Hellllo Wanting to get started need tips

Hello so i am about to start my commitment on a pursa i3 I was convinced by Jeff Keegan cool dude. I am first going to buy the electronics so I wont procrastinate on the project. I am here to ask what are your thoughts on which controller/electronics i should get for the printer? I am looking currently at the Smoothie-board and Ramps1.4. I am kinda budget restrained(Funds from web/dev work).

Any input/tips would be great and appreciated, I cant wait to start this amazing hobby.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/28/2015 06:05PM by Jarva.

I suggest you take a look at the instructable link in my signature, below. It will help you become more aware of what you are getting into, before you get into it.

One example: don't use the typical 4-corner print bed "leveling" scheme used in that design. It doesn't work.

I'd go with a smoothieboard or other 32 bit controller instead of arduino/ramps. You're going to rapidly outgrow the performance of the printer and want to rebuild or build a new machine that works better, and having more capable electronics on hand will save having to buy that part a second time.

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Ultra MegaMax Dominator 3D printer: [drmrehorst.blogspot.com]

If this is your first printer, you might just consider going with a kit to start. Most Prusa i3 variants are around $300 USD, though you do get what you pay for such as Chinese cloned RAMPS boards. While it is only an 8-bit board, it is still enough for driving most printers. While the future is in 32 bit boards, only delta printers really benefit from the extra processing and memory right now.

The benefit of a kit is you should get everything you need to get your printer together and operational without constantly waiting for overseas shipping because you forgot a cable or ordered the wrong size rod. Again though, for $300 to get what you pay for and some companies offer better kits, instructions, and/or support than others.

If you do want to order your components separately though, and are dead set on a 32-bit board, you are likely better off with a Duet Board. The v0.6 board was available from Replikeo for $50 and supports a single hotend for a prusa. The recently released v0.85 from T3DP (?) is at least twice as much, though it supports dual hotends and you will be supporting the designers of the board.

The 32-bit boards have other advantages too, in particular a built-in SD card socket, a native USB port (which can avoid issues with the PC not supplying data to the printer fast enough), and software-controlled stepper motor currents (which for an electronics novice is a big help). I use 32-bit Duet boards, which provide a good web interface as well as those features.

I have seen several reports of QA issues with the low-cost Replikeo Duet recently, so I can't really recommend it until they will improve their QA. Meanwhile, it is safer (but more expensive) to buy a Duet from Think3DPrint3D or RepRapPro.

I haven't used Smoothieboard. Its support for delta printers appears less advanced then the Duet [full disclosure: I implemented Delta support for the Duet] and it has a less advanced web interface and much slower file upload speed. But it appears to be a well-made board, is popular (especially in North America), and has distributors both in the USA and Europe.

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Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].

i'm just a newbie at it, but the smoothie board is now in use, a lot of user applicasions are very easy to grasp, some a little cloudy..i found the web sight forum useless to me, but they do answer other peoples so its worth a try lol.

first and utmost...you've got to set up by the book, measured filoment ect...i pissed about in the bigging trying to rush it, yes i learnt some things but its far easier doing it propperly the first time, you can count out so many options being the main advantage.
next is only change one thing at a time in the slicer or the board software, else your never sure which one did it... after that its find what combo's help out, so far i'm seeing its never just one thing, well lol usualy...lol as in theres no hard n fast rule, if you find one then cherish it.

next buy rolls in two's, everytime you get your foot in the door you'll run out and have to wait to order a roll..very very anoying.

when you get your board up n running i'd keep a log of the settings and outcomes, it's help.

next is... always checkout what your advised, theyre trying to help but you have to go through it to learn it to get your instinct going.

get spare belts, tips and nozzles..a spare heater and a couple thermisters at the ready...throats throat liners etc etc,the learning curve is rather ruthless for making you wait yet another week to get something. tip size is a funny one, i've tried 0.3 0.5 and 0.8 so far and all is not what it seems lol!! eeeeee.


regaurding cheep chinese mk1 boards..hmmm 4 rolls of kilo and mine died.. but was a pig in a poke to start with, long story short cheep derby ware house that actualy rhymed with 'we send from china derby empty' on every subsequent comunicassion....blah blah blah etc etc..i beleive the saying goes 'theyre ok if they work'

beyond that..i dont really know what else to advise, the leval bed is a vital, it can show up at like 20 layers up and youll piss about ferkin your good settings up till it dawns on you..dohhhhhh bed leval.

uhu stick on pla is a doooozy nice one, painters tape works well, very well on the illuminous pla, but..getting it off isnt always fun, let the thing go cold! the uhu stick glue just lets go when its cold, holds like a bugger when its hot (60 degrees is working out to be a comman factor for the bed and uhu).

good luck.. get some valium lmao...

edit..after thought.. when get the settings sussed, and things start a seemlesly ending problem after problem, strip the heater end down clean or replace the nozzle...regaurding the throtes with a straight thread, theres one end open, one with a bezal, the bezal end does NOT got the nozzele, on three ocotions on the trot i had an ok print for 2 or three then the endless problems started,seems the plastic gets in the bezal end some how and causes back presure,low presure, the extruder starts clunking away randomly etc etc etc. the liner wont come out or burn at narmal temperates..its wedged in by the nozzle, the nozzle tighens onto the throte in the heater block.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/2015 08:33PM by munchit1.

Ah thanks for the tips. I am currently looking into the duet board.

Many thanks.

I am back so I decided to support Josef Prusa so i purchased a kit off his website. For now i decided to stick with the included RAMBo board untill there is more of a reason to switch to a 32 Bit board or if the board burns out :p and everything else included seems good enough (e3d hot end,RAMBo,etc).

I'll definitely post a unboxing video and build vlog.

Ill post on this thread when i received the kit.

Thanks to everyone that gave me advice.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/07/2015 06:26PM by Jarva.

i'd get a pad, and right down everything as you go, i didnt but wish i had now.

e.g. problem..cause.. etc.

it can turn into a curcular chaise yu tail and after a while yu may forget little bits...that puts you back into the curcula chaise yu tail till you figure that bit out, ageeen...

good luck..

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/2015 12:07PM by munchit1.