3d printing forums?

[AnzacJack]

I have been a part of these forums for many years and have learned much. They are an amazing resource.
Does anyone know of a similarly great forum group based on 3d printing. I have dabbled for a few years but going to get right into it this year. If seen a few forums but i also see little communication on them with people asking questions that go months or even years unanswered.

 

[msinger]

The best 3D printing forums are those centered around a specific printer brand. Imagine if this forum was named "All Drone Pilots" and we talked about every type of drone under the sun. It would be must less useful then.

For example, if you use Prusa printers, then check out the official Prusa forum.

 

[StevenBrodsky]

I have been a part of these forums for many years and have learned much. They are an amazing resource.
Does anyone know of a similarly great forum group based on 3d printing. I have dabbled for a few years but going to get right into it this year. If seen a few forums but i also see little communication on them with people asking questions that go months or even years unanswered.

Post #2 is right. You need to pick a forum specific to the brand of printer you buy.

Anyway. Here is a general one: Forum - 3DPrintingForum.org

here are others:
3D Printing Forums

• 1. Shapeways Forums New York City, New York, US ...
• 2. 3D Print Board 3D Printing Forum for those interested in 3D printers, design, 3D scanning, and other related technology. 3dprintboard.com ...
• 3. Formlabs Community Forum ...
• 4. Reddit » 3D printing news ...
• 5. ROBO 3D Forum ...
• 6. Creality 3D Official Forum ...
• 7. Ytec3D Forum ...
• 8. 3D Printers Forum

 

[StevenBrodsky]

I have been a part of these forums for many years and have learned much. They are an amazing resource.
Does anyone know of a similarly great forum group based on 3d printing. I have dabbled for a few years but going to get right into it this year. If seen a few forums but i also see little communication on them with people asking questions that go months or even years unanswered.

By the way, I'm an anycubic fan. Their prices are low and the Anycubic Kobra 2 (kobra 2 max for large printing) series is a very fast , mostly PLA and TPU based printer. Replacement parts are cheap, even the mother board replacement is only like 56 dollars. I tried dual color printers or printers with 2 or more heads. They are a pain in the butt. I would stay away from those for a while.

P.S. Instead of forums, I use google search to enter specific questions. The search will provide you with specific forums to go to relative to the question.

 

[AnzacJack]

Thanks. I’m looking at the Creality k1 max. I’ll start with their forums. I like to bone up on as much info as I can before getting started

 

[msinger]

I’m looking at the Creality k1 max

If you like that one, then check out Bambu Lab too. That's the design Creality attempted to copy.

 

[AnzacJack]

I was looking at that. Looks like Apple/Android (bambu/creality)
The thing that put me off bambu was the propriety hardware

 

[msinger]

Looks like Apple/Android (bambu/creality)

It's more like a Chinese company trying to rip off another Chinese company. Par for the course I suppose.

The thing that put me off bambu was the propriety hardware

Almost every part is available at very reasonable prices from the Bambu Lab store. And it's not like other printer makers (like Prusa) aren't creating propriety hardware.

Fun fact -- did you know Bambu Lab was started by ex DJI employees?

 

[Frank Dracman]

Fun fact -- did you know Bambu Lab was started by ex DJI employees?

Does that mean it won't print in certain areas

 

[thispilothere]

Checkout defcad.com I know it's a bit of a niche but those guys are on the bleeding (literally) edge of what's possible with additive printing.

 

[AnzacJack]

It's more like a Chinese company trying to rip off another Chinese company. Par for the course I suppose.


Almost every part is available at very reasonable prices from the Bambu Lab store. And it's not like other printer makers (like Prusa) aren't creating propriety hardware.

Fun fact -- did you know Bambu Lab was started by ex DJI employees?

Haha i did actually. Its an amazing printer and i have been torn between it and creality

 

[msinger]

Also worth mentioning -- I own two Bambu Lab P1Ps. Been printing on them since about February of last year.

