Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT Nick's Two-Car Detached Vdub Garage
- Thread starter nicholam77
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Workspaces sized between 265 and 485 squarefeet.
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nicholam77
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Thanks, Patrik!
I'm not a Creality hater by any means. My experience with the S1 was pretty good. But at the time, I paid almost as much as the Bambu A1 (without AMS) cost me, and I can definitely say the Bambu is better across the board.
I think Creality do make some good printers, and they seem to be getting better and better. Their higher end stuff is probably more reliable. I think the Ender 3 series has the most faults. So I completely believe your K1C is great.
Tbh I don't see myself doing multicolor novelty prints very often due to the waste. Having an easy way to do complete layer color changes (like adding text labels) is very nice, having backup rolls and automatic material loading is very nice. Overall I wouldn't say the AMS is a must for me, but it is nice to have.
If you do feel the need for an extra printer and want to try the A1, I would recommend! Especially without the AMS and at it's current sale price point... pretty hard to beat.
Yes, I'm impressed so far! I considered the P1P, but I wanted to have the AMS and didn't want to spend as much for the P1P + AMS. For my own purposes, I'm still of the opinion that 3d printers aren't worth $700-$1,000. Obviously everyone's needs are different.
Yep, it's randomly only on Thangs, you can find it here. As you can see in my pics it's not quite as space-saving as my custom holders, but it is a nice model and worked well.
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nicholam77
Well-known member
No problem, took me awhile to find it, too. Sometimes I've found a good ol' Google search helps, vs. the parts sites search engines, if I'm not finding what I'm looking for.
cccoltsicehockey
Well-known member
New printer looks awesome. I guess I am really behind on the stuff you can print. Had no idea you could print a case like that with a working hinge. Super cool.
Heck ya @nicholam77 on the new printer. I’m still very happy with X1C. No finicky nonsense, no calibration. It’s like a Lexus; it just works.
Care to share a link to that two-tone box design?
Care to share a link to that two-tone box design?
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nicholam77
Well-known member
Thanks! Yeah those are called "print-in-place" models, that have moving or interlocking parts but can be printed in one piece. Most common example is "articulated" models, mostly animals. I imagine it takes some clever thought on modeling and print bed orientation, especially for something like this with the piano hinge and latches. It's... pretty satisfying.
Thanks Jake, and totally agree. This is the accessory box. I'm currently Gridfinity-ing the IKEA Alex drawer the printer is near, and am almost tempted to do an open access solution for the tools and accessories... but I already printed the box and it is pretty neat.
patlun
Well-known member
Creality have some problems with quality without doubt I have been lucky to not have had any problem. My Ender 3 V1 and V3 SE have worked very well and still does, but I think the V1 will find a new home soon.
I see some uses for the different solutions for multicolor printing, actually the most important thing for me is that the technology allows you to finish a print from another spool of filament when the one you are using is empty. That and the multicolor possibility is as you say not a must, but nice to have.
As a open source inclined person I have some problems with Bambu lab, but as the hardware is excellent I think I will give it a try sometimes, but then Qidi have some nice printers too, and Anacubic Kobra 3 in combination with their ACE (mulitcolor attachment) is also interesting to test. To many good printers, to little time.
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nicholam77
Well-known member
Totally. I have a co-worker with an original Ender 3 that swears by the thing. Some others on GJ, too. A bit of a luck of the draw I guess.
That, and I *mostly* use black, white, and gray, so having all three loaded in the AMS and just being able to click a drop down and not have to worry about loading or unboxing a roll of anything is amazing. It's a little thing, but it's just one more thing that cuts down the effort to start a print.
In general I like open source as well. I'm a big fan of one of the largest open source projects out there... Home Assistant. I don't always go for the open source option, but I like the principles of it. But I do think there's often a correlation between open source and time spent tinkering. It's certainly true for Home Assistant. I'm at the point with 3D printing where I want simplicity, and don't mind the disadvantages of proprietary software. And I have to say... Bambu's software is good. Both for the printer (firmware / OS) and the surrounding apps and slicer. So that helps.
Denwood
Well-known member
I think you're in our situation where just one more 10x12 room with an eight foot ceiling would be ideal in our home.It's been an unusually long time since I've had a post, but it's because I've been so busy I haven't had time to do one. I have a number of updates to post but for now I'll just do some catch up. Since last time...
