We've got a new 3D printer!

[Ampera]

Gift from a relative this christmas, my family now owns a 3D printer. It's the XYZ Printing Da Vinci Jr. 1.0 Pro (rolls right off the tongue eh?).

Anyways, I've been having a good amount of fun with it. Having watched a fair few tech channels I new some of what I was getting into.

So here's some pictures! I don't have any of the machine a bit further back yet, but I may post some if people want it.

https://gyazo.com/58ce03b9890d0de243bd9e2761080ae1

The first thing I decided to print was the logo for my favourite Linux distribution (who wouldn't?)

https://gyazo.com/97b89dc40749746827792ef4fab605d0

It came out alright, the only issue probably being the corners being a bit to small for no defects to form. I have also seen that some corners like to pull up off the working space while printing (you can sort of see that in the picture at the bottom left and right of the triangle) but I think this may just be due to the PLA contracting a bit.

Afterwards, it was time for the next obvious thing. Quick note, both of these things came off thingaverse:

https://gyazo.com/5908b30e87db4e9ed165608b8b5e8906

Print time is pretty good. It took about 30 minutes for the arch linux logo, and about 90 minutes for the big plastic Pi.

Some details about the printer, and some difficulties:

First off, this printer advertises it can only print using PLA and tough PLA. Is this because of extruder temperature not being able to get high enough, or is it for another reason? Could I in theory ignore the warning and just print using ABS? Whenever I print the head seems to go up to about 200c, but this is adjustable (not sure how much higher though).

Second off, the printer includes a special tape in large square pads that's supposed to be used as a printing surface. It's rubbish. Every time I tried to print using it the print would just fall off before the first layer even finished, and screw up the entire print. In the pictures you can see I am using green (pretty much the same as blue) painters tape. We only had that tape available, but the relative who bought us the printer stated that some of the reviewers had that issue and that was a good fix. I do remember seeing the exact same thing at a makerspace near me, so I guess that's something.

The software options are confusing. The printer cannot directly take .STL files through SD card, which I guess makes sense seeing as they are only 3D models and have not been sliced or configured for a 3D printer. While this doesn't seem like an issue, if you DO want to use an STL model, which is what most things off thingaverse are, you have to use the proprietary XYZMaker software, which I wouldn't think is uncommon at all for 3D printers.

The big issue comes when there are apparently two different versions. The one off the website, which is just called XYZMaker, and the one that comes on the SD card, which is called XYZMaker Pro. The difference? Absolutely NOTHING except for the fact that the "pro" version has support for my specific printer. There also seems to be nobody having the same problem, as I thought to not use the included software and just download it from the manufacturers website. I guess the practices of computer building don't apply here. 

Besides that? It works beautifully. Once I got it all set up and calibrated, it went like clockwork, only creating very very minor defects that could normally be cut or filed off without any real degradation to the end product unless you look closely. For being what it is, and the price it came at, a few hours of messing about with attaching a computer and trying to print over USB is not all that bad of a time to pay.

We have already ordered three kilograms of PLA spools. It does seem to have some sort of DRM with the spools, being chips and such inside there, but it says that it can use third party spools. Any extra info might be nice, but I haven't looked into it yet.

Lots of fun here, and lots of potential. Small plastic parts gone missing may no longer be a problem for us, provided we can warp our heads around CAD software. Being in college, I do have access, for personal educational use, to almost all of Autodesk's software, including 123D not available anymore, and AutoCAD.

[Bicurico]

123d is now called TinkerCAD.
Same thing, different name.

Regards,
Vitor

[PartialDischarge]

First off, this printer advertises it can only print using PLA and tough PLA. Is this because of extruder temperature not being able to get high enough, or is it for another reason?

Its because it doesn't have a hotbed. But PLA is more than enough, no need for the bad smell of ABS.

You should also get a flexible material, I use filaflex, which is amazingly strong, flexible and chemically resistant, though the printing settings are tricky.

[Ampera]

123d is now called TinkerCAD.
Same thing, different name.

Regards,
Vitor

I used Fusion 360, and it worked pretty well.

[Rerouter]

For the print bed. Get some "scotch brand, edgelock 50mm blue painters tape" and a stick of UHU glue. The yellow casing one, not the colour changing one.

You lay the tape on as neatly as you can to minimise any gaps or overlapping seams. Then go over it very lightly with the UHU glue. Once done manually go over it with a finger just to smooth it as best you can. You only need a very thin layer.

Using this method I reguarly get 50+ prints before having to change the tape. The tape binds well to most metals and plastics. Where the coating allows the glue to bond preferentially to the tape. If you wait for it to dry before printing it will stick to the part but not so much that its impossible to get off.

Also printing the lowest layer slightly thicker and about half your normal print speed lets it really bite on.

[Ampera]

For the print bed. Get some "scotch brand, edgelock 50mm blue painters tape" and a stick of UHU glue. The yellow casing one, not the colour changing one.

You lay the tape on as neatly as you can to minimise any gaps or overlapping seams. Then go over it very lightly with the UHU glue. Once done manually go over it with a finger just to smooth it as best you can. You only need a very thin layer.

Using this method I reguarly get 50+ prints before having to change the tape. The tape binds well to most metals and plastics. Where the coating allows the glue to bond preferentially to the tape. If you wait for it to dry before printing it will stick to the part but not so much that its impossible to get off.

Also printing the lowest layer slightly thicker and about half your normal print speed lets it really bite on.

Thanks for the suggestion!

Once my frogtape runs out I do plan to get some wider tape, but I am hesitant to fix what isn't broken. The frogtape is working fine for me at the moment, and it's sticking well, but not to the point where I can't easily get it up with a metal spatula.