3D printer works, which will cost time. And if you want to design your own parts, learning a CAD program (Fusion is probably the most popular) also takes time.

That said, if you get a printer like the Prusa Mini, you will be able to print most things from Thingiverse without any problems straight away. Just don't expect it to be perfect 100% of the time.

 

[Johnsoak]

The Creality Ender machines are cheap - for a reason - they are designed to be the most basic (cheapest) machine that you can buy, but that will print - just. For most people, the first things that they will try to print are the bits that were left off to make it cheap. The first accessories that you will buy are the bits that they left off to make it cheap. The initial configuration is a VERY ‘steep learning curve and will require infinite patience. You can get effective prints from them but there is a vast amount to learn to get this to happen. All of that is before you learn how to draw your own models and how to use the correct slicer to get the right finish. I am a woodworker and novice 3d printer, but I manage to get useful prints form an Ender 3 pro - usually based on free to download STL files from Thingiverse, etc. Hope this helps!

 

[MorrisWoodman12]

I bought a CEL Robox about 5 years ago. It was designed (in the UK) to be easily used by beginners. No bed levelling required, automatic sensing of filament thus setting of temperature and other parameters. Once over the initial hurdles and up the learning curve it has worked well.
As far as design software goes I started with sketchup but balked at the price after 3 months of using it for free, looked at TinkerCAD but thought it a bit of a toy (just my opinion, I know others like it) ,looked at a few others of a similar vein and ended up using Designspark Mechanical. It takes a little getting used to but there are plenty of YouTube videos. It is supported by RS Components so should be fairly stable and shouldn't disappear overnight.
There is also the Institute of 3D Printing. Although it is expensive (several £100's/annum) if you join there is also a lot of free information on their website which will be useful for a beginner.
Have fun
Martin

 

[paulrbarnard]

Cura. The biggest problem is having to constantly re-level the bed. Everyone suggests changing the springs but that hasn't helped. It can still need re-leveling after one print. After about 10 days of printing, some items fantastic finish, others terrible, nothing was working, plus lots of stringing. I changed the nozzle and all is well again, except now levelling in exactly the same manner, with the same copier paper, I have had to change the z offset because the nozzle is too close to the bed and everything is sticking too well.
The point I was trying to make is that you have to want to put the time into it. My son is very mature for his age but he still expects to draw in tinkercad, use the default settings in cura, print and expect a perfect item every time. But as you said, you need to make sure the print is sticking, the z offset is correct and re-start if it isn't. It isn't plug and play, and I can't help thinking that there must be a few people out there who have given up because it isn't straightforward and don't have or want to put the time into get it right.
Someone who has 6 printers recently told me that after a few years at it he is learning something new every day.

Z-offset? It isn't something I've ever used. Is that the same as the Z-axis stop?

My printer is a four year old kit that cost less than £100. It was a Christmas present for my Dad at the time. He built the printer up and used it for a couple of years. My company had him design and print a number of mounts for us and the volume got to the point where the company bought him a faster machine. I received the old printer as a hand me down.

The printer has a three point bed levelling system using simple M3 bolts. It's really quick and simple to do. If it is out side to side I position the head in the front center of the bed, next to the edge with the single screw adjuster, then home Z and adjust the Z-stop using a feeler gauge. A piece of paper isn't really good enough... I set the gap to half the nozzle size (0.4 nozzle 0.2 gap for example). I have added a screw adjustment for the Z-axis stop which makes this super quick to do. Then I move the head next to one of the other bed levelling screws at the back and adjust the levelling screw to get the same gap. Then repeat for the other levelling screw at the back. If it's out front to back I start at the center back to set the gap then move to center front and adjust the bed front screw to get the same gap.

If I'm not changing nozel size I don't generaly have to adjust anything. The frame and bed supports on mine are all made from plastic, acrylic or perspex not sure which, and it is dimensionally very consistent. It's also mounted to a sturdy MDF base. Infact i have a quick change mount to swap from laser to printer and I don't generally need to adjust anything when I swap between the two.

This is the printer in it's box. It's vented to the outside as it can get a bit stinky with the laser burning.

This is the printer with teh quick release head. The laser module is on the left and the printer head on the right. They mount to the wall when not in use so i can swap them without having to re connect filament or air assit tubes. Sat on teh floor is the part cooler that also attached with a single screw for printing PLA and PET-G. I have ABS in there at the moment.

This is the printer head in place

And finally the laser

Its a super cheap setup but works tollerably well. My Dads fancy dual head machine is a lot faster but I can get excellent results. Here is a close up of the air asist (it has deformed a bit near the hot end through use). As you can see it's a very clean print.

 

[paulrbarnard]

On the subject of CAD software I currently use TurboCAD as I have a license for work. I am often frustrated by it's compatabilty, notably with SolidWorks so i called SolidWorks earlier this week and they indicated they will be releaseing a hobist license for the full SolidWorks suite later this year. I was told it will be a subscription but in the order of £10 per month. It remains to be seen how it works out but SolidWorks is one heck of a package.