My daughter started Kindergarten. Hello 6am wake ups and dual drop-offs.
Went to the cabin a few times. Got some final lake time in.
Both kids back in swim lessons.
And my daughter started horse riding lessons (something my mom wanted to do with her).
Did a bunch of yard work and gardening. Check out our giant sunflower, the only one the squirrels didn't eat the seeds at the beginning of the summer.
Celebrated my wife's birthday.
Went to an Italian car show.
Went to the Wisconsin Dells.
Started a huge project at work that is stressing me out.
Replaced the air filter element on my intake. I had bought it 2nd hand and it was always beat up and dirty.
Did some contemplating about the house but not much work on it.
Well, I did have one short burst of progress.
I trimmed out the laundry room door, which had the usual fun challenges of awkward joints and drywall issues.
Still needs caulk, nail holes filled, paint.
Then started on the TV room side baseboard, cut a bunch of little bits with fun angles. Many trips to the garage. Scribing. Mitering. Painting.
And I installed these push-to-open mechanisms for the office closet doors:
They have magnetic catches on the back of the doors, so the doors finally stay closed
They work pretty well.
The below closet on the TV side needs some drywall work, so got started with corner bead.
And I quick rearranged the TV room furniture, still contemplating how to flip things around and do my entertainment center cabinets (that I was hoping to be building by this time!)
That about covers the past month.
More soon.
If there was any way to move the post you'd be golden as you could build in an AV rack and sub etc. behind your couch, but also move the couch back. You're not standing in an aread where you're sitting so the low ceiling might make more sense over the seating area.
I was in the process of finishing our basement theatre and realized fairly late in the game that a beam across the room would require a very low projector mounting to clear it, and also some craziness on the screen. It was a tough decision to hold everything up, but I ended up replacing the beam with an engineered LVL flush install. This involved cutting into about 10 feet of floor joists, and adding a footing/post behind my av cabinet to support it. That said, I'm 1000% glad I did it.
Just some idea inspiration...
A beam used to cut right through this space (about 10" dropped), right where the media rack is.
Screen dropped. The projector is over the seats, and would have had to be dropped down nearly 18" over the chairs to project properly on the screen (if I'd left the beam in place) , which is pretty much right at the ceiling. It drops down in front of the TV.
Before, with the beam in place as I built the temp support bracing in order to remove the beam.
and flush beam installed..
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Great write-up, glad this garage has fallen into the hands of someone who cares!Hey all,
I'm a new first-time homeowner, car lover, VW enthusiast, and aspiring DIY guy. I have an Mk7 GTI which is my baby and I've lightly modified, but lately I've been spending more time "modding" my house and garage than I have my car. Once I found this forum and all the cool builds on here and I wanted to document my own journey!
If you care to check out my car thread, you can read that < HERE >
A little bit about me. I'm 28, live in Minnesota, just bought my first house ~4 months ago. I've been constantly working on home improvement projects ever since. I've found that I really like doing it -- working with tools, making something with my hands, making something better, and feeling proud of the work. But I still have a lot to learn, and often enlist my dad's help, and tools.
I wanted to join this forum because firstly, I have some work I want to do to my new garage, and second, to gain knowledge from a community that seems very "handy" and DIY oriented.
About the garage. I moved to a neighborhood where it is very hard to find a 2-car garage, as most of the homes are older and have smaller lots. Mine was built in 1942. But it has a 2-car detached garage, that was added in the 90's by the previous homeowners. It is small (roughly 18 x 20), but is able to fit my GTI and my wife's CX-5.
Upon moving in, the garage was not in great shape. The previous homeowners didn't seem to park their cars in it, or at least not both of them. They had rigged up some dilapidated shelving and were mostly using it as overflow storage. The slab is sinking in multiple places and has major cracks. The sill plates of the framing sit right on the slab, so I can't get it re-poured, and moisture can touch the wood. There was no exterior lighting. The service door would not lock and the frame is chipped. The lower boards of the siding have some rot on all three sides. Basically, you could park cars in it, but it wasn't pretty.
It's okay though, because the house itself is great, and I like a project / challenge.
There is also a separate adjacent storage shed.
