Reccomend me a 3D Printer

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Reccomend me a 3D Printer

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gehenna

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#2938407 5-Jul-2022 09:47

I ordered a Halot One Plus last night. Hopefully it arrives at home after I get back from Auckland, otherwise I'm in big trouble.

happyfunball

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#2938532 5-Jul-2022 14:40

SirHumphreyAppleby:

@happyfunball. My printer arrived on Thursday. I'm actually about to do my first print (I added a magnetic build plate and needed to wait 72 hours for the adhesive to achieve maximum strength).

I received tracking information two days after my order and pickup was approximately two days later (from the Australian warehouse).

@SirHumphreyAppleby how is the printer and flex plate? I'd love to hear about it and given the price, it may be the best deal in NZ right now if it works out for us. This conversation might be useful for posterity.

Is it the Wham Bam plate? I was worried about using it with the wash+cure so eager to see how that works out too, it looks like a great idea in theory.

SirHumphreyAppleby

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#2938537 5-Jul-2022 14:59

happyfunball:

@SirHumphreyAppleby how is the printer and flex plate? I'd love to hear about it and given the price, it may be the best deal in NZ right now if it works out for us. This conversation might be useful for posterity.

Is it the Wham Bam plate? I was worried about using it with the wash+cure so eager to see how that works out too, it looks like a great idea in theory.

My first print was a sort-of success. The test cube that comes on the USB drive had some warping. It's supported from a single corner and it appears one of the edges of the cube broke near the bottom (top on printer) about half way through the print. If so, that would explain the issue and I don't think it is indicative of a problem. It's also worth noting that I had far more resin in the vat than was required and it was at least 5C below the recommended printing temperature. I.e. the resin was likely more viscous than it should have been.

I am using a Sovol plate from AliExpress. It's definitely a worthwhile upgrade as the print fell off even handling the print with a single hand. I noticed some grinding when I first went to print. Turns out the tabs were hitting the side of the vat, but the issue was easily resolved by simply keeping the vat forward a bit, not hard up against the screws at the rear. On one listing for flex plates I saw a small tab version, so you may want to look out for one of those to avoid that problem.

gehenna

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#2938923 6-Jul-2022 17:24

Things are getting out of hand

neb

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#2938927 6-Jul-2022 17:39

gehenna:
Things are getting out of hand

I'll say! That doggie picture breaking up all the clean high-tech lines is just too much.

frankv

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#2939021 7-Jul-2022 09:03

gehenna:

I ordered a Halot One Plus last night. Hopefully it arrives at home after I get back from Auckland, otherwise I'm in big trouble.

If you have any questions, please do ask. I'm happy to share what I've learnt.

FWIW, my toolchain is (.STL file) -> PrusaSlicer -> (.SL1 file) -> UVTools -> (.cxdlp file) -> USB stick -> printer. I think the HALOT-BOX and Lychee slicers are inferior and buggy. Some time I plan to root my printer as per Creation Factory: Rooting the Creality Halot One resin 3D printer so I can put .cxdlp files on it via WiFi. Post-print I wash (put build-plate and all in the washer), leave to dry, remove from the build-plate, cure, remove supports.

Other stuff you'll need:

5L or more of isopropyl alcohol (IPA), unless you plan to print with water-washable resin. The sample bottle of resin that came with my printer wasn't water-washable. I bought 25L of IPA but have only used 5L in several months
A spray/squirter bottle for your IPA
Some nitrile or vinyl gloves (resin is a skin irritant)
Paper towels.
A way to wash your objects. A sealable (IPA is smelly, and you don't want it to evaporate between prints) container bigger than your print volume would do and just swirl the liquid about, or use a small pump or impeller. I have a Creality Wash Station that does this, and also curing. It's expensive for what it does, but gets you started quickly (and I got it at a good price). The Wash Station's container is a 5L click-clack type box.
A way to cure your objects... a bright UV light source to shine on all surfaces... Instructables has some examples. The Wash Station has a mirrored turntable and a pillar of UV LEDs (and a protective cover). Or you could leave your object out in the sun for a while.
A scalpel or modeling knife or similar for removing supports from your object
Maybe plan on printing a drip station and vat cover (Thingiverse.com and printables.com have them)

[Edit] Oh, I see you also got a Wash Station :)

gehenna

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#2939170 7-Jul-2022 13:33

Yes I have the wash and cure device too. It's not staying on my desk permanently, I have a workshop downstairs with a kitchen bench and sink in there so i'll set them up in there and it's well ventilated too. And grabbed a box of 100 gloves online. Might just need a mask now. I definitely need one for all the sanding anyway.

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richms

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#2939325 7-Jul-2022 17:52

gehenna:

Yes I have the wash and cure device too. It's not staying on my desk permanently, I have a workshop downstairs with a kitchen bench and sink in there so i'll set them up in there and it's well ventilated too. And grabbed a box of 100 gloves online. Might just need a mask now. I definitely need one for all the sanding anyway.

Different masks. The alcohol fumes is an organic vapour one, the sanding is a particulate filter. You can put particulate prefilters onto the organic vapour ones but I have always found using the round P2/P3 filters nicer to breath thru when not needing to filter fumes.

Richard rich.ms

KDee

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#2944972 21-Jul-2022 20:28

Going to hijack this thread and ask you resin printer people what you're doing for ventilation?

I'm thinking about getting a resin printer but ventilation is my biggest concern/consideration.

Here's what I'm thinking...

I would set it up in an attached garage on a bench close to a window. The garage has - obviously - a garage door and a back standard door.

I have a "grow fan" which I've used in a spray-paint enclosure before to suck out the smell/VOC's and it worked quite well. Is using this and sucking the resin odour out from the back of the printer, through a hose and out a window sufficient? How bad would the smell be once it gets outside? There is a busy-ish footpath about 4 meters from the window - would pedestrians pick up on the smell?

Would I need to keep the garage door and back door open as well? With longer prints I would prefer to avoid having doors open the whole time.

Keen to hear what you're currently doing and what you think I should do given the above setup.

richms

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#2944978 21-Jul-2022 20:56

I haven't bothered doing anything other than have it in the shed. Only done some small prints so far but its barely noticible while printing as its got the lid on. When doing the cleanup a normal 3m organic mask like I use for painting is all I need and once its in the isopropyl then thats all that I can smell once taking the mask off. There is a bit of ventalation in the shed.

I suspect that those that find it really bad are using it in a well sealed house with other people to complain.

Richard rich.ms

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