Does anyone have any general advice or suggestions for safely dealing with common stuff that goes wrong? I’m new to this stuff so even “obvious” stuff is probably still helpful.
For starter topics - When is it okay to uncheck the standard print options the display asks you, like bed leveling, calibration, etc.? Should those things (other than time lapse) generally be done every time? Just before larger/important jobs? Only when you’ve moved stuff around? (Although the printer seems to “move itself” around a bit with all the vibration… I do have the vibration absorber things Bambu sells under it to keep noise down.)
Also, given these things get pretty hot inside, if we have to pause to deal with something, what’s the normal safe way to do that?
Tonight I had a minor issue when starting a print, some poop filament stuck to the nozzle instead of dropping down out the chute. It was detected as a problem, so I cancelled the print, lowered the bed and took the junk filament out using gloves. Seems like it’d be better to have some tools to reach in there and grab loose filament easily without worrying about touching something hot.
Second try had no such issue, but I guess maybe this kind of thing just happens commonly?
+1 to the Wiki, refer to it often myself as it is detailed and not overly complicated for most skill levels.
The best advice I can give is to keep your printer as stock as possible during the early phase, its easy to get carried away printing mods and really causing a lot of grief. The basic machine works wonderfully well and plenty of people produce some fantastic quality models from it.
Standard settings such as bed level and calibration initially are good to leave flicked on to reduce any odd mishaps, they consume time but do no harm. As you progress you’ll find what suits your requirements and can configure it finer.
The only issue with heat is typically with PLA in the print-head, leaving the top off and door open normally will stave off “heat creep” in there. Having your printer in a moderate stable climate controlled room makes things less complicated, you notice as seasons change that people will start to complain about adhesion and clogging issues due to the temps going either up or down.
Keep hands and tools out of the area while the print is happening, these things are really dangerous. Pause via the screen or app and do what you have to, tools/gloves and other PPE are personal you’ll work out what is optional and there is no set procedure.
For the most part, don’t overthink or complicate things more than you need to. YouTube is good to gain some insight also, but try not to do it all at once
When I needed that minor cleanup, it was at the beginning of a print… so cancelling and restarting was no big deal. But if it was in the middle of printing something and just paused, different story. I’m not sure what I’d do or if it’s safe to go in there and mess with stuff while it’s merely paused rather than stopped.
If needing to reach in to grab stray filament is a common thing, probably best to find a way to avoid hands in the machine… but not sure how to go about that yet.
Hands are very “handy” tools often enough they’ll suffice. I mostly use my old Creality spatula (30mm wide paint scraper) to shift stuff around while the plate is hot but will pause it most of the time as I’ve been bitten before. Some prints I’ll can and start again if there is enough of a blob or it looks like something needs a little too much attention. End of the day, its only plastic and can be redone cheap enough.
As stated, the wiki is the best advice and tool you can get… it may be overwhelming at first, but with time, it will naturally make sense. When you need to perform some task and have doubts, you can rely on the user in the forum support.
Safety, as you have when using home appliances, maybe a challenge. At a certain point, you may be forced to do some tasks that entail risk; however, you can reduce the risk to a minimum with knowledge. Take your time, and don’t rush it. In doubt, ask before doing it.
I can tell you that the issue you describe is minimal, but I understand your concern… I had the same feeling years ago.
The good thing is that if you treat it correctly, the problems tend to be rare.
When exploring the wiki, you will notice that you need some tools to facilitate the work. If you don’t, it is time to acquire. Nowadays, you can get good quality tools for a fair price. Just don’t buy one that starts 3D printing kits with a massive number of tools. First, they tend to be bad quality, and a regular user doesn’t need all that equipment.
Spares were already mentioned. I also believe it would be helpful to have consumables and a few spare parts at hand. Even if in warranty, you don’t want to be with the printer stopped. You don’t need to buy everything, and not all at once. Take advantage of promotion periods.
Concerning the specific questions:
Depends on what you’re dealing with and at what phase of the printing. E.g. pausing the print will move the extruder to the poop chute zone, making it hard to do any intervention in the extruder and hotend.
Not all the tasks need to be performed with the printer hot. So, in that case, you let the printer cool down and unplug the power cable.
If working with a printer hot, you need to be aware of the hotter zones and, if possible, work with gloves. Be aware of the electronic components running to protect you and the printer, and study the procedure to be carried out so you can be confident when in practice.
If your filament is already calibrated, you don’t need (nor should) calibrate at the beginning of a print. Bed levelling info is stored in the printer temperature memory, so you need to do it when it is lost (e.g. power cycle) or if you notice it isn’t producing good results or byt precaution when you a long print.
Moving the printer may affect the bed levelling.
In that case, my advice is to recalibrate the printer.
(Although the printer seems to “move itself” around a bit with all the vibration… I do have the vibration absorber things Bambu sells under it to keep the noise down.)
It doesn’t need to be identical, but it should follow the concept of Foram (mine is from a sports mat) at the bottom and a heavy plate (I use some marble) between the foam and the printer.
