Cheap 3D Printers?

PLA sticks fine but you do need something for ABS/PETG.

I just flip mine over . Gluestick on the smooth side and nothing on the textured side. Quite good in that way.

 

My ender 3 pro should hopefully be arriving today, very excited!

 

So it arrived, I played, am very happy Feeling like a kid again with all the ideas rushing through my head, what a time to be a creative young person!

 

Good stuff. That's a nice clean benchy. The Ender 3 is a good workhorse.

 

If you level you bed correctly and use PLA/PETG you should not need a Brim on most models. Skirt reduces the print time and post processing alot.

Brims are very good to ABS though.

 

Good tip! I've had a few people mention that to me now, TIL for sure

 

Have to be careful with the Ender beds, mine was warped in 5 different ways. I think the newer versions are using thicker aluminium so it's not much of a problem.

 

The bed on my Ender 5 was warped badly too. Switched to 4mm glass with great results. Mostly PLA with some PETG.

 

I had a friend send me a 5mm aluminium plate, had to put a big bastard heater on it though. The bed carriage on mine is also bent so that hasn't helped but a BLTouch works .

 

Bed insulation is pretty cheap and very easy to install . With it my Ender 3 happily sits at 110-120C bed temp with the stock heater.

Less than $5 on Ali Express for a 220x220 sheet with adhesive . Just need to punch holes for the springs and stick it on.

 

My bed was so warped it was easier to just replace the whole plate and stick a silicone heater on it. I figured I'd need the extra heat anyway because of the plate being so thick.

My Ender 3 is heavily modified anyway . It hardly gets used but that's beside the point.

 

Mine too, not much thats stock on it currently other than the frame. roller assemble and screen.

Been printing a lot recently, moved into a new place and have been making IP camera Mounts, Rack mount brackets and things for around the kitchen.

 

My lockdown project was installing a new kitchen and the Ender 5 came in handy printing jigs, brackets, etc. first time I'd used it in 6 months. I think it's sulking from the lack of use as the print quality is quiite poor. Might be time for a tuneup or an upgrade.

 

the DIY house upgrade from my printers are endless its great

 

Decided my Ender 5 deserves an upgrade, it already has an MKS Gen L (I think..). Looking to get a BIGTREETECH SKR MINI E3 V2.0 and 3.5" touch screen. The TMC2209s are soldered in which is not ideal - can't replace one if I have an oops. (I have quite a few spares of those)
I also need to make a mount for the Titan (clone) and E3D (genuine) as well.

 

Get the 1.3 or even 1.4 over getting an integrated board designed just for the Ender3. Plenty of options out there.

 

I did look at the SKR 1.4 Turbo which with TMC2209 drivers is ~ $70 but I'm not sure I need the expansion capability it offers. The MINI E3 provides everything the Ender 5 can use and has the added advantage of a drop in replacement, no mounting brackets or case mods as would have been required with the never fitted MKS Gen L.
Price for the MINI E3, t3.5" touch screen LCD and filament run-out detector is ~ $116.
[also need to get a MeanWell power supply. The cheap Landy unit provided is very noisy and the fan is not thermally controlled so runs all the time]

 

tumutbound Are you sourcing the mini E3 domestically or overseas? I've been thinking about updating my ender 5, however Id rather pay a bit extra and not wait 2 months for the parts to arrive from aliexpress.

 

I've only been looking at Aliexpress - the BTT store. Not aware of any local resellers.
My last Aliexpress delivery took just on 4 weeks.

 

I've been having NuhGrrrrrrrrrrrr moments with my Chiron


After trying repositioning all over the bed and using Pritt Stick etc.... The sodding bed had magically gone out of level !
Re-levelled and now all is well again.

What am I printing ?
A 20s-7P battery case for my ebike. This is just the lid as the case is quite involved and I didn't want to print for about 3 days and discover something is wrong !
That'll probably happen anyway lol !!
This is the design I created in FreeCAD. The side "Wings" are for the large 300 amp BMS. It was the only place that can accomodate it