3d printers

[jenchris]

As of yesterday, there's still 3 of them at Aldi in Beenleigh.
$299

[sil]

worth it for the patient tinkerer, but these are not plug and play for beginners.

[bojan]

Well, 3D printing means tinkering.
Plug&play units could cost n*10k$...

[dannat]

quite a few at my local aldi -im now thinking there'll be some mark downs

[LewisM]

10 units at Aldi Majura Park ACT, and not selling any time soon by the look of it

[traveller]

Has anyone got a review on it?
Assume it's the $299 model?

[dannat]

Bo seems ot be a re-branded wanhao i3 mini duplicator, google reviews of it

[traveller]

thanks Daniel,
looks like a good unit with a good price.
Bo

[Shiraz]

just got one - thanks for the tip.
no idea of quality (reviews seem OK), but has to be worth a punt at $300.

edit: opened it up - it is this one https://cocoonproducts.com.au/
looks surprisingly solid and came with a complete set of bits and bobs - very impressed so far, but I guess the proof will be in the pudding when it tries to print something

[vinculumau]

Do you use UP! software for rendering the jobs to the 3D Printer?

[sil]

Just bought a Cetus 3d Extended Mk II 3D printer (US$399) arived in four days, goes together just fine. Its a very well engineered product with well machined metal rails. I also have a delta printer that came doa and never printed and the first Aldi printer which was temperamental to use and very difficult to maintain (high maintenance needed). The Cetus just bloody well works and maintaining will be easy and minimal, changing nozzles or removing to unclog (if it does) is dead easy and it comes with three nozzles sizes so theres no dodgy feeder to get jammed, or heat blocks and fans to remove to service like the Cocoon Create. For someone with only one working arm this is very easy. The Cetus on default settings has been printing around the clock all weekend just fine with my old cocoon filament (every Cetus owner says the same, its very tolerant of any brand of PLA filaments) the cocoon needed constant fine tuning to get its own filament printing and I never got it to print any other brand successfully. The Cetus is compact but solid , the plate is unheated but printing with raft everything I've done so far is perfect and easy to remove and easy to stick to its bed.

Calibration is easy via software instead of tiny hard to reach screws, there are no essential mods you need to do first it will work fine out of the box.That said its X arm doesnt lock to the vertical Z rail when power is off and being heavy can drop easily landing on the print bed with the end of the nozzle. Its something I knew from reading reviews and as I wasn't powering off it hasn't been any problem for me to place a piece of packing foam on the printer next to the bed to catch it anyway in case it fell (I'm designing an addon I can print to catch it too if I forget the foam). Really not a big deal, worst case you damage a nozzle, just unscrew and replace buying replacements is easy .

Print quality with its standard Normal setting and pre-installed 0.4mm nozzle its better than I could ever get from my Cocoon create even after months of tweaking and testing. I get a tiny bit of stringing so the default temp is a little high for the cocoon filament and I'll play with setting to fix that this week. Haven't used Simplify3D yet just the Cetus software. Btw this is a tethered printer doesn't have a card slot but its supposed to have wifi and ios app but i havent tried that out.

All in all this is what an entry level 3D printer should be, dead easy to use and more prints less waste. Was well worth getting and and I am so happy , way more than when I got my first cocoon which worked but only barely and needed constant care and attention. The Cetus may not look like much but when you feel the well machined and oils rails this just feels like something more at home in a machinists shop than something sitting on a milk crate on the loungeroom floor where mine is. I bought directly from the Cetus website, chose the Australian model and it came from an Aussie location , correct power supply etc.

I can't recommend this highly enough for anyone looking at getting a 3D printer. Hope I can say the same in 6 months time.

[ZeroID]

Some relatively cheap ($399NZ) 3D printers have appeared over here. Thought about buying one but to be honest not sure what I'd actually use it for. All very well for tinkering but in reality I'd like to be using it for something useful. All the Thingiverse stuff I've seen is cheap junk like phone covers and similar, nothing of any real use.
This is the beast in question btw.

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/duinotech-mini-3d-printer/p/TL4076?utm_source=TL4076&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=HCNZDec17

With a 90 x 90 x 90 print cube it seemed big enough to be useful but what for ? :question:

[sil]

where you see junk others see replacement parts manufacturers will charge and arm and a leg to sell you. I've been building 3D models for the CG industry since the late 80s so for me a 3D printer is a no brainer for DIYers. If you see no use then dont complain, dont buy one either its obviously not for you.

The cheap 3D printers (of which there are many) can be hit and miss if they even work at all and suit the purchasers purpose. Like buying a cheap garbage telescope can put people off the hobby completely so can buying an unreliable 3D printer. I was merely offering my opinion on one I think is well worth buying for those who want to get started.

