Welcome to 3D Printing 101 - say hi before May 7
Hey everyone, Jacob here. Glad you're signed up. Week 1 we're covering how the printer actually builds a part layer by layer, then leveling the bed together so your first print doesn't come out looking like melted candle wax (mine did, it's still on my shelf as a reminder). Before we meet, introduce yourself and tell us why you signed up. I always like knowing what people are hoping to make first.
posting before I lose the thought Kelton, AF here. hoping to print a diaper caddy for my sister if I can pull it off
Kelton, that's a great first project better than most people's first idea. Diaper caddies are basically a box with dividers, which is exactly what we build in week 2 once you've got your bed leveled. Measure your actual diapers and wipes before you model anything, don't trust the package dimensions, they lie. Bring the measurements May 14 and we'll figure out wall thickness together.
Landon here, Ameriacn Fork. wanting to make some workbench trays for the garage, first test print came out looking like candle wax lol
Bed leveling gets easier once you feel it click, lol. Takes a bit but you'll get it, for sure 👍 ~boyd
Landon lol i felt this so hard, my bed leveling attempt looked like candle wax too..... like actual melted candle wax not filament haha the first layer stuff is what got me into researching nozzle temps in the first place, spent like 2 hours down a youtube rabbit hole on PLA vs PETG temps and and now i kinda wanna try PETG next to see if its as annoying as people say did you end up fixing yours tho? curious what it ended up being
Landon, good target project, workbench trays are basically drawer organizers with taller walls, same skills. Bed leveling clicks once you do it slow with a piece of paper under the nozzle at all four corners plus the center, don't rush the corners. We'll do it together May 7 before anyone prints. Bring your workbench measurements too, real ones, tape measure not guesswork.
So Jacob, the paper trick at all 5 points... got it, writing that down before May 7 lol 🙂 (side note, why does May always fly by so fast for me, feels like April started and now im already scrambling to fit stuff in before summer hits, anyway)
So Isaiah, same. someone needs to make a candle wax club shirt lol
I'd wear it. my shipwreck boat has earned its shelf spot more than half my "successful" prints. Get your paper and tape measure ready for May 7, we'll keep the club membership low this round.
Hi everyone! got my first ugly print sitting on the shelf, cant bring myself to toss it lol ~boyd
boyd, the shelf spot is basically tradition at this point lol.
Ha, sounds like your shelf and mine could compare notes. That first ugly print is basically a diagnostic tool once you know what to look for, warped corners, stringy bits, that half-melted look all point back to bed leveling or temp. Keep it displayed proudly. May 7 we'll get everybody's bed trued up so the next one actually looks like what you designed. See you then.
Jacob thats why I signed up even though ive already got a printer running in the garage lol. taught myself the hard way and never actually learned bed leveling theory kept fiddling with it till it worked somehow. ready to actually understand the why this time around 👍 Thanks!
hi braxton, heck yes lol.
Braxton same energy.
Braxton, that "turn the knobs till it feels right" method is basically how I ran mine for a month too. Once you get the why, you'll fix problems in seconds instead of guessing.
So week 1 down and i still havent even turned mine on at home lol... its judging me from the shelf :)🙂
True
isaiah, mine did that too before class 👍 ~boyd 🤙 lol
That's basically every printer's origin story, mine included between the botched vase mode and figuring out bed leveling. Dust means it's waiting, not broken. Before May 21, pull it out and check if the bed's still level, that's usually the whole reason things stall out. What made you buy it in the first place? Curious what you were hoping to make when it was new and exciting.
Weston here... making brackets, not candles lol
Weston, ha, respect the goal. Brackets are a great first real project, way more satisfying than another test boat. I've got a garage bracket mount I printed that's held up fine so far. Bring measurements Thursday and we'll get your bed leveled before you print anything.
brian here. these slicing settings are already kicking my butt lol
Ha brian, felt that.
Brian, slicing settings will test anyone's patience, that's fair. We're covering that exact frustration this week. Rotation and orientation fix half of it, we'll walk through it Thursday.
The paper trick at all 5 points never worked for me. Did it on my last printer for months, still got warping on the corners. What fixed it was just cranking the bed temp up a few degrees and cleaning the plate with alcohol between prints. Not saying don't try it, just don't be surprised if it's not the fix people make it out to be Thanks!
late reply but wanted to close the loop since we're done now. bed temp thing jefferson mentioned actually saved my last two prints, way more than the paper trick ever did. gonna miss thursdays honestly, kinda became my week's structure. hoping jacob runs a fall session, i've got a bracket idea still sitting in my head unmade
Brian, glad the bed temp trick pulled through for you, Jefferson's tip earned its keep this round. six weeks went fast. i'll miss the Thursday rhythm too, honestly. keep that bracket idea written down somewhere so it's ready. fingers crossed on a fall session, no promises yet
late to this whole thread but yes on fall session jacob. six thursdays wasn't enough, still feels unfinished over here.
Jenna, that's the nicest kind of complaint to get. six Thursdays does go fast, mine to honestly. my printer's still running most nights at home, currently on a mount for something Madison lost again. nothing confirmed on fall yet, but I hear you and Brian both. if it happens, I'll post it here first