I half expected someone to say not to calibrate every print because “it’ll wear out your printer in no time” or something. By “filament already calibrated”, you mean using the same type (like PLA, ABS etc.) twice in a row? I still need to read about what the purpose of calibration is.
I’ll look into that quieting solution, it makes sense that something with a lot of mass will absorb these vibrations. But I’d like something less trashy looking than a nasty concrete block.
…really? One reason it took me so long to get into this is the cost of filament.
I have this stupid mental block/flaw where I’m willing to spend a small fortune on tools and machinery, but then when it’s time to get the materials needed to actually use in the things I turn into a cheapskate.
But yeah some larger prints on Makerworld look like they take up a whole spool or two, that’d be like what $20-$40 with the cheapest option…
Filament calibration tends to have a personal touch. The method I follow may be exaggerated for many; for others, it is just the warm-up. It also depends on what your typical prints are and on your expectations.
I advise you to at least calibrate each filament’s flow rate and pressure advance (flow dynamics in BL terms). I do it for every spool. With time, you’ll find out if it is enough, deficient or too much for your goals.
Since you have an X1C, you can opt for automatic calibration. Yet, manually or automatically, you will develop a filament preset database that includes the calibration parameters. So you overcome the need to select the flow dynamics calibration at the print start.
Yet, there is no obligation to calibrate the filament; the printer can do it at the print start. This can be helpful. I used it a lot in the first weeks because I just wanted to print, print, print…
Take a good read on the wiki. It explains in detail but without being too heavy. Also, it includes the advantages and limitations so you will have a full view of these tools. In case of doubt, ask. Either I or another member will gladly answer you.
Combining a large mass with a flexible material is a robust solution to accommodate vibrations. Yeah, I bought some marble slab (about the same density as concrete) cheaply, as it was broken into two pieces. It is significantly more pleasant and the smooth surface is excellent for placing the printer and doing maintenance. On the other hand, the foam needs to be hidden to keep it aesthetic. I couldn’t find a better solution for desktop 3D printers.
It isn’t stupid. I also feel miser in investing in specific accessories, mainly if they are costly.
You don’t need to buy everything at once; you’ll notice what is missing with time.
The printer has the minimum accessories needed to perform interventions and consumables for first maintenance.
Minimum recommendations, based on what I use multiple times:
print a couple of scrappers
buy a couple of typical pliers cutters used in 3D printing.
A metal brush is also handy;
nozzle needles kit for the size of your nozzle(s).
silica beads for keeping the filament dry (don’t need to buy now, but start to look for a promotion)
Consumables (regular acquisition)
isopropyl alcohol (99% or more) - I fill a spray bottle with it and always have it nearby if I need to clean.
absorbent paper roll(s)
cleaning cloths
lubricant - check wiki.
sewing machine oil
Printer parts and accessories:
Check the consumables (whipper, cutter, etc.)
minimum: a bed plate and a complete hotend. Having at least a spare plate to replace and continue printing is advantageous when you need to wash the used one and let it dry. The hotend I most use is still the original, and didnt have any issues. But if it happens, you don’t want to wait more than a week to receive a new one.
note: I already have a significant stock of BL printer components for the sole reason of not getting stuck in case of a problem. Yet, except for a fan, I didnt have any faulty or dead components.
And finally, the most crucial thing is tons of filament. Note that having a significant amount of filament is demanding. You need to dry your filament and keep it dry when stored. This is where I am still struggling, as the best tools are pretty expensive if I consider having more than 40 spots open. A top airtight case for a single spool would cost a minimum of 20 €. Such an investment isn’t reasonable as it would almost require acquiring a P1S combo. I have been relying on other solutions, but it consumes time.
This is precisely how I see things. I tend to compare the print cost to a similar product. I would print if I can get the same for less elsewhere. On the other hand, when you need Taylor components, it feels great to be able to do it for a couple of €.
The hard truth is that you will likely spend a significant amount of money on the hobby over time. I wouldn’t pay more than 17€ for a PLA, PETG or ABS spool. On the other hand, I am ok with spending 100€ on 750g of engineering-grade material.w
My overkill on the equipment habit helps me with the filament storage for now, with 4 AMS and not enough filament to fill them all yet I’ll probably be good for a while without needing a dry box. Pretty expensive for a storage solution I know, but at least it’ll be convenient.
I actually have a lesson learned / tip for new people myself. I got a decent variety of filament, but not enough of any one kind to do a large print with a single material. Good idea to get at least 2-3 kg of the most common type you’ll be using so you don’t risk running out.
I just had an unexpected run-out. Maybe a gamble going from PLA basic to matte just to keep a consistent color, but it looks like it worked out. I wanted to see the difference anyway, so now I can. The cat’s not gonna mind the mix up.
I find a about 1ft length of ptfe tube pretty useful for flicking stray filament purge off the bed, print head or waste shoot while prints are underway.
As its flexible I think it less likely to knock the print head out of alignment if it accidentally hits it.
