Perfect First Layer Podcast

This Episode's Questions:

It seems to me that the 3D printer market is going to split into two types; the enclosed ecosystem (Apple) and the open source type (Android). Companies like Bambu want the enclosed ecosystem to build appliances that maximize profit potential. I'm OK with that because there is good value to consumers for products that “just work” and you guys clearly like your P1P's and P1S's. My only problem with that is the loss of privacy and control to Bambu's network. It's a no-go for me and like Nathan, I work offline and I will never own a machine that requires online access to operate. I got the impression there is a way around that but Bambu makes it difficult. Could you expand on what workarounds there are for people like me who don't want to drink the Koolaid? James

Hello! New listener, and first time writer. I have an Ender 3, an Ender 3 v2, and a friends CR-10 smart.  I was wondering what your recommendations would be to upgrade one of the Enders to print either TPU, or ABS/ASA. I could go either direction really! Love the show! Leo

I heard a guy asking about building. Voron and you guys recommend he go with bambu. But he can go with troodon which is a pre built voron. I provided a link. Brad

And Nathan dispels some 3D Printing superstitions

This Episodes Questions:

 I want to make this printer as safe as possible but it will require a lot of power.  AC powered heat beds are getting more and more common but every video I watch on the topic makes a point to talk about SSRs failing with the power on (closed circuit?) even when talking about high quality and over-spec SSRs.  A thermal fuse will prevent a melted bed but then I still have a potentially dangerous situation with 120v AC power.  I am very well aware of the recent A1 recall and don't want to turn this into a bambu discussion.  I think we can all agree they shouldn't have put an AC powered heater on a bed slinger and call it a day 
Peter
 
 .STL files are ubiquitous, but are there better alternatives such as .3MF? What are the pros and cons of different file formats?
Also, do you have any recommendations for export settings when exporting a 3D file from a CAD program.
Thanks!
Austin

Hi Guys,
I enjoy listening to your show here in the UK in my workshop. 3D printing started as a much loved hobby and has now turned into a big part of my small business 3d printing light fittings.
Anyway, I'm currently running a bunch of Ultimaker 2's and looking to to upgrade.
I print pretty much everything with 1mm - 1.5mm walls and a 0.5mm layer height, lots of spiralize/vase mode. Id love to hear your opinions on which printers can print wide walls and big layer heights with good cooling to speed my production up. I found that the matchless nozzles from 3D solex helped btw. Its definitely time to ditch the old UM2's though (I'm not considering Ultimakers, they're now hugely overpriced IMHO). I'm not after huge build volume either. Bamboo is a no for me due to IP worries.
Thanks and keep up the good work!
Jamie Norris Green - Leeds - UK

This Episodes Questions:

Hey guys, so, I wanted some advice. I've been looking to get a Bambu Lab printer but I'm wondering if it's worth the jump from the P1S to the X1C. For me, I run a small print farm for a vendor fair/craft show business. I print primarily PLA, PETG, and TPU but I enjoy enclosed printers so the P1P and A1 are out of the picture for me. I've watched review after review and some people love the P1S, some don't, especially because of the screen and the camera. Is the camera that bad and is the screen that big of a headache? Do I spend the extra money for a better camera, LiDar, hardened steel extruder/nozzle, and touchscreen? Or am I better off buying a P1S and saving myself money? Braden

For the “Pro-sumer” and light industrial users the possibility of using more technical plastic materials, metals and continuous carbon fiber filament is very exciting and I'm looking forward to the inevitable trickle down effect from the more serious users like aerospace and automotive manufacturing. I would love to see more content in that direction but are any of you guys particularly interested in those higher capability machines or do you prefer to stay strictly in the hobby arena? Also, which of the more advanced 3D printing technologies do you think will be most likely to be affordable to the average consumer first? James

Hi guys,
I am currently running an E5S1 and E3v2.  I have a potential customer that requires the product to be temp stable in a hot vehicle and am torn between:
- Qidi smart3
- Qidi Xmax3 Plus
- Prusa mini in enclosure
- Bambu P1S
- Ratrig V-Minion
- Crealiy K1
- Voron v0
I am currently spending 30min or so getting my print chamber to 45c with the E5S1 in the tent enclosure thingy.  Any recommendations?  Is a small Ratrig or Voron farm a good idea?? Jeremiah

This Episodes Questions:

Hey guys, so, I wanted some advice. I've been looking to get a Bambu Lab printer but I'm wondering if it's worth the jump from the P1S to the X1C. For me, I run a small print farm for a vendor fair/craft show business. I print primarily PLA, PETG, and TPU but I enjoy enclosed printers so the P1P and A1 are out of the picture for me. I've watched review after review and some people love the P1S, some don't, especially because of the screen and the camera. Is the camera that bad and is the screen that big of a headache? Do I spend the extra money for a better camera, LiDar, hardened steel extruder/nozzle, and touchscreen? Or am I better off buying a P1S and saving myself money? Braden

