What is a 3d printer and how does it work A 3d printer is a printer that can print with an extruder in 3d rather than just 2d. So complex, impossible to machine structures can be created. Most use some form of plastic, biodegradable or not. They print in layers with a file created from…
Setting up your 3d printer is similar to printing that test page with a new printer… Setting up a temperature tower in Cura and printing it will tell you a lot about the filament and your machine… Once you have printed a few of these with various filaments then you may not need to print…
You slice the model you really, really want to print… You look at the time and see 21h 11min…no way…. And you will need to leave your printer on all the time… And you are going out today…. Do i…..Dare i…. Let’s find out how long you can run your 3d printer for…. Is it…
You have had your 3d printer a while now and printed off a few models from Thingiverse and Yeggi, maybe even some miniatures… But there are things that you want to print that there are no models for…what now… This is where 3d cad comes into play…Atom3d is one of those programs that once you…
There have been a lot of questions about 3d printer slicer software, so i thought i would put pen to paper ( so to speak) and answer half a dozen of the top ones…there will be more to come… Do i need a slicer for 3d printing You need a slicer for 3d printing because…
This bowden extruder mod can be carried out to any extruder which it is difficult to insert the filament into… It just happens that i have a Geeetech a10T – so i have three to do…lucky me… Why the mod- well…when trying to insert the filament at the rear of the printer it never was…
At the start of your printing journey you may be overwhelmed with every thing you need to do to get a good print… This guide will go through the essential settings a beginner must be aware of when using their slicer… But first we need to see where it fits in the workflow… Where does…
I know the excitement you feel when you get your 3d printer. That ‘ I want to print the fire dragon and it will be perfect’ thought…. I don’t want to put a dampener on it, but if you don’t get to know your printer you will be putting it in the corner or worse…
Whether you like it or not with the 3d print process you need to incorporate slicer software within your workflow… You need a 3d slicer within your 3d print workflow because you need to translate your cad model to data that your 3d printer can understand. The 3d printer is a dumb machine and needs…
You have bought a 3d printer…brilliant… It’s a kit, so you put it together carefully… You want it to be perfect… Ok…so all built…. Now testing the various parts… Plug it in, switch it on with eyes closed…. No bang …phew!…. Navigate to the motion menu… Go through all the end stops, all ok Stepper…
A reader has Kindly generated an article to help you with your CTC printer problems. I will let you read it in his words…. by Ray J, Hereford, UK. At the start Purchased a the CTC printer through Amazon, and arrived within 3 days. First impressions It is a very cost effective 3d printer, possibly…
A lot of people look at the small volume of the desktop 3d printers and dream of designing a huge machine. What limits the size of a 3d printer: mechanical components , complexity and costs are the three main limitations for the size of a 3d printer. In theory there are no limits to the size…
When you load your Gcode into your printer, it will carry out exactly the commands it is told. Are the default ones the best for your printer… Why customize the start g-code: Your 3d printer will do exactly what G-codes you tell it to do. So with a bit of careful programming you can optimize…
Do you want a smooth bottom to your prints, whether they are PLA or ABS or TPU. Well it is worth finding out how to apply Kapton tape tape to your print bed to achieve this. Applying kapton tape to your 3d printer bed: Using a high temperature covering on your bed to allow your prints…
I have now been operating 3d printers for a few years and have got used to creating models – or downloading- slicing and printing. But have recently become more and more frustrated with the Cura interface – so started looking elsewhere. Knowing that Prusa did their own slicer – originally a slic3r variant (which i…
Believe it or not your 3d printer is a dumb machine. It needs to be told exactly what to do and when to create those wonderful models you require from it. So how does your 3d printer know what to print: The file you create with your slicer tells the 3d printer exactly what to do…
Filament problems with your 3d printer – find out what causes them and how to fix them. It’s always the case – the print that matters – you have setup the printer and made sure everything is working – you go to print and even the perimeters are not printing -now what….. The filament is…
What is 3d printing workflow How do you get from the concept to something in your hand with an fdm printer…. What is 3d printing workflow: 3d printing workflow is the method of taking a concept of what you want and turning it into a finished model that does what it is intended to do. Let’s…
So you bought yourself a 3d printer …. It’s sitting on the table over there looking at you… Waiting to be used…. Now you have browsed through thingiverse ( if its up) or Yeggi to find a 3d model you really like. Downloaded it – seen the proof that it prints online…. So you give…
Think it is difficult printing with the Anet A8 and TPU? Read this article to the end to find out my hints and tips Ok so you have bought an Anet A8 3d printer. You have downloaded some models from Thingiverse or other sites. These have been hit or miss, but more hit than miss….
