His printer is Anet A8 kit , Cheapy from China
Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?
Moderator: Harold_V
Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?
There is no reason this should be a dead stop for you Steve. Wish we could help and a good enthusiast forum surely could help. In my case, I lowered my expectations of 3D printing so much that I'm impressed with what I'm getting. It is not impressive but functional. At the very least, you should have that too...
Standards are so important that everyone must have their own...
To measure is to know - Lord Kelvin
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy with a few machines...
To measure is to know - Lord Kelvin
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy with a few machines...
- neanderman
- Posts: 896
- Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2012 7:15 pm
- Location: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?
Very impressive! What is the scale?
Ed
LeBlond Dual Drive, 15x30
US-Burke Millrite MVI
Atlas 618
Files, snips and cold chisels
Proud denizen of the former "Machine Tool Capitol of the World"
LeBlond Dual Drive, 15x30
US-Burke Millrite MVI
Atlas 618
Files, snips and cold chisels
Proud denizen of the former "Machine Tool Capitol of the World"
Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?
I have a prussa i3 printer that I assembled about 3 years ago.
My lathe is a sieg sc8 (not a mini lathe) and has a metric leadscrew. In order to do some imperial threads I determined that I would need to swop out one of the gears in the drive train to a 33 tooth. I designed and printed it on my 3D printer.
The gear held up well for this task (although I expect it will fail at some point)
If I can create a plastic gear that holds up to lathe work I am sure an enclosure will be fine. In fact I have printed many electronic enclosures.
Use ABS not PLA and use a high nozzle heat to ensure layers bond to each other well.
Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk
My lathe is a sieg sc8 (not a mini lathe) and has a metric leadscrew. In order to do some imperial threads I determined that I would need to swop out one of the gears in the drive train to a 33 tooth. I designed and printed it on my 3D printer.
The gear held up well for this task (although I expect it will fail at some point)
If I can create a plastic gear that holds up to lathe work I am sure an enclosure will be fine. In fact I have printed many electronic enclosures.
Use ABS not PLA and use a high nozzle heat to ensure layers bond to each other well.
Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk
- SteveHGraham
- Posts: 7788
- Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 7:55 pm
- Location: Florida
Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?
I think that is key. Reminds me of a story my grandfather told. He was a judge in Eastern Kentucky. A man he knew came up to him on the street and complained that he couldn't find a wife. My grandfather told him to lower his expectations. Some time later, the man approached him again with a woman on his arm, and he introduced her as his wife. My grandfather said, "See what I told you?"I lowered my expectations of 3D printing so much that I'm impressed with what I'm getting.
I believe Cura is the program that refuses to see the printer. I haven't been fooling with it because it's a low priority. I put it together with a friend's 7-year-old, and he is upset that nothing has happened. He calls his older brother "Prancey the Unicorn," and he is eager to start printing unicorns.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?
Steve whats the problem exactly? Did you load the firmware up yet? Is it a connection problem when trying to do so??
- SteveHGraham
- Posts: 7788
- Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 7:55 pm
- Location: Florida
Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?
I can't tell you "exactly," because I don't remember, but basically, the software refuses to see the printer.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?
Which software??
Most of these printer kits require you to upload the firmware to the controller. Have you done that??
If not I'd start looking for the firmware and also download the arduino ide. There may also be a driver out there to get your computer to recognize the printer.
Most of these printer kits require you to upload the firmware to the controller. Have you done that??
If not I'd start looking for the firmware and also download the arduino ide. There may also be a driver out there to get your computer to recognize the printer.
Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?
Just looked it up, your driver is on the sd card supplied with the printer. Need to install that on your computer so it recognizes the printer.
Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?
I am not familiar with the A6 and I have not tried connecting a PC directly to my printer. I watched an RCLifeON youtube review of the A6 and the illustrated process and interface looks exactly the same as mine.
Cura "slices" the STL design file and writes gcode to SD card, and then I carry the SD card to the printer and use the printer's LCD/interface to print from SD. I had to enter some printer parameters into Cura - settings based on the CR-10 where I just changed the print volume and saved that as a custom printer. I'd expect the printer to already have firmware installed on its controller.
Cura "slices" the STL design file and writes gcode to SD card, and then I carry the SD card to the printer and use the printer's LCD/interface to print from SD. I had to enter some printer parameters into Cura - settings based on the CR-10 where I just changed the print volume and saved that as a custom printer. I'd expect the printer to already have firmware installed on its controller.
Standards are so important that everyone must have their own...
To measure is to know - Lord Kelvin
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy with a few machines...
To measure is to know - Lord Kelvin
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy with a few machines...
Re: Are 3D Printers Finally Practical?
I would feel lost if I no longer had access to my Prusa i3 Mk2.5 with Bear upgrade. It is a valuable tool for unlimited things.