For the “Pro-sumer” and light industrial users the possibility of using more technical plastic materials, metals and continuous carbon fiber filament is very exciting and I'm looking forward to the inevitable trickle down effect from the more serious users like aerospace and automotive manufacturing. I would love to see more content in that direction but are any of you guys particularly interested in those higher capability machines or do you prefer to stay strictly in the hobby arena? Also, which of the more advanced 3D printing technologies do you think will be most likely to be affordable to the average consumer first? James

Hi guys,
I am currently running an E5S1 and E3v2.  I have a potential customer that requires the product to be temp stable in a hot vehicle and am torn between:
- Qidi smart3
- Qidi Xmax3 Plus
- Prusa mini in enclosure
- Bambu P1S
- Ratrig V-Minion
- Crealiy K1
- Voron v0
I am currently spending 30min or so getting my print chamber to 45c with the E5S1 in the tent enclosure thingy.  Any recommendations?  Is a small Ratrig or Voron farm a good idea?? Jeremiah

This Episodes Questions:

I would be interested to hear you guys discuss safety with respect to fumes and plastic particles. I'm planning to park my EV3SE on a tall cabinet close to a large bathroom vent fan but I can already see the attraction of an enclosed CoreXY machine for better capture and control of fumes and particles. James

I recently found your podcast, which has quickly become one of my go-to pods when commuting to and from work.
My question is more of an observation of sorts. Whenever I print with darker PLA, I have noticed more stringing than lighter colors. I use the same brand for my PLA and I use the same material profile for all colors.
I only change things like the number of walls, top/bottom layers, or infill according to the item I am printing at the time. My temperatures for the bed and hotend never change.
I do not have very much stringing but it is more noticeable when I print in black or a darker color.
I would like to know if this has been your experience or if it just might be my brand's formulation of darker colors causing the stringing.
Is it practical to change the hotend temp per color?
Thanks in advance for any insight. Keep up the great content! Vann

This Episodes Questions:

I really like the deep dives you guys do on the individual components and systems that make up a printer. It seems to me that hot ends seem to be the 3D printer-specific components that are advancing the quickest. Do you agree? If not then what is? James

Hi guys,I'm from Tulsa, OK.I love the podcast! I love how you all approach things from a little different angle. It makes for a fun and engaging podcast.When having any kind of shop, organization makes a huge difference with productivity and sanity. I was wondering if you all have any experience with creating wall storage specifically. The most popular completely 3d printed options I've seen are thread boards and the honeycomb wall. There is also the ability to buy a normal peg board and print attachments. I'd love to have something durable with the most amount of options for mounting. What route would you guys take? -Jeremy Philo

This Episodes Questions:

Hey guys, I just bought a Mosaic Palette 3 pro, it works great and I’m making lots of thing with it; I’ve been seeing people printing color lithophanes with Bambu printers I and I want to print my own with my palette, is it possible to make them with palette? And if yes, how?
Thanks guys, Altair

For best print quality, and by quality I mean dimensional accuracy, surface finish and structurally sound parts, can the print speed simply be slowed down? I get that speed sells and there are legitimate reasons to do a print quickly, but for me and most of what I want to do the print quality comes first. If the parts do not have adequate quality then the tool will be of limited use. Are there any other techniques or “weird tricks” I can use to get the best print quality out of my EV3SE
Thanks, James

I personally favour the open source design approach for customization, price competition, long support-ability and maintain-ability. Which companies do you think will be the ones to keep that philosophy in the future?
Thanks, James

Guy, JJ and Nathan discuss what has happened in 2023 and some predictions of what could be coming in 2024.

This Episodes Questions:

Hey guys,
First of all, thanks so much for the podcast. I really enjoy the banter and the in-depth analysis you guys offer. With MMU's being so popular and with Bambu Lab's intro into the market with the AMS, I was immediately intrigued at the ability to hit a button and generate a multi-color print. However, in looking into it, I noticed the waste it was producing and just can't bring myself to pull the trigger on one and contribute to that waste pile. I'm curious if you guys had any thoughts on how you would design an "AMS-like" unit that would be able to turn out a multi-color print all while producing minimal to no waste. Or is just something that is unavoidable?
Thanks again for the great content!
Josh

I have read a little bit online about various methods of post-processing of plastic prints to improve strength, toughness and reduce voids. I understand there is a way use a type of salt that is packed tightly around a print to maintain it's shape and then the print is annealed at high heat. Have guys tried this and if so what was your experience? To me it sounds like a great idea, but like most things the devil is likely in the details.
James

I'd like to include some threads on some printed parts so I can connect them using bolts. When I try to print my parts, the threads are not clean enough to use. I design them .01 proud to leave room for the bolt. I'm printing them with the bolt going through the Z-axis, but the results aren't great. Any suggestions or reference to sources to get this figured out?
Paul

