Is it worth it?

Bambu Lab P1 Series General Discussions
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LOL, sorry, I have changed the standard stainless steel nozzle for the hardened one. Point still stands… 2 screws and 2 wires… oh, and removal of a magnetic cover. Oh… if you don’t have an extra fan I’ll add 2 more screws.

Anecdotal… its actual FIRST HAND experience with hundreds (if not over 1000) prints. FAR more useful than cherry picking negative experiences. Which one is really “anecdotal”?

Also… this isn’t a Pro v Con argument, I think you are missing the point. This was specific to “is the printer an easy to use printer”. Somehow, people like you have the OP thinking its difficult to use. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Again… agree to disagree.

Privacy concerns aren’t limited to nefarious actions. A lot of the problem is the potential of those issues, and Bambu Lab’s requirements leave that as an option.

To set the record straight, I don’t think they really care about their customer’s trinkets and amateur engineering ideas. What they are doing is gathering information to improve their products on your dime. They are using your print jobs to figure out how often people screw things up, or in some cases figuring out that their product can do various things they didn’t know or intend for it to do. Don’t think for a second that they save your information on their servers and can’t see it. The suggestion that they only have access to what you manually send them seems like an outright lie (BTW, honesty is largely the only issue I have with Bambu). If you go on Handy, you can clearly see they are caching every print and storing it on a server. Whether the log files are stored like that, is irrelevant. They have tons of data that the customers have sent them and they are making the offline method of using their printers less appealing to encourage the cloud data gathering. Just like everything else, when an expensive feature is free, you are the product.

Personally, I don’t have security concerns with them, because I don’t give them anything I wouldn’t give away freely. Equally, I think its a fair trade. Use my data to improve the product. That said, its important to remember, its not always the Chinese company that is the bad actor (actually, I’d argue they rarely are), its the required tie to the government that is worrying. Again, I doubt the Chinese government is pouring over models to steal western defense or industrial secrets, but they have these policies for a reason. That unknown agenda is what I find a little alarming.

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35

That’s not how signal intelligence gathering works. Ever heard of AI?

It’s been an open secret in the Intelligence community that governments on both sides employ electronic screening systems going all the way back to the 60s. The AI’s can’t interpret the data but they can flag the data for inspection by a human. Then it’s all down to following the breadcrumbs.

My company recently employed Microsoft CoPilot which is case you haven’t been reading the news recently, it is the Microsoft Branded version of ChatGPT. I’ve been paying for ChatGPT on my personal account but having that AI unleashed inside my own company’s “Private” servers is unnerving in what I was able to dig up in the last couple of weeks.

The data that is being gathered by Bambu is without question being warehoused within the PRC’s own large language model AIs without Bambu’s consent.

It’s never one piece of information that compromises a system, it is the cumulative affect of gathering all the breadcrumbs to come up with a comprehensive profile of an individuals habits, lifestyles and compromising personal information. Since the Patriot act was passed I’ve always maintained that I am not afraid of the NSA having my phone bill, they have to follow the law. But what’s to stop Google or Amazon from using my data and selling it to people with nefarious purpose. Now add that scenario to the resources and hostile agenda of the PRC and even George Orwell would by nervous.

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36

THIS is something no one ever really considers when data is being harvested. Put enough public information/data together, you can come up with all kinds of confidential information. This used to be done by analysts pouring through data and trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together, but with AI taking over that task, they are going to have a whole lot easier time pulling out the juicy bits. AI is one of those things that keeps me up at night.

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I’m not disputing that they are collecting it, and obviously they would use technology where ever it can help. I just don’t see the PRC spending millions of dollars to steal fidget spinners, whistles, and radio controlled airplanes.

Personally, I believe the government is only requiring every company to comply. But I doubt they are screening every company’s data. Maybe they are simply holding the information for that time when the computing power reaches that point where they can collate, decipher, and predict trends off seemingly innocuous data, but AI is not there yet. AI is still spouting out complete lies right now because those lies are popular. It is not at a stage where these Orwellian fears are fully justified. The scary part though… it could get there in no time.

I’m going pause the side banter from the OP’s thread, because this one has grown wings and is all over the place. If anyone would like, I can start a thread and we can continue the debate there.

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Yes, definitely start a thread.

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I don’t care how quickly someone change a nozzle. Slightly faster first and top surfaces and otherwise just more fillament consumption in between. Filament consumption that costs more than a new printer. I don’t even change a nozzle on the M5…

This is the replacement part I want to see. Mounted with 6 screws, 90% of all my problems solved in minutes with a complete redy to go spearpart and done:

And this is also the first replacement part that I look for every time a new printer is released… if they don’t have it, they can keep the printer because I don’t just test a printer for 3 months. And when the first component goes away in the direct extruder, the next problem with the part may doesn’t take long to appear… so i put the whole direct extruder in the trash can and back on the race track… and if that wasn’t the problem, at least I know that there are no more problems anymore. Otherwise you’ll be looking for a needle in a haystack.

