New to 3D printing, is the X1 Carbon for me?

Looking into getting into 3D printing. Only specefic thing I am looking for is using this thing to make odds and ends associated with my wood turning, be that parts for tool, jigs, compliments for things I turn or create with wood. So strength and durability might be a concern. I will also use 3D prints for odd/ends around house, fix kids toys, and other random stuff I can’t think of right now.

I can’t think of a better printer for your needs here.

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Anything specific I should consider? What thing do you know now that you wish you knew when you started 3D printing?

When I started? That was more than 10 years ago. I suppose it’s how so much of my printing and investment would be going into upgrading whatever printer I had. The Bambu is the first where I don’t feel I have to do that, though there are some minor addons that make it even nicer. (My Printables collection is at Bambu Collection by holmes4 | Printables.com

You’ll probably want to learn how to use CAD tools to design models for your work. You can start easy with Tinkercad, then graduate to Fusion360 or other more advanced tools.

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The carbon x1 definitely has the lowest barrier to quality prints and ease of use.
The 2 main things that you will need to learn.

  1. How to use the slicer. This turns models into language for the printer. You need to decide things like strength vs speed vs quality. Also print orientation and whether supporting is needed.
  2. The second is a CAD tool of some sort.
    Start with tinkercad to get the concepts. It’s actually very functional and graduate to fusion 360 etc. This is actually a hard choice as cheaper CAD is hard to find.

I’d also get the AMS combo. Not for multi color prints but to not have to load unload filaments. Have your 4 favorites on hand and just select what you want to print on, and the AMS loads and unloads on demand.

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Depends on what you want. If you want 3D printing as a hobby, then no. If you want to produce 3D printed things then yes.

Speak for yourself, @p7willm ! 3D printing is a hobby for me, and the X1C is absolutely what I want. I’ve put my Prusa MK3S in storage as the X1C does everything it does, better.

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3D printing has been an incredible journey for me. There is a lot to learn, so it is not likely you are going to have fantastic prints right away, but you likely will get good enough 3d prints. As you learn things get better. Since you haven’t got into 3d printing yet, I would recommend you ask around to see who you know who has a 3d printer. Then design a small useful part, mine was a hook. Ask them to show you the process of how to slice and print the part and get them to print it. From this, you can get an idea of how useful 3d printing might be in your woodworking or other areas. I’ve used some 3d prints to enhance my woodworking some, but not as much as I could.

I’m on my 2nd month of using the Bambu Lab X1 Carbon with the AMS and I still am amazed by this printer. You won’t go wrong by buying this printer unless you later find 3d printing is not for you.

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I’m as NOOB as it gets, in fact I’m in “Epic Newbie level Print Streak” here! :space_invader:

Practical answer to your question, I literally never seen a 3D printer up close, the closest encounter was at "ClasOhlson"s store where one of these mythical beasts chewed plastic spaghetti in the background surrounded by stay away ribbons and landmines. (Guess the landmines are a Swedish thing with Bofors weapon manufactory asf) So my experience and knowledge base is not in the RED, it is literally in the NEGATIVE dimensions!

You can prolly guess the pure amount of worried accumulating inside until I got her up’n running…
well even to take the step and get a 3D printer - can tell you it’s been brewing a looooong time mates!
Breakdown for your immediate pleasure,

The X1 Carbon dropped in my lap only a few days ago, got started printing like 3ish? days ago. (Googled a few days inbetween b4 I had the balls to crank the power level on & hit the print button in between there)
And wow, even I, yes even I, managed to load it and pull the trigger and it prints obedient so far… knock on wood
If I can do it, YOU sure as heck will be in “God Mode” so fast you wont even break a sweat mate!

I printed a few small single stuff dothingies I found on the interwebb, then I went awol and stacked the tray full with stuff like in 25cm cubed… and it just worked!!! :+1: :partying_face: :+1:

I ripped out the PLA roll and tossed out the window and corked in a roll of PetG, I went straight to PetGing and the very first tray came out awesome!
Then I did have some small haystack dragged around on the Nozzle ending up sticking it to the first layers, manuall pressed stop - cleaned’n re-lubed plate’n stuck it back in, and had the same issue another 2 times (3 in total counting the first blobb-able poo stuck) Problem was a no brainer and visible in plain view, the PetG stuff stuck to the nozzle and failed to wipe and thus dragged on the still hot layers until it randomly stuck in the worst possible place…
I manually tried to clean everything around the nozzle and wiped with IPA
Fourth try - absolutely amazing!

Please Notice that this is an awesome forum with friendly forummates eager to help with literally everyting no matter how embarrassingly stupid (Stop looking @ me, haha) set of question posed. Seriously tho, I know, I got help with literally everything I got stuck with by our knowledgable forummates. Just know they absolutely have your back too! :+1: :+1: :+1: :+1: :+1:

Just changed the empty roll to a full one (only a few threads left on the first blue roll) and I did not have another to continue the print in same color so Red is the color now.
It started even better now, and is @ 26% out of an 8hr tray, so far so good… EXTREMELY GOOD!