This Episodes Questions:

Hello Guy, Nathan, and JJ, I might be interested in purchasing a 3d printer before the end of 2023. I have some experience with printers, but still kinda a beginner with them. I have previously owned a Bambu lab P1P and a Creality Ender 3 v2. If I wanted to purchase another printer this year, what are some great options $700 or less($700 before tax, so including Bambu p1s). If I do get one, I think I might want to get an enclosed one. There are a lot of options, such as, the K1, Qidi x plus 3, Flashforge Adventurer 5m pro, and Bambu lab p1s. If there are any others that are good options, please let me know. This is a long message, but any help with giving me confidence in a potential purchase is appreciated. I think for me personally, it might be between the p1s and the Flashforge Adventurer 5m pro, but let me know what you guys think. Thank you, much appreciated :)
E. Morgan

Hey everyone! I hope ya'll are doing well! I have a quick question for you, Guy. I want to get into CNC machines, except I need to know which to get. It does need to be a cheap budget one, as I'm primarily using it to cut acrylic and thinner wood pieces. In the future, I wouldn't mind cutting bigger pieces. Any advice would help! Thank you!
Luis

Send Us Your Questions! [email protected]

No new questions this week from the audience! So we have a great discussion about Nathan attending Formnext, The Bambu A1 Mini, Prusa and Bambu marketing styles and future of 3D Printers. Send us your questions! [email protected] 

This Episodes Questions:

Hello Guy, JJ, and Nathan,
I was wondering if you could discuss the idea that the 3d printing "hobby" has come full circle from the early days of the Stratasys machines to the current crop of machines from BambuLab, Creality, Qidi, Flashforge and the myriad other manufacturers that aren't making "Open Source" machines. Also what are you thoughts about keeping some parts closed while open sourcing other parts, i.e. BambuLab Slicer VS their firmware. I know Guy couldn't give a crap, as long as it prints, but what effect do you think this "partial Open Source-ing" will have on the hobby long term? I mean no one cares that their microwave isn't open source, so does it even matter?
Thanks for the podcast and your opinions.
-John D Strand

Howdy howdy! First off, love the show, thank you for the awesome content. So I'm semi new to printing, semi tech literate, very mechanically inclined, just as a back story haha. Anyway I have an e3v2, been upgrading it a bit and I am at the inevitable crossroads of hotends. I believe y'all have touched on some but I haven't seen a complete episode on them ( or at least titled as such, sorry still catching up on all of them ).  So here are my parameters, e3v2, converted to direct drive, cr touch ( with no reservations on moving it ) and I would like to print hot materials. Sorry for the long winded letter but any help or perspectives would be great! Thank you in advance.
Justin

Hi guys,
Thanks for such a great podcast!My 2 part question is this, I have an old Qidi Xplus that I modded with the icarus 2 mod from Printables. I absolutely love it. However, recently, I needed to change the heartbreak. I am using a Phaetus Dragon standard flow with an Orbitor 2 extruder.
   I somehow managed to damage the 4 tiny posts that go into the dragon.  I have ordered replacements from numerous places online like Ali Express and Triangle Labs. For some weird reason, I have been having issues with receiving these after ordering multiple times. Other items arrive, just not these stupid posts. So I was wondering if you knew of a hack I could use to replace them with?  Such a strange design in my opinion.   Any advice is appreciated.  I now understand why Nathan threw one of these Qidi printers in the trash.
If you have time to answer this, I would also like to put a better main board in this machine. Any suggestions? 
Cheers and thank you in advance!
Jesse from Burbank,CA.

This Episodes Questions:

Another dedicated aussie listener, hey guys, thanks for a great podcast. My question is, I recently purchased a K1 Max, not many issues except hot end blockages 3 in as many weeks, it’s even causing under extrusion and have to disassemble the hot end to clear it out, thing is it seems to line the inside just above the nozzle which seems impossible to clear, any advice would be much appreciated, is it me the way I’m changing filament or is it an issue with the printer? Thanks in advance Roy

My question is about the new K1 firmware hack provided by crealitys outlet on giithub, is it worth the risk? I’ve been doing the yards in checking and researching, but cannot other than maybe a couple of issues from people on Reddit I have around 3 years experience in 3d printing so have some knowledge thanks to your podcast, great listening Roy

Hi.
I have an Ender 3 V2 Neo, and the bed is in very bad condition and the prints are not sticking well, while i wait for a new bed i want to ask, can i use lacquer on my bed (I don’t know which type is it)?
Thanks, Noa

Other than a great discussion on the new Bambu Labs A1, here are this episodes questions:

