Printing bits for your printer

[BobL]

Amongst the first things I printed with my printer was "stuff for the printer". This included upper and lower filament guides, a knurled handle for the Z-axis, camera bracket, and filament roll holder.

For these extras/upgrades I used PLA and now that I'm printing often with ASA, which requires a heated chamber (~50ºC), this has led to the problem that from about 45ºC onwards, PLA will over time soften and creep.

This affected the filament guides and the filament roll holder which consists of a bracket and roll, end capped with roller blade bearings, which allows the filament to spool off the roll smoothly

The bracket and roll were initially printed in PLA but after about a dozen ASA prints a couple of months back, they warped under the heated chamber conditions and the bracket drooped and a near full filament roll fell off and landed on the printer bed but fortunately did no damage to the printer, but it did stuff up the print job.

In the photo below you can see the warpage on the roll. Sorry no photo of the warped bracket as I've chucked the old bracket out.

You can also see the replacement I made for it - an all Al bracket and roll.

Filroll1.jpg

Here's what it looks like with filament on it.
Filroll2.jpg

The charcoal filter in behind the roll uses brackets of PETG which seem to be holding up OK at 50ºC.

[disco stu]

Sounds like me and the metal lathe-I'm so glad I bought a metal lathe, how else would I make parts for my metal lathe without my metal lathe.

How have you found ASA compared to abs? I've just got some glass fibre abs, seems a bit stiffer but layer adhesion is worse. Waiting on a new thermistor so I can run hotter (after recompiling firmware, wish me luck). Hoping that helps a bit

[BobL]

Sounds like me and the metal lathe-I'm so glad I bought a metal lathe, how else would I make parts for my metal lathe without my metal lathe.

How have you found ASA compared to abs? I've just got some glass fibre abs, seems a bit stiffer but layer adhesion is worse. Waiting on a new thermistor so I can run hotter (after recompiling firmware, wish me luck). Hoping that helps a bit

Even though I have a recirculating charcoal filter inside my printer chamber I haven't printed much with ABS because it stinks so much. From what I have printed the ASA is just as strong as ABS and doesnt warp quite as much but that could have been due to a lack of experience printing ABS.

Is you new thermistor for your printer head or the bed?

[kafie1980]

After learning about PETG about 10 years ago I completely stopped ABS. Back then enclosures were not massive on the home gamer scene.

For ABS I remember first starting with a very large cardboard box over the entire printer and a cut out on one side for a door and a few PC cooling fans to regulate temperature using a 12V w1209 digital temperature controller from evilbay.

That enclosure was later upgraded to a double stacked IKEA lack table enclosure but I never completed it because by then PETG was working really well for me and I stopped using ABS.

These days I am on my 5 years old Creality Ender 5 and I have not enclosed it yet. I probably never will.

The best solution I found for printing any filaments that warp is not to use any filaments that warp

Apart from PLA and PETG, I also do TPU. TPU on a bowden extruder setup is slightly challenging but its super useful for printing rubber like flexible grommets, dampeners, mounts etc.

[BobL]

If I printed with only PETG I would be ok with that but whenever I print with something else and the go back to PETG it takes me some getting used to again. Unlike PLA and AS where I can get a good print after a straight swap. I also don't like the way PETG generates more stringy bits when I print it plus I never seem to quite get quite as good a finish as with PLA or ASA.

My heated chamber is an Al SHS extrusion framed box clad with 1mm thick Polycarbonate, black core flute coated with aluminised mylar space blanket and it works really well but I am concerned at how long electronics can last at continuous 50ºC

Details here https://metalworkforums.com/f319/t20...ter-enclosures

[kafie1980]

I have read your heated chamber thread in the past. A lot of thoughts you put into that build.

I love aluminium extrusions apart from the price that I have not found a cheap local source. I just order them online when needed but avoid them if I can.

Your concern about the electronics is valid but ideally the only that need to be inside the build chamber should just be stepper motors and the extruder stuff.

The control boards and power supply should be relocated externally.

I have had the printer in the past skip steps on a crazy hot 40+ degree day in Adelaide.

The stringing with PETG is a hard one to fix but can be minimized by increasing the retraction if using a bowden setup.

Pursa used to make all its printed parts for Prusa printers from PETG printed on a Prusa printer (farm). That says a few things: they probably researched it to be a usable filament materials on a production printer, and they dialed it in really well on their direct drive extruder setup.

[disco stu]

My enclosure is just a cut up quilt cover stapled to the shelf above the printer, down to cardboard that is basically a skirt around the printer above the electronics so I didn't have to move them.

I had nothing but issues with 2 different types of PETG. brittle issues were very bad. I've had much better luck with abs to be honest

Just got an order from siddament. Cheap filament, and some bed adhesive that works incredibly well.

Got my new thermistor and heater today. It's for the hot end. I'll get it fitted up and try doing the firmware

[kafie1980]

I use eSun filaments for PETG and PLA. TPU is Saintsmart.

I buy eSun filaments from a local shop 3d Printworx (West Croydon SA on Port road). Same prices compared to what I see online, and is local. Its a one man shop, the its a great conversation every time I go there. He has never tried to sell me anything and gives me his honest feedback as he tests everything he stocks.

Print surface has always been a glass surface for me.

Initially I started with glass salvaged from an old printer that I cut to size. But had a minor incident and broke it.

I then replaced it with the Creality glass bed. Let me tell you that the glass bed they sell is not a common piece of borosilicate glass. It has a textured surface and only releases a print once it cools down.

I once printed a large part in PETG on it and boy was it stuck onto it. I could lift the entire printer with the print stuck to the glass bed.

I don’t use any adhesive but on some long 12+ hour prints in PLA, I use some UHU glue sticks for additional insurance against the base warping.

PETG doesn’t warp for me. But I need to ensure I get the first layer perfect. After that I can put it to 175% feed rate and the print is still perfect.

Just sharing my experience on my setup.

[pippin88]

If I printed with only PETG I would be ok with that but whenever I print with something else and the go back to PETG it takes me some getting used to again. Unlike PLA and AS where I can get a good print after a straight swap. I also don't like the way PETG generates more stringy bits when I print it plus I never seem to quite get quite as good a finish as with PLA or ASA.

My heated chamber is an Al SHS extrusion framed box clad with 1mm thick Polycarbonate, black core flute coated with aluminised mylar space blanket and it works really well but I am concerned at how long electronics can last at continuous 50ºC

Details here https://metalworkforums.com/f319/t20...ter-enclosures

Are you drying your filament?

Good results with PETG really need dry filament

[BobL]

Are you drying your filament?

Good results with PETG really need dry filament

Yes I store the filament in a vacuum sealed bag with desiccant and give it a burst in a food dehydrator at around 40ºC for half a day before use.