 

[AnzacJack]

Checkout defcad.com I know it's a bit of a niche but those guys are on the bleeding (literally) edge of what's possible with additive printing.

Downloading from that site is giving the feds an invitation to come knocking in this country. Cool stuff though

 

[AnzacJack]

Also worth mentioning -- I own two Bambu Lab P1Ps. Been printing on them since about February of last year.

you know what? Im going to take your advice. Ill be buying 3 of the P1S instead of the creality max units. I was going for the bigger volume but thinking the better quality might trump the better size.
Cheers

 

[StevenBrodsky]

you know what? Im going to take your advice. Ill be buying 3 of the P1S instead of the creality max units. I was going for the bigger volume but thinking the better quality might trump the better size.
Cheers

Just be ready for some frustration. 3d Printers are very touchy machines. There are lots of things that go wrong with them. Mostly by the user, but still a lot goes wrong simply by machine errors or failures. Hang in there. You're going to learn a lot of new stuff.

 

[AnzacJack]

Also worth mentioning -- I own two Bambu Lab P1Ps. Been printing on them since about February of last year.

do you have an opinion on changing the hotend to hardened steel? I understand it is mainly needed for CF and other abrasive filaments, but is there an advantage for just PLA. Thinking if i was to change it, id do so when i initially set the systems up.

 

[msinger]

is there an advantage for just PLA

No.

do you have an opinion on changing the hotend to hardened steel?

I wouldn't change it until you know you're going to be printing with abrasive filaments.

 

[StevenBrodsky]

do you have an opinion on changing the hotend to hardened steel? I understand it is mainly needed for CF and other abrasive filaments, but is there an advantage for just PLA. Thinking if i was to change it, id do so when i initially set the systems up.

It's more about having a hotend that produces the temperatures needed to print with CF. If your printer is designed to print at a max temp of 300c you can print with any CF that prints at 300C or less. Printers made to print at 300C usually already have an all metal hot end, NOT BECAUSE OF THE FILAMENT, but because of the high temperature.

And, just changing your printers hotend to a hotend rated for higher temps won't change the max temp output your printer was originally designed to produce. If it's designed to produce a max 260C and you put a 350C hotend on it, it will stay at 260C. To get to the 350C temps you have to change the motherboard and firmnware to get the hotend to print at it's max temp. These types of mods are almost impossible to find unless the manufacturer makes them for your printer itself. Its hard to find third party upgrade packages that will do this.

Do some looking around. And do some research. You will see your question is a bit more complex than you may have anticipated.

 

[msinger]

Printers made to print at 300C usually already have an all metal hot end

The Bambu Lab P1 series does come with an all-metal hot end and can heat up to 300 ℃.

To clarify, I believe @AnzacJack was referring to upgrading to the all-metal extruder gear assembly and hardened steel nozzles.

 

[AnzacJack]

It's more about having a hotend that produces the temperatures needed to print with CF. If your printer is designed to print at a max temp of 300c you can print with any CF that prints at 300C or less. Printers made to print at 300C usually already have an all metal hot end, NOT BECAUSE OF THE FILAMENT, but because of the high temperature.

And, just changing your printers hotend to a hotend rated for higher temps won't change the max temp output your printer was originally designed to produce. If it's designed to produce a max 260C and you put a 350C hotend on it, it will stay at 260C. To get to the 350C temps you have to change the motherboard and firmnware to get the hotend to print at it's max temp. These types of mods are almost impossible to find unless the manufacturer makes them for your printer itself. Its hard to find third party upgrade packages that will do this.
M
Do some looking around. And do some research. You will see your question is a bit more complex than you may have anticipated.

Thanks
I have done the research hence my question to msinger who has this printer. It’s NOT all just about temperature, but also about abrasiveness of the filament and the wear it can cause to extruder parts
Thanks @msinger for your reply. I’ll wait until I need it. I