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[Mr Skrunts]

I know there are other threads (3D Printing 2019) plus other random mentions.

For years I had fancied a CNC engraver but in all fairness never delved in to whats involved.

Tech has moved on with all aspects of engraving/cutting with router/laser/water jet etc & 3D Printing/scanning etc.

Not knowing sod all about it I wanted to have have a play with some software and see how creative I can get.

Any suggestions on software, plus with experiance of others for recomendations for a 3D printer. (pros/cons)

[TheBoy]

Most use formats like STL models, common to all these sorts of thing, and then run through another piece of software, such as a slicer for 3D printer.  Laser engravers use a piece of software similar to a slicer, but for laser engravers. And hobby CNC use something different again.

Sign up to the freebie TinkerCAD -https://www.tinkercad.com/dashboard - to have a play at a simplified CAD.  More advanced software available, but not a bad place to start, and it's done in a browser, so no shite to install.

3D printers and Box? Smells like Creality to me.  Creality are currently on my shit list, seeing as my K1 Max has been reported yet again to Creality as its let all the magic smoke out.  In the 6 weeks I've owned it, it's spent more time waiting for bits than it has working, poxy piece of shit.  I wish I hadn't given away my trusty Artillery Sidewinder X1.

Creality do tend to sort faults, but just slow to respond - still waiting for a response to the current issue.

[Mr Skrunts]

Cheers for the info.

[Mr Skrunts]

Artillery Sidewinder X1

Looks an interesting piece of kit.  Does the hood/cover come with or is that an option?

[TheBoy]

Artillery Sidewinder X1

Looks an interesting piece of kit.  Does the hood/cover come with or is that an option?

As far as I'm aware, no official cover is available.  Be aware, being a bed slinger type, and cover has to by significantly deeper than the depth of the machine, to accommodate the bed moving.

X1 is, AFAIK, no longer available, replaced with the X2 2 or 3 years back.  X2 runs a (locked) later version of Marlin, and has a BL touch type bed levelling (but you still need to level the bed - people think bed auto bed levelling means they dont have to do the bed levelling manually).

Downside of the Sidewinders (and smaller Genius) is the tubing in the hot end means reliability issues when printing hot filaments like PETG and ABS (not that I'd recommend ABS to anyone until they known what they are doing), as the PTFE tubing starts to degrade at around 240C, and my profile for PETG on the Artillery does the first layer at 235C, so little margin there.  I did always keep a spare complete extruder here every time I screwed one up.  I used to pick up spare complete extruder assemblies for around £25 when they were on offer.

Banggood is probably the best place to by Artillery, should be able to get a Sidewinder X2 for under £200.  Sidewinder does need a lot of space, so if you just want to dick around, a smaller printer might be a better option initially.

Just be wary of the limitations of bed slingers, but also note that consumer CoreXY type are still relatively immature.  All 3D printers will involve some level of faffage, they are getting better, but not quite mainstream fire and forget yet.