This article is how to find out whether your Anet A8 hotend has been assembled correctly. Common Problems with the Anet A8 hotend There are three main problems associated with the hotend which will be dealt with in this article. Filament leaking from the top of the heat block Filament leaking from the bottom of…
Having had my anet a8 for over a year now I am getting quite used to it. I am just going through a mod for adding an e3d v6 all metal hotend clone, with interesting results, but that’s another story. One of the main things I with my anet a8 at the start was bed…
Which Free 3d Printing Modeling Software is Right for You? Once you have owned a 3d printer for a few months and got to know it. Downloading the latest part off Thingiverse or youmagine gets limiting, you want to explore what you can do with your printer. So you start think ‘what 3d printing modeling…
One of the most frequently asked questions on the forums is how do I silence that Anet A8 fan noise? Well this article will explore the options you have. Which Anet A8 fan is installed? You have two fans which can be installed when building. Most people ditch the extruder cooling fan or modify…
Anet A8 mods are an ongoing process, here is another one to add to your printer. This time it is something you may have not seen before: Adding an auxilliary socket to the Anet A8 I bought my Anet A8 a couple of years ago and built it up. Having played with it for a…
Make your Ramps 1 4 connections safe for upgrading your Anet A8 3d printer. Ramps 1 4 connections upgrade The ramps 1.4 board combined with the mega2560 is a common upgrade when the main board blows up on your Anet a8 3d printer. It is not that you cannot get the original boards , but…
My Anet A8 bed mosfet has blown up – what now? I have been asked about this question about the anet a8 bed mosfet a few times now. So my advice was to add an external mosfet and use the output of the controller to switch it on and off. Thanks to GearBest my order…
Update to SB1 : replacing your bearings, Igus Bearings A while ago I wrote a post about replacing your bearings. SB1 In that post I had bought a set of bearings from China, they turned out to be very poor quality. Even just running them up and down the rod I could feel that they…
Happy new year to you all. Prior to the Christmas break I was printing with my Anet A8 3d printer. I had the slicer vase mode set– if you haven’t tried it you must. Vase mode produces, in some slicers, a continuous spiral – no steps in layers and only one shell thick no infill….