Based on a previous question you guys helped with, company I am consulting with purchased a Bambu X1 Carbon.  We are successfully producing salable nylon/carbon fiber parts for ultra light canoes.   Very happy with our purchase.
So - next question.  Thinking of second printer.  What are the gains you would get in the $1500 to $2500 range.  Is it speed, robustness or reliability?  The X1 checked all the boxes with good build, easy to learn slicer and reliable prints so far.  Just trying to understand why we would make the next jump up, and if it is really necessary.
Thanks for all the info - it has been invaluable so far!
Gary Ratajczak

Hi guys,
Hope you are all well.
My question would be: do you guys have any tips for printing larger prints for a bed slinger dimensions 220x220x250? I have an Anycubic Kobra 2. I intend to print helmets which are generally a lot larger than my print bed dimensions. And What are your thoughts on SLA printing?
Thank you all for this great podcast!
Kind Regards,
Carson, Southampton, UK (place where Titanic set sail if it helps haha)

Hello all! Since you all have one of those fancy new Enders, is that the X-Motor on the back of the gantry? I keep wondering in all the reviews I see. Any thoughts on why they moved it to the back? What's the belt path look like?
Thanks Guy(s)! ha ha! Love the podcast!
JohnDStrand

This Episodes Questions and Comment:

From: Michael Banicki  
Listening to your last episode I heard you talking about the labor intensive art of creating profiles for different slicers for different printers and materials. One thing I have found is that many of your 3D model websites like printables will also have downloads for different slicers and materials and printers on them as well. Such as you can search for k1 Max profile on printables and many different things come up. Thought this may be a helpful suggestion for yourselves, or other listeners that may be new to setting up custom profiles and slicers and needed a little bit of help.

Hey Guy, JJ, and Nathan.

I am at that stage in my life that I have a printer I no longer need/want. It's an Ender 3 Pro, with some mods and upgrades. There's an organization, locally, that I can donate it to so that it will hopefully help someone else get hooked on the hobby.
My only reservation is that it was my FIRST PRINTER, I don't have any sentimental attachment to it now... I think... but wanted see if you've ever had any regrets about gifting, selling, getting rid of a printer.Thanks a lot, 
Jon LaRue, Kirkwood MO. 

From: Carter
Subject: Analysis Paralysis - I've got it bad

Message Body:
Hey guys, listening from Canada (sorry for all the smoke), I love the podcast and have learned quite a bit from your deep dives. Keep up the good work! Nathans humor and total lack of give a f**k makes my sides hurt.
I was hoping you could point me in the right direction for my situation. I am trying really hard to ignore the hype built up around these next gen printer speeds, but I think there is some merit to them. On one hand I'm not sure I'd gain anything as fast part cooling typically = weaker parts. On the other, rapidly printing prototypes would speed up workflow.
I am printer shopping and stuck in analysis paralysis. I currently have a highly modified Ender 3v2 (Dragonflt BMS, fans, Jyers firmware)  and have gotten it dialed into the point where I can click send to printer and walk away. I now need something to print ABS,ASA and maybe CF nylon for functional prints so having a built in filter is a huge plus.  High speed PLA or PETG would be a bonus but not absolutely necessary. I also don't have an immediate need for a bigger build surface but maybe not a bad idea to get for the future.
 My current choices are as follows:
Budget ~$1500cnd + or - $300
- Another Ender 3v2 (or 2 or 3) on sale $289 + mods will cost $500cnd total with a custom filtered enclosure. Sticking with what I know is appealing to keep the workflow the same but maybe not the most reliable choice for making functional parts even if its in an enclosure. It's also outdated so I'm  not sure that's a good use of my money. They also take up a lot of space.
- An Ender 3v3se + an enclosed Prusa Mk3s+ (fast printer + a workhorse)
- Bambulabs P1S - $900 + $80 hardened parts for CF
- Creality K1/K1 Max - $700-$1250
- 1 or 2 Prusa mk3S+ - $879 ($450-700 used with an enclosure.)
- Prusa Mk4 $1400 + enclosure too expensive for what it is?
- Any other suggestions? I am not apposed to buying 2 printers, so long as it fits within the budget.
I am inclined to lean toward a K1 Max because I feel like once the source code is released retrofitting parts would be much easier and the community will embrace it more. Probably not to the same extent as the E3v2, but the ability to fix any deficiencies with the machine long term would be nice.
Sorry for the length, please feel free to cut this down to save recording time. Thanks for all that you guys do to keep us nerds entertained on long drives and at work.

