I’m trying to fit all my 3D printers in a room and it’s like playing Tetris right now. I have my Bambu A1/AMS lite on a table that is 4’x24". I’m planning on putting the resin printer and wash/cure station on a rolling cart that is about 3ft long next to it. I figured I could fit the A1 on a table that is 2’x2’, but would that be stable enough with the printer movement (it’s also sitting on a big cement paver to dampen vibration)? I was going to use some wood I have around, 4x4 legs, sturdy top, with a shelf on the bottom. And yes I’m figuring the bed movement clearance as well.
In theory, doesn’t matter if it is the bed or the whole unit that moves, what counts is the distance the bed moves from the printing nozzle. In theory. My son just move the printer to his bedroom, and by lack of better space, he put the printer on top of a not so solid desk. He bought legs on IKEA and a 3/4" MDF 24x36" on HomeDepot, the thing seems solid enough, but when it is printing or making the initial Y testing, the whole think bounces a lot. He will install some screwed L brakets from the MDF to the wall to reduce that, but, the printing is very okay without that, even with all movement. This is why I wrote “in theory” because up to now I can confirm if it will continues like that, or the printer will present some problems soon.
Thanks! I found a better table, just have to wait for funds to get it. In the mean time I’m just reinforcing the bottom of the plastic one with 2x4s and it should last a while longer.
Update: He didn’t install any L brackets to the wall, just 1" strip of foam between the top table edges and the wall, that was enough to reduce a lot the initial calibration (and during printing) vibration. Soon he will replace that A1 unit with a P1S he just bought in promotion. The P1 uses the same footprint of A1 so it will use the same table, with less bed shaking. I know I will repent for not buying a X1C or P1S during this promotion, reason is that my A1 is fulfilling my small printing needs.
The surface we had ours on moves a ton. Probably going to move it to a large wrought iron table I have in the carport. That thing weights a ton and shouldn’t move at all!
With the companion AMS you need at least 30” wide x 18” deep.
I recently my moved my 2nd A1 (the first was ruined due to factory-loose screws) from its temporary location to the permanent.
The permanent location is a 20” x 48” antique buffet whose glue joints are so loose I thought I would need to literally disassemble and reassemble the thing to make it suitable since the entire things moves and creaks when I move the top.
I happened to have a 24” x 24” x 1 1/2” slab of finished (but not polished) granite. I laid the granitte piece over a layer of virgin microfiber toweling with the A1 on top. To my utter amazement the distrously rickety (my assessment) buffet seems an ideal stand. The old porcelain casters directly on padded but dense carpet that I thought would be a serious problem actually seem to be a good thing. The extended vibration testing elicits FAR few resonances that the previous location—directly top-center of a very heavy two-pedestal dining table over a solid floor.
My working theory is that if you put the A1 on a high mass (at least three times the weight of the machine) base that is placed on a vibration dampening layer like microfiber toweling or EPDM rubber on a platform/stand with three or four point support legs with the smallest reasonable contact with the floor the machine will performer WONDERFULLY. Just check assembly screws throughout the ENTIRE machine with particular attention to the Z-axis upright pillars and every screw inside of the print head.
Loose screws screw the machine. Screws that loosen over time during normal operation [may] be the ruin of Bambu.