Service Bulletin 1 (SB1) This service bulletin details how to check and perform Anet A8 bearing replacement on the X and Y axis. What are the symptoms which require Anet A8 bearing replacement After you have bought your 3d printer and used it a fair bit you may notice a few strange noises. Where the…
What a digital multimeter can tell you. You know that time when your printer went wrong and you sat there looking at it? You were frustrated because you knew it was not mechanical, there was something wrong with the electrics or electronics. Someone on a forum said – ‘ Have you checked the voltage…
How to make your own heat block cover – don’t let the cooling fan spoil your prints What Anet A8 mods have you done? All FFF 3d printers use a similar technology, the heatblock. This is the way they get the filament from the standard 1.75mm or 3mm down to the 0.4mm to create your…
3d print journal 01-12-17 : bed screws binding A tale of woe about the dilema to drill out the base bed screw threads or not, and what a lucky chap I am, how I overcame the problem and what you should do if you haven’t got to this stage yet. And how I initially level…
More Anet A8 problems Printing on the Anet A8 last night I heard a thump from upstairs, where the printer is located. Going upstairs, I found a pen on the floor – obviously not liking the vibrations of the printer. Thinking that was it I went back to what I was doing. Later I checked…
What Anet A8 upgrades have you done? Buying a 3d printer is exciting. Putting together an Anet A8 can be frustrating but rewarding. Printing with it is brilliant. But one problem is that you cannot see what you are printing! Philrestoreb3dp.stan-tech.com
A lot of people are interested in the Anet A8 upgrades, especially the mosfet mod for the heated bed. The reason for this is a lot of misinformation out on the web about the mosfet on the main board being too small and causing fires. If you really want to carry out this mod then…
Anet A8 3d printer – A fire hazard out of the box? There has been a lot of talk on the internet about the Anet A8 problems. I disagree that it is in itself dangerous. The Anet A8 printer has sold in its thousands and is continuing to sell. There will always be problems selling…
Adding a mains socket to the anet a8 power supply The anet a8 is powered from the mains. The supplied kit has a mains lead which is connected to the anet a8 power supply directly. To switch on and off the printer involves pulling the plug. If the printer starts going wrong and you need…
The Anet A8 is a cost effective introductory printer into the 3d printing world. As a build it yourself model, it is up to you how you modify it. The standard build is good and will teach you a lot about 3d printing. But it can be improved on easily and cheaply. Philrestoreb3dp.stan-tech.com
Testing the cooling nozzles on an anet a8 Are you happy with your prints from your 3d printer? Could your cooling nozzles on your 3d printer be part of the problem? Check out what it is for and how it does what it does. Philrestoreb3dp.stan-tech.com
Why would you need a UPS for a 3d printer? Why do you need a UPS for a 3d printer? Let me describe the scenario… You have spent a lot of time on your 3d printer, adding this and that mod, improving the quality and repeatability of your prints. So now you can slice a…
All about a 3d print nozzle What is your 3d print nozzle? How do you specify your 3d print nozzle? What is it made of and why? Why are there different nozzle shapes? What nozzle size should i use? How to change your nozzle My nozzle is leaking why How to tell if your nozzle…
This Anet A8 3d printer review has been done after buying and building it, this is my third printer build – first a prusa clone, second a renren3d delta printer and this one. The 3d printing market is starting to hot up now (Aug 17). The introduction by XYZ printing of a full colour 3d…
Smooth PLA prints – how to achieve them Have you ever wondered how to smooth PLA prints – if so read on… You have invested money into your printer, and time if you have built it yourself. You have got to know how it works and are happy that you can download and print within…
Are you a destroyer or a detective? You know what it is like when you have 3d print problems. You come back to the printer after waiting 12 hours only to find this heap of spaghetti. ARGHHH!!!!! You rip it off the printer and throw it into the corner – where it bounces back and…
So you have bought yourself a 3d printer- excellent, now- where to place your 3d printer for the best results. With the helpful hints in this post you can be sure that if you follow them you will get the best results from your 3d printer. Philrestoreb3dp.stan-tech.com
Build your own 3d printer kit – part 4 – programming So you want to build your own 3d printer kit, so did I – I bought the Renren3d LE kit. If you have been following along you will have a built a printer and be waiting for it to work. Just as a recap….
A little while ago a friend had a problem of the build platform heating up when printer first switched on. He asked why? Make sure you are not seeing residual heat from the last print. Leave the printer on for a couple of minutes and watch for a temperature rise on the heated bed before…
You switch on your printer and load up the model you want to print. You press the button to start your printer creating the latest masterpiece. And ….. on the lcd is the error message MAXTEMP error Nothing is happening. You switch it off and back on – just in case, with a sinking feeling…
Ok so you have built your printer and set it up. You try and print on your delta , and it sticks in the centre but nowhere else – so what do you do now? You read this delta printer calibration guide about calibrating the z axis to find out how to get your nozzle…