I hesitated a long time smashing that buy button to wrestle with a semi finished brand printer. In all realistic rear mirror view it would have ended with a brick collecting dust. The Bambu is great and it actually clarifies a lot of stuff - don’t think I could’ve got another printer running, no matter brands, this really makes me look like I’d presumable have an ounce of skills (haha) but the important thing it gives me a possibility to learn 3D printing with a smile since it works while I’m learning. (And not just eff with me and force me to study by failure, disaster, tears and elbow grease. It makes it FUN!!! That’s my point)
I heard this in other circumstances but it really appears the X1C teaches the user more than the user needs to wrestle the X1C to understand you, it provides insight by highlighing what works!
A real pleasure in all aspects so far :+1: :partying_face: :+1:

Hexx Yeah, if I can, you can sure ass heck do it mate!!! :+1: :partying_face: :+1:

GO FOR IT MATE, YOU CAN DO IT!!!

/Silverbullit a.k.a. Tobbe the Fat swede with a chubbier Dog and SidebURNS! (For the love of everything unholy - please mates - nobody tell my g/f I purchased a 3D printer!!!)
Btw, is it normal that your dog stops watching the cinema projector screen and just sits and looks at the X1 enclosure sniffing @ the lively printer head? She even dropped her soft-toys/plush toys at it like shes trying to show it how to relax a bit, or pherhaps she started worshipping X1C?!? :crazy_face:

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It’s going to be a lot more work than you think. Plan on spending countless hours to learn the hobby and develop and fine tune each part you make. It’ll likely take some time before you’re able to create usable parts – more or less depending on how high you set your standards.

I don’t agree - with the X1-Carbon, you’ll be making useful prints within an hour of unpacking. With other printers, yeah, lots of time tweaking.

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I don’t agree.

The X1 Carbon takes care of easy, repetitive tasks like bed leveling and changing filament colors mid-print. However, it certainly does not make it easier to dial in settings to work perfectly with a specific version of a slicer, 3D design, and filament (for example). If one has low standards, then yes, they could surely be making lots of “useful” prints right out of the box.

It’s pretty easy to see this is the case. Just look through the threads in this forum (or any 3D printing forum). It’s not all rainbows and butterflies right out of the box.

OK, we’ll disagree. I’ve been 3D printing since 2012 and the Bambu is the first printer I’ve owned where I got great results out-of-the-box. Yes, there are cases where tweaking profiles and slicer settings can make things even better, but unlike other printers, the Bambu is useful right away. My most recent printer is a Prusa MK3S, and it’s great - but it took many upgrades and calibration before it got that way.

You can’t look to forum posts for useful data here - people post problems, they don’t tend to post when everything is OK. But you’ll see many, many Bambu users enthuse at how much more fun it is to use the X1C than previous printers.

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Yes, we can agree to disagree.

I believe it. However, I’ve been 3D printing long enough to know that it’s not as easy as just unboxing a printer and hitting print. With enough time and tweaking though, it is possible to get to that ideal state.

Ehrmmm, thats just what I did tho… :flushed:

I’d never even seen a 3D printer up close B4,
I ripped the box open before the delivery guy could drop it, corked a roll of filament in and pressed PRINT.
I still prints without pause and it’s been almost a week now I think?!?

Everything looks awesome!!! :+1: :partying_face: :+1:

May the force be with you mates!!!
/Silverbullit
(The delivery guy seems itchy to leave tho)

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Ah, you’re printing with the well tuned models/settings provided by Bambu Lab? Makes perfect sense then.

The OP is talking about printing custom parts. Stop back once you venture into printing designs you create. You’ll be singing a different tune then. It’s fun and rewarding, but certainly not something that can be accomplished by popping in some filament and hitting PRINT.

Ohhh ouch touche!

But it is awesome I get to answer this one where you tell me to “Stop back once you venture into printing designs you created!”

:rofl:

May the force be with you mates!
/Silverbullit

I’ll venture to bed now and dream of designs. :sleeping:

Thanks for the story, mate. Maybe you should stick to story writing instead of 3D printing? You seem to have quite the knack for it.

Thanks all for responses. I went with the X1 just to get started. Overall this does seem like a good beginner setup. Will report back in a few weeks when it arrives.

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I like stories and 3d printing lol

I’m sure he’s just stoked to be successfully printing already

It took me a week to build my first printer and a year to repair all the broken cheap ■■■■ it came with, then came the attempts at upgrading.

Then along came another printer, then another, and now my little room has 4 completely different units

When I was younger before lots of people here were still in diapers or not even a twinkle in their parents eyes we had ‘G’ ops, now I’m into ‘P’ ops and I enjoy it just as much as the other stuff I was doing 27 years ago (yes, I’m old as dirt and I’m talking about growing weed before growing weed was even a thing lol)

I can’t be the only old fart up in here that lived in a world before the internet and cell phones :frowning:

Back to the 3d printing…

Lets not get started with the learning curve when I found out Marlin wasn’t a fish or Pronterface wasn’t a derogatory name for someone that got hit with the ugly stick a few times

Personally I welcome every single newbie to this world of 3D printing and I look forward to learning more myself as the years go by and helping others when or if I can

These are exciting times for us all, the days of 40-70 mm/s print speeds are coming to an end not only thanks to the improvements in a mechanical aspect but also thanks to the ever improving software and firmware that evolved from Mainsail, Fluidd and Octoprint into Klipper and so on

See, I can write story time, firmware and print stuff too :laughing:

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