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3D Printing - machines owned by members

Tom O

Ultra Member
Mine is in the laundry room but so far I have only used it to dry some plaster of Paris molds, for melting its with my propane furnace outside. I do have a spincasting unit I picked up off kijiji last year for $75. That I had to repair the spring on that I want to try.
 

Tom O

Ultra Member
That’s entirely possible the kiln would do it though, I’ve had it over 2000* trying it out using the dryer plug According to the temperature sensor I have.
 

deleted_user

Super User
although this is not mine, I have printed one of these. Just need to put the shroud on, and it will be fully functional.
printed in two pieces. I have 390mm's of Z height which has increased recently with the purchase of new linear rails to probably around 480mm. this is a rough estimate though.
View attachment 3415

Well isn't that just fabulous? Back 25 years ago when I was heavily into R/C modeling I built a hovercraft similar to this. I'd have killed to own a 3d printer then. It would have saved hundreds of hours.

I have plans to built a working Wm. Lyon Mcckenzie Fireboat that I shall finally get to thanks to my 3D printer's capabilities
 

deleted_user

Super User
I have an Ender 3 Max.

Upgraded with a BL touch.

I plan to modify to direct drive extruder using existing components, and I will get a magnetic build plate with PEI for printing petg. I hated tape. Also building an enclosure based on 3 lack coffee tables and sonopan sound insulation.

I typically design all my own parts, but I do troll thingiverse for standard items that I can print immediately.

I have a thingiverse account with a few designs up already. I'll be adding many more and am open to helping others with modeling or modifications if the project is cool.

 
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Dan Dubeau

Ultra Member
New member here with an Anet a8, Kingroon kp3s, And elegoo mars. I mostly print my own creations, but mainly interested in casting patterns and venturing down the path of lost resin and pla. I'm a sporatic project guy and many months will go by before my printers see use.
 

Janger

(John)
Administrator
Vendor
I have an Ender 3 Max.

Upgraded with a BL touch.

I plan to modify to direct drive extruder using existing components, and I will get a magnetic build plate with PEI for printing petg. I hated tape. Also building an enclosure based on 3 lack coffee tables and sonopan sound insulation.

I typically design all my own parts, but I do troll thingiverse for standard items that I can print immediately.

I have a thingiverse account with a few designs up already. I'll be adding many more and am open to helping others with modeling or modifications if the project is cool.

Hey @TorontoBuilder i see you’re another IT guy named john there are a lot of us. Welcome to the forum. I was looking at your thingiverse models. The air engraver is interesting. Do you have any photos of results using that tool?
 

deleted_user

Super User
Hey @TorontoBuilder i see you’re another IT guy named john there are a lot of us. Welcome to the forum. I was looking at your thingiverse models. The air engraver is interesting. Do you have any photos of results using that tool?
No photos yet of the results engraving with it yet. I've only printed it up, reamed the two bores, one to fit the "piston" and the other to fit the tool holders. I tested it without tool holders and it seems to work fine. The ball bearing impacts consistently and has force I'd expect.

I'm just waiting on tool holders I ordered to arrive before I can make use of it. The lathe has been out of commission or I'd have just made tool holders.
 

ThirtyOneDriver

Johnathan (John)
I have two right now; both are Crealitys - and Ender3 PRO (loaned by close friend) and a CR-6 MAX (max for the increased bed size of 400mm x 400mm x 400mm or ~ a 15 5/8" cube).

Ender3 PRO - friend works international and wouldn't be travelling home enough w/ COVID to use his printer - printer came w/ some small issues
Mods:
Creality Touch (copy of BL Touch I believe)
Silent Motherboard (phenomenal, 100% recommend)
MicroSwiss direct drive (an aluminum, machined extruder/head base plate was the most attractive component)
LED lighting for the upper (horizontal) brace

SR-6 MAX
No mods - I set the machine up on Boxing day and I try to keep it running 24/7; only problems I've had are adjustment/wear issues and the voltage on the adapter board (in the head, one of the item it controls is the strain gauge/auto-levelling sensor - Creality shipped replacement under warranty w/o issue, machine still works although voltage is out of spec).