My goal for this garage "build", is to make a very clean, streamlined place to be that is attractive to me to work on my car and other home improvement projects, store my tools, etc, all without spending a fortune. I've always wanted a "man-cave" garage, in a tasteful way, and believe a garage can be much more than just a place to store excess junk you never use.
This isn't a new build from the ground up, or a fancy masterpiece, but I aim to do the best with what I have and make it my own.
So... without further ado... here is a pic of the exterior, shortly after moving in and cleaning it up a bit:
View media item 66204
Thanks for reading. More to come, later.
Love all the progress you have made.
I'm a bit of a VW guy too, limited to the B5.5, turbo 4 platform, although I did start with an MK4 Jetta.
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The link you provided is for a child's booster seat on Amazon.
ETA: @jake28 I think this one may be it: https://makerworld.com/en/models/508656#profileId-424491
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nicholam77
Well-known member
Lol! Just switched my daughter out of harness this weekend (not that model) but was trying to figure out boosters.
And yes, your link is correct.
Yes
Love your home theater, Dennis. Moving the post is not something I'm going to do at the moment. Even the projector is TBD. But yeah, if I was going to see it all the way through for the perfect solution, I agree with you. It's simply too much work and money and the moment.
Thank you! And thanks for checking it out. My only experience is Mk4 Jetta --> Mk7 GTI, but am a VW / Audi / Porsche fan.
Dammit man just when I thought I could resist getting a printer!!
Curious on your thoughts regarding the enclosed P1S and AMS combo vs the open air A1 and AMS lite. For my situation the printer would live down in the basement which stays a pretty steady temp and humidity level, and there is no draft or other issues that should cause printing disruptions. But I've read "internet info" regarding the importance of a controlled environment for different printing materials and how moisture can have an effect on print quality.
I really have no idea what materials I would be printing with, but I would imagine I would start with PLA like most do. I'm guessing based on your experience PLA didn't need a lot of attention for climate control and it served your printing needs for the most part?
Curious on your thoughts regarding the enclosed P1S and AMS combo vs the open air A1 and AMS lite. For my situation the printer would live down in the basement which stays a pretty steady temp and humidity level, and there is no draft or other issues that should cause printing disruptions. But I've read "internet info" regarding the importance of a controlled environment for different printing materials and how moisture can have an effect on print quality.
I really have no idea what materials I would be printing with, but I would imagine I would start with PLA like most do. I'm guessing based on your experience PLA didn't need a lot of attention for climate control and it served your printing needs for the most part?
I'll chime in a bit as I've got both AMS Lite on an A1 and the enclosed one on the P1S
For PLA material where humidity is less a concern, I've had no issues yet with running PLA thru the AMS Lite for about 2 months or so? Mine are in my basement, actually in the mechanical room, winter we'll be around 30% RH inside of the house. If the material is out "in the open" for 6+ months you may start to see some issues....but once you get one I don't think you'll have much issues with PLA getting wet and causing negative issues on the print. If you do your basic Sunlu or other generic filament drier will fix it in a couple hours without issue. I intend to just dedicate the A1 to PLA
I'm generally keeping the PETG and ASA material which is more hydroscopic in the enclosed AMS which has desiccant both built in and additional printed containers to hold more desiccant beads. I definitely do notice that when those desiccants get "wet" it causes issues...primary issues I've had with wet material is the filament breaks causing a plug. Sticking those rolls back into the dryer fixes things quickly and if i'm getting into a big print with some material that isn't as fresh out of the package I will often run it thru the dryer to help reduce risk of issues and improve quality.
Thanks for taking the time to respond! When are most people using/choosing PETG and ASA over PLA, and why would someone choose the A1 vs P1S? On one hand I don't want to spend a bunch of money on the P1S if I don't have to, but also am a 3d printing noob who is curious what I might be missing or might regret if I chose the A1 over the P1S. And NO....I don't have the money to get BOTH!! haha
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nicholam77
Well-known member
@jonshonda I'd totally defer to Logan on the other materials
Reasons someone might want to deviate from PLA
— material strength
— UV resistance
— material flexibility (TPU)
I've stuck with PLA because it's easy to print, comes in a bajillion colors, doesn't require any finicky conditions or fume extraction, and it's affordable and readily available. I'm sure a printer like the A1 or P1S would handle materials like PETG or even TPU just fine... but I just haven't found the need and don't enjoy dealing with the hygroscopic nature of those.
