The New 3D Printing Thread

[Super]

Thanks Nigels...now if only the 3D Scanners would get as small and as cheap.

To be fair you can get 3D scanners cheaply enough, the problem is the quality is not so great.  There was that free software I originally posted about which you give up to 50 images from different sides and angles which then creates a 3D model.  I've not yet tried it myself, but put a train or something on a turntable and it should be a breeze to take the pictures.  I know from what I saw of it when I stumbled across it that the results were quite stunning.  I'll have to see if I can find it and/or the link for the download and let you know, I'm sure I'll be able to find it, just a matter of searching around.  Unfortunately it was in that thread that got deleted before its time lol!

[Super]

LOL...50 pictures...way too much for me my friend...I will just wait until they perfect one for dummies where you just push one button and done.

Well as the followers of this thread will know, I recently purchased myself an upgrade from my first 3D printer (Creality Ender 3) to a Creality CR10s Pro, fundamentally a similar design, but with all the upgrades I've ever wanted along with better quality and an even bigger build area.

However sods law rules and just about a fortnight after I bought that what comes to my notice?  But a one off Amazon 'Warehouse' deal on a Creality CR-X, 'as new, but with damaged packaging'.  Well normally I wouldn't even consider a 3D printer return, but when I saw it was around half the price of a normal CR-X and knowing the Amazon return policy I decided to splash the cash while I had the chance.

So it arrives and then has been sitting in its box, I did briefly open it to check it and indeed it did all look brand new, including the two unopened 1kg reels of filament it arrives with.  But then I've just not had the time to set it up and have a proper play with it, what with work, 3D designing, prototyping etc, etc...

But this week I'm on leave!! Yah!  So I decide its time to check it out, before the Amazon return window closes, only I find I've had it sitting here for so long the window has already closed <sigh> so with some trepedation I get it out, assemble it and throw the switch.  Great, it boots up all normally, seeks to home and all looks good.  So I then go through the normal calibration stuff like bed levelling, loading filament and then trying a couple of the test prints.  Good news is it seems to work perfectly and the only sign of any use I can find is it has one small mark on the print head protective cover.

Soooo, I guess you're asking why after buying the CR10s Pro was I even interested in this model?  Well to look at in a quick glance it looks almost the same as the CR10s Pro, same build size, same solid base with touch screen, same large build plate, except this has a glass bed rather than an aluminium one, no auto bed levelling.  But here's the rub, it has two extruders feeding in a 'Y' format into the print head and can print dual colour!!

Here's a vid showing a normal 'Benchy' (the usual benchmark print), then a CR-X dual colour one and finally a 'flexy' butterfly.  This latter piece is printed in one piece with the articulation already built in (i.e. no assembly required).  Have to say I can see plenty of scope for what I can do with this and even forgetting the dual colour facility I now have a second large format printer to use

[Super]

Oh my...how cool is that? Now you could make faces on the Thomas trains that needs no painting or highlighting details perfectly with the hassle of trying to paint tiny lines. Are there printers that to even more colors?

I know, now I need to get used to the idea of thinking in dual colour (for now) and make the most of it, but it really gets my juices flowing that's for sure

There are models with greater numbers of colour available, one that springs to mind is a variant of the Prusa (that is one of the benchmark brands out there, but is way more expensive than the Chinese models around) which has a 4 into 1 extruder setup. That means you have four extruders each with a different type or colour of filament feeding into a single nozzle setup as opposed to the two into one on my CR-X.

There is also coming (in fact I think may now be available or on the verge of) 'full colour' printer from XYZ, that basically combines a 3D printer setup with an inkjet. This then uses a special type of filament which can absorb the ink and therefore it can print any colour by printing the inkjet onto the 3D model. I assume it does this as it prints the 3D model, but haven't seen any videos of it in action. The downsides are the cost (well over £1k at the moment) and the fact it uses this special type of filament which presumably initially at least will be expensive and locked into XYZ product. Of course if the Chinese clone it that would change rapidly, but it depends if it catches on.

The only real downside with the x into y type colour printers is that you do have some waste material in the form of what they call a 'purge block', this is a tower that is printed somewhere else on the printbed and basically as you transition layers and change colour it will print a layer onto this block to purge out the material in the printhead of the prior colour. If you have a tall slender model this can result in a purge block that uses more material than the print job lol!

thats awesome! i love the boats, so small and cute. silly question, but do they float?

[Super]

No wonder you print boats.....just in case your juices overflow...

Have to be honest Super I don't know, I've never tried to float one. It is just simply a benchmark file which is used often with a new printer or new type of filament to see how it performs. It can help calibrate what temperature to use for example or highlight if you have any mechanical problems. Hence the name 'Benchy'

I'll try floating one and let you know, if they do I got a big flotilla already lol!

Haven't been able to sleep for the past few hours and my lack of productivity lately is annoying me. I decided to start making a keychain for my car of my car. To give people an idea of how I got to this stage with a method I'm not used to, here are some earlier WIP pics.


The subdivision surface modifer and bevel tool are your friends when making cars.

It's only going to be roughly Hot Wheels scale so I'm not too worried about finer details like proper lights or the plastic strips that go along the middle of the doors.


Will be 3D printed with my Photon and painted with brush and airbrush.