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[Rods2]

https://www.aldi.co.uk/balco-3d-printer-/p/086887240233900

I don't know if it is any good or not or if it's good value for money, TB can probably advise, but entering PRINTER50 gives the discount.

[aaronjb]

From what I can tell it's "ok" value for money - there are better printers at a similar price point, like this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XDFQ3LR/?coliid=I18769EI8PSP3J&colid=255VX8BEZVDHV&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

And for a couple of hundred more you get a much better printer - but that's outside my comfort zone for "toy I might use occasionally"

[Kevin Wood]

Hmm. I do like "toys I might use occasionally"....

[TheBoy]

I personally use an Anet A8, a Prusa i3 clone, which is about £100.

It comes as a kit, so needs a couple of days to build (but then you know how to fix it ), and probably needs another £50 in upgrades, some of which can be printed.

Its probably around the best of the sub £500, but does need patience to build and set up.

Common enough, there is tons of info on it out there. And then there is www.thingiverse.com


Mine is currently showing signs of ringing, so got some new tensioners on order.

[Viral_Jim]

What do you use it for?

As a card-carrying geek, id considered gaming tokens, bits of scenery etc, but i decided to hold off on buyiyanythibg that needed to be moved about, stored and not used until the house is finished 

[TheBoy]

Mine gets used for everything.  The poor thing never gets a break .

Its currently printing a small square pot to throw loose change in, rather than me tipping it loose in the drawer.  Sadly, in bright pink, as I CBA to change the filament

[Kevin Wood]

What do you use it for?

As a card-carrying geek, id considered gaming tokens, bits of scenery etc, but i decided to hold off on buyiyanythibg that needed to be moved about, stored and not used until the house is finished 

Yeah, I'm sure I "need" one for something, I just need a little help to identify what.

[TheBoy]

Of course you need one.  To print 3d printer upgrade parts for your 3d printer

[zirk]

What do you use it for?

As a card-carrying geek, id considered gaming tokens, bits of scenery etc, but i decided to hold off on buyiyanythibg that needed to be moved about, stored and not used until the house is finished 

Yeah, I'm sure I "need" one for something, I just need a little help to identify what.

Borrow someone else's then copy and print your own printer. 

[TheBoy]

I vaguely recall there is a CNC on Thingiverse.  Everyone needs a CNC.


//Edit: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2159840

[TheBoy]

Or if you live near Gatwick....

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:261145

[Kevin Wood]

I vaguely recall there is a CNC on Thingiverse.  Everyone needs a CNC.


//Edit: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2159840

Can't argue with that.

[aaronjb]

Sadly, in bright pink, as I CBA to change the filament

"Sadly". Suuuure. I bet bright pink is the only colour you own, TB 

Speaking of CNC.. A YouTuber (I know, I know) called AvE just bought a Haas CNC mill (they start at £20k and rapidly go upward, so lord knows what a 5axis costs) and is making it available for use by the community.. https://www.reddit.com/r/Skookum/comments/9t29x7/ave_got_a_5axis_cnc_machine_and_hes_putting_it_up/

[edit] Jeebus, I just looked up what looks like the same model 5-axis (VF-2TR) .. $110,000!


Me, I'd settle for a clapped out Bridgeport..

[Kevin Wood]

So, I need a 3D printer to print myself a CNC machine which I need because reasons. Sounds good enough for me. 

Now, just need a space to put it...

[Kevin Wood]

.. and while we're on the subject of "making", I've had great success recently getting PCBs made by these guys:

https://www.seeedstudio.com/fusion_pcb.html

The boat from China takes about 2 weeks, but I really wish I'd got into it years ago. Bests messing about etching your own.

[Andy B]

....
Me, I'd settle for a clapped out Bridgeport..

Nowt wrong with an old Bridgeport. Work replaced an ageing Bridgeport with some kind of Bridgeport copy ..... crap in comparison. They should have just re-furb'd the original machine.

[aaronjb]

....
Me, I'd settle for a clapped out Bridgeport..

Nowt wrong with an old Bridgeport. Work replaced an ageing Bridgeport with some kind of Bridgeport copy ..... crap in comparison. They should have just re-furb'd the original machine.

