I could use some help with 3D printing
- Thread starter Crafter1542
- Start date
Crafter1542
New Member
Ok, like I said, I’m not that great at documenting my projects, so sorry for the wait.
So in the last few days, I’ve printed a spool holder, a horse, a slug, and a snake. The horse was my first print that needed supports, and I learned that I need to fiddle with settings in cura to get my supports to work better. They stick so badly that the legs of the horse broke off and I had to glue them back on. The slug, spool holder, and snake were all from thingiverse, and mostly printed ok. The spool holder warped a little, but I found that I all I needed was better adhesion. The slug printed seamlessly, and I used supports for the snake, and they still stuck pretty badly. So quick question, If anyone has cura, what settings do you use on the supports?
The snake is about 4 inches tall, the horse is about 2 inches tall, and the slug is about 4 inches long.
So in the last few days, I’ve printed a spool holder, a horse, a slug, and a snake. The horse was my first print that needed supports, and I learned that I need to fiddle with settings in cura to get my supports to work better. They stick so badly that the legs of the horse broke off and I had to glue them back on. The slug, spool holder, and snake were all from thingiverse, and mostly printed ok. The spool holder warped a little, but I found that I all I needed was better adhesion. The slug printed seamlessly, and I used supports for the snake, and they still stuck pretty badly. So quick question, If anyone has cura, what settings do you use on the supports?
The snake is about 4 inches tall, the horse is about 2 inches tall, and the slug is about 4 inches long.
Mad Monkey
Well-Known Member
I'd imagine there's probably a preset tornado cura profile that will help too with layering etc.
TazMan2000
Master Member
Supports on Cura are ok for most objects, but there are problems with each support you use depending on the object being printed
First of all, supports, do not get printed with a brim, so basically, no support for the supports. Zig zag is the easiest to remove, but easily disbonds from the bed and if the bed heat is not even throughout, will cause some of the supports to rise and sink, sometimes creating a mess because the layers are off by expanding and contracting differently Zig zag should only be used for supports under 2 cm. I use grid for the supports if printing out round models, but this is the one that is the most difficult to remove because of the amount of contact with the rest of the material on your object..
If you require better bed adhesion for the supports, you can create your own shapes in thingiverse and place them onto the bed where the supports will print over. As you already know, better bed adhesion will make better prints.
I think the default angle for support requirement is 50 degrees, so I would stick with that. Adjust if you want more or less. That is dependent on the material you print with. Some PLA will sink and some will stay more rigid. Temperature has much to do with that, of course, but even the same manufacturer can have variations simply by the colour.
Good you made a spool holder, but I would recommend making your own spool holder with bearings, this way you can use a 5KG roll and not have to worry about running out during printing using the small rolls.
TazMan2000
First of all, supports, do not get printed with a brim, so basically, no support for the supports. Zig zag is the easiest to remove, but easily disbonds from the bed and if the bed heat is not even throughout, will cause some of the supports to rise and sink, sometimes creating a mess because the layers are off by expanding and contracting differently Zig zag should only be used for supports under 2 cm. I use grid for the supports if printing out round models, but this is the one that is the most difficult to remove because of the amount of contact with the rest of the material on your object..
If you require better bed adhesion for the supports, you can create your own shapes in thingiverse and place them onto the bed where the supports will print over. As you already know, better bed adhesion will make better prints.
I think the default angle for support requirement is 50 degrees, so I would stick with that. Adjust if you want more or less. That is dependent on the material you print with. Some PLA will sink and some will stay more rigid. Temperature has much to do with that, of course, but even the same manufacturer can have variations simply by the colour.
Good you made a spool holder, but I would recommend making your own spool holder with bearings, this way you can use a 5KG roll and not have to worry about running out during printing using the small rolls.
TazMan2000
Mad Monkey
Well-Known Member
Of all the research I've done into this stuff before getting involved.. I'm very surprised there isn't a good solution for recycling failed prints, supports etc. Or even a less expensive option for joining ends of the rolls
TazMan2000
Master Member
There are a few tricks on youtube to join PLA, but I've tried some of them and have been unsuccessful. Perhaps its the brand of PLA that I'm using.
TazMan2000
TazMan2000
Mad Monkey
Well-Known Member
I've seen a machine that feeds spools in and either just joins them, cuts and joins randomly, or makes a specific pattern /length setup.. But I don't imagine it's cheap
There's probably a more efficient way... But when I was running my printers 24/7, I used a digital scale and weighed out my spools after each run, writing the latest weight on the tag (minus empty spool weight). I could then look in my slicer software at the next part run's estimated filament usage by weight, make sure I had enough left on the current spool (adding 5-10 grams to be safe), and either run it or adjust the number of parts printed. This worked really well for me, especially for complex projects with 20+ individual parts that I could mix and match to work with my filament load.
TazMan2000
Master Member
With the ability of most printers, being able to sense the material being out, and being able to resume printer after a reload, the need of having to splice PLA is lessened. If someone invented something that worked and was inexpensive, I would think that most of us would use it.