This weeks listeners questions:

Hey guys, love the podcast! Leveling - Spring, silicone spacers, wheel locks, use a piece of paper, use a feeler gauge, etc.... for those of us that don't have a BambuLab printer or some machine that auto-levels for you in that there are NO leveling wheels to adjust, what is your guys' step-by-step process for getting a good level? Set Z-height, manual level, auto level? Use a piece of paper to gauge height? Keep the springs or swap them out for silicone spacers? There are a lot of "recommendations" on the interwebs when it comes to this and I'd love your take on it.
Josh

My workplace has a Prusa Mk2.5s that we can use for personal projects. I recently printed a set of inserts for my router table plate. Getting their height extremely accurate is important, and I've found that the prusa is consistently printing thing about .003" thicker than designed. The ID of the holes in the center of the part is consistently.004" undersized. Is this level of accuracy acceptable for a printer like this? What kinda of things can I do tune it? Should I just account for it in my designs? Or am I being too damn picky?
Enjoying the podcast, keep it up.
P.S. Guy, if you've got any printers you want taken off your hands, you should reach out to me before your son! I'll trade you a knife Theo

Hi, im Altair and i love the 3d printing world and your podcasts is so usefull to me, but ill get to the point.
I have a Ender 3 V2 Neo, its great but im not im home a lot and i cant use i a lot, so, could you recomend me a tiny printer that i could move and take with me.
Thanks. Altair

This Episodes Questions:

Good Morning/afternoon/evening JJ, Nathan, and of course, Guy! I hope that you are all doing well and Nathan hasn't burned down down his studio yet. Love the podcast and all the content each of you are making. The different perspectives is really interesting to see and hear from you three.
My question is pretty simple. With all the hype about CoreXY machines lately, and people wanting to print faster, why are there not more Delta Printers on the market? Nathan, you can hold your tongue and let JJ or Guy respond and then let your venom spew forth. LOL! Also, can you please explain the reason CoreXZ even exists? Thanks for all you three do and I look forward to hearing the answer on the podcast.
John D Strand, yes the guy in the jesters hat at MRRF.

I purchased a Creasee Skywalker sometime ago but have not had the opportunity to use it until now.I have read that Creasee no longer exists. Can I replace the proprietary operating system with Marlin. Can you please point me toward a resource for some assistance.Thanks so much.
David

Hey, guys!! Absolutely love the show and watching your channels on YouTube. My question is I have a modded Ender 3 Pro and I've been struggling with these vertical lines on my prints along the Y axis. I've come to find this is a common issue among 3d printers and its referred to as Vertical Fine Artifacts (VFA). I haven't seen to of found any fix for this and have tried multiple things. Like belt tension, adjusting the wheels, replacing stepper motor and pulleys. I'm hoping you guys can shed some light on this and know of a possible fix. Or even maybe some tips that can reduce the appearance of them. Thanks guys!
Kyle

I listened to Brendons question about correct hole size and remembered when I had the same problem about last year when I started designing things for myself, I found a very useful little chart from littlemachineshop(.)com that is the first result if you google "little machine shop tap chart". The link at the top of the page has a PDF that has almost all the needed bore and drill sizes for whatever type of hole is needed based on fastener size, in standard and metric.
Making holes in Fusion360 also includes the option of choosing the type of fastener and then choosing between a tapped or clearance hole, and a lot of other useful options (depth, counterbore, countersunk, etc.). 
I don't know if I am required to ask a question, so if I am here it is: I'm thinking about selling some of my models as kits and as STLs. What would the best platform for that me? Etsy? Cults? Squarespace?
Thanks for your time,
Chris Feeney

This Episodes Questions:

Hey guys, I'm a hobbyist and new to 3d printing. I have the budget right now for the P1P w/ AMS and would be able to save a bit for the X1C w/ AMS. I'm really debating between the 2 as I primarily print only PLA & PETG, and don't really see myself needing an enclosure for some of the other filamen types. I'm interested in multi-material printing, speed, and not having to worry about leveling. I'd love to save some money by getting the P1P w/ AMS, but don't know if it's worth it to have the LiDar and some of the other bells & whistles that the X1-Carbon offers. Would love your input, thanks!
Josh 

One thing I’ve always struggled with when designing new parts and fixtures is getting tolerances right, whether it be for a loose, sliding fit; push fit, or even creating a hole that a screw will go into and cut its own threads. Is there a general formula for sizing based off of the type of fit?
Brendon

Filament temps - When I first started printing I finally learned the correct settings for the original spool of PLA that I got. I got a new spool of PLA from a different company and just left the temp settings the same thinking it'd get the same result and I can't get anything to stick. How do you guys go about finding the optimal temperature settings for a new spool?
Thanks for the great podcast!
Josh

Another question I was thinking about that I would love to hear your opinions about is bed adhesion, Glue Stick vs a Brim. Slicers are starting to default to autobrim, which I think is really weird.

This Episodes Questions:

I have saved up enough money to buy a $200 3d printer. Can you give me a list of pros and cons of each printer and 3d printing in general?

John 

Hey Guy, 

    I'm working on starting a 3d printing business. I have only 1 3d printer, an ender 3 v2. This was my first 3d printer and I learned a lot in The past 2 years on this 3d printer and I want something different but I do not know what is the best 2nd printer. I hate watching videos and people dont really care about how their print quality looks, so it makes it hard to chose my next printer when there are only a few people on youtube who care about the quality of their prints. Im looking for something with great print quality. What do you, jj and nathan recommend?

