Hi, all. So my first ever 3D printer is on its way to me. I went with an Elegoo Centauri Carbon, partially for the option of using OpenCentauri firmware. I have been looking at various models on printables.com and Thingiverse, getting excited for the possibilities. I would just like to ask if there are any big pitfalls I should look out for as I’m starting my 3D printing adventure. What mistakes did you make when you were just starting out? What resources do you wish you were aware of earlier? What general advice can you give me?
Thanks in advance, and have a lovely day.
3D printing is generally pretty easy these days. Most of the difficult things from the early days have been largely automated through the use of numerous sensors and firmware improvements, as well as better engineering and materials being used to make the printers.
That said, some things are paramount.
Most filaments absorb water (hygroscopic), and need to be properly dried before use. A quick search should make a lot of resources come up.
The printing surface should be kept clean at all times. Keep a spray bottle of isopropanol and a cloth handy. Wipe the bed after each print.
Calibrate your filaments. Grab Orca Slicer and go through the calibration procedures. Save the profile with the brand and material in the name. Some filaments will diverge depending on colour as well, so if you start seeing different results it’s worth it re-calibrating for the new colour - save it as a new profile.
Most of all, have fun! Experiment, ask as many questions as you have. Don’t be shy. Sometimes what may seem like a stupid one is actually very important and non-obvious.
Thanks for the thorough comment. I’m looking at filament dryers now, and I’ll definitely get some cleaning stuff as well.
A basic food dehydrator does a good job with drying filament rolls (and most can dry more than one at once).
The issue with most of the dedicated filament dryers is one of airflow. They get the filament rolls hot but don’t push the humid air out of the dryer. That’s not to say that they don’t work, but mostly they will work more slowly than a food dehydrator.