https://www.youtube.com/embed/KS932iDL2QU

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https://www.youtube.com/embed/vxTdvsruUGs

The easiest way to install OctoPrint is by utilizing the Raspberry Pi Imager: Here are the basic steps: Download and install the Raspberry Pi Imager from the Raspberry Pi Foundation. Insert your SD card into your computer or connect it using an adapter. There’s no need to format the SD card prior to this as the tool will take care of that for you. Open the Raspberry Pi Imager and click on “Choose OS” under “Operating Systems”. Then go to “Other specific-purpose OS > 3D printing > OctoPi”. The current version should be available. At the time of writing this, it was OctoPi 1.8.7. Next, choose your storage option. Make sure to select the correct SDCard as it will be wiped to install OctoPi. Click on the gear…

Like Adam Savage, I have always been fascinated by cases and boxes of all shapes and sizes. One case/box in particular is the Pelican style case. Used for carrying an assortment of goods from firearms, flashlights, fishing gear, drones or used as a cooler, Pelican cases are a handy way to transport goods safely and in a cool way. But, they are expensive and large. So, can you 3D print smaller more cost effective versions? Why of course you can! One model I found particularly well designed was the Rugged Box by Whity on Printables.com. As a parametric box template, it can be customized to fit your specific needs. The template allows you to adjust the size and dimensions of the box, as well as the thickness and…

Polymaker PLA Pro is a type of filament made from polylactic acid (PLA) that has been specially engineered by Polymaker, a leading manufacturer of 3D printing materials. According to the manufacturer, this filament is designed to offer superior print quality, mechanical strength, and temperature resistance compared to standard PLA filaments. One of the key features of Polymaker PLA Pro is its high purity. The filament is made using pure raw materials, which ensures consistent printing performance and helps to minimize the risk of clogging or other print issues. Additionally, the filament has a low tolerance for diameter, which helps to ensure precise extrusion and accurate printing results. Polymaker PLA Pro also has excellent layer adhesion, which helps to ensure strong and durable prints. The filament is designed to…

This is the first Ultimaker to make it into the MoJee3D collection and it’s an old one. However, is this printer still worth having in 2023? If you’ve ever dabbled in 3D printing, you’ve likely heard of Ultimaker. Founded in 2011, Ultimaker made waves with its “working 3D printer” that consumers could purchase and assemble as a DIY kit. The Ultimaker Original, as it was known, won MAKE Magazine’s Fastest and Most Accurate 3D Printer award just a year after its release. While the Ultimaker Original was a fantastic machine made of laser-cut wood panels and technical components, it was also clunky and challenging to maintain. As newer versions like the Original+, 2, 2 GO, 2 Extended, 2+, 3, and the latest S7 came out, Ultimaker continued to…

I have seen several articles regarding the Biqu Hurakan being referred to as, “Yet another Chinese bed slinger.” However, from what I am seeing, it seems to be much, much more. While it can be classified as a “bed slinger”, it is the first to come with Klipper firmware out of the box. This means it is capable of input shaping and pressure advance to help improve overall print quality and reduce surface artifacts. At $369, it includes a host of features and hardware that are typically on the “upgrades” list for most other printers in this category. You may be asking yourself, “How does Biqu offer a printer with Klipper when I cannot even buy a Raspberry Pi?” The answer to this question would be that Biqu…

Overature PETG is a good filament with a mid-range dimensional tolerance of ±0.03mm and currently priced great on Amazon for only $18.99 for a 1 kg spool. The price was for the White PETG that I tested, other colors varied from $17.99-22.99, still great value. There used to be a limit in the colors Overature offered in their PETG but that seems to have changed with Amazon listing a wide variety of color choices. My test prints came out great, especially on my Prusa MK3S+ and printing directly from my Sunlu S1 Filament Dryer. I live in an area that has frequent high humidity so I try to keep PETG dry for best results. However, I did run a test after letting the filament sit out a week,…

