3d Printers South Africa

[AstroTurf]

Morning all.
My first printer from a few years ago was one of these i3's with the acrylic frame; I haven't used it for a while, but dusted it off over the weekend to try a few exotic filaments. The acrylic frame, although still intact, is starting to show signs of becoming brittle and bowing, so am wondering if anyone has done a complete conversion to 2020/2040 T-slot or V-slot frame? If so, which resource did you use for the conversion?

I've seen a huge number of different setups/layouts/etc, which to be honest have become quite confusing - they all start looking the same after a while! The Prusa site has a lot of printable parts, so I'm sorted with those if required - it's more the frame setup/layout.

Basically, I want to be able to use ALL the current mechanical/electronic components, without spending a fortune on replacing the stock parts. Any ideas/sources are welcome.

Hi Bud,

Do you mean these things?

Bundle Offer: Prusa i3 3D Printer Kit

The best value for money 3D Printer Kit around

www.3dprintingstore.co.za

I also have one that I got from a fellow forumite.
It works reasonably well, the frame is basically it's only real issue.

I was thinking of buying an upgrade kit similar to these:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32913937517.html?spm=2114.search0302.3.9.4e511f08lwa4om&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_0,searchweb201603_0,ppcSwitch_0&algo_pvid=e6ff64f9-3be3-4956-9412-f7a0c9747663&algo_expid=e6ff64f9-3be3-4956-9412-f7a0c9747663-1

https://orballoprinting.com/en/frame/8-prusa-i3-steel-frame-p3steel.html

Or making my own frame.

Main reason I want to make my own frame is that I want enclose it and use it purely for ABS.
Making a box shaped frame would be the easiest way to go about doing that (and I can have most of the motors and electronics outside the enclosure so that the heat does not kill them early.


Oh, I vaguely remember getting the cut lines for the plexi/acrylic from them at some point. Wonder if I still have them at home somewhere...

 

[howardb]

Hi Bud,

Do you mean these things?

Bundle Offer: Prusa i3 3D Printer Kit

The best value for money 3D Printer Kit around

www.3dprintingstore.co.za

I also have one that I got from a fellow forumite.
It works reasonably well, the frame is basically it's only real issue.

I was thinking of buying an upgrade kit similar to these:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32913937517.html?spm=2114.search0302.3.9.4e511f08lwa4om&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_0,searchweb201603_0,ppcSwitch_0&algo_pvid=e6ff64f9-3be3-4956-9412-f7a0c9747663&algo_expid=e6ff64f9-3be3-4956-9412-f7a0c9747663-1

https://orballoprinting.com/en/frame/8-prusa-i3-steel-frame-p3steel.html

Or making my own frame.

Main reason I want to make my own frame is that I want enclose it and use it purely for ABS.
Making a box shaped frame would be the easiest way to go about doing that (and I can have most of the motors and electronics outside the enclosure so that the heat does not kill them early.


Oh, I vaguely remember getting the cut lines for the plexi/acrylic from them at some point. Wonder if I still have them at home somewhere...

That's the one!
It's a great little printer.
Found a "Prusa Bear Full Upgrade" on github, with a 2040 V-slot frame, https://github.com/gregsaun/prusa_i3_bear_upgrade/tree/master/full_upgrade
Thinking of making my own frame and transferring the parts, but may have to print a few items if the z rods and 8mm smooth rods have a different distance.

The V-slot extrusions are fairly cheap, about R500 for 3m and cutting, and the site provides all necessary BOM, parts to be printed and manuals.

 

[AstroTurf]

https://github.com/gregsaun/prusa_i3_bear_upgrade/tree/master/full_upgrade

Yea that would mostly work for what I want but will need to flip the z motors so they are on the top, separate the PSU and boards to their own box and move the Y motor much further back so that I can enclose the print area with only the extruders components inside the box.

Oh, if you like I will see if I have those cut lines for the acrylic and give you a quote on cutting them at work for you (c02 lasers).

 

[howardb]

Yea that would mostly work for what I want but will need to flip the z motors so they are on the top, separate the PSU and boards to their own box and move the Y motor much further back so that I can enclose the print area with only the extruders components inside the box.

Oh, if you like I will see if I have those cut lines for the acrylic and give you a quote on cutting them at work for you (c02 lasers).

Would an open build Ender 5 type structure work? Seen a few designs, but seems complicated to convert. I'm also going to move the psu and electronics, saw a good compact box on Thingiverse, but can't find it now...

