3D printers, need guidance

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#3384157 14-Jun-2025 22:59

Use a xacto style model knife, and a variety of blades to cut away supports. And a fine pair of wire cutters or sprue cutters .

Sanding boards, or fingernail boards. For sanding.

I use a styrene paste filler for any blemishes.

Usually finish off with an aerosol primer paint, if needed.

Silvrav

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#3384168 15-Jun-2025 07:51

I've dialed in my supports pretty well over the last 2 days where they almost just fall away. Not home right now but will grab what I changed later and post it.

What I can remember is that I use organic tree supports and adjusted the distance and width the support is allowed to touch the print.

I also started printing some calibration pieces to dial my settings in better so that I need less supports. I can now print up to 70def overhang without the need for supports.

I used this one : https://m.crealitycloud.com/model-details/659af0324c7ed6f1d51c9a85

mdf

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#3384361 15-Jun-2025 15:57

+1 to the xacto style knife. Different shape blades are great as it lets you push/slice just where you need it. Pretty sure this is the set I've got: https://www.bunnings.co.nz/craftright-16-piece-precision-craft-knife-kit_p0027741

Most of my parts tend to be functional rather than decorative so my support needs are probably different to yours. Sharpie trick does work well, but suspect the marker staining will be worse than any print artifacts. Other tips and tricks here:

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#3384508 15-Jun-2025 21:19

mdf:

+1 to the xacto style knife. Different shape blades are great as it lets you push/slice just where you need it. Pretty sure this is the set I've got: https://www.bunnings.co.nz/craftright-16-piece-precision-craft-knife-kit_p0027741

Most of my parts tend to be functional rather than decorative so my support needs are probably different to yours. Sharpie trick does work well, but suspect the marker staining will be worse than any print artifacts. Other tips and tricks here:

I may have gone and stuck a piece of kapton tape (well knockoff stuff of it) ontop of an area like that when I needed a clean surface where the supports were. This case was because it was something that had to slide. It worked suprisingly well.

Richard rich.ms

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#3384821 16-Jun-2025 18:16

Thanks everyone. I've had a bit of luck with getting the supports easier to remove by increasing Z Top Distance and number of Support Interface Layers.

I was thinking I might pickup some flush cutters, and thought maybe a this scalpel and a selection of the blades 10, 10A, 11, and 15. The replacement blades are cheap enough, but I'm not sure about the skinny handle and whether that will make it easier or harder to use.

I learned over the weekend that Bambu PLA Silk+ is a pig to print with for layers less than 0.16mm. The underside of any overhangs look rough and matte while the sides and top are nice and glossy. No matter what I did I couldn't get an acceptable finish with 0.12mm or 0.08mm layers on an underside. So some prints can look great, while others... not so much.

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#3384986 16-Jun-2025 22:49

Flat bladed scapels are great, ditto for rectangular xacto style handles.

Just don't use tubular / round xacto-style handles, a good chance of the handle slipping in your fingers when the going gets tough..

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#3385080 17-Jun-2025 15:43

SepticSceptic:

Flat bladed scapels are great, ditto for rectangular xacto style handles.

Just don't use tubular / round xacto-style handles, a good chance of the handle slipping in your fingers when the going gets tough..

@SepticSceptic Flat bladed or flat handled? Or do you mean the flat/straight blades are better than curved blades?

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#3385098 17-Jun-2025 16:25

Paul1977:

@SepticSceptic Flat bladed or flat handled? Or do you mean the flat/straight blades are better than curved blades?

I find the ones with the blade cut flat at the end like a mini chisel are great for prints as I am pushing straight into the stuff I want to remove.

Richard rich.ms

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#3385163 17-Jun-2025 22:51

Paul1977:

SepticSceptic:

Flat bladed scapels are great, ditto for rectangular xacto style handles.

Just don't use tubular / round xacto-style handles, a good chance of the handle slipping in your fingers when the going gets tough..