P.s. 

Love the show. You guys are doing a great job.

Aaron

hi everyone from Ozzy land

I have a Creality CR10S pro V2 and it hasn't been too bad for a first printer (mind you its creality)  has any of you used this particular machine?  there isn't many reviews on it.  and the other thing is how do you know when to change the heater cartridge? (outside of just not working) because my machine seems to be sensitive to the part blower blowing on it.  and its still a stock machine.

Thank you for the great podcast been learning plenty off it

Jason

This episodes questions:

With the new addition of podcasts to youtube music, do you guys have any plans of uploading podcasts to that platform on a separate channel?
 
Shortandstumpy

A month ago one of the capacitors on the mainboard exploded. It stunk quite bad but the whole 3D-Printer still works. I did use it for a long time but I didn´t do any upgrades or changes on it. Can I still use it?
Love your podcast!

David

So I'm relatively new to the 3D printing community and I've been able to acquire a few printers from an auction site here in Vegas where 3D printers go extremely cheap. An Ender 3 S1, Flashforge Adventurer 3 Pro and Phrozen Mighty 8K resin printer. I've also been lucky enough to find an original stock Prusa i3 MK2 for $100 through the Marketplace. If you were to choose between the MK2 and S1 which would you choose and why?

Linus

something that JJ mentioned in this episode was power outages (whilst printing a helmet for example)… I don’t really understand when/who needs an uninterrupted power supply. These power outages that people talk about, are they momentary outages that cause print failures, or are they longer outages? I ask because I am about to buy my first 3d printer, and I’ve never owned any kind of battery-based power supply protection. Using my computer, I never notice any power outages other than the longer outage kind. So my question is, what kind of power outages are you referring to and are they common? I would guess the sort of very short power interruptions that commonly occur but most people never notice, are usually handled by capacitors for small electronics. But I’m supposing the power consumption of a 3d printer means the capacitors they have for the motor drivers are not specified to provide much power supply protection… please could you discuss the topic of power supply, the sorts of power outages that people can commonly expect, and who really needs to invest in power supply interruption solutions. Great podcast, thanks in advance. 

Tom

This Episodes Questions:

I'm planning to make an Iron man suit as a summer project, inspired by Frankly built, and I'm not sure what slicer has better support material, Cura or Prusaslicer.  Almost every print will need to have supports, so this is important.

Calvin Selin

Hello Guy, JJ, and Nathan,

I have a question about wiring as a result of adding dual 5015 fans to my Ender 3 monstrosity.

I like using crimps vs soldering and would like to add a second fan for part cooling, but it's been 20 years since tech school so my memory is fuzzy on best practices. 

How do I wire the second 5015 fan? Can I run 2 positive wires into 1 side of the crimp and a single positive wire back to the motherboard, and then the same with the negative side? 

I plan on using quick connects closer to the print head for ease of maintenance later. The slicing of the wires is planned be further away from the print head so there's less movement on the splice/combination of wires. 

Thanks for your help.

Jon LaRue

Hi, Recently upgraded to cr-10 smart pro I can get solid prints unless I use the front right side of the printer. I have leveled several times manual and automatic; still no luck. Any suggestions in what I should do?

Alex

Hey guys been listening for awhile and just listening to the recent episode and had some good recommendations. You seem to have about the sidewinder X2 and it's a good printer but I have had issues with it and had to move to klipper. Do you guys have the problem? The problem seems to be with Pausing and resuming prints (so can't do color changes) and if you'd lose power you can't resume. Thanks in advance.

Brad

Hi guys, it’s wayne again from the the Uk, just wondering what your thoughts was on idex machines, was thinking of getting the Sovol sv04, keep up the great show 👍

Wayne

Hi everyone,

I hope y'all are doing well! I started listening to the podcast a couple weeks ago and I'm loving it! I love hearing the advice y'all give to everyone about their printers. I actually had a question of my own. Nathan, I've seen every video you've made for the S1. I was wondering if there were any upgrades/mods you'd add to it now with the recent release of products in 2023 i.e Sonicpad, BTT Pad 7, and main boards?

Luis

Had a tech issue here at PFL, and was only able to restore about half the podcast. Sorry! We still are puiblishing what we have and it's a really great conversation for it's length. Thanks so much for listening!

This Episodes Listener Questions:

Hello guys,

I'm a listener from the Netherlands. I really enjoy your podcast, so keep up the good work! 🙂

As a wannabe printer owner I'm in search for a printer that fits my needs. What I'm looking for is:

- ease of use

- reliability

- print quality

- 350 euro/dollar max

I'd really hate to spend much time on the printer instead of printing so thats why reliability and ease of use is important for me.

In that regard, I thought a second hand Prusa mk3s+ would be the best choice, but those sell for around 500 euro where I live. Meaning I have to save a bit longer.