Maybe an unpopular opinion, but I've found PLA is strong enough for everything I've printed. I even have a bracket for my outdoor wireless AP mounted on my shed in PLA, through a whole summer, with no issues.
I think maybe if you were going to print something constantly exposed to high temps and sun (like inside your car??), you might want to look at ABS or something like that. Or maybe a part that really needs a lot of load-bearing strength. Otherwise outside of a specific use case, PLA is pretty good.
So, material choice is kinda up to you and I'd read up on what's available.
I think the bigger difference with the P1S is it's Core-XY. I guess that's better. Real world compared to the A1, not sure it matters.
The other reason an enclosure might be nice... is it would keep dust off the moving parts.
And with the P1S, the AMS sits on top, so it takes up less room.
Even though I don't have experience with the P1S, outside of that I'm guessing they print similar quality for the more friendly filaments.
I don't know if it's humidity, but I've had issues with PLA getting brittle, especially at the bit going into the extruder if it's left out and on the spool. I did read this might be because of its 'glass point' and stress or something like that. I've never used a filament drier... if not using I just put it back in the cardboard box with the desiccant it came with. Although with the AMS I'll likely just leave them mounted on that in the open.
So my .02 is at the end of the day the two models are not make-or-break different, unless you really want those harder to print filaments like ABS, carbon fiber nylon, etc.
In any case, you should definitely get a printer, and it should definitely be a Bambu!
Reasons someone might want to deviate from PLA
— material strength
— UV resistance
— material flexibility (TPU)
I've stuck with PLA because it's easy to print, comes in a bajillion colors, doesn't require any finicky conditions or fume extraction, and it's affordable and readily available. I'm sure a printer like the A1 or P1S would handle materials like PETG or even TPU just fine... but I just haven't found the need and don't enjoy dealing with the hygroscopic nature of those.
Maybe an unpopular opinion, but I've found PLA is strong enough for everything I've printed. I even have a bracket for my outdoor wireless AP mounted on my shed in PLA, through a whole summer, with no issues.
I think maybe if you were going to print something constantly exposed to high temps and sun (like inside your car??), you might want to look at ABS or something like that. Or maybe a part that really needs a lot of load-bearing strength. Otherwise outside of a specific use case, PLA is pretty good.
So, material choice is kinda up to you and I'd read up on what's available.
I think the bigger difference with the P1S is it's Core-XY. I guess that's better. Real world compared to the A1, not sure it matters.
The other reason an enclosure might be nice... is it would keep dust off the moving parts.
And with the P1S, the AMS sits on top, so it takes up less room.
Even though I don't have experience with the P1S, outside of that I'm guessing they print similar quality for the more friendly filaments.
I don't know if it's humidity, but I've had issues with PLA getting brittle, especially at the bit going into the extruder if it's left out and on the spool. I did read this might be because of its 'glass point' and stress or something like that. I've never used a filament drier... if not using I just put it back in the cardboard box with the desiccant it came with. Although with the AMS I'll likely just leave them mounted on that in the open.
So my .02 is at the end of the day the two models are not make-or-break different, unless you really want those harder to print filaments like ABS, carbon fiber nylon, etc.
In any case, you should definitely get a printer, and it should definitely be a Bambu!
We're doing a series of conferences/presentations at work today (I'm remote so it's all online participation anyway) and AI is one of the common topics...so thought I'd see what ChatGPT says about PLA vs PETG and ASA. Below is my prompt(question) and it's answer:
Prompt:
please summarize the pro's and con's of 3d printing filament between PLA, PETG and ASA material types
ChatGPT
Here's a summary of the pros and cons of using PLA, PETG, and ASA for 3D printing filaments:
PLA (Polylactic Acid)
Pros:
Easy to Print: PLA is beginner-friendly and prints well at lower temperatures (180-220°C).
Good Detail and Finish: It allows for high detail with a smooth finish.
Biodegradable: Made from renewable resources, PLA is more eco-friendly.
Minimal Warping: Low warping risk and doesn’t typically require a heated bed.