The Mythic Mug Lion’s Brew Can Holder has become a must print for a lot of 3D Printers. The design quality is amazing and depending on your filament choice, it can really be stunning. I printed this one in Geeetech Glitter Blue PLA which I really like. I had never used Geeetech filament so I was uncertain how the quality would be but I was pleasantly surprised. Printed with 0.2mm layer height, the look and feel actually seems more like 0.12mm or 0.18mm. The mug can support the following sizes as is but can be scaled up 10.625% to support 23oz, 23.5oz and 25oz cans. When downloaded from Thingiverse, the file contains inserts depending on the intended can size. 250ml/8.3oz300ml/10.1oz330ml/11.3oz (both regular and sleek)355ml/12oz (both regular, sleek and…

Creality recently announced a new Core-XY 3D printing that has piqued a lot of interest even though it is still a mystery to most. The Creality Ender 7 is the newest addition to the ever growing list of successful printers. The Ender series is probably the most well known in the industry and we hope this new printer will not disappoint. They have released a new video that, as a father who prints with his son, I really enjoyed. https://youtu.be/pEKbWEABop0 The Ender 7 has some impressive features and has Creality making some pretty bold statements by claiming that this printer is capable of speeds up to 250mm/s. Other features include linear rails, a Core-XY structure, a customized high volume nozzle and high speed motors. They also claim it…

As 3D Printing grows in popularity, so does the build volume of available printers and as a result, your drive to print bigger and better things! For most of us, we started off printing with small, inexpensive machines as we tested the 3D Printing waters to decide if we liked it. Inevitably, if you are like me, you fell in love with it and are now hooked. So you start tinkering and upgrading that small, inexpensive first printer. But, eventually that printer becomes obsolete or just not enough. You’ve printed hundreds of small figurines and Benchy’s but now you want to to work on a project that is bigger and it just won’t fit on your bed. So you decide to upgrade! You go from something like a…

As the 3D Printing hobby continues to grow throughout the world, so do the printer options available for beginners. Depending on what your budget is, the 3D Printer options are vast and can be difficult to narrow down. For beginners, a machine’s ease of use is often their first thought with price, available features and build volume coming next.  When I first saw the JGAurora A5S (now the JGMaker A5S), I was happy to see a printer in the $400 range have such a large build volume at 305 x 305 x 320mm. Priced under the Creality CR-10S Pro and similar to the Tronxy X5SA, it’s an intriguing machine. It also holds some interesting features like a filament runout sensor, power failure protection, 32-bit motherboard and a heated…

All FDM 3D printing filaments are hygroscopic. What does that mean? Well, it just means that all filament material absorbs moisture over time. This moisture can ruin 3D printing filaments and as a result, your prints. Plastic polymers are made of chains of molecules tied together. Hygroscopic means that moisture introduces water molecules in between these chains, breaking the structure and ruining the plastic. This can cause a host of problems during printing. Is there a solution to this problem? Why yes there is! Spools that have sat for a while, not properly stored, and have absorbed moisture can be dried. Filament can be dried in the oven, modified food dehydrators or in specially designed filament dyers like the ones from PrintDry. To prevent/lessen the need for this, opened…

Is 3D Solutech PLA filament any good? When you first get into 3D Printing, it can often feel a bit daunting to pick a filament type. Most people will start with PLA because it is the most widely used and is supported by most machines. Almost all machines will come with a test sample of PLA, usually white or clear. But, that won’t last long and you will find yourself scouring the internet for your next roll or two. You will quickly find that although there are many types of filament like PLA, PLA+, ABS, PETG, TPU, the list goes on. Just like types of filament, there are even more brands and colors of filament to choose from. The options are endless and can be overwhelming at times.…

As you may have read in my previous post, I discussed why I believe the original Creality Ender 3 is still relevant in 2020 and worth picking up, even over the new Pro or V2 versions. To start of this project, I had to decide what upgrades I would do and in what order. Obviously, printed upgrades are the easiest, quickest and least expensive but those can be done at any time. My first upgrade would have to be something that solved many issues at once and that is the main board. The stock board works perfectly fine but there are easy to install, upgraded boards that provide higher quality prints, quieter operation and more options over the stock board. This is where the BIGTREETECH SKR Mini E3…