Thanks for the offer; I think I'll pass for now as am steering towards the extrusion type frame. Would be solid for the printer size and I could upgrade the size more easily when needed, may eventually go with 300x300 or the rectangular i3 XL bed size

 

[howardb]

Got some new spools of CCTREE white PLA filament the other day and am really battling with adhesion to my PEI bed - their previous PLA spools worked perfectly and have done so for the past year. It seems they have changed their formula and the PLA is now labelled as ST-PLA (super tough?) on the box, with a different stock code. The marked print temp range is 195-220C and according to their site, the bed temp should be 40-50C for the ST-PLA. Their previous "normal" PLA printed perfectly at 205C and bed at 60C, cooling fan between 50% and 100% and stuck to the bed without issues.

This new stuff seems to deform and not set quickly enough once extruded, even with the cooling fan on 100% - I've tried lowering/increasing nozzle temp between 180C and 220C, bed temps from 0C up to 65C - same issue. Anyone else experience this "new" ST-PLA?

 

[AstroTurf]

Got some new spools of CCTREE white PLA filament the other day and am really battling with adhesion to my PEI bed - their previous PLA spools worked perfectly and have done so for the past year. It seems they have changed their formula and the PLA is now labelled as ST-PLA (super tough?) on the box, with a different stock code. The marked print temp range is 195-220C and according to their site, the bed temp should be 40-50C for the ST-PLA. Their previous "normal" PLA printed perfectly at 205C and bed at 60C, cooling fan between 50% and 100% and stuck to the bed without issues.

This new stuff seems to deform and not set quickly enough once extruded, even with the cooling fan on 100% - I've tried lowering/increasing nozzle temp between 180C and 220C, bed temps from 0C up to 65C - same issue. Anyone else experience this "new" ST-PLA?

know it's pei but maybe try first give the bed a decent wash (if it is removable, sunlight and water is all I use on my glass) and if that fails, back to hairspray or glue.

Had the whole magnetic bed and other beds experience and must say for me glass has always been kindest. With PLA I don't even bother with hairspray and the like anymore, usually I just wipe the dust off with a tissue and carry on and if it gets too dirty I just wash it like a plate.

 

[howardb]

know it's pei but maybe try first give the bed a decent wash (if it is removable, sunlight and water is all I use on my glass) and if that fails, back to hairspray or glue.

Had the whole magnetic bed and other beds experience and must say for me glass has always been kindest. With PLA I don't even bother with hairspray and the like anymore, usually I just wipe the dust off with a tissue and carry on and if it gets too dirty I just wash it like a plate.

Thanks bud. Will give is a try. I switched to the mag plate as the glass was way too heavy for the 400x400 bed and print speed had to be reduced.

It's a new PEI sheet I fitted (I thought the old one was probably well-used and causing the issue, but apparently not); scuffed it lightly with steel wool, cleaned with isopropyl and also tried some left over filament from the "old" formula PLA, which sticks as normal; but this new stuff seems rubbish.

Started a new print this morning with the "new" formula using 196C nozzle and 46C bed, using a raft this time (this part does not require a raft at all), and plastered the outer raft section with blue painters tape to hold it to the bed - will see how it goes later when back home.

 

[rodga]

Where did you buy the new cctree pla from?

 

[howardb]

Where did you buy the new cctree pla from?

I normally get from DIY Electronics - ordered 4 spools of white PLA 2 months back (old formula), and another 2 spools 2 weeks ago (new formula) - the site still shows the same stock code, so assume that the latest batch order they received was the new ST-PLA, now out of stock. There seems to be no differentiation between the two on the site.
Have sent them a mail and will post when they respond

 

[howardb]

Quick question on transparent PLA - printed the orange part a few months ago for a project and it turned out really well, nice and smooth finish at 0.2mm layer height on a 0.4mm nozzle at 198C. The same brand transparent PLA, just green in colour and a newly opened spool, seems to print with "bubbles" in it.

Is this because it's old filament, bad filament batch, or just a quirk of the transparent colours?
I've tried printing 10C above and below my normal PLA print temp, however the same result is evident with this green transparent filament. I've also dried the filament, even though it was new and sealed, with the same results.

I've never had this issue with normal solid colour PLA, irrespective of colour, age, opened/sealed, etc...

 

[AstroTurf]

I would check the nozzle is not a bit old or dirty or clogged.

 

[howardb]

I would check the nozzle is not a bit old or dirty or clogged.

Thanks, will check this again, nozzle was replaced a few prints before this one. Will also try print on another printer and see if the result is the same.