Cons:
Low Heat Resistance: PLA softens around 60°C, making it unsuitable for high-temperature environments.
Low Durability: It can be brittle, making it less suitable for functional or load-bearing parts.
UV Sensitivity: PLA can degrade over time when exposed to sunlight.
Best Uses: Prototypes, models, low-stress applications, decorative objects.
PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol)
Pros:
Higher Strength: PETG is stronger and more flexible than PLA, offering good durability for functional parts.
Good Chemical Resistance: Resistant to oils, acids, and water, making it suitable for outdoor use.
Less Brittle: Compared to PLA, PETG has a higher impact resistance.
Moderate Temperature Resistance: Can handle temperatures up to around 80°C without softening.
Cons:
Prone to Stringing: PETG can produce stringy filaments, requiring more tuning and retraction adjustments.
Moderate Warping: It warps more than PLA but less than ABS/ASA, so a heated bed (around 70°C) is usually needed.
Slightly Glossy Finish: Its glossy finish may not be ideal for aesthetic-focused prints.
Best Uses: Functional parts, mechanical parts, outdoor items, and water-resistant applications.
ASA (Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate)
Pros:
High UV and Weather Resistance: ASA is ideal for outdoor use, resisting sun and moisture exposure better than other filaments.
Good Heat Resistance: It can withstand higher temperatures (up to around 90°C).
Strong and Durable: Similar to ABS, ASA is impact-resistant and tough, suitable for load-bearing applications.
Cons:
Difficult to Print: ASA requires a high print temperature (around 240-260°C) and often needs an enclosed printer to reduce warping.
Emits Fumes: It releases strong odors and fumes, so good ventilation is necessary.
Shrinkage and Warping: High tendency to warp and shrink, making it challenging without a heated enclosure.
Best Uses: Outdoor applications, automotive parts, mechanical components, and functional prototypes.
Each filament type has distinct advantages and trade-offs, so the choice depends on your specific application and printer capabilities.
I generally agree with it's summaries....to me probably the biggest driver of what material and then what printer may be sufficient is "What are you going to do with the parts?"
PLA has good strength properties and works great for widgets, fidget toys, jigs, fixtures but if it may be exposed to heat or significant exterior(UV) exposure it's not recommended. Even a hot summer day in an enclosed car is enough to get PLA to a point that it can deform. All of my Gridfinity and similar bins, tool storage, desk fidget toys, the laptop stand my computer is sitting on are all PLA. PLA often doesn't print as well in an enclosed printer as it can get too hot and you get "heat creep" so when I remember I generally print it in the enclosed P1 with the top lid or the door open
PETG gives a significant step up in heat resistance and higher strength so better suited to mechanical items or things seeing forces/loads applied. Downside is it's more finicky with moisture for printing and can "string" on prints...but can print really well when properly setup. It's not as UV resistant as ASA, but can generally be printed without issues without an enclosure. I printed lots of it on my Prusa without ever using an enclosure, haven't tried it on the A1 yet but expect no issues
ASA then gets to the UV resistant, higher temp resistant and higher strength, but really needs enclosure for higher part temps when it's printing and makes some fun odors so exhaust or filtration is needed. Unless you're making functional parts needing high strength....it's unlikely this is required. If you end up needing some parts out of ASA or something else that needs the higher chamber temps, a large cardboard box generally works well enough as an enclosure to stop the drafts and get the chamber temp high enough to make it work.
So what to go for? End of the day if PLA/PETG are what you think you'll likely be using, the A1 with AMS Lite is likely a good fit. $500 bucks I think gets you the machine and AMS, and the AMS is super valuable and really improves the experience and makes more complicated prints easy with multi color etc. Personally if one was willing to spend enough to get either the A1 & AMS Lite or the P1 without the AMS and had no need for ASA or other high temp stuff, I'd probably advocate for the A1 as the AMS functionality is that nice
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^Wow thanks for all of that information @loganb that is very helpful. I do think PLA and PETG would likely get me everything I need.
Now onto accuracy with both machines, or even A1 vs P1P. I am an design engineer but will be using the 3D printer for fun, non-critical parts. I assume the A1 provides excellent accuracy, but maybe not as precise at the P1 series?