I have had a lot of people ask me lately if the Creality Ender 3 is still worth buying in 2020. The conversation usually begins by discussing the availability of the Ender 3 Pro and Ender 3 V2 and if Creality should even continue to sell the original. My short answer to them is, absolutely! Why? Because the original Ender 3 is still a great machine and at the current sale price of $157, it’s a steal! Don’t get me wrong, I still own a Pro and a V2 but I got into this hobby because I am a Maker, a Tinkerer and the Ender 3 is this Tinkerer’s dream machine. And yes, I know that I can go straight to a V2 for just $100 more. But,…

The Monoprice Delta Mini is one of the smallest and least expensive delta-style printers available, priced at around $179. Its only real competitor is the Biqu Magician, which has a slightly larger build volume of 100mm x 150mm compared to the Monoprice’s 110mm x 120mm. The Biqu can also print slightly taller objects. My first impressions of the machine were positive. It was well-packaged and came fully assembled. The self-leveling bed made it easy to start printing right away. The Monoprice Delta Mini is a great choice for beginners or kids. My first print was included on the supplied SD card – a Money Cat. The print had okay resolution at a .2mm layer height, but there were some surface imperfections due to over-extrusion. However, these issues can…

I am constantly reading forums and fielding questions on my site related to all aspects of 3D printing. Most of the questions are from people just venturing into the world of consumer, at-home printing with Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) machines. Questions range from how to get the machine to work, to print quality troubleshooting, and everything in between.  Even though I have been printing for years, I still run into issues when trying a new technique or approach. For example, what is the best infill pattern? Gyroid, cubic, honeycomb? Infill pattern and percentage (density) refer to the inside “fill” of a print. They provide structure and rigidity to a print while lessening the weight and eliminating wasted material. After running various test prints, all with different patterns, I…

Disney’s, The Mandalorian is a huge hit in my house. As Star Wars fans, we couldn’t wait for the first season and now the second. I think my son and I have already watched the first season, three times. So what better way for a Mandalorian loving, 3D printing kid to do than to print a Mandalorian Mini Figure! Well, there already exists a great model on Thingiverse by Velrock. It scales up or down great and the detail is amazing. Great model to print with your Star Wars loving kids. We have one printing now in Sunlu PLA Silk Gold.

I have been looking for ways to quiet down a stock Ender Pro 3 and the simplest first step would be to add some sort of cushioned feet. I perused Thiniverse, MyMiniFactory and Google, looking for a design that both looked cool and were functional. The ones I liked most were designed based around some sort of squishy ball or squash ball. I saw some with mini tennis ball and 42mm squash balls. Although those designs were neat, they all seamed to raise the machine more than I wanted. Not to mentioned, I don’ have mini tennis ball or 42mm squash balls on hand. My thoughts on the tennis balls were that they would be to firm to actually “dampen” the sound and 42mm squash balls were big…

I recently started using Prusaslicer with my Ender 3 Pro. I really like the layout of the software and find it very easy to navigate. I have been used Cura, FlashPrint, MakerBot Print, Repetier, ideaMaker, Slic3r, etc., but I think Prusaslicer is my favorite. Even for a beginner, Prusaslicer is great if left on the Simple option, expanding to Advanced or Expert as needed. After installing my new yellow springs and aluminum knobs on my Ender 3, I leveled the bed with came out perfectly and has lasted. To test this I used a .STL print that I have seen but never tried myself. I went with the version called On the Fly Bed Level Test by jaykoehler on Thingiverse. In terms of bed leveling, the first test…