Another option is to buy a cheaper, new printer, like the Sovol SV06, which fits my budget. This printer seems to tick all the boxes of what would normally be upgraded on cheaper machines. I wonder what your opinion is. Would you recommend either of these or maybe something else?

Kind regards,

Matroosoft

ive been printing as far back as the Anet A8, AKA the firestarter, and i have numerous build plates, PEI, Builttak, glass, and textured PEI, even carbon fibre, gives great finish, ive never had a problem with adhesion, never had to use glue or hairspray, Just wondered what you guys goto print surface is, ps only just found the podcast, great show guys.

Wayne

This episodes questions:

Jacob 

With the recent debacle between Bambu and Prusa. I was wondering about Bambu patents. As far as I am aware a patent is only enforceable if it was an original thought. The only two things I can even think Bambu has added to the knowledge the community had is the “LIDAR” and the more precise carbon rods. Everything else about the printer has been done like purge bucket, Multi material, Linear advance and pressure advance. I was wonder your guys thoughts on really how much could Bambu patient? I can’t see much damage being done “LIDAR” kinda sucks and is not needed and there are other ways to cut weight like the Ultra light 2020.

Love the podcast gives me some knowledge and entertainment at work.

Gary  Ratajczak 

Helping family friends that own a canoe company get started in 3D Printing for some accessories and prototyping - I have no experience accept for Fusion 360.  Getting overwhelmed with all the info.  They are looking for an enclosed unit, without the need for a lot of tweaking.  First project is printing a higher strength carbon filament.  Not interested in units that are not yet on the market, and ones without support as this will be used for some light production.  Do you guys have some tips to get me started. I hear Prusa the most, but it does not look like they have an enclosed unit.  I have watched many videos, but don't know what I don't know.  I understand nothing is perfect, but just looking to get them off to a good solid start while we learn and ramp up. New listener - enjoying greatly!!

Stephen Shankles

Hey guys, JJ's brother Stephen here. I've been enjoying the podcast, keep up the good work.

I've got a small 3d printer JJ gave me about a year ago and it's been great fun making small things and toys for the kids, but I've been struggling to find many truly useful projects to make with it.  I'm a professional furniture maker and run my own wood shop, and I'm sure there are ways a 3d printer can be used in that context.  Can you guys tell me what your favorite uses for 3d printing are?  Things that are better or more useful for having been printed.

This Episodes Listener Questions:

From Hurz:
How does Guy feel about wood filled filament?

From Derek:
Hello from Tasmania! Really enjoying the 3D printing podcast after consuming most of the woodshop life podcasts. I also started in woodworking and have branched out to 3D printing after getting a second hand Creality CR6-SE about a year ago.
My question: can you talk about your preferred method for storing filament and keeping it dry. Also is there a shelf life for filaments or if stored properly could they be used indefinitely?
Second question: pros and cons of having an enclosure. I print with PETG or PLA+. I mainly make jigs and accessories for the workshop (eg TIG tungsten grinder, right angle sanding jig for festool sander, drill bit holders etc). Is there any advantage for me to make an acrylic enclosure for my printer? Would i get any improvements in terms of print quality? My house is climate controlled and has very stable temp and humidity levels.Possible question 3: Have you ever had a 3D printer malfunction or catch fire (worst case scenario) with extended or overnight use. Just wondering how well these machines might stand up to a longer period of use. I sometimes might have to leave the house when there's a lengthy print happening but sometimes worry about what could happen when left unattended. Given there are electrics plus heat in combination, any tips on safety and fire risk?
Thanks!

From Brent:
Hello love the show I'm currently at a loss I have been 3d printing for a year now and have had several solid prints on ender 5 pro. We ended up having a large storm and it still worked after words but with issues I've fixed almost all of them by upgrading and replacing certain parts but my current issue is that the walls of my prints are separated not layer lines but looking down at the walls they are separated when they where one before and I have asked many 3d printing groups and they only send me to same websites that haven't been able to help any ideas I'm ready to burn this printer to the ground thank you sorry for the length of this message

Here are this weeks listener questions:

Hurz

Hello Guy(s),

how is it that Prusaslicer is so awesome in regard to multimaterial painting and so bad at handling IDEX in general? When using an oozeshield the temperature management is poor i.e. the next extruder reheat is not predicted so it takes a lot of time because isn't done while the other head is still printing. Also the retraction settings for a tool change are broken for 2 years now, hell back then I didn't even have a printer. Cura on the other hand handles the machine very nice but has no painting option.

What Slicer does JJ prefer for IDEX?