[ZeroID]

Heck Sil, no argument, I'm not seeing junk and I'm not complaining. I'd quite like one to play with but still not sure what I'd specifically use it to make. The other factor is whether I'd be capable of learning the 3D modelling software enough to make real use of it.

I guess I'm being rather practical about it all. I have a Lathe\Mill downstairs and confess I haven't used it as much as I expected to. We have a serious colour printer ( Photo quality ) at home as well which gets minimal use. The parts I need making need to be very rigid so metal is normally the only answer

With a 90 x 90 x 90 work space and what looks to be quite a solid frame setup it looks to be capable of creating something useful but I can't think of anything specific to my requirements.
Hence my question, I was actually trying to justify buying one.

EDIT:
Bit of a rider here. I work at a company that sells serious 3D printers to jewellers, prototyping manufacturers etc and is expanding the business market in that area considerably with industrial quality units. Their idea of a cheap entry level 3D printer is about $5000 and they go up into the $100,000 bracket or more. So I am not unaware of their capabilities but also aware of the amount of work needed to turn out accurate and reliable components. I supply the big computers the designers need to do the design work so I know what is required.

[acropolite]

@Sil, thanks for the heads up on that, just ordered one.

[kittenshark]

We have the Prusa i3 Mk2, and upgraded it to multi-material. Just ordered the new version, the Mk3, and an upgrade kit for the Mk2 but won't be here until next year.

Very good printers but supply is a bit short. Worth the wait though.

[sil]

My Cetus has rarely been off, churning out faultless prints reliably. Exactly what my Cocoon never was. Finished the top half of the Falcon 9 rocket on it yesterday. Two rocket halves about 1.5 inch thick and 11in long is a challenge to print vertically as the wobble when it gets to the top can cause failures. My Cetus just continues to amaze me. Going to throw metal filament at it tonight :)

@Zero There are tons of great free options for modelling objects to print and cnc mill etc. I use TinkerCAD and Lightwave 3D (not free but I've been using for years), AutoDesk has a bunch of stuff "free" to "students and enthusiasts" so you can check them out anytime fore yourself, you dont get modelling software with 3D printers, usually you get a "slicer" program which takes your built 3D model and outputs the commands to control the printer to build it.

BTW the Cetus has print volume of 180mm x 180mm x 280mm (I got extended version which prints higher).

There's a lot of good reports about the Creality CR 10 3D printer too, very reliable etc. Can be had for around $500 too. So it looks like reliable quality prints are starting to become the norm at the low end, well around $500 mark, rather than just being a bunch of parts to tinker with we're approaching a consumer product that does what it says on the tin.

[LostInSp_ce]

The Cocoon's/Wanhao's are good for a start but you generally need to throw in a few extra $$$ and print off a couple of mods to get the best out of them. However once done, they are great workhorses. I got one back in May and it hasn't missed a beat. It was running 24/7 for two months when I first got it. Now it gets used about 2-3 times a week. Essential upgrades are the all metal hot end and snail fan with Diii cooler (improves speed, quality and consistency of prints). Other notable upgrades are a glass bed and thicker carriage plate (the original one warps too much).



I second that. The CR 10's look like a great buy. I probably would have gotten one because of the bigger build volume but at the time I got the Cocoon I didn't know much about printers and the CR-10's were still fairly new and hadn't really been put to the test. You're right 3D printers are improving and the prices are dropping fast.



Well said. They're not for everyone but if you use a little imagination you'll always find things to make. Today I made some replacement buttons for a friend's bike computer. Saved them from having to buy a new one which I'm told would be a couple of hundred dollars. Time it took to design was about 20 minutes. Total cost for materials was about 2 cents. So I charged them $100 just kidding. :P

I never thought I'd make toys or decorations with my printer. However when Halloween arrived I thought what a great opportunity to use the luminance filament I had laying around. So I made a whole heap of glow in the dark decorations and toys for the kids who Trick or Treated. I put them into the lolly bags that I gave them and they loved it. Glow in the dark bats, spiders, skeletons, witches, pumpkins and lots more.

If you like to make things, then they are a nice thing to have.

[ZeroID]

Hi Sil,
Been checking those out but I still don't see anything I'd want to print. My interest is in building new components for scopes , bikes etc. Most of the stuff I see is just another variation on a phone holder or some wee sculpted critter.
I need to get my head around using 3D design software to build eg Scope truss brackets or focuser components. I don't do model planes, rockets, robotics, drones or whatever so no desire to go there. I want stuff I can actually use and cannot be fabricated easily any other way. At present the Lathe\mill manages most of this.
But I'll keep looking and checking just to see if something changes my mind.. :P :D Must be a good reason somewhere. If and when then I'll be in like Flynn..

