Reminds me back in the day of 56 kbit/s dial up.   

I recommend doing your upgrades in increments.

Thanks for the heads up. I really appreciate the proper order I should upgrade in. Thank you.

Start with using Slic3r and inputting the correct header in notepad++ to print 3w files with XYZ software.  Make sure slic3r settings work for you. 

Once those work, flash repetier FW, at first controlling with direct connect with repetier host.

Then work on your octoprint Server.

After that the sky is the limit!

I now also keep a fire extinguisher near by the printer just in case. All the talk about fire, abs juice containing acetone, vapors, and the heated extruder, the fire extinguisher helps me sleep.

I have gotten all the materials for a firmware hack and an octopie webcam print setup and am looking forward to getting Simplify 3D at some time in the not so distant future. I will also likely upgrade my heating element and all this will be in effort to maximize speed. I have 4 rolls of filament to burn through (10 to 15 days at my pace) before I upgrade the machine.

When I do upgrade the machine It will likely be a full force modify and I may go so far as to get faster moters and the whole shebang. When I do, I'll start a new thread detailing a maximum speed xyz set up.

Again, thank you for all the help. Please continue to use this thread to share stories of your most time consuming prints. I love to hear about the failures and the successes and everything that come in between.

I use Slic3r.  I cannot get it to generate the zig-zag rafts like was pictures in the orange print. 

It just prints a solid layer (almost like a thicker brim) that is impossible to remove.

That's an S3D thing although if you play with the line thickness and spacing you should be able to get close.

It just prints a solid layer (almost like a thicker brim) that is impossible to remove.

However it is not as smooth as if you print on the glass.
here are two samples of the bottom of a print. The test cube was done with a raft, and the wall directly on glass.

The theory as I understood it was that it holds the piece down better, but I was kind of skeptical of that. How can it hold the piece down better when you have these thin lines holding it instead of the whole surface  i.e. less surface area. But it works.

What I suspect is really going on is that the raft allows ventilation in and around and under the piece allowing the material to cool on all surfaces at the same rate and that is what prevents the piece from warping.

Here's a snapshot of what's currently building:

I worked for a Fortune 100 industrial electronics corporation and oversaw UL testing for some products. That included doing destructive testing to the point of things blowing up in the presence of UL Inspectors or at UL's Northbrook IL testing location. UL did not care what blew up as long as it was contained and didn't care how much damage the item sustained. What they did care about was that it did not catch fire outside of its enclosure, what ever that enclosure was.

If those constraints were not met it was not UL listed. My 1.0 Pro has the UL listing on it along with CE (European) and a bunch of others. I'm betting kit and homemade or modified printers don't have the luxury of having those tests and certification being done on them, that is the risk. And if you modify one that does and something happens well the onus is on you.

If the fire depicted in that picture was caused by a listed unmodified printer then I would think there would be legal liabilities involved.

If catching fire is a concern buying a listed mainstream consumer grade printer may be the way to go. Now that I'm aware of this I'm glad I did.