Indeed - the only reason I'd have to settle for a clapped out one, is that even clapped out ones are ~£1500 these days! Still, cheaper than £2500 for a modern copy that won't be as good..

[TheBoy]

"Sadly". Suuuure. I bet bright pink is the only colour you own, TB 

Whilst you can never have enough colours and materials, I think I have enough...



Top right is 4 unopened 1kg reels, above the printer is a dozen or so unopened (boxed) or part used (in clear sealed bags) 1kg reels.

And the bright pink (technically called dark pink) taking pride of place on the printer.


I know, it must be a fettish

[Viral_Jim]

Got to love a man cave

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

That lot would make a lovely blaze.

[Rods2]

Don't ask about the Mosfets or rating of the supplied connecter for the printer head, but they are, from what I have read, popular parts to replace so there is controlled heat to just melt the plastic rather than uncontrolled heat to torch the room.

[TheBoy]

Don't ask about the Mosfets or rating of the supplied connecter for the printer head, but they are, from what I have read, popular parts to replace so there is controlled heat to just melt the plastic rather than uncontrolled heat to torch the room.

Mine is a couple of years old, and has been heavily used.  I never felt the need to add external fet drivers.  I think the connectors melt because people don't build them right, and due to the high currents involved, not making a good connection, or over tightening so it twists the connector, stressing the solder joint, causes it to heat.

If I upped the voltage to 24v for the hotbed, something I'm considering, as the 12v one takes forever to reach the 110C I use for ABS prints, I would definitely use external drivers though.

[Kevin Wood]

Oh, look! a Weller TCP.

I think I have one of those for every room in the house and a box of spares in the loft.

[TheBoy]

Oh, look! a Weller TCP.

I think I have one of those for every room in the house and a box of spares in the loft.

That's my last one, as my other one isn't heating...   ...probably element, but given the whole thing is held together by epoxy (gravity beat it in a big argument), I think replacing it might be challenging.

[Kevin Wood]

Oh, look! a Weller TCP.

I think I have one of those for every room in the house and a box of spares in the loft.

That's my last one, as my other one isn't heating...   ...probably element, but given the whole thing is held together by epoxy (gravity beat it in a big argument), I think replacing it might be challenging.

I'll bring my spares box next time I'm passing Brackley.

[aaronjb]

So TB, if money was no object .. would you prefer the Anet A8, or this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XDFQ3LR/

I find a lot of conflicting information, and I am leaning toward the A8 not because of cost, but because of the giant knowledge base for Prusa clones..

[TheBoy]

So TB, if money was no object .. would you prefer the Anet A8, or this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XDFQ3LR/

I find a lot of conflicting information, and I am leaning toward the A8 not because of cost, but because of the giant knowledge base for Prusa clones..

I'm assuming this is your first 3d printer, as you're looking budget end.

For that reason alone, I'd recommend the Anet A8 (or other clones).


It has its issues, sure.  ABS is challenging (though its not the easiest to print with on anything), partly due to difficultly it heating the bed to 110C.  TPU can be stringy, though I'm sure I just need to play with settings.  More fundamentally, my particular one (and all clones are slightly different components) had worrying little protection over the mains connections, which is a very serious flaw.  Obviously, I've now printed a cover. People grumble the bed levelling is tedious, but I don't find it especially so. I also print on glass which once in a while I paint in PVA.  Other people use hairspray (hence the can of Tesco hairspray on my top shelf), PrittStick and all sorts of other things to get bed adhesion.

On the upside, being a kit, you understand exactly how it works, and understand when something aint right.  The other upside is its only £100 or so, and unlike, say, the XYZ ones, uses bog standard filament.  I usually get my filament from the Chinese boys toys outlet Hobbyking, and 1Kg of PLA is around £10-13.

[Gaffers]

Having little space I get harassed about my Prusa i3 which is steadily printing my first RC aircraft (aka drone).  I may have to upgrade to get a metal frame one which allows me to easily dismantle for storage between prints.  Of course, it would be rude not to upgrade the bed size, printing area and head while I was at it

[Bigron]

Having little space I get harassed about my Prusa i3 which is steadily printing my first RC aircraft (aka drone).  I may have to upgrade to get a metal frame one which allows me to easily dismantle for storage between prints.  Of course, it would be rude not to upgrade the bed size, printing area and head while I was at it

Just like Trigger's broom?

