Bambu studio's dumb question of the day

When splitting an object and using connectors to reattach, say dowels, is there an easy way to have them lined up evenly on the same plane?

I need a screenshot to understand the question, probably my Aphantasia limiting me.

Greetings early riser!

So that all pegs are in line, same height on horizontal surfaces or inline on vertical.

They may look ‘close’ now, but I can see during printing, they’re slightly varying heights.

I’m a bit confused by the request. It sounds like you may be cutting the part and then adding the dowel after the fact. The connectors tool by its very nature self-aligns. When you place the connector, you do so along the split boundary and the slicer does the rest. How exactly are you using it?

That’s exactly how I’m doing it, I just click where I want them, but I can tell during printing they’re not all perfectly centered between the tops and bottom.

For instance when I’m watching it print from bottom layer up, as it’s going over the dowel holes, some close up before others.

I didn’t think it automatically aligned them as I can click on the face of the cut, where I want them, if I click lower on the face of the cut, the hole appears lower. Conversely if I click high, it shows it will be higher. So I visually try to get them centered, top to bottom, before I finalize.

When you say, “The hole appears lower,” it sounds like you’re assessing based on the screen view. Have you actually run a print to verify this, and is it failing to line up? If I may suggest, after you make the cuts for the connectors, also make a copy of your model then try cutting that test model into a smaller section and do a test print to validate your concerns.

One tip I’d like to share: since I buy filament based on price, I don’t always use the same type for each project. Filament shrinkage and accuracy can vary between brands, so before every print that includes connectors or holes, I create a test piece to determine the tolerance for that brand.

The goal is to fine-tune the connector tolerance function much like one uses X/Y hole compensation to match the joint-fit you’re trying to make. It would be ideal if this could be integrated into the filament profile, but for now, we rely on the connectors tool.

image

If you do this before committing to the final print, it will save not only filament and time but also a lot of frustration. Note that the tolerance will vary depending on the orientation of the cut. For example, if you rotate the cut 90 degrees so it’s vertical, the tolerance will differ along the vertical axis. Frankly, I can’t imagine why one would do this on a connector, as it places the layer lines horizontally, which is the joint’s weakest direction. However, it may be necessary for certain model geometries, which is why I mention it.

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I came her for a dumb question.

I feel let down.

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Just wait, it’s coming, I never let down

You are probably right, they probably are aligned. Too late! The last of 4 pieces is printing.

Now if I could get the spacing correct. It’s not a problem as is, I’m just a tad OCD

On a different note, I have a butt load of silver silk, sunlu I believe. if you blow up the photo, you’ll see the corners of the legs are rough.

This prompted me to pull the nozzle and do a few cold pulls using a lighter to heat the nozzle as well as clean and reapply the dried thermal compound for the ceramic heater. The top leg is 1000% better, it appears my final is good as well.

Well now you have a physical model, use calipers or measuring tape or fingers to elbow. Cubit, that’s it, I think. Mty history of measurements is a little weak.

Remember, you’re American so use anything other than a mm.

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Always!

I just put a straight edge across them, they’re gtg

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