Now onto accuracy with both machines, or even A1 vs P1P. I am an design engineer but will be using the 3D printer for fun, non-critical parts. I assume the A1 provides excellent accuracy, but maybe not as precise at the P1 series?
I personally can't tell a difference in dimensional accuracy between the two, and often think the A1 actually produces a nicer looking print. I have frequently designed interacting parts/features and printed the various pieces across both printers and had no sizing issues I thought were printer caused. Now the monkey running the computer makes lots of mistakes...but thats all in the name of "rapidly iterating" or something like that
jar944
Well-known member
Needless to say I'm over the moon with it. Not that I doubted, but know I know why everyone raves about Bambu Labs. It's not *just* the print quality, because let's be honest there are plenty of printers that can do a good job. Even my S1 was pretty damn good most of the time. But it's the total package... the software, the hardware, the ease-of-use (almost everything is automated), the multicolor capability. I don't feel the need to babysit the start of a print at all.
I will say this actually had me looking at printers.
Very cool. I have a really bad habit of convincing myself that I need something like a P1S when in reality an A1 would do just fine. So it's good to hear that while the P1S is an amazing machine, the A1 is no slouch either. I think the P1S w/ AMS would likely have the best chance of producing consistent results in a challenging environment, but something like a climate controlled basement shouldn't be too challenging I would think
and would be a perfect use case for a A1 with AMS lite?
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nicholam77
Well-known member
Very cool. I have a really bad habit of convincing myself that I need something like a P1S when in reality an A1 would do just fine. So it's good to hear that while the P1S is an amazing machine, the A1 is no slouch either. I think the P1S w/ AMS would likely have the best chance of producing consistent results in a challenging environment, but something like a climate controlled basement shouldn't be too challenging I would think
Climate controlled basement is perfect for A1. That’s my setup. Probably no matter what you’ll have to manage the dryness of the more hygroscopic filaments if you choose to use them. Again that’s one reason I stick to PLA.
I think like @loganb said you should try to figure out if you’ll need the more exotic filaments that require enclosure and venting of fumes. If so… P1S. If not, and you don’t mind the extra desk space… A1 w/AMS lite.
That’s what I would do!
I will be working from home for two weeks starting next week helping my wife, as she will be on light duty after having back surgery. Man ohh man how many rolls of PLA do you think I will burn through in that period of time? I am thinking I will order a few rolls of black, then a few fun colors for the kids to get involved as well. hmmmm
Agree with Nick...basement is perfect and if horizontal space is available....the A1 with AMS lite will leave more room in the budget for filament
As to filament usage....Bambu has been doing some sales where 10 rolls or more gets a better price. You'll of course want a variety of colors, I usually end up stocking up on black or gray as I use a lot of that in the garage for general purpose stuff. Amazon has some nice prices with next or 2 day shipping(with Prime) so if you run low Sunlu, Elegoo, Overture etc on Amazon all seem to work well. Bambu does ship filament and accy's fast(often goes out next day). I'd probably order at least 6 rolls...but at that point might as well get 10 (or more). You'll quickly find out that it's hard to have too much filament
Then you get into some of the pretty filament...transition rolls of multi color, glow in the dark, wood fiber so you could stain etc. Many of these are "abrasive" to the nozzle/filament tubes so before getting into those read up on what may be needed to run the abrasive material.
When you order the printer(assuming an A1), I'd suggest getting extra nozzles, probably (1) .2, an extra .4 (ships with 1) and at least (1) .6 nozzle as well as an extra hot end fan. If you get a P1 the hot end is a bit different and I'd just order the complete hotend assy in the different nozzle sizes. The .2 nozzle is awesome for detail work when printing multi color, while for more functional stuff where you want to print faster the .6 can really cut down on print time since you need fewer layers. I've basically gone to the .6 as my "default" for the nozzle I leave in the A1. There is a .8 nozzle as well but I haven't personally used it.
Agree with Nick...basement is perfect and if horizontal space is available....the A1 with AMS lite will leave more room in the budget for filament
As to filament usage....Bambu has been doing some sales where 10 rolls or more gets a better price. You'll of course want a variety of colors, I usually end up stocking up on black or gray as I use a lot of that in the garage for general purpose stuff. Amazon has some nice prices with next or 2 day shipping(with Prime) so if you run low Sunlu, Elegoo, Overture etc on Amazon all seem to work well. Bambu does ship filament and accy's fast(often goes out next day). I'd probably order at least 6 rolls...but at that point might as well get 10 (or more). You'll quickly find out that it's hard to have too much filament
Then you get into some of the pretty filament...transition rolls of multi color, glow in the dark, wood fiber so you could stain etc. Many of these are "abrasive" to the nozzle/filament tubes so before getting into those read up on what may be needed to run the abrasive material.