Ron.

[TheBoy]

Having little space I get harassed about my Prusa i3 which is steadily printing my first RC aircraft (aka drone).  I may have to upgrade to get a metal frame one which allows me to easily dismantle for storage between prints.  Of course, it would be rude not to upgrade the bed size, printing area and head while I was at it

I was thinking about space, after replying earlier. And moving the printer into and out of storage.

The Prusa i3 (and its clones) are quite a reasonably compact size for their (pretty generous) print area, but are, for most, a little too big unless you have loads of space.  As you can see from the picture I posted earlier, mine does get in the way a bit, reducing space on my play bench (I have loads of space on my work desk in the same room, but I need that for work).

Some of the Prusa's are autolevelling, but most Anet A8's aren't, and after moving it, it really does need relevelling.  I have a natural distrust of (low cost) autolevelling, hence I haven't retrofitted the kit to mine.


As to RC aircraft, what you building? Plane? Plank? Multicopter?  Not sure I'd print an airframe, when the cost of kits is so low.

[TheBoy]

Just like Trigger's broom?

TBH, that's what low cost kits are like.  You build it, then as your designs grow, you upgrade your machine, either with printed upgrades, or with more capable extruders, heatbeds, belts etc.

[Gaffers]

I've gone with a Geetech A30 with the optional capacitive z-axis sensor.  Should be here in a couple of days.  Looks like I will have to play about with the settings to get it working right but nothing that I can't do after using the prusa clone for a couple of years.

[TheBoy]

I've gone with a Geetech A30 with the optional capacitive z-axis sensor.  Should be here in a couple of days.  Looks like I will have to play about with the settings to get it working right but nothing that I can't do after using the prusa clone for a couple of years.

Let us know how you get on with it (y). The CR10 its based on gets mostly positive reviews .

[Gaffers]

Initial impressions are good.  Pretty easy to setup, very big print area, sturdy build.  Had to switch away from cura which the forums suggest it has trouble connecting to so it took a bit of time getting used to easyprint instead. Its a bowden extruder so i am tweaking the settings to stop the stringy mess between gaps.  For the price i am quite impressed.

[TheBoy]

Initial impressions are good.  Pretty easy to setup, very big print area, sturdy build.  Had to switch away from cura which the forums suggest it has trouble connecting to so it took a bit of time getting used to easyprint instead. Its a bowden extruder so i am tweaking the settings to stop the stringy mess between gaps.  For the price i am quite impressed.

I think Cura is well know to cause some print problems anyway.  Although its what I use, because its what I'm familiar with.

Does it have an offline printing option like the Prusa, via a memory card?

[Gaffers]

It does but while fine-tuning the settings it's easier to use the PC connection, as you know.

I didn't know that cura was well-known to mess up prints.  That could explain a few things on previous attempts to print the wings of my RC plane.

[TheBoy]

It does but while fine-tuning the settings it's easier to use the PC connection, as you know.

I have to own up, I only ever use SD, as I don't want to keep that PC on.  As far as I can see, any settings are the same, whether direct connect, or via SD.  Though I haven't looked that hard TBH.

[Kevin Wood]

Just digging up this topic as I spotted a very nice little cnc milling machine in the waiting room at the tooth-mangler the other day. Apparently it's for making crowns and the like. They take a laser scan of your tooth, machine up a bit to fit it while you wait and can turn it around a lot quicker.

Sadly they didn't seem too keen when I broached the subject of bringing some of my projects in next time I need a checkup.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Can a 3D printer 'create' a new Omega?

[zirk]

Saw this quickly this afternoon on my phone, thought hmm, so popped in to Aldi to at least if there was one on display or something, even asked a couple of Staff Members as well and they just looked at me as though I was stupid. 

So come back to look at the Thread again on a proper PC, December 2018 !!!  , You lot are a bloody bunch of wind up merchents, honestly, December 2018 my arse. 

[Sir Tigger KC]

 

[aaronjb]

 



TBH, a similar printer keeps getting discounted on Amazon; and that's still more expensive than picking it up from Aliexpress.. personally I looked at them, scope creep crept in and the cost just kept escalating, so I stopped looking!

I'd love a 400x400 bed size for a particular project, and those are expensive..