1 Topic by doobes (edited by doobes 2016-04-02 13:38:49)

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Topic: Path forward

Greetings all,

I've got one of the SD Press units that was delivered via the first shipments. I've used it a couple of times, but life has gotten in the way (aka too many hobbies....) and I've not fooled with it in over a year.

The unit is box stock as delivered, other than tightening the myriad of set screws that were loose upon delivery.

With Solidoodle's demise I've got a couple of questions for the brain trust:

  • Is it worth the time/money to go through and do some/all of the mod's developed by MacGyverX? Reading casually, it seems like the mod's will be a couple of hundred $.  Is this money well spent.  In other words, am I putting lipstick on a pig?

  • Is there a subset of the mods that will get the unit useable on a weekly basis without being optimum?  If I could get it done for less than $100 I would definitely go that route.

  • If it's not worth the time/money, what path do I take to move forward to have a 3D printing capability? I'm a design engineer and am nearing retirement and would very much like to have this capability for when I have time to "create". Is it wise to wait for the market to mature a bit?

Thanks in advance for any sage advice you might have to offer

chris

2 Reply by AOYOU3D (edited by AOYOU3D 2016-04-03 00:46:45)

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Re: Path forward

It is better to go another 3D printer.
From lots of complains of Press user, you should know that
the SD press is a failed product, it has some wrong design problems
that you cannot modify by yourself.
You just ask that how many percent of users made a good print
with the promised size 8"x8"x8" from few thousand of SD Press, even after
some body modified it?
My friend bought one Press, spent money and time, but it
still doesn't work.
If you really like to play 3D printer and you are design engineer, you
can buy a 3D printer kit ($300-400) from eBay, assemble it by self,
otherwise you spent few hundred money, but still couldn't get a
good print.

3 Reply by trayracing

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Re: Path forward

If you followed all of the steps in the Press rework guide and move off of SDPrint, it can be OK in ABS...f you didn't get one of the real lemons and no major parts fail. It is prone to overheating, so smaller prints tend to be more successful

MacGyverX is in it for the thrill of the mod and has a greatly improved machine in exchange for a lot of effort and expense. If you want a better machine but aren't interested in picking up modding as a hobby, you're better off buying a different machine.

4 Reply by doobes

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Re: Path forward

trayracing wrote:

If you followed all of the steps in the Press rework guide and move off of SDPrint, it can be OK in ABS...f you didn't get one of the real lemons and no major parts fail. It is prone to overheating, so smaller prints tend to be more successful

Can you point me to the Press rework guide?

thanks

chris

5 Reply by trayracing

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Re: Path forward

Hmm.
Someone was going to host a mirror of the web pages. I don't know where/if that happened (would be great to a be a sticky message in this forum. I happened to save a copy of the rework instructions, even though they never sent me a kit. (Just a spring and zip tie, I expect.) See attached.

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Solidoodle Press Rework Kit Instructions – Customer Service & Technical Support.pdf 943.96 kb, 13 downloads since 2016-04-03 

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6 Reply by ScRamjet (edited by ScRamjet 2016-04-04 23:34:57)

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Re: Path forward

Greetings Raytracing;
I read your linked instructions, they refer to running the file "SolidoodlePress_AT90_firmware_upload_USBcord.cmd".
Where do we get this file??? Also, I'm not sure I need it yet.
I have done most of the rest on my own without the instructions.
They did tell me about the Voltage adjustments.
They never bothered to tell me about the rest, I have a Big rubber band from a top hinge to the cable, it helps.
I got a couple prints, then the Extruder cable failed, they sent me one, it was too short, they sent an extension, it was miswired !!!   I swapped the pins around myself and moved on. A few more test prints, nothing great.
THEN, cleaning a clogged nozzle, the Wire to the Extruder Thermistor broke. I waited on a Thermistor for over 3 months.
It never showed up despite getting emails twice saying it was shipped. Once at the beginning of the 3 months and again at the end.
I finally just researched the value and bought one from Amazon. Had my press working in 3 days.
Now I have finally got a few decent prints but I'm looking for ways to understand the workings of this thing.
If you are familiar, Look on Thingiverse for 'XLRobots.com's X1 Opensource Female Robot Companion' (Just head parts uploaded so far)
I have successfully printed the FACE with no support !!!
Tip Lid open far enough to close front door Bed at 105C and strip of Duck Tape down the edge of the lid on both sides covering most of the opening. Extruder at 230C, Filament Multiple set at 0.8, Generic Nozzle I got from amazon 0.4mm nice and pointy.

Thanks
ScRamjet

7 Reply by Solinonymous

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Re: Path forward

Hi again Ramjet smile

That file is used to upload firmware to the board but it shouldn't really be necessary, especially if you have a unit from one of the first shipments, seeing as how I personally unboxed about 400 printers, reflashed the firmware, and boxed them up again. It was a pretty basic script though so if you happen to want it I can throw something together.

8 Reply by trayracing

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Re: Path forward

SCramjet, I never updated the firmware, so I've no epxperience with the attached file, but I hear the major change was enabling the bottom Z stop, which I've only occasionally missed.

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SolidoodlePress_AT90_firmware_upload_USB.cmd 191 b, 2 downloads since 2016-04-06 

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9 Reply by doobes

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Re: Path forward

Well, just an update.

I've listed the printer on E-Bay.  It will be sold by Sunday night.

Thanks to all who chimed in.

chris