41

WTF? Is it just me, or does that post sound machine generated?

42

Hello Bruce,
I too was more interested in the design aspect of 3D printing snd not the act of printing itself. I avoided 3D printing for many years until a friend that owned a BBL X1-C that roped me into purchasing a P1S printer after he printed my designs for 3 weeks back in December 2023. He sang the praises of BBLs as being as close to plug and play as possible. With trepidation I purchased my P1S in February and was initially a bit overwhelmed. I had my first print disaster with PETG basic after about a month and was faced with having to wait for a new hot end to arrive (about a week) or dive into fixing the old nozzle. It was completely encased in PETG, silicone sock bloated out and wires embedded. The information here in the forum, the BBL wiki, and YouTube saved the day and I was able to salvage the mummified hot end and go on my merry way. In retrospect, the disaster only broke down my resistance to getting into the mechanics of the machine, which is a necessity if you want to own a printer no matter how plug and play they are. If you want no issues with 3D printing it’s probably best to send your designs out of house, but if you want the ability to quickly prototype with numerous design iterations the price is increasing your knowledge about the machine with both experience and study. I chose the later and couldn’t be happier. I intend to add the AMS unit next month now that I’m comfortable with printer. I have NO experience with any other printer and am a complete newbie (3 months of exposure to the process, and a little over a 6 weeks of actual ownership. I now look forward to my next failure, it’s the best motivation for mastering any device. All the best, happy printing!

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43

Thank you, Roger. I really appreciate you taking the time and sending me your comments. I think that there maybe a P1S in my future but I am still a bit nervous about the potential breakdowns. As I said before I more interested in designing and making things then spending a lot of time fixing a machine. Thanks again and stay well.

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Hello Bruce,
I sense that we both are coming from the same place on this. Had my friend not coddled me with printing my design changes every night for 3 weeks for me to pick up in the mornings I probably would not have gotten so hooked. But even with the issues I’ve run into, mostly out of my own ignorance - like not purging after using PETG, I find the device to be pretty damn reliable. I’m only now acquiring the maintenance skills since I’m a good month+ in and over 100 hours of printing under my belt so it is certainly more involved that handing it off to someone else, but I have no buyer’s remorse whatsoever and really love the connivence of rapid prototyping. Design and making things is my main skillset also so this was a bit of a leap, but I really find the process enjoyable and exciting. All the best and good luck in your making adventures.

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I’ve been 3d printing for several years now. Roughly mid 2017 I bought a Tevo tarantula. Put it together and futzed with it for years… Made a bunch of stuff, tossed a bunch also, but learned what to expect and not expect. Bought a $900 Mk3s+ kit in late 2019. And started playing with cad. Tried out Shapr3D and ended up buying subscription which I’ve kept and continue to use. The Prusa was/is a good printer for what it is. But it is outdated by years now. I found Bambu just about the time the first machines were being shipped and bought and received mine in late Dec 2022. X1CC, spent the dollars and I was blown away. 10X times better than the Prusa, speed AND accuracy and it does colors well. I’ve been printing over 2300 hours on that machine, (had 3500 hours on the Prusa) Runs 40 to 60% faster and I can fill my bed and EXPECT to have EVERY item print correctly. Prusa never could accomplish half a plate. I’ve had 3 clogs in extruder, PLA and surprising to me ASA. Chamber temp must be watched and top off and door open in hot areas. Winter, not so much or in cool climes. I’m on my original nozzle/hot end, it will soon be replaced, probably 3k hours. Oh, I have had some minor issues with the number 1 AMS slot, the filament will occasionally not feed into the machine. I moved it to number 4 position and the problem moved, so I’ve ordered a $70 part. Cheap and easy to fix.
I WOULD NOT borrow and buy a 3d printer, it is not something I would borrow and buy, but that is me. Oh, I sell some of my designs and have paid for EVERYTHING I purchase plus extra.

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Exactly. You only hear the horror stories and never the good news stories in online forums. The ‘squeaky wheel gets the oil’ usually, but when they don’t get they get very upset and vocal.

I upgraded to a P1S in September after 12 months of using the Flashforge Finder I bought for my 9yr old son. Sure I learned a few things during that time but TBH the P1S just works AND if and when something does go wrong I’m not going to go bleating on the internet. I’ll just get on with fixing it by researching, finding the fix, DIYing or throwing money at it. At the end of the day it’s just a tool. I get way more enjoyment learning how to make and print my own models than I do maintaining the machine.