With the reasonably low price of PLA filament, does it really make sense (other than environmentally, of course) to buy something that would be anywhere between 500-1000 dollars to recycle used PLA? The stuff is supposedly biodegradable, but there are a lot of articles debating how easily it breaks down, even soaked in water. There are different formulations of PLA, with some 3D printer manufacturers saying that you are only able to use a specific brand to lessen problems, so there must be some sort of lubricant in the PLA, that may cook-off once heated and extruded. If you recycle that PLA, those lubricants may not be there in any quantify, which may cause clogging and more failed prints, hence it would negate the usefulness and money savings of recycling.
TazMan2000
With the reasonably low price of PLA filament, does it really make sense (other than environmentally, of course) to buy something that would be anywhere between 500-1000 dollars to recycle used PLA? The stuff is supposedly biodegradable, but there are a lot of articles debating how easily it breaks down, even soaked in water. There are different formulations of PLA, with some 3D printer manufacturers saying that you are only able to use a specific brand to lessen problems, so there must be some sort of lubricant in the PLA, that may cook-off once heated and extruded. If you recycle that PLA, those lubricants may not be there in any quantify, which may cause clogging and more failed prints, hence it would negate the usefulness and money savings of recycling.
TazMan2000
Mad Monkey
Well-Known Member
Yeah splicing isn't my primary thought.. Like you said. Run out sensors are easy. Bowden tubes do have higher waster that way but it's like a foot.. No. Biggie.. But I was talking shredding bad prints etc to produce new stuff.. But yeah I doubt someone wants to spend $1000 to save $30!
Ive see many guys keep old stuff just in case a system ever becomes available at a price point
Ive see many guys keep old stuff just in case a system ever becomes available at a price point
Mad Monkey
Well-Known Member
Yeah the printer I'm looking at has a run out.monitor. But keeping for test material makes good sense! Thanks for the tip
propmaster2000
Sr Member
[The way I change a filament to a new roll during a print.]
At one point, during the print, if the filament (PLA) is coming to an end and there was still some printing to finish, I need to add a new roll.
As the end of the filament came to the Extruder, I followed it in with a new spool until the Extruder gear grabbed a hold and started
feeding on it's own.
I didn't want to pause the print because I needed the Extruder to keep feeding (pulling) and the nozzle to stay at temp.
while I fed the new filament end.
From experience, I found that if I pause a print for any length of time, the print head tries it's best to return exactly where it stopped
(paused) and continue where it left off, but I noticed that there was a visible print line at the point where the print continued.
During the time it was stopped, the print itself had a bit too much time to cool, so the continuing layer may not have adhered as well
as it should have. A partial "Z" shift could have also occurred as well.
The only issue with feeding the new filament in after the old, is that while it is purging the bowden tube of the old filament
while being pushed though by the new, is that they are not connected as one. So when the Extruder does a retract
function, it will not "pull back" the old filament to complete the retraction. This may not be a problem, but may also cause
some stringing in the print until the new filament is fully ran though to the nozzle.
If I decide to "attach" a new roll to a running print, my technique is to take what is left to print from the old filament and heat up the ends
of both of them with a soldering iron (just enough to get soft to be melted to one another) and press them ever so slightly together until they
just "mushroom a bit", let it harden, then cut the mushroomed part off with the die cutters until smooth again so it fits
through the Bowden tube without binding. I've gotten pretty good at it so it is a fairly quick process.
.
At one point, during the print, if the filament (PLA) is coming to an end and there was still some printing to finish, I need to add a new roll.
As the end of the filament came to the Extruder, I followed it in with a new spool until the Extruder gear grabbed a hold and started
feeding on it's own.
I didn't want to pause the print because I needed the Extruder to keep feeding (pulling) and the nozzle to stay at temp.
while I fed the new filament end.
From experience, I found that if I pause a print for any length of time, the print head tries it's best to return exactly where it stopped
(paused) and continue where it left off, but I noticed that there was a visible print line at the point where the print continued.
During the time it was stopped, the print itself had a bit too much time to cool, so the continuing layer may not have adhered as well
as it should have. A partial "Z" shift could have also occurred as well.
The only issue with feeding the new filament in after the old, is that while it is purging the bowden tube of the old filament
while being pushed though by the new, is that they are not connected as one. So when the Extruder does a retract
function, it will not "pull back" the old filament to complete the retraction. This may not be a problem, but may also cause
some stringing in the print until the new filament is fully ran though to the nozzle.
If I decide to "attach" a new roll to a running print, my technique is to take what is left to print from the old filament and heat up the ends
of both of them with a soldering iron (just enough to get soft to be melted to one another) and press them ever so slightly together until they
just "mushroom a bit", let it harden, then cut the mushroomed part off with the die cutters until smooth again so it fits
through the Bowden tube without binding. I've gotten pretty good at it so it is a fairly quick process.
.
TazMan2000
Master Member
Loading new filament during a print can sometimes be a hassle and dangerous. Dangerous being, losing 47 hours of a 48 hour print and all the material and energy used, not usually to life and limb, unless you count pulling out your hair.