When you order the printer(assuming an A1), I'd suggest getting extra nozzles, probably (1) .2, an extra .4 (ships with 1) and at least (1) .6 nozzle as well as an extra hot end fan. If you get a P1 the hot end is a bit different and I'd just order the complete hotend assy in the different nozzle sizes. The .2 nozzle is awesome for detail work when printing multi color, while for more functional stuff where you want to print faster the .6 can really cut down on print time since you need fewer layers. I've basically gone to the .6 as my "default" for the nozzle I leave in the A1. There is a .8 nozzle as well but I haven't personally used it.
Order in bulk...got it!
Ordering spare parts right away..ehh? Here I thought I would be getting out of this cheap!! I like the idea of having some nozzles to play with, and didn't realize there were options for nozzles for detail work.
In non-abrasive PLA, the nozzles will last almost forever...almost.
Eventually they get a bit worn, the hole starts to become a bit more oblong then round and it shows up as issues with the first layer or in just reduction in print quality. The nice thing about having nozzles is when you get a giant "glob" of filament stuck to the nozzle or something stuck in it....it's an easy swap and you can then determine what to do about the blob on your bench while the machine is humming along again. Their nozzles are also very cost effective, and the A1 is a tool-less change which is nice
Eventually they get a bit worn, the hole starts to become a bit more oblong then round and it shows up as issues with the first layer or in just reduction in print quality. The nice thing about having nozzles is when you get a giant "glob" of filament stuck to the nozzle or something stuck in it....it's an easy swap and you can then determine what to do about the blob on your bench while the machine is humming along again. Their nozzles are also very cost effective, and the A1 is a tool-less change which is nice
@nicholam77 sorry for thread jacking....it was a crazy rollercoaster that was kicked off by your A1 purchase. The best part about GJ is that I will forever have evidence of the real reason these purchases were made. You might expect a letter or visit from my wife in the near future....sorry for any damage she might do.
OP
nicholam77
Well-known member
Holy **** that's a lot of filament out the gate! Congrats... let us know what you think once you get it.
I just ordered 4x rolls of Bambu PLA (first time). I haven't really found a filament brand to stick with, but each one has a little bit different colors, which bothers me, so I'm hoping to stick with Bambu for the most part just to keep it consistent.
I will say, however, that there are cheaper options out there, especially on sale. I happen to like Overture's standard white (it's a bit warmer than some), and that was only $14 same day shipping on Amazon today.
I've printed Overture PLA, eSun PLA, Inland (Microcenter) PLA+, and NovaMaker PLA through the A1 so far, and all have been perfect. So not sure you need to stick to Bambu brand (which I think might be rebranded Sunlu?).
I might use Bambu for refills from now on, and for color consistency, and just grab any deals from other major brands on the side.
No worries, I've said it before but my thread isn't precious and I welcome the discussion, to me that's the whole point of GJ.
You might want to have her send the letter straight to the source ( @loganb ), because I'm just a victim as well
... Join us!!
Hope everyone had a good Halloween
Despite it being 75° F two day ago, we got some surprise snow and 35° F weather.
My kids were mermaid and skeleton.
Nothing else to report, except printer has been busy humming away on some Gridfinity in the background.
Time to winter prep the car...
You might want to have her send the letter straight to the source ( @loganb ), because I'm just a victim as well
While I am honored to take this trophy from the most recent victims including but not limited to @XJSuperman, @iced98lx, @jonshonda and @nicholam77 and who have bravely taken the plunge(been pushed) down the rabbit hole of 3D printing with new Bambu hardware, I would be remiss to not mention those who helped push me into the Bambu world.
So acknowledgements, praise, thanks and occasionally a dirty word when the bill shows up should be shared as well with @MadeByMiller, @jeepxj, the entire https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/the-everything-3d-printer-thread.384990/page-96 and my brother who shall rename anonymous not because he's innocent but because he's not on here but would fit in well.