So go for it! Buy the P1S

PS I bought extra spares at the time just in case. They are all still in their boxes

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47

Ich habe mir einen P1S gekauft, vorher hatte ich einen Creality CR-6 SE. Denn Creality hatte ich mit hochwertigem Hottend und weiteren besseren Teilen erweitert, trotzdem immer wieder Fehler beim Drucken. Mit dem P1S bin ich absolut HAPPY, er druckt sehr schön und die Laier verbinden sich super. Ich würde den Bambu Lab P1S sofort wieder kaufen. Übrigens ich drucke nur noch mit Bambu Lab Filamenten (leider hat aber Bambu Lab ein Problem mit mit dem bereitstellen von den Filamenten, sie sind oft nicht lieferbar :frowning: .)

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48

I too am very new to 3D printing. I had seen it used at my places of work to make concept models before committing to expensive tooling and machining. I casually mentioned a desire to get one to my son-in-law that I wouldn’t mind getting one as a project in the winter (I am retired). I was considering a kit that I would assemble. A P1S was delivered the week after Thanksgiving last year which was an early Christmas gift from my son-in-law for helping him finish their basement.

As I said, I had no experience with 3D printing or CAD. I unboxed the machine, followed the startup instructions, and was printing one of the pre-loaded files within 20 minutes. I have downloaded dozens of models and printed them with no issues. I have been designing my own models with TinkerCad and enjoy that very much.

I have had no reliability issues with my P1S. One of the recent firmware updates caused issues but I reverted back to the previous version until they released an update. I perform the recommended maintenance approx. every two months based on the amount I print. The maintenance is minimal.

Good luck, and enjoy.

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49

I will add my voice to the people that are happy with their P1S. I cut my teeth on an Ender 5 Pro and between bed levelling, the speed of prints, etc it became a bit of an ornament. Middle last year I took a chance and after a lot (!) of procrastination purchased a P1S and AMS combo. I am very happy with it - yes, I’ve had a couple of issues but that was caused by me - otherwise the printer soldiers on. I realise it is not a big milestone for some, but I’ve just hit over 1 000 hours of printing and when I compare that to my Ender, I am impressed by the ease of printing that Bambu provides.

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50

If you think you need a PHD for use a BL printer, then quit before you start! The BL X1C is the absolute easiest to use, the most versatile and provides the best results of all my printers. If you really want to earn a degree in 3D Printing, start with a barebone sub $300 printer such as and Ender 3Pro. After you are able to get reliable and consistent results, then go to the X1C. The X1C provides an easy workflow and eliminates most of the frustration in comparison to an entry level printer.

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51

If you should be nervous about any one thing relating to BL it would be actually getting the printer to your door undamaged. BL is infamous for bare minimum packaging, even though they are aware of the abuse that carrier exacts on their product. The first P1S I received had a dented box and the printer had a cracked frame, it took a month of painfully slow correspondence with BL until I received a replacement unit. I had the second unit shipped to the UPS depot instead of my home, it also arrived in a damaged box, I stated to the UPS rep that I intended to refuse the product or they could open it in front of me so I could look it over for damage, when I found no damage I -then- signed for the package and took ownership.

I would highly recommend that you have the printer shipped to the UPS depot and pick it up, if you see any damage to the the box -at all- I would ask if the rep can open it in front of you, if they refuse then I would photograph the damage, refuse the delivery and immediately contact BL, be aware that the entire process will most likely take three weeks from the date of refusal that is of course only if the next unit shows up undamaged.

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Many and I mean many thanks for your input. I will 100% take your advice and follow the steps you have out lined. Thank you again.

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I was in same boat before my P1S purchase. I had zero experience with 3D printing. I am a handy person, I like to tinker and I do as many of my home and auto repairs as I can. My one rule on tools is i don’t buy one until i have a need for it. Well i finally came on a part i needed that I literally couldn’t get. It was part of a larger package and while the package was available, this little part was. But while i was looking, i found where someone had uploaded the 3d plans to make it. I finally had my reason to get one. In the 3 months since my purchase I’ve run through probably 6 kg of filament and other than my little welder it my favorite tool in the garage. I hear what your saying about the phd sounding language that you read on these forums, and i agree its intimidating, i still don’t understand half of what these guys say, but honestly with my purpose, i don’t have to. I’m not making art or products to sell, extremely small imperfections in my print are not a problem 99% of the time. The thing i liked about the P1S is it worked out of the box. Yes I have had ot take apart my hot end a couple of times, mostly due to my messing upp the settings, but if you have a printer, then you are probably the type of person that likes to tinker anyway. Overall its been a great experience

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