3D Printer Happened

[jcdammeyer]

Can you just weigh the partly empty spool and subtract the fully empty spool weight to know what is left?

I'm looking forward to the day when I can test a spool transition.

Yes. Close enough anyway. The only time this has ever been a visible issue for me is when I replaced the spool that ran out with a different brand of white filament. It was possible to see the change in the print due to the colour.
Otherwise made no impact on the print.

 

[Susquatch]

Yes. Close enough anyway. The only time this has ever been a visible issue for me is when I replaced the spool that ran out with a different brand of white filament. It was possible to see the change in the print due to the colour.
Otherwise made no impact on the print.

At least for now, I want to stick with Brand Name filaments. Mostly Bambu. I don't need filament problems before I know enough about other things and am ready to deal with them.

 

[jcdammeyer]

At least for now, I want to stick with Brand Name filaments. Mostly Bambu. I don't need filament problems before I know enough about other things and am ready to deal with them.

The Bambu spools twist apart and the cardboard hub comes out. The replacement filament packs w/o spool just go in. Make sure to line up the little slot in the cardboard hub. On the removed hub save and mark the RFID strip. Later if you buy other cheaper filament you can use those so the printer thinks it's seeing Bambu filament.

https://www.matter3d.com/products/basics-pla-refill-filament

 

[PeterT]

^what he said^ Once you have a couple of take-apart spools, Bambu or whatever, the refills on cardboard core (including Bambu) just mount within those plastic spool housings. I know some guys run the carboard directly on the axle if they dont care about code reading, but I wasnt as fond about them being less round & potentially more friction vs the pastic spool. I havent ventured much out of Bambu PLA Basic although I generally wait for sales a steh price is creeping up. I bought a couple spools of PLA+ (plus) from where I got the printer, I think it printed identially to Bambo Basic. Some guys swear by a certain brand like Elegoo from Amazon & then the odd time they swear AT it because something changed. I have not done any exotic stuff, thats where settings come into play

 

[Engmaxx]

Here's what I use to know how much I have left and it is pretty close:

https://makerworld.com/en/models/1161927-filament-spool-meter#profileId-1168333

 

[Engmaxx]

I know SolidWorks well enough to be dangerous as I needed it for work from time to time. Still using it now. But when bought my A1-mini, I printed everything from MakerWorld for the first month or two, love the fidget stuff, decorations for my wife, puzzles, cool shite, gifts, etc, etc. I was and still am fascinated watching the printer build the part. Then I started my designs on needs and haven't looked back. I think I printed every day for 9 months straight. To all that are nervous, aren't sure, etc, don't sweat it. If you truly aren't sure if you need it, you can try the A1-mini as it is cheap and a workhorse. Upgrade from there. I still don't have an AMS but one day I might add it. Learn how it works, play with it, print fun stuff, give your prints away, enjoy it and then start with small projects and build your skills as the need arises. Don't worry about the filaments as most things can be made in PLA or PETG and both can be used on the A1-mini. Maybe this is redundent information at this point but when I hear about concerns, just get comfortable with the 3D printing technology first before you try your hand at design software. IMHO

 

[Engmaxx]

BTW, if I'm around during a print, I can often feed the new filament in during the print so the printer never stops. Not always perfect but works most times. Just trim the tail end of old and leading end of new flat.

Also, I used the Bambu Handy app on my phone for printing in my first 9 months. So easy and you didn't have to play around with the downloaded model.

 

[Doggggboy]

Do you really have to keep records? Couldnt you just weigh the partly empty spool and subtract the fully empty spool weight to know what is left?

I'm looking forward to the day when I can test a spool transition.

No. The rfid tags on the Bambu spools help keep track of the filament. The slicer will know that particular spool and how much has been used. It's really not a big deal unless you are doing a loooooong print. If you are then just load an identical spool beside the first and set the ams to auto transition to the next spool. If you don't, then the printer just stops and waits for you load another spool. You may or may not get a notification in the Bambu handy app. That seems a bit iffy sometimes.

 

[jcdammeyer]

No. The rfid tags on the Bambu spools help keep track of the filament. The slicer will know that particular spool and how much has been used. It's really not a big deal unless you are doing a loooooong print. If you are then just load an identical spool beside the first and set the ams to auto transition to the next spool. If you don't, then the printer just stops and waits for you load another spool. You may or may not get a notification in the Bambu handy app. That seems a bit iffy sometimes.

Didn't know the RFID tracked amount used. I'll have to watch that and see. I mostly just use it to tell the system what type of filament is in the printer.