For those whose spouses begin to question/harass/wonder about your sanity, just point them to MakerWorld or Printables to find something "fun" or cool that they may like and can show off to their coworkers, friends etc. My wife's office really ooohhh and ahhhhh's on flexible/articulated animals.
One thing that started to terrify me, was Amazon figured out my fav color and brand of PLA and started stocking it so close to me I could literally order same day. I guess I must have ordered a few dozen spools of Electric Blue when I was printing all of my Lego organizing containers.
Bret
Bret
Well with the bulk sale they were 12.99 roll so it wasn't too painful, and I wanted to cover the popular colors incase my kids wanted to print something they liked in a fun color.
Don't try and through others under the bus, you are just as guilty as they are and deserve whatever punishment my wife deals out! Haha
So you are a repeat, habitual offender? Noted!!
I'm very skilled at helping spend others money!
Finallygotit
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Awesome printer! I did actually have a look at the prices in Qatar, but I still won't get enough "good" use to be able to justify it... yet. If I get a job, I'm seriously considering that Bambu one. Good that with this one you got to assemble it and just start printing immediately
On GJ there is no shame and we like it that way!!
OP
nicholam77
Well-known member
Awesome printer! I did actually have a look at the prices in Qatar, but I still won't get enough "good" use to be able to justify it... yet. If I get a job, I'm seriously considering that Bambu one. Good that with this one you got to assemble it and just start printing immediately
Maybe I can convince you with some Gridfinity organization
Printer has been busy making grids and boxes for some drawer organization. 95% models found on MakerWorld etc.
My office desk tops (where the printer is) are sitting on some Ikea ALEX drawer units. I found some baseplate grids with padding to fit the ALEX, and started outfitting the drawer right next to the printer for printer-related accessories and tools.
This is still WIP obviously. Even though the print-in-place Bambu box I made is super cool, I am considering open storage for some things like spare nozzles (which I have yet to order).
Next up is this slim drawer in my kitchen:
It stores frequently accessed necessities like pens, tape, post-its, scissors, ear buds, some charging bricks, checks for paying some bills, and more.
It doesn't look terrible perhaps, but the drawer clearance is very minimal, and there is just too much stuff in it. The scissors in particular gets caught and stops the drawer from opening or closing far too often, which is enough to send me into a fit of rage.
So I thought it would be a good experiment in Gridfinity for me.
I started printing the base grids. For those who don't know, Gridfinity is an open source standard based on a 42mm grid pattern. Naturally, many drawers one might want to "Gridfinity" are not exact multiples of 42. So either you need to print spacers, or build padding into the grid baseplate itself.
Fortunately there are multiple tools that exist for this developed by people smarter than myself, such as the Gridfinity Fusion 360 plugin, or this awesome web-based plugin that @loganb shared. Both can generate baseplates and bins with a variety of parameters including padding and subdivisions.
So after some quick measurements, I was able to print a set of grids that fit nicely in the drawer and didn't slide around.
I started visually laying out where things might go, trying to figure out the amount of "cells" each would take, and then looking for existing models or using the bin generator to make something that would work.
I was able to find *most* of what I needed online, with the exception of our return address stamp, which I wanted a custom fit for, so I quickly fired up Fusion and banged this out in about 5 min, thanks to the Gridfinity plug-in.
The resulting drawer layout:
And all loaded up:
The clearance on the stamp is *very* tight, but it doesn't catch, and it's extremely satisfying how I can now whip the drawer open and closed without anything obstructing or shifting around. Brilliant.
The downside is I did not fit everything back in the drawer. In fact here's all the stuff that didn't go back in:
But in this case, I needed to simplify anyways. Didn't need 200 pens in there.
I will say I think Gridfinity is not as space efficient as a non-grid-based design, or just chucking stuff in a drawer.
But... the "everything in its place" mentality appeals to me, and the visual simplicity and improved function of a well-organized drawer supersedes any loss in space efficiency for me. At least in this case.
Lastly, my son discovered the world of 3D-printed BRIO, and wants me to print about a billion tracks, bridges, tunnels, crossings, etc.
These were about a 5 hr print, and he wanted to check it every 20min lol.