Jon

Hey Guy, JJ, and Nathan,

I read the other day, "He who has 2 3D printers, has 1 operational 3D printer". I am looking at getting a second printer, I was impressed with y'all's (sorry for "y'all's"  I am from Missouri) videos on the Ender 3 S1/S1 Pro, Ender 5 S1, and Artillery Sidewinder X2. I will be using it to print replacement parts for an Ender 3 Pro I intend to mod. Any opinions on what to buy? I want the ability to print fast as well as print with high quality via slow speeds. I am gravitating towards the Ender 5 S1. Though Artillery is coming out with a CoreXY in the near future that could be cool too.

Sorry if this sort of question are out of bounds. Loving the Podcast.

Here are the Questions for this weeks podcast:

Lawrence from Toronto

   I have an ender 5 with the extruder set up with a bowden tube. If I change over to direct drive, what are the immediate benefits to me? Can I go faster? Does it print better? And if i do upgrade, can you recommend an all in one unit? Or should I go the DIY route and use the parts that I have and print out a new tool head? I know, too many questions. Thanks for the great podcast!

Justin

I want to add automatic bed leveling to my printer which is an Ender 3. There are so many options! Can you guys discuss the different types of bed level sensors and which is the most accurate and the best value?

Todays Questions:

Jim From Nashville

Hey guys! I am wanting to build a voron 2.4 from a Fysetc kit, and I have always questioned that the printed parts need to be ABS. If I am not going to use an enclosure or print ABS, do I need to print the parts in ABS? How about a general discussion of the 3 main types of filament (PLA, PETG and ABS)? I have an Ender 3 that is pretty modified, but I have never been able to print ABS successfully.

Aaron from Boston

I really want to print fast like Nathan! I have an Ender 3 S1 pro and I think one of the things that I am having trouble with is the parts cooling fan. It’s pretty small and seems to have trouble whenever I kick up the speed a notch in Marlin. How important is having powerful parts cooling fans? How about the different types of filament?

This episode was kind of a free for all conversation. It takes some great twists and turns and a lot of different subject are covered.

Remember we need your questions! Make sure to go to perfectfirstlayer.com and go to the submit page.  

Questions:

Hello! I have an Artillery Sidewinder X2 and would like to install Klipper on it to see if I can print faster. Since Klipper requires a Raspberry Pi, and it seems that they are too expensive, what are my options? There are so many different things to choose from and not sure which offers the best bang for the buck. 

Steven 

Hi Fellas, I am having a real problem with stringing. Whenever I print, I get these fine hairs all over the place. I did try changing the retraction settings in Cura, but it doesn't matter if I set it as high as 6 or as low as 1. I am printing mostly PLA on an Ender 5 Pro. Thanks for the great podcast!

Justin

We are here to answer and discuss your questions! Please go to our submit page at perfectfirstlayer.com and ask us anything 3D Printer related!

Here are the questions from our listeners this episode:

Hey guys. Just found your podcast and binged the first episodes and really enjoyed them! I do have a question for you. I am having an awful time with supports. I cringe every time I need to use them. I have a Biqu B1 printer and use Cura to slice with. No matter what I do, in the settings, they are hard to remove and end up leaving a lot of marks behind. Any tips you can give me? Thanks again for the great podcast, Jeremy from Oklahoma.

I have a question for you. I recently purchased an Elegoo Neptune 3 PLus and am really loving using it and 3d printing! I have tried  a couple large prints on it and am having issues with the models sticking to the bed while printing. It always seems to happen when the print is almost through a 20 hour + print and it gets ruined. I am using Matterhackers PLA and using the recommended settings for both the hot end and the heated bed. What am I missing? Steven.

First we tackle a question from Xavier in LA:

I really want to speed up my printing. I have an ender 3 v2 and it's still a stock printer. What are some good upgrades for me? What are the problems that can arise with the equipment as I speed things up? Do I need to replace the stock hot end and control board? I know, a lot of questions. I think that it would be cool if you guys could discuss this and help a newbie out.

This leads to a really good discussion of all the things to help increase your print speed. And JJ is getting a Bambu P1P! Nathan also recieved his, so he gives us some insight on the P1P.

The guys answer a question from Jim in St. Loius:

"I keep hearing about how great Klipper is. Unfortunately it seems when I try to learn about it, I am met with a long and complicated installation. And the Klipper website is even worse. Can you recommend a site or actually explain the process of installation? And do I really need it? I have an Ender 3 V2 and would like to delve more into the hobby, but it just seems like everyone over complicates the process."

Which of course leads to a side discussion of Bambu Lab printer, Marlin and Prusa

The guys discuss where they like to download ready made files, and then have a lengthy discussion abouot the different 3D modeling softwares that are available.

The guys discuss the state of 3D printers and the directions the manufacturers are taking regarding updates to the technology. Is it about innovation or just price?

Guy, Nathan and JJ discuss the wonderful world of slicers. The most relevent settings, how to "tune" them for your printer or filament and all kinds of very cool things.

The guys talk about what's best to upograde on a new printer, and what's best to just leave alone

In our very first episode, Guy, JJ and Nathan give a little background on themselves.