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.

  • Synapse@lemmy.worldEnglish
    9·
    4 days ago

    Few advice I give people getting started:

    • don’t buy to many filament spools ! They are not trivial to store and preserve. I known it’s exciting to get all of the nice colors. It’s better to start with one spool of PLA and finish it before you open the next one. Myself I opened this year a spool I bought when I got started in 2018.
    • add a filament dust filter to clean the filament of any dust and debris before it enters the printer. It can be as simple as a piece of paper towel holded around the filament with a clip. This will save you the headache that comes with a clogged nozzle.
    • now days, model sites like Printables and Thangs are full of AI slop. Do not even bother to download a model that doesn’t have a real photo of the real printed part. If the creator didn’t bother to actually print his design before publishing, you can be sure it will be a nightmare to print, if not impossible.
    • lots of very interesting videos on YouTube to learn 3D printing and 3D modeling techniques for 3D printed parts. MakersMuse a d CNC-Kitchen are good channels. You can skip all of the productsl reviews, focus on the teaching videos.