I have had my Ender 3 Pro for over a week now and getting the bed level was fairly easy. Keeping the bed level was a completely different story. The stock springs are very soft and maybe a little short. The stock Z-Stop position requires you to almost lift the bed to the max height of the stock springs. This results in the bed leveling knobs be very, very easy to turn. What I found, is that general movement around the printer, resulted in me accidentally hitting the knobs. This was frustrating because as you all know, that meant re-leveling the bed again because trying to guess which way the knob turned and by how much, to get it back, was impossible. So, my solution was to order…

Now that I have my Ender 3 Pro setup and dialed in, I wanted to start with some upgrades. First, I wanted to print something to organize the ribbon cable to the screen and something to hold the tools that ship with the Printer. I spent some time looking around for some existing designs and quickly decided on one, the Front Drawer by N6SXB. If you notice from the picture, I printed the drawer on my Adventurer 3 because my Ender was already printing lightsaber parts for my son. To install the drawer, you need to remove both the screen mount and the belt tensioner for the Y axis. Next, I installed some clips that I printed, also on the Adventurer 3, to hold the ribbon cable nicely…

I just received my second spool of Sunlu PLA 1.75 mm filament, a Silk in Light Gold. My first spool was not a good experience as the Sunlu black PLA clogged and produced low quality prints versus other filament manufacturers. Was it just a bad roll? Maybe! Just like the first spool, the packaging was nice with a standard vacuum sealed bag with a desiccant pack. After opening the spool, I noticed the filament was covered with little black specks. At first glance, I thought the specks were impregnated into the PLA but then I noticed they could be wiped off. The color seems uniform but very dull in comparison to the advertised photographs on Sunlu.com or other reseller sites. Once printed however, the color really shines and…

I have been 3D Printing for several years now and have tried quite a plethora of filament brands. Hatchbox, Ultimaker, MakerBot, Proto-Pasta, eSUN, Sunlu, Amazon Basics and more but my go to has always been Hatchbox. All the brands I mentioned above print well and I will continue to use them frequently, but they are either more expensive or of a lesser quality than Hatchbox. I print a lot of PLA because it is inexpensive, easy to print and biodegradable. Hatchbox is by far the best PLA for your money, usually around $19-23 per 1KG spool. This price/quality is really hard to beat and it’s made in the USA. They offer a large variety of colors in both 1.75 mm and 3 mm and advertise a plus or…

As 3D printing nerds and huge Star Wars fans, it’s only natural that my son and I print a lot of lightsaber hilts. We have yet to design an original, instead choosing to print existing designs from DIOGORSERGIO found on Thingiverse. He has some really nice lightsaber models that print well and seem to be fairly screen accurate. If you’re new to 3D Printing, you will eventually find yourself perusing sites like Thingiverse, MyMiniFactory, Cults 3D and many more to find ideas or great designers sharing their .STL files. The Thingiverse app leaves a lot to be desired so I recommend using the website. If you have yourself a 3D Printer, kids and you like Star Wars, then try your hand a lightsaber making. You can print and…

The Creality Ender 3 Pro is one of the most popular and reliable 3D printers available. The price, upgrade potential, reliability and print quality are just a few things that drew me to the Ender 3 Pro. For printers under $300, this may be the best one available in 2020 and if you are looking for one under $200, the Creality Ender 3 (not the Pro) is a great option as the differences between the two models is minimal. Like the Flashforge Adventurer 3, my hopes for the Ender 3 Pro were high, especially with all the adoration it gets in the 3D printing community. Well, so far it has held up to its name. Out of the box, it takes a little time to put together but…

The Flashforge Adventurer 3 is a great 3D Printer for beginners, especially for kids. It may be one of the best in that regard for its ease of use and reliability. In fact, it is so easy that you just unbox it and add the supplied filament and you are good to go. The filament supplied is actually pretty good and is a decent size spool versus the tiny amount that comes with most printers. The supplied directions are easy to use, and the printer comes with all the bells and whistles of machines that are far more expensive. See listed features below. The enclosed design makes it easy to move around, it looks clean and is lightweight. The enclosure means no hanging wires for those pesky cats!…