SoliForum - 3D Printing Community — I think I am done with Solidoodle

Re: I think I am done with Solidoodle

2015-01-18T22:42:53Z

Plug and Play sounds good in theory, but without a lot of software advancement in open source slicing, Plug and Play will not give you the best print quality for all models. Some kinds of prints have different requirements from others, and software isn't smart enough yet to tell the difference. A manufacturer can put together a stock profile that works well enough for most situations, and limit the settings you can access to keep everything simple for the novice user (like Soliprint and 3DS Cube). A novice who wants plug and play will be trapped at novice level and not have the opportunity to learn how to get great print quality rather than pretty ok quality.

Re: I think I am done with Solidoodle

2015-01-18T21:40:50Z

+1 as well.
3D printers are CNC machines. there are many mechanical adjustments firmware adjustments and software adjustments to be made. The machine is only as smart as the operator. it will do what you tell it to do even crash the print head into the wall of the printer into a pert or into the bed if you set it that way. The machine will tell you what it needs if you know how to observe and listen. I have had my machine for 6 months . I am almost to the point of doing some upgrades to make it better.
Sometimes I have fun with the machine and sometimes it causes frustration. Anyone can hit a start button but it takes understanding to set up and maintain a cnc machine. Personalty I want to know the what is under the hood and how to make adjustments. I want to see numbers I can change to just a choice of smal medium and large or thin medium and thick. There may be a day when a $600 printer will print well right out of the box with the push of a button. But where is the fun in that and if all you know is how to push the start button what does one do when something goes wrong.
Tin

Re: I think I am done with Solidoodle

2015-01-18T21:08:38Z

SnakeEyes wrote:

I think everyone who has a solidoodle experienced the same things. From what I've observed through this forum and online news and reviews of this and other printers, I feel SD owners are in a weird spot. On the one hand, it's not even close to the best, or even a good printer out of the box, so that's really bad !!!BUT!!! On the other hand, it does give us the hands on experience to modify and repair a lot so the experience we get from that is priceless. Whenever we see an issue in a print we now know exactly what to look for instead of freaking out and wondering what to do. This printer can be made to print incredibly, it just takes work on our part. Not to mention The hands down best research and support team in existence (this forum, not SD LOL =P ) Either way just breathe, have patience, and post or pm anyone at any time, the longest I've had to wait for anyone was a day, but you will always get help here. If anyone should know its me ... lol

Re: I think I am done with Solidoodle

2015-01-18T15:32:33Z

I think everyone who has a solidoodle experienced the same things. From what I've observed through this forum and online news and reviews of this and other printers, I feel SD owners are in a weird spot. On the one hand, it's not even close to the best, or even a good printer out of the box, so that's really bad !!!BUT!!! On the other hand, it does give us the hands on experience to modify and repair a lot so the experience we get from that is priceless. Whenever we see an issue in a print we now know exactly what to look for instead of freaking out and wondering what to do. This printer can be made to print incredibly, it just takes work on our part. Not to mention The hands down best research and support team in existence (this forum, not SD LOL =P ) Either way just breathe, have patience, and post or pm anyone at any time, the longest I've had to wait for anyone was a day, but you will always get help here. If anyone should know its me ... lol

Re: I think I am done with Solidoodle

2015-01-17T23:14:00Z

Well apparently something I did worked. After threatening to throw it out the window and leaving it for a week plus it seems to be mostly working.

The only problem I have now is with the plastic pulling lines but that doesn't seem insurmountable.

Re: I think I am done with Solidoodle

2015-01-06T13:19:50Z

>>Example, I asked for someone to list their settings so I could match it against mine - nothing other than people telling me that I should get a list of settings from someone. It's not really the community's job to deliver customer service though.

Add me to the list of people who were frustrated just like you but stuck it out and I am now getting good prints. Heck, I even built a mini kossel with self sourced parts too.

Anyway, asking someone to "list their settings" is not a specific enough question for you to get a constructive answer. What, specifically, did you want? Repetier settings, slic3r settings, esteps, etc? Even within repetier, there are several different tabs of settings. However, a lot of them are computer specific, so if I posted my and you tried the same com port, there is no reason other than dumb luck that it would be the same for you, so that doesn't really help. But to address your connectivity issues- does it connect at all and does it home all axis correctly when given the command? This is the place to start.

Also, I saw that you don't have a heated bed, have you added that yet? Are you trying to print ABS or PLA? IMO, the printer is a paperweight if you are printing ABS without a heated bed. I have printed PLA without a heated bed but even that is much easier with a 60 C heated bed.

Anyway, if it doesn't work out for you, check back in a couple years and hopefully it will be a little easier with newer printers.

