Sunday 16 January 2011

What has changed?

I have finally got back to 3d printing after 2 years - changing jobs (new school) new qualifications (sailing instructor) and life with two teenagers and a wife.

When I was last printing there was 1 major issue extruder jamming which drove me crazy and I could not get a consistent fix despite following others ideas so this time I have bought a makerbot extruder and hot end and I am having no problems at all. The key I am sure is the Teflon tube inside the barrel, I have now run my machine for 20 hours with no jams at all.(Not definitive proof but a good indication)

The other differences I have noticed from 2 years ago are:-

Kapon tape

What great stuff it sticks all manner of hot things together.

Heated beds
These seem all the rage so I built one using nichrome wire a glass heatproof mat and power it from a car battery charger with no heat control. It works OK ish but I now need to control the temperature and make the temperature spread more evenly so I will probably move to the power resistor and metal solution that others use. I have tried the blue tape to get a bond to the bed with little success (using ABS) and kapon tape (with little success) and have resorted back to evostick and this works OK.

Suppliers

Obtaining parts is much easier now with EBAY and many small suppliers setting up.


I am currently printing a mendel as I believe having two machines is vital so that when one breaks down you can make bits for the old one and it would be nice to have a standard machine to compare my work to.

Good to be back
Andy