3D Printer yet?

[Brumby]

Speaking of which...

I was looking at getting a 0.4mm nozzle (only 0.2, 0.6, 0.8 supplied) but, as a newbie, I am yet to learn about the subtleties of various "standards" (if you can call them that).

The Micro Swiss stuff that came with my purchase makes reference to MK10.  To give me a head start on this topic - can anyone give me the executive summary on what nozzles I can use?

[Brumby]

Scratch that.

It only took me a couple of videos to pick up on the context of the term "MK10".  Then a quick check on eBay confirmed my understanding.


The journey continues.

[beanflying]

Buy a small pack of 0.4 nozzles as they do wear over time. 0.2 tried it once and put it away buy 0.6 and fatter layers for big prints I must give a go. 0.8 I doubt you could feed sufficient heat into the standard block heater to keep up.

[Brumby]

The two nozzles I have that are off the machine have a shoulder between the hex sides and the thread - but some of the nozzles I've seen on eBay under the MK10 description don't.  This seems to be the case for the really cheap nozzles (like 5 for $2) - but I'm feeling wary.

If the heater block has provision for this shoulder and I get nozzles without it, then there's going to be an air gap - and that's not going to transfer heat nearly as well.  Am I right in thinking this could cause me problems - and that I should make sure I get nozzles with the shoulder?

[beanflying]

These guys are in Sydney and are Micro Swiss agents. Nozzle pricing looks ok https://www.bilby3d.com.au/DispCat.asp?CatID=11&SubCatID=129 even against evilbay.

[Brumby]

A single 0.4mm brass MK10 nozzle from Bilby3D is $14.95 plus $12 delivery - but on eBay I can get 5 such nozzles and 2 cleaning tools from Hong Kong for $2.99 delivered.

There has to be a difference - but what is it?

[xrunner]

A single 0.4mm brass MK10 nozzle from Bilby3D is $14.95 plus $12 delivery - but on eBay I can get 5 such nozzles and 2 cleaning tools from Hong Kong for $2.99 delivered.

There has to be a difference - but what is it?

I bought a 10 pack of 0.4 mm nozzles from an Ebay seller a while back for around $5. I inspected them with a magnifier and saw no deficiencies. I'm printing with one now and no problems. 

[beanflying]

A single 0.4mm brass MK10 nozzle from Bilby3D is $14.95 plus $12 delivery - but on eBay I can get 5 such nozzles and 2 cleaning tools from Hong Kong for $2.99 delivered.

There has to be a difference - but what is it?

Nothing generally wrong with the cloned Micro Swiss nozzles by all accounts. The local option was just to get up and going. You will want to get the clones not just a generic 0.4 nozzle as the back end spacing is likely different so the break won't mate properly.

[Brumby]

Today's arrival.  I think I picked the right amount for the box.   



There's a whole lot of potential there ...

Joy or heartache ...?    Time will tell.

[Brumby]

I probably should have included a yellow.

Oh well, next time.



 

[xrunner]

I probably should have included a yellow.

Great and you know you can switch colors in the middle of a print? It's a little unnerving the first time when you've invested an hour in a print but it really works. 

[beanflying]

What no clear - that's another one you NEED 

[Brumby]

You two are a great help.


* Makes notes *

[CatalinaWOW]

Switching colors mid print has worked for me sometimes.  But has as often failed, either obviously and immediately or by leaving a weak layer connection that separates in use. 

[metrologist]

I discovered a very slight problem with my Ender3. The bottom X-axis (left to right) guide roller of the head seems to have developed a flat spot. I suspect that occurs because it gets parked in the exact same spot after every print and stays there until I print again, so it must have taken a slight set or detent. Since there are two top rollers, they do not have the problem. The y-axis probably did not have this issue because I always move the table to some random spot when removing the print. The symptom is a slight artifact (or line) along the print's y-axis. I have only noticed it when motion runs quickly past that detent.

Make sure you park your head/table in random spots or move them periodically if not printing for a while.

[tautech]

Defpom had to do his Ender bearings:

[xrunner]

Make sure you park your head/table in random spots or move them periodically if not printing for a while.

Yes I noticed that, what I do is hold the assembly and grab a wheel with my fingers when the machine is off, and force it to rotate a little every so often, to keep them from getting the same spots parked on.

[MyHeadHz]

Is that esun filament PLA+ or just regular PLA?  You may want to pick up some PLA+ in the future to test with as well.

I got a spare set of those wheels/bearings when I set mine up because one of mine was defective.  My original plan was just to get a replacement and a spare or two, but that led me down a rabbit hole.  There are various standardized quality versions for each size, so I ended up refitting mine with higher quality bearings all around.

[Brumby]

The Esun is ABS - in the "natural" colour.  Didn't go for PLA+ at this point - I thought the ABS and PETG in addition to all the PLA I got was enough to start out with.

I've started planning storage for filament and such... and I'm gonna need a bigger space.



Head long down the rabbit hole ... and I haven't even fired up the printer in anger yet.   

[beanflying]

The ABS is the one most affected by moisture. Generally I do try and minimise colours I have open but PLA bag in its bag just folded over with desiccant sachet seems to be fine even after a month or two. Sydney being more humid at times maybe grab some zip lock bags to keep the open rolls in with some additional desiccant sachets.

[MyHeadHz]

Yeah, moisture is a pain, and another rabbit hole.  In short, you can't trust packaging, even when sealed.  They often have a lot of moisture before they are sealed, regardless of brand.  You can print with a roll to test before printing, but I finally gave up with that and the desiccant methods.  The issue with desiccants is that they are only good at stopping additional moisture.  That is important, but once the moisture is there it is just there.  The only way to get it out is sticking the roll in an oven or food dehydrator at ~50c for 8-12 hours or so.  This is a preparation step before I print anything now, even though I keep home-made desiccant packs in the rolls in storage containers.

[beanflying]

I need to drill some fairly accurate (vertical) holes in some larger sheets so a pedestal drill won't get it done.

So I started looking at the bits to make a plunge base for my Makita cordless drill and decided this commercial base had all the basic bits I needed for less money. BUT it is not particularly stable and wobbles a bit and also the neck ring won't adapt to my Makita. So off to fusion to make a new neck ring and slides. Then decide the wobbly base needed to go so design a new base 

The new base is designed with just a 90 and 45 degree option which is likely all I need. The notch cut out in the base plate is designed to use with the 45 degree position and allow a 9mm offset to the notch for drilling and screwing in 17-19mm sheet goods on edge. The other option is using the 3mm lengthwise slot to make and insert jigs for similar offset drilling.

So it is 4 3D Prints and use the hardware from the commercial Drill stand. Cross the fingers and see how it goes

[Brumby]

Still soaking in all the info I can while I'm waiting for the paint on the bench top I've made to harden.  There will be 3 printers sitting on this bench - a colour laser MFC, an A3 inkjet and the Wanhao 3D printer.  (I don't want any instances of printer feet forming a bond with the paint that rips the paint off if the printer gets moved.)

What I did do was pick up some (cheap brass) MK10 nozzles that came with some cleaning tools.  They came today, but I'm not sure about the nozzles.  The I.D. looks too big when compared to the nozzles that came with the machine.

 
Newly acquired nozzles are on the right.

Comments...?

[xrunner]

What I did do was pick up some (cheap brass) MK10 nozzles that came with some cleaning tools.  They came today, but I'm not sure about the nozzles.  The I.D. looks too big when compared to the nozzles that came with the machine.

Don't look right to me either, all my spares are like the left one in the pic. 

[Monkeh]

You appear to have picked up nozzles for 3mm filament.