[sil]

zero

I agree most printables site are full of variations of useless crap, but there are really well designed models (not just good looking) out there and I'm learning heaps just from examining the models to see where they've used curves instead of sharp corners to provide a structurally stronger region that can take more strain. being able to basically prototype myself at home gives me a better appreciation for well engineered parts. It may not be too applicable to metal working but wood workers could benefit too as using a filament printer you are laying down in layers, get the temperature wrong and the layers dont stick together so well plus the layers themselves provide a weak plane for force vectors just like wood grain direction matters in structural constructions.

I'm yet to make good use of the printer for astronomy. I made a part that keeps my telephoto zoom lense at full extension as its prone to shorten itself from its weight when tilted upwards. I just started printing rubber filament yesterday and its great, I'm going to make a larger diameter focus wheel to fit over my existing one for a bit better focus control. You can print out bahtinov masks, mounting parts for lasers and finder scopes, clipon frames to add cooling fans and keep cables tidy etc.

Granted these can all be done other ways and mostly once done are there forever. Printed plastic is not really suitable for precision and load bearing that mounts can require. but even something silly like glow in the dark filament to make clip on bands to put on the bottom of your tripod legs is a simple and useful thing you can easily knock out. Its up to your imagination really and if you're a diy kind of person.

I'd love to have a lathe and oxy set too but now with one hand metal isn't practical for me. Hey you could print sacrificial plastic parts for working on metal maybe? Guide rings on parts when lathe turning, bright colour plastic under/inside a metal part to make it easy to know you've drilled/milled through? corner angle brackets to hold pieces it position so you can spot weld in position, or even just print a design in plastic to test fit before commiting to cncing a block of metal.

Plus you could build a replacement for that damn little plastic thing holding your power tool handle together that you cant but a replacement for without buying a whole assembly. A 3D printer and some design skills is just handy for those nuisance repairs around the home where glues may not be appropriate but you need to get something decent in place, maybe make a brace for a cracking part to reinforce it?

Its just another tool in the workshop basically and for those interested I've seen many buy a cheap 3d printer and just have nothing but troubles getting anything to print reliably but finally we are starting to see them emerge under the $1k mark.

plus decorate the xmas tree with printed crap and print gifts when you cant be bothered to buy :)

All this advice is for anyone to mull over if they are tinkerers in any way, btw. I'm just so happy my new printer just prints every filament I throw at it, even the old stuff I thought had gone "off".

[AndrewJ]

Gday Brent


Which is exactly what i need at present, :rofl:
and a 3D printer could make one very easily.

Andrew
( Just broke ankle and zimmerframe has no way to hold phone
or attach a std holder )

[ZeroID]

Oh Geez Andrew, that's a bit of a bummer. Sorry I can't help there but there's probably a few who are already leaping into the task to use their printer for a real job.
( C'mon guys, who's first off the rank ? :P )

[AndrewJ]

Gday Brent
No need for anybody to do anything,
i just got a shirt with more pockets:thumbsup:
( theres more than one way to skin a cat )
Just pointing out that a humble phone holder sometimes can be
a very valid project.

Andrew

[ZeroID]

Agreed, but you only need one ....... till you change phones..:lol:

Take care eh ? :thumbsup:

[sil]

Andrew, A stroke took away my left arm and i had to learn to walk again, barely with a stick. I'm already a walking zombie, don't be a walking phone zombie, they arent that important. And yes I make things to help my disability but havent yet bothered hanging crap off my walking stick, pare down to real essentials and have a good pocket is all you actually need.

[AndrewJ]

Gday Sil

Sorry to hear re your situation.

After seeing some of the other poor sods in casualty, i felt positively lucky to only have a simple fracture, but that said, it needed surgery to stabilise it, then 6 weeks of no load bearing. As such, i need to keep a phone with me at all times for the first weeks or so, in case i need to call for help ( or get my next appointment details )
.

Already have:D
I got a mate to buy me an "executive chair" on castors.
Then we made a few aluminium ramps to get over carpet edges etc and now i can fang it all around the house using only one leg.
Just reading old novels now waiting for the cricket to start :P

Andrew

[ZeroID]

Way to go ! :thumbsup:

[LostInSp_ce]

The thing is that most online videos show people printing off useless gadgets with bright coloured filaments, but there's so much more that can be achieved with a 3D printer. Although they may only print plastic it doesn't mean that you only have to make things in plastic. You can always combine it with other materials and together with some electronics the amount of use increases, but things don't always have to be functional.

Sometimes you find that you want to make something look aesthetically more pleasing. Everyone likes a pretty bike. I find that most people just print something and leave it at that which is perfectly fine. However, in the real world most things go through some kind of finishing process which might be something to add to your prints (Useful for prototypes and presentations).

