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Topic: Hello! Advice on what to stock up on Thanks!

I ordered the SD3 and am awaiting its arrival (its gonna be a while I just ordered it yesterday) I have purchased 1 kilogram of filament because lets face it by the time I get the printer it may be considerably cheaper, I bought a 100ft roll of 8" wide kapton tape and I bought a cricuit spatuala, I am planning on going to get some white lithium grease tomorrow. Is there anything I should get that I am forgetting here?

I edit my posts a lot.

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Re: Hello! Advice on what to stock up on Thanks!

Patience. smile

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Re: Hello! Advice on what to stock up on Thanks!

elmoret wrote:

Patience. smile

I just think the filament is going to get alot cheaper really quick as more poeple learn to make it themselves the companies are gonna have to compete with that

I edit my posts a lot.

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Re: Hello! Advice on what to stock up on Thanks!

frozensoda wrote:
elmoret wrote:

Patience. smile

I just think the filament is going to get alot cheaper really quick as more poeple learn to make it themselves the companies are gonna have to compete with that

Agreed! It was a joke about having to be patient troubleshooting and tuning/tweaking, as is the case with all hobbyist 3d printers.

5 (edited by jooshs 2013-02-06 03:00:32)

Re: Hello! Advice on what to stock up on Thanks!

1/4" kapton tape, acetone, a hobby knife, a hex driver, a tooth brush, and long tweezers are pretty much essentials used regularly.  A lot of us use glass squares with hair spray (I use Aquanet unscented), and small binder clips for the bed.

After that, calipers and or a dial gauge are pretty important if you will be looking for very accurate calibrations.  You will probably end up using a multimeter at some point.  Finally, if you want to do any mods, you'll want wires, a soldering iron, and maybe some abs glue. 

The list is certainly not completely comprehensive, but the items in the first paragraph should be plenty to get you going and allow you to to print comfortably.

edit:  oh ya, and patience  smile

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Re: Hello! Advice on what to stock up on Thanks!

A bunch of magnets; I use them extensively. One of the bigger perks to a metal frame I think, and you will find many uses for them.

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Re: Hello! Advice on what to stock up on Thanks!

Well you will need digital or dial calipers, xacto knife, tweezers, kapton tape, watch Ian's YouTube vids on calibrations, setup, and clearing a clogged nozzle, and patience.  You have plenty of time before you get your machine, the average time is well over 14 weeks.

The other things suggested work well for those people but may not be right for your machine.  Once you get your machine test it, calibrate it then go nuts getting stuff after you figure out what is needed.  I ordered my SD3 with two spools, cause I know I am pretty much just to blow threw the 1st like nothing playing and dialing in the machine.

While waiting learn the software, they now and I agree to use Repetier.  I have experimented with the software a little and it is much easier and more flexible then Prontoface plus allows so e things that Prontoface doesn't. Slicers are different too not all work the same and for some parts.  I was experimenting with a thin walled weird shaped cup and Slic3r had some issues and Skeinforge didn't.  Weird thing is Slic3r is usually tons faster then Skeinforge, but on that object it was the opposite.  Still learning some of the settings in Skeinforge, Slic3r much easier and most of the time better choice.

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Re: Hello! Advice on what to stock up on Thanks!

A dial guage is good for being able to measure the height of the bed relative to the extruder, and for figuring out backlash if you plan on updating the firmware.

You could get the panelolu setup whilst you wait.

The waiting time for the printer is a good idea to get some ideas about what you want to print sorted out properly.

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Re: Hello! Advice on what to stock up on Thanks!

a spare nozzle!! you will get a clog - its a matter of time, and when it happens your printer is out of action until it is cleared, which, if using acetone, may take a day or so.

a spare nozzle allows you to swap over with no down time, once printing with the new nozzzle, you clean the old nozzle.

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Re: Hello! Advice on what to stock up on Thanks!

saymo606 wrote:

a spare nozzle!! you will get a clog - its a matter of time, and when it happens your printer is out of action until it is cleared, which, if using acetone, may take a day or so.

a spare nozzle allows you to swap over with no down time, once printing with the new nozzzle, you clean the old nozzle.

Not a bad idea.

Former Solidoodle employee, no longer associated with the company.