3d printer for rc parts

[JohnRobHolmes]

forums can have downsides too, but is relatively better than FB. The bar is much lower to participate on FB, and that allows for a far higher ratio of BS to tech. Everything gets buried, learning information from a group is extremely difficult unless it has documents to read. The participants in a group are hard pressed to actually learn unless they are a hawk watching the group for a long period of time. Once any topic gets 100 posts, forget about easily reading all the posts in a cohesive manner. Forums are completely different.


USwaterrockets seems to have a solid understanding of design for manufacture, I haven't been let down by any of his parts.

[Gramps]

What does it sound like when PLA has absorbed moisture? I started a print job this morning and the fist thing I noticed was that it did put down a clean skirt. As it continued I could hear a popping sound, sort of sounded like someone beating on a metal trashcan. At 1st I thought it was the neighbour working on something but the more I listened I decided it was the printer. Also the 1st layer appeared to have skips in it either where there was no filament or it was very thin.

Ext temp: 200c
Bed temp: 55c
Speed: 60

This is what I have been normally using with this brand (Inland) of PLA

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by Gramps

What does it sound like when PLA has absorbed moisture? I started a print job this morning and the fist thing I noticed was that it did put down a clean skirt. As it continued I could hear a popping sound, sort of sounded like someone beating on a metal trashcan. At 1st I thought it was the neighbour working on something but the more I listened I decided it was the printer. Also the 1st layer appeared to have skips in it either where there was no filament or it was very thin.

Ext temp: 200c
Bed temp: 55c
Speed: 60

This is what I have been normally using with this brand (Inland) of PLA

You can see the moisture in it, looks like air bubbles. And yup, pops when you extrude it.

[JohnRobHolmes]

pops and spits from the water steaming off.

[mikemcE]

Get a food dehydrator , at Walmart.
You want an adjustable thermostat. 4 to 6hours at 105* will dry it out.


Hang up and Drive

[whitrzac]

Now I feel dumb. I thought the stock fan on the mini was 40mm, not 30mm.

I haven't found a dual 40mm fan mount I like for the mini yet...

[mikemcE]

Originally Posted by whitrzac

Now I feel dumb. I thought the stock fan on the mini was 40mm, not 30mm.

I haven't found a dual 40mm fan mount I like for the mini yet...

don't be in a rush for more cooling.......I did upgrade to a 50mm, now it cools to much.
Have you done a PID autotune? that will make a difference usually.

[whitrzac]

Originally Posted by mikemcE

don't be in a rush for more cooling.......I did upgrade to a 50mm, now it cools to much.
Have you done a PID autotune? that will make a difference usually.

I haven't yet.

I have an issue with what appears to be heatsoak. Prints <3-4hrs turn out great, longer prints have issues past 7-8hrs.

I test printed the housing I linked to before out of PLA. The higher it got the more strings it had. When it got to the highest point on the last piece, the plastic looks bubbly

It probably doesn't help that it's 81* in my house right now

[mikemcE]

Originally Posted by whitrzac

I haven't yet.

I have an issue with what appears to be heatsoak. Prints <3-4hrs turn out great, longer prints have issues past 7-8hrs.

I test printed the housing I linked to before out of PLA. The higher it got the more strings it had. When it got to the highest point on the last piece, the plastic looks bubbly

It probably doesn't help that it's 81* in my house right now

What is your hot end and bed set at.
81 shouldn’t cause issues, it’s usually cold rooms with issues.
I needed a PID tune from the get go. I had similar issues caused by almost 10*temp shifts, and too much cooling.( I had gone to a 50mm fan/Diii cooler)


Hang up and Drive

[gonper]

Originally Posted by Gramps

What does it sound like when PLA has absorbed moisture? I started a print job this morning and the fist thing I noticed was that it did put down a clean skirt. As it continued I could hear a popping sound, sort of sounded like someone beating on a metal trashcan. At 1st I thought it was the neighbour working on something but the more I listened I decided it was the printer. Also the 1st layer appeared to have skips in it either where there was no filament or it was very thin.

Ext temp: 200c
Bed temp: 55c
Speed: 60

This is what I have been normally using with this brand (Inland) of PLA

PLA absorbs moisture but very little and usually does not causes issues when 3D printed.
What you relate looks to me that is something different: I think that your nozzle is too close to the bed so the nozzle is not able to expulse plastic. Then extruder motor skips steps or the filament grinds on the gear because the filament does not flow... The noise that you can hear is the motor skipping steps or the filament grinding.

And as you described: A first layer with very thin deposited plastic layer or missing lines is a clear symptom of a too close nozzle to the bed.

[mikemcE]

Gonper is right on, that first layer sound, if too close, almost retracts as the excess builds up not out the nozzle, the drive gear will skip or jump.....start there.


Hang up and Drive

[whitrzac]

Printed this out last night.

PLA
205
55
50mm/s speed
3mm retratction

[mikemcE]

Looks pretty good, not much stringing or blobing


Hang up and Drive

[whitrzac]

The tops of the arches are what I'm trying to correct with more cooliing.

[mikemcE]

Drop your speed down to 45, also retraction seems high. My top issue was directly caused by temperature fluctuations, PID solved that


Hang up and Drive

[k7zpj]

Originally Posted by whitrzac

Printed this out last night.

PLA
205
55
50mm/s speed
3mm retratction

Did you print the benchy on a diagonal?
If so, you should reprint it with the bow pointed towards the right and with the sides parallel to the front and back. Bridging on a diagonal is a lot harder than along the axis.

It looks like you are getting some layer shifting in the back of the deck house about 2/3 of the way up and in the stack. ( Kind of hard to tell in photos, so forgive me if I am wrong about the layer shifting

If you do a print along the x-axis (bow pointed to the right) and the y-axis(bow pointed the front), you can compare them to see where the issue is.

Check to see if your infill is set to 10%. Having it set higher will cause issues where the infill meets the outer shell.

Check out the 3DBenchy Facebook group. You can post photos of your benchy there and get help resolving the issues.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/3DBenchy/

[whitrzac]

Infill set at 20%.
Front of the boat was pointing right

The stack past the top of the roof broke off with a slight push, it didn't adhere at all.

[Gramps]

I've heard of people storing their filament in 5 gallon buckets with lids. I was thinking that a cooler would work. Maybe put a tray in the bottom with Silica Gel Packets under it or just throw in with the reels.

[QuesoDelDiablo]

Originally Posted by whitrzac

Infill set at 20%.
Front of the boat was pointing right

The stack past the top of the roof broke off with a slight push, it didn't adhere at all.

Are you using a bowden tube feeder? Just asking because I see a bit (not much of blobbing and stringing. With a bowden set-up I run the retraction at 4-4.5mm and the speed turned up a little from the stock setting in Slic3r (I don't remember the number at the moment).

Sounds like you might be using too much cooling if you're layer adhesion failure like that.

[QuesoDelDiablo]

Originally Posted by Gramps

I've heard of people storing their filament in 5 gallon buckets with lids. I was thinking that a cooler would work. Maybe put a tray in the bottom with Silica Gel Packets under it or just throw in with the reels.

I store mine in non-porous ziploc style bags (Zip-Zag is the brand with some silica. Works perfectly and the filament spools fit nicely into the bags.

Wal-mart has Rubbermaid style totes with a lead that seals pretty well and they're pretty well priced. I'll try and find a link to post.


The bags I use:
https://www.amazon.ca/Zip-Zag-Bags-1.../dp/B00F2QM9RE
They're pricey but worth the money.


The totes I mentioned:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite...Clear/39922428
Weird, they're cheaper at WalMart in Canada. That never happens.