I've printed about 8 kg worth of spool since Christmas between the two machines - the friend was impressed at the difference of quality between our products that were both printed on his Ender3... it's my belief that welding experience and the familiarity w/ tuning settings for MIG welding (like big, $25k Miller multi-process machines that have infinitely variable settings) gave me an advantage... I think anyone that has a reasonable grasp on the effects that voltage, IPM/amperage, travel speed, etc. have would quickly adapt to adjusting the settings on a 3D printer. It's likely also true that anyone who can CNC machine can make the 3D printer do it's thing and anyone that can 3D CAD likely design/slice but I can't CNC machine nor am I qualified as a 3D CAD designer so take that w/ a grain of salt.
 

deleted_user

Super User
I have two right now; both are Crealitys - and Ender3 PRO (loaned by close friend) and a CR-6 MAX (max for the increased bed size of 400mm x 400mm x 400mm or ~ a 15 5/8" cube).

Ender3 PRO - friend works international and wouldn't be travelling home enough w/ COVID to use his printer - printer came w/ some small issues
Mods:
Creality Touch (copy of BL Touch I believe)
Silent Motherboard (phenomenal, 100% recommend)
MicroSwiss direct drive (an aluminum, machined extruder/head base plate was the most attractive component)
LED lighting for the upper (horizontal) brace

SR-6 MAX
No mods - I set the machine up on Boxing day and I try to keep it running 24/7; only problems I've had are adjustment/wear issues and the voltage on the adapter board (in the head, one of the item it controls is the strain gauge/auto-levelling sensor - Creality shipped replacement under warranty w/o issue, machine still works although voltage is out of spec).

I've printed about 8 kg worth of spool since Christmas between the two machines - the friend was impressed at the difference of quality between our products that were both printed on his Ender3... it's my belief that welding experience and the familiarity w/ tuning settings for MIG welding (like big, $25k Miller multi-process machines that have infinitely variable settings) gave me an advantage... I think anyone that has a reasonable grasp on the effects that voltage, IPM/amperage, travel speed, etc. have would quickly adapt to adjusting the settings on a 3D printer. It's likely also true that anyone who can CNC machine can make the 3D printer do it's thing and anyone that can 3D CAD likely design/slice but I can't CNC machine nor am I qualified as a 3D CAD designer so take that w/ a grain of salt.

I have the ender 3 max... the z axis does not have silent steppers, so I can't print 24/7 but mine is working non-stop all day every day
 

justindavidow

(Justin)
I invite you to please post a note with the machines you own and what you think about them

I currently run 4 printers for various needs;
  • Prusa Mini +
  • Tevo tarantula XL
  • TRONXY X5SA
  • Folger Tech RepRap Prusa i3

Each has it's uses, the Prusa Mini is an absolute "set and forget" small format printer, I have never had a print on it fail and love the little beast.

The Tevo tarantula XL and the Folger Tech RepRap Prusa i3 have been sitting on a cart in the basement for a few months unused; I simply have not needed to print batches of anything in a while. Both work well and are both converted to "modern convivence" (removable beds, bed level sensors, bowden, filament runout sensors, etc)

The TronXY X5SA is a large-format coreXY running Klipper with a PILE of upgrades. (also removable spring-steel bed, replaced bed + heater, significant frame rework, volcano-style hotend, etc). This is my largest printer and it's well tuned to print FAST and LARGE parts for rapid prototyping and making "large parts". This printer has been a Work In Progress for about a year now; and I really enjoy using it. (but it CHEWS through filament when printing! It is able to burn through a full 1KB spool in ~4.25 hours, so I rarely use anything less than 5KG spools with it.

I've been building and tuning printers for myself and others since.. 2011. (yikes; how has it been 11 years!?) I've always enjoyed the mechanics, operation, tuning, (etc). I come from an hardware-and-software/IT heavy background spanning a lot of different disciplines so I have always felt very at home designing / building / maintaining / operating 3d printers.
 

ThirtyOneDriver

Johnathan (John)
I'm going to want to know more about the TronXY X5SA - it seems like it would be competitive w/ the one I bought (CR-6 MAX) but the way the companies went about designing the machines is so different from one another that I'm curious as to why.
 

Everett

Super User
I'm still saving my shekels for an Ender 5 Plus, all depends on how to save/make a bit for the hobby fund. Thankfully the garage build-out was negotiated with the CEO (Cheap Financial Officer) as a "cost of moving" so that comes from a different budget line, lol.

But seriously, does anyone here run an Ender 5 Plus? Any recommended upgrades right away?
 
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