I have a Creality CR-10S and propmaster2000 is correct. Even though the printer has a run-out circuit, cooling on the print can cause some adhesion issues and visible artifacts at the point it ran out. Also, I have learned to have a light touch when it comes to reloading the filament, by trying not to move the Z-axis or any axis for that matter, which is not always easy as the path to the extruder has a number of hang up areas. I always try to round off the end of the new filament. But if you're gojng to have a problem restarting your print, the Z-axis will most likely be the failure point. Half a millimeter out in the X and Y will be recoverable, but if your nozzle is too close to the last layer it may jam up your extruder, or if too far away the filament won't bond to a cooler surface.
I wonder if there is a way to find out what layer your print failed at and not just a percentage. it would be nice if you could start slicing the object at the failure point rather than habing to guess or physically measure your printed object.
TazMan2000
I have a Creality CR-10S and propmaster2000 is correct. Even though the printer has a run-out circuit, cooling on the print can cause some adhesion issues and visible artifacts at the point it ran out. Also, I have learned to have a light touch when it comes to reloading the filament, by trying not to move the Z-axis or any axis for that matter, which is not always easy as the path to the extruder has a number of hang up areas. I always try to round off the end of the new filament. But if you're gojng to have a problem restarting your print, the Z-axis will most likely be the failure point. Half a millimeter out in the X and Y will be recoverable, but if your nozzle is too close to the last layer it may jam up your extruder, or if too far away the filament won't bond to a cooler surface.
I wonder if there is a way to find out what layer your print failed at and not just a percentage. it would be nice if you could start slicing the object at the failure point rather than habing to guess or physically measure your printed object.
TazMan2000
propmaster2000
Sr Member
For me, the best way to adhere a new filament roll to another is to use a Hot Iron and fuse them together to make one.
I cut both ends very flat and even so they will melt together well.
NOTE: Be absolutely sure you do not let go of the end of the filament of the NEW roll because if it coils back in and goes under another twist of the filament, it will be tied in a knot and will not come off the spool properly and will bind.
After the filament ends are heated at the same time and just to the melting point, I press them together (EVENLY) and then cut off the mushroomed effect area.
Then sand with a nail file until the correct diameter is achieved so it will fit in the Boden tube without binding.
I cut both ends very flat and even so they will melt together well.
NOTE: Be absolutely sure you do not let go of the end of the filament of the NEW roll because if it coils back in and goes under another twist of the filament, it will be tied in a knot and will not come off the spool properly and will bind.
After the filament ends are heated at the same time and just to the melting point, I press them together (EVENLY) and then cut off the mushroomed effect area.
Then sand with a nail file until the correct diameter is achieved so it will fit in the Boden tube without binding.
Last edited:
Mad Monkey
Well-Known Member
Yeah if these things were easy everyone would be doing it lol
TazMan2000
Master Member
Whenever I tried that, the filament always broke apart. I tried cutting it at an angle to have more surface area but as soon as I try and trim down the mushroom, it breaks apart easily. I'm using CCTREE filament. I tried a soldering iron, and a candleflame, but it was the same result.
TazMan2000
TazMan2000
I've swapped out filament mid print a few times without trouble...
I have a direct drive extruder setup and not Bowden fed. All I have to do is pause print park the head a cm above print pull the grip on the titan and pull old filament out... Push new in till it starts coming out the other end. Resume print... The printer returns to last position and carries on.
The real trick is catching the print when the filaments running out. I've done over night prints where I slept in my desk chair and waking every 30 mins D:
I have a direct drive extruder setup and not Bowden fed. All I have to do is pause print park the head a cm above print pull the grip on the titan and pull old filament out... Push new in till it starts coming out the other end. Resume print... The printer returns to last position and carries on.
The real trick is catching the print when the filaments running out. I've done over night prints where I slept in my desk chair and waking every 30 mins D:
propmaster2000
Sr Member
The fun of printing ... 
propmaster2000
Sr Member
Earlier, I mentioned that I use a Dial Indicator to quickly check the level of my table based on the
location of my "X" axis gantry. As long as the gantry stays true and parallel with the frame,
using the Indicator will always show the same location each time.
Since the first indicator is calibrated for my CR10S, I needed to get another of the E3.
On another note:
While I was printing on the E3, I accidentally un-plugged the machine DOH!
So, I quickly plugged it back in and was prompted to restart.
I clicked on YES and it seemed to restart again where it left off.
The nozzle had cooled a bit, but after it got back up to temp. (210C), it restarted with out issue.
Nice
.
.
location of my "X" axis gantry. As long as the gantry stays true and parallel with the frame,
using the Indicator will always show the same location each time.
Since the first indicator is calibrated for my CR10S, I needed to get another of the E3.
On another note:
While I was printing on the E3, I accidentally un-plugged the machine DOH!
So, I quickly plugged it back in and was prompted to restart.
I clicked on YES and it seemed to restart again where it left off.
The nozzle had cooled a bit, but after it got back up to temp. (210C), it restarted with out issue.
Nice
.
.
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