A couple of little things I've made for my astro gear are:
Filter wheel housing. It's a cheap manual one which sometimes let stray light so I made a new one that's better sealed and also eliminates dust from getting in there as well.

Focuser housing. The old one looked liked a retro TV remote that wouldn't close with the battery in place. Now the battery fits properly, it's ergonomically friendly and has nice modern curves. :)

While these aren't overly complex or sophisticated things they are useful for me.

[julianh72]

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but here's a heads-up for anyone interested in a bargain "unbox-and-print" 3D printer:

HobbyKing are selling the Fabrikator v2 for around AU$210:
https://hobbyking.com/en_us/mini-fabrikator-v2-3d-printer-au-plug.html?wrh_pdp=6

This price may not last long – until recently it was selling for around AU$280.

This printer only has a 100 x 100 x 100 build volume, but it has an all-metal frame and heated bed (and Wi-Fi / Mobile monitoring) so I think it's a pretty good buy if you can grab one before the price goes back up.

I just bought one, and it was delivered just 4 days after I paid for it – and I have to say it's a great little printer. Yes, the build volume is small, but straight out of the box (no assembly required), the quality is fantastic – excellent detail, minimal stringing, handles overhangs well, etc. With its all-metal frame and mechanicals, it's absolutely solid – and this shows up in the quality of the prints I'm getting, right from Day 1.

I would highly recommend this printer for anyone who is thinking of dabbling with 3D printing for the first time – at the current price, it's not a lot of cash to risk. It would also be good as a true desktop printer for anyone who already has a larger printer in their workshop. (With a footprint of 180 x 190 – or 180 x 300 including the spool holder mounted on the back of the unit with a filament spool installed – it really can sit on your office desk next to your computer.)

(And if any IISers in the Brisbane area need some small custom plastic parts made, drop me a PM - I'd be happy to knock out some samples.)

[xelasnave]

So...I want to make something say a chess piece. What is the process ...take a photo ? Or as I suspect do a design drawing in a cad type program.
Alex

[bojan]

Your feeling is right - CAD package is the answer...
Photos (number of them) can be used to build a 3D model... in CAD package.

[julianh72]

In many cases (eg chess pieces), somebody else will already have modelled what you want to make, so another option is to download the 3D model file from the Web. There are lots of sites to look at, depending on what you are planning to make, but Thingiverse can be a good starting point.

[xelasnave]

Thank you Julian that is good to know.
But if you wanted a part for a secret invention that will enable one to take over the world what do you do...do you know which programs you would use to design something you only have in your head.
I have a astronomy mount in mind and although I made one up in cardboard to show it to folk in three d it would be great if I could print one out...
Alex

[bojan]

Try 123D from Autodesk.
It is freeware.

There are others, but maybe less intuitive (Sketchup, OpenSCAD, Freecad... for example).
More here (https://all3dp.com/1/best-free-3d-modeling-software-3d-cad-3d-design-software/).
I am using 123D and ACAD

[xelasnave]

Thank you Bojan.
Alex

[theodog]

Another for 123D design software.
I was a complete novice at 3D printing when I started, all pictured were designed in 123D before printing.
Other things that have been printed are focus masks for the 14" RC and light baffles for same.
Great software with plenty of help and tutorials online.
Projects in conjunction with Arduino.

[bojan]

Yes..
The only problem for me was inability to "snap" on end, middle, grid etc.
I solved this by making drawing/sketch in LibreCAD first.
Then I import dxf file into 123D.
I found that by using this method it is much easier to control the accuracy of complicated extrusions.

123D can then export stl files - which are accepted by slicers.

[julianh72]

Alex - Bojan's list is a good place to start - but be aware that 3D CAD can be a pretty steep learning curve if you don't have a background in Engineering design / drafting.

I'm currently using OnShape, which is free for hobby users - if you are prepared to share all of your designs with other users. That works for me (I'm a big fan of the open-source "Maker" movement), but won't suit you if you want to develop a secret world-changing invention. You'd probably want a CAD system that allows your files to remain your property on your own hard-drive, rather than being stored "in the cloud". Something like TinkerCAD might be a better option if you're a beginner, and want full control / ownership over your designs.

Another thing to consider is that 3D Printing is only one of many manufacturing technologies, which all have their place. For thin flat parts, laser cutting may be a better option; for mechanical strength, CNC Machined metal parts could be considered; casting is still a great option for many applications; and so on.

Desktop 3D Printing is great where plastic is the "right" material, and for general "rapid prototyping" of all sorts of designs, but may not be the best option for "production" of the finished design.

[Baza]

My Aldi printer just stopped heating. returned it Thursday. Exactly 6 months old.
Aldi warranty honoured no problem.