@SepticSceptic Flat bladed or flat handled? Or do you mean the flat/straight blades are better than curved blades?

My bad, flat-handle style. I've had round handles slip or twist from my grasp when encountering a difficult cut.

Also agree re the chisel shaped tip. It's easier to push thru a cut, than pull. Easier to manoeuvre.

Blade number 17 or 17a.

But won't fit a scapel handle

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#3385399 19-Jun-2025 08:58

Reading through this makes me wonder if I should upgrade my now 6 year old Ender 3 to something newer. Back when it was released it was most definitely a tinkerer hobby. You spent the first 6 months printing parts to improve the printer itself.

I've never got it dialed to the point where it could print displayable "art". Rough but functional prints.

That said, I have a truck load of D&D terrain (including a full multi story layout of the Waterdeep tavern Trollskull Manor for my players) and a decent selection of minis that are more than acceptable quality once painted.

Also a number of functional prints in either PLA or ASA (ABS derivative that's easier to work with and UV resistant) that do things like holding fog or spot lights into two of my vehicles.

But then I see people buying off the shelf printers and printing intricate print in place models with tolerances I doubt I could achieve without weeks of fiddling.

It's certainly changed from pure tinker hobby to consumer level plug and play printing.

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#3385407 19-Jun-2025 09:29

Saw this DIY filament dryer pop up on my Kickstarter feed. Looks like a cool possibility if you're inclined to tinker a little bit:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/creative3dp/aerodry-20-fully-3d-printable-filament-dryer/creator

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#3385408 19-Jun-2025 09:41

mdf:

Saw this DIY filament dryer pop up on my Kickstarter feed. Looks like a cool possibility if you're inclined to tinker a little bit:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/creative3dp/aerodry-20-fully-3d-printable-filament-dryer/creator

Given my approach to filament drying has been to keep it in the ziplock bag with a packet of desiccant, this looks like a decent option for better filament management.

MotorDrive Rallying

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#3385459 19-Jun-2025 10:13

geoffwnz:

Reading through this makes me wonder if I should upgrade my now 6 year old Ender 3 to something newer. Back when it was released it was most definitely a tinkerer hobby. You spent the first 6 months printing parts to improve the printer itself.

Yes, but remember that with the newer printers they are all so well tuned to their hardware in the software driving it, that there is basically no more tinkering so you want to keep the ender 3 for when you want to screw around doing unconventional things.

Also bambu could decide one day that you don't get to print anymore and then you would have nothing. Your creality is a totally offline device so you are all good there. Bambu seem to be eager to go down the enshitification path with their recent decisions.

Richard rich.ms

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#3385460 19-Jun-2025 10:20

richms:

geoffwnz:

Reading through this makes me wonder if I should upgrade my now 6 year old Ender 3 to something newer. Back when it was released it was most definitely a tinkerer hobby. You spent the first 6 months printing parts to improve the printer itself.

Yes, but remember that with the newer printers they are all so well tuned to their hardware in the software driving it, that there is basically no more tinkering so you want to keep the ender 3 for when you want to screw around doing unconventional things.

Also bambu could decide one day that you don't get to print anymore and then you would have nothing. Your creality is a totally offline device so you are all good there. Bambu seem to be eager to go down the enshitification path with their recent decisions.

Yep, the comments in this thread about how enshrined in their own ecosystem Bambu is suggested that wouldn't be the best option for me. The Ender 3 will keep working so long as parts are maintained. Even OctoPrint will work without updates if they stop supporting it.

Design in whatever CAD you like (FreeCAD), slice in whatever slicer you like (Cura), send to OctoPrint, collect print (or spaghetti) some time later.

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Silvrav

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#3385601 19-Jun-2025 20:24

More practical prints. Im going to order some matt pla to play/test with. Petg definitely works well for practical pieces but its not the prettiest prints and to shiny.

Now starting one of those collapsible swords for my boys. 5 hour print time each.

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