 

[Susquatch]

Maybe this is redundent information at this point but when I hear about concerns, just get comfortable with the 3D printing technology first before you try your hand at design software. IMHO

This is great advice Michael. I am VERY surprised about what is already out there and in quite a variety of sophisticated designs. For example, I thought for sure I was dead in the water with a dessicant container to fit between the filament drives on my AMS. Not so! In fact, there are literally dozens of variations. Plus all kinds of other types to fit all the other nooks and crannies of the AMS2.

That said, i want to be able to make my own designs as well as modify other people's designs too. So CAD has to happen someday. Just perhaps not as soon as I had initially thought.

 

[Susquatch]

The rfid tags on the Bambu spools help keep track of the filament. The slicer will know that particular spool and how much has been used.

Wow! That's really cool! Does it keep that info even if that particular spool is removed for a while? If so, how many spools can it remember?

I'm with @jcdammeyer. I'm gunna have to look at that a bit closer.

 

[Susquatch]

Also, I used the Bambu Handy app on my phone for printing in my first 9 months. So easy and you didn't have to play around with the downloaded model.

I've mostly used my android phone too. But I have noted that the desktop application is significantly better. I prefer to use my phone for most things. It's always with me so the convenience is really hard to beat.

 

[pdentrem]

Clear/translucent filament works best with a large nozzle like a 0.8 mm. Very dry and slow with the fan off. This will allow a good spread and no gaps etc. One can also increase the flow rate to help get a good fill with overlap.
I have some yellow to make a couple turn signal reflectors for my old car.
Pierre

 

[StevSmar]

Is your 3D printer located in your house? If yes, have there been complaints about any 3D printer smells?

Edit: I see a later post said it’s located in a barn. I don’t have a barn…

 

[Doggggboy]

Is your 3D printer located in your house? If yes, have there been complaints about any 3D printer smells?

Edit: I see a later post said it’s located in a barn. I don’t have a barn…

I had mine in the house for the first 6 months or and then moved it to the shop. I was printing mostly with pla and never noticed a smell. Some filaments are nasty though. The shop has enough other toxins floating around that I don't notice it much.

 

[Susquatch]

Is your 3D printer located in your house? If yes, have there been complaints about any 3D printer smells?

Edit: I see a later post said it’s located in a barn. I don’t have a barn…

You need a barn. Nuff said.

If I didn't have a barn, I'd prolly put the printer in the basement. If that still smelled too much, I'd add a heat recovery ventilator.

Of course, I'd be doing that for my wife, not for me. I can't smell much of anything. Fried my nose when I was 18.

 

[MrWhoopee]

I don't think I'd care about losing a bead. It's not exactly a Jesus spring. I'd be more worried about it falling into a mechanism of some delicate kind.

What are you gunna do with 4 small winds of Fillament? Can you bond/weld it to the beginning of another spool? Or is the printer smart enough to use it till its gone and then prompt for a new spool?

I will sometimes load them in to the AMS if I don't care about color and expect the current spool to run out. You just lie to the software and tell it it's the same color as the one you are using. It wil switch over automatically when the first spool runs out.

 

[jcdammeyer]

Wow! That's really cool! Does it keep that info even if that particular spool is removed for a while? If so, how many spools can it remember?

I'm with @jcdammeyer. I'm gunna have to look at that a bit closer.

OK. So there's a choice setting to track filament usage. Mine was set off. I found it using the app on my phone. Haven't found it on the desktop version yet. Notice now how the 3 filled AMS slots show filament left in the form of how much they colour in.



The white PLA is Bambu filament. The yellow is generic and the 'black' is really 'red' from M3D with the RFID tag off a 'black' Bambu PETG reel. And it's true as far as amount left goes. There's maybe 10 turns or so of red filament left.
Don't remember all the things I printed with it. Some toe clamps. Gripper for the Robot Arm.
The brown is an M3D reel pretty well full but with an RFID tag from Bambu Brown.

Since I didn't have the usage tracking enabled before I guess it just thinks this is a new spool. When I use up the red I'll put in some grey PETG and see what happens. But first have to finish up the red. What to print... what to print...

 

[Susquatch]

OK. So there's a choice setting to track filament usage. Mine was set off. I found it using the app on my phone.

Where is it in the App John? I can't seem to find it Ion the app or the desktop.

 

[jcdammeyer]

Bambu Handy App.
Bottom of screen select devices
Top right select beehive icon.
That brings up settings page.
Select AMS settings.
4th from the top select Remaining Filament Estimation