Re: I think I am done with Solidoodle

2015-01-06T06:18:57Z

kinda makes ya wonder if Solidoodle should have been named 'Gump 3D" lol just looks like one of Forest's ideas. make lots of dollars with not much sense. 'simple is as simple does, life is like a box of chocolates, ya never know what your gonna get till ya bite in to one'

Re: I think I am done with Solidoodle

2015-01-06T06:12:30Z

connection issues are a real problem with Solidoodle and most similar printers using the background programs like Python etc to do a virtual printer Serial Com port through USB (plug and play but without much hardware detection). and that is multiplied every time you 'add new hardware' while not having the 3D printer connected and active in RH. most of us had to go in and make a high number com port for the 3D printer since any new hardware just selects the 1st UN-used com port to install on. most times stealing the 3D printers com port. mine is com 12 next time its gonna be 18 or 24 if I can get puter to use that high a number. since my laptops have enough ports/sockets of all types to possibly have 24 devices connected at once plus some devices assign permanent ports to them when installed (but you guessed it NOT SOLIDOODLE ARRGH). PDA sync devices and any serial type device are the worst at this. and Solidoodles techs dont know this much at all. as I banged my head and theirs against the wall for near 2 full weeks 247 til I found how to trouble shoot it myself and I have posted this info many times on here just search connection topics. its as usual, simple once you understand it. just dont add new stuff lots or at all without having the Solidoodle plugged in and connected in RH. so its port is seen as in use even if not printing. just like you cant find a 3D printer in printer list or device manager, neither does the hardware wizard.

Re: I think I am done with Solidoodle

2015-01-06T03:19:18Z

It sounds like a repeat of jagowilson back in October
Here's the thing.... We can't change the fact that your purchase of an SD has been a disappointment. Or the fact that SD doesn't offer the support you need to get up and running.
I seems (from browsing your other posts) that most of your problems are connectivity issues?
There are several users that have a lot of expertise in that area. My advice would be to figure out who they are and send them a PM and ask for help. Many of the advanced users simply overlook posts that seem to be repeats. That doesn't mean they don't want to help, just that they missed it. I am not the guy to ask about this issue but I bet Grob or Hazer might be able to assist.
You have to make a decision....
Do you fix it and make it what you thought it should've been in the first place?
Or do you sell it and go buy another brand printer only to find that it has just as many issues?

Spend some time browsing jagowilson' early posts or mine for that matter. You will find that you are not alone in your frustrations. Giving up now will only cheat yourself of the sense of accomplishment you'll receive when you finally master your 3D printer.
If there's anything I can help with just let me know.

Re: I think I am done with Solidoodle

2015-01-06T03:16:56Z

Well, we're here to help so why don't you list what's going on and perhaps we can solve it. I can assure you we've all been through the annoyances of owning a Solidoodle. Some folks get luckier than others, but if you stick with it you'll learn more than if it just worked. It sucks to hear that because you just spent $600, but I think Ggilasky put it well: a roll of Stratasys filament costs $300, and a Solidoodle costs $600.

I was in your shoes a few months ago so don't think for a second I don't get the frustration. But just remember that you have the privilege of manufacturing in your home now and manufacturing has never been easy.

Re: I think I am done with Solidoodle

2015-01-06T03:00:32Z

I have opened three different threads with limited levels of success. Once I get one thing diagnosed and fixed then I have another problem. This has been a month and a half of work including all of my Christmas vacation.

At this point I am talking about a little less than 80 hours put into this thing.

Yeah, I guess if I could get some basics it might make a difference but I never get the feedback that I need, I always jsut get a stock answer back that I can find online. Example, I asked for someone to list their settings so I could match it against mine - nothing other than people telling me that I should get a list of settings from someone. It's not really the community's job to deliver customer service though.

Believe me, I have dissected a lot of this machine and I think at this point I could probably build one from scratch as I have taken it apart and put it back together so many times. But I am so freaking tired. MY family gets nervous when I make my nightly pronouncement that I am going to go work on the 3D printer as they know it will inevitably end in me pissed off and not wanting to talk to anyone.

I don't know, maybe I am jsut venting, but I am at my wits end. No I take that back, I was at my wits end a month ago.

Re: I think I am done with Solidoodle

2015-01-06T02:28:57Z

I had to rebuild 75% of my printer; see picture below. If you quit now you'll never know where you could've gotten with more effort. I did all this and I've only owned this printer since September....

If you do want to sell it for certain shoot me a PM. Maybe we could work out sometning.

Re: I think I am done with Solidoodle

2015-01-06T02:18:58Z

Hang in there...it gets better.

I got my SD2 in Nov2013 and it took until Feb2014 to start understanding the machine and getting my money's worth.
In most cases, it can be diagnosed and fixed by a veteran tinkerer in a few hours. If you really want to print with your SD and don't have the time or patience, consider approaching users with an offer on a thread. If you were to sell it, the user who buys it would likely fix/mod/resell while you spend even more for another printer with the same potential.

With that said, please state your problems and expectations. I am sure you are well aware of the Soliforum community willing to help

Re: I think I am done with Solidoodle

2015-01-06T01:57:52Z

Elaborate Please ...........

I think I am done with Solidoodle

2015-01-06T01:32:09Z

I have been trying to get this printer working for a month and a half now. I am going to have to sell it off for junk parts or something. I can't in good conscious sell it to someone as a working printer.

This is ridiculous.