Designing and 3D printing feeders & accessories

[CatInTheHenHouse]

I have a relative looking to get a 3D printer. Do you have any recommendations for anything that would make life significantly easier while using it, or otherwise remove pain points for a newbie getting started?

 

[Themellowyellows]

I have a relative looking to get a 3D printer. Do you have any recommendations for anything that would make life significantly easier while using it, or otherwise remove pain points for a newbie getting started?

My brother has the "Bambu lab" you can start prints via your phone. It also has a bilt in camera. Ill give you the link if you are interested.

 

[DonyaQuick]

I have a relative looking to get a 3D printer. Do you have any recommendations for anything that would make life significantly easier while using it, or otherwise remove pain points for a newbie getting started?

Significantly easier, unfortunately not. A little bit easier, maybe. The problem is FDM printers are definitely still in the realm of being tinker things at the consumer level rather than being like a more reliable household appliance. So, the only things I can really list are...

• If I was starting over again and willing to significantly raise my budget for the printer itself, I would consider a design that is not a bed-slinger (both bed-droppers and those with stationary beds have a smaller overall footprint and fewer issues with prints shaking loose) and I would consider one that is an enclosed design for increased environmental stability. The reason I didn't go for those two features is that both were a serious cost increase above the typical entry-level, open-air, bed-slinger design of the same build plate size. I don't regret getting a cheaper open-air bed-slinger but can definitely now see the appeal in the other designs.
• Get a filament dryer unless you live in an extremely low-humidity place. Filament dryers definitely decreased print failures, improved print quality, and improved reel longevity for me. The one I'm using is quite cheap but well worth the $30 or so I paid for it.
• Stick to regular PLA in either clear or simple simple, solid colors at first. Initially avoid filament with other materials mixed in like glitter, carbon, etc. All the fancy stuff really increases the odds of a nozzle clog.
• You'll have fewer quality and distortion issues if you print slow than if you try to max out the print speed.
• If the room is on the cool side and using an open-air bed-slinger with a hotbed, you may want to preheat the nozzle and bed for around 15min if you can before you begin the print. It took me a long time to figure out that this significantly improves first layer adhesion on mine, thereby decreasing the odds of the print breaking free and being flung around like a yo-yo partway through.
• Stick to printing simpler geometries at first. The more fiddly detail something has, the more likely it won't come out well. Support-free designs are best; supports can sometimes be a real pain to remove without damaging the model.

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

My brother has the "Bambu lab" you can start prints via your phone. It also has a bilt in camera. Ill give you the link if you are interested.

The model they’re looking into is a Bambu, or at least I was instructed to make sure any 3D-printer-related Christmas presents were compatible with one. The Bambu Lab X1C if it matters.

Significantly easier, unfortunately not. A little bit easier, maybe. The problem is FDM printers are definitely still in the realm of being tinker things at the consumer level rather than being like a more reliable household appliance. So, the only things I can really list are...

• If I was starting over again and willing to significantly raise my budget for the printer itself, I would consider a design that is not a bed-slinger (both bed-droppers and those with stationary beds have a smaller overall footprint and fewer issues with prints shaking loose) and I would consider one that is an enclosed design for increased environmental stability. The reason I didn't go for those two features is that both were a serious cost increase above the typical entry-level, open-air, bed-slinger design of the same build plate size. I don't regret getting a cheaper open-air bed-slinger but can definitely now see the appeal in the other designs.
• Get a filament dryer unless you live in an extremely low-humidity place. Filament dryers definitely decreased print failures, improved print quality, and improved reel longevity for me. The one I'm using is quite cheap but well worth the $30 or so I paid for it.
• Stick to regular PLA in either clear or simple simple, solid colors at first. Initially avoid filament with other materials mixed in like glitter, carbon, etc. All the fancy stuff really increases the odds of a nozzle clog.
• You'll have fewer quality and distortion issues if you print slow than if you try to max out the print speed.
• If the room is on the cool side and using an open-air bed-slinger with a hotbed, you may want to preheat the nozzle and bed for around 15min if you can before you begin the print. It took me a long time to figure out that this significantly improves first layer adhesion on mine, thereby decreasing the odds of the print breaking free and being flung around like a yo-yo partway through.
• Stick to printing simpler geometries at first. The more fiddly detail something has, the more likely it won't come out well. Support-free designs are best; supports can sometimes be a real pain to remove without damaging the model.

Thank you, most of this is helpful (I’m afraid the bed-slinger vs. bed-dropper is mostly going over my head, I can’t tell at a glance what the X1C is), I had considered getting them some fancy filaments but I’ll avoid those.

 

[DonyaQuick]

I’m afraid the bed-slinger vs. bed-dropper is mostly going over my head, I can’t tell at a glance what the X1C is

I believe the X1C is an enclosed bed-dropper where the build plate or print bed starts high and lowers slowly over time. Bed-slingers move the print bed back and forth during the print to accomodate one of the 3 axes of movement - sometimes it's whipped around quite fast. Most enclosed designs either have a stationary bed or are a bed-dropper. The X1C also isn't in the cheap entry-level category I was describing; it's about 4-5x the cost of the entry-level stuff.

 

[Themellowyellows]

The model they’re looking into is a Bambu, or at least I was instructed to make sure any 3D-printer-related Christmas presents were compatible with one. The Bambu Lab X1C if it matters.


Thank you, most of this is helpful (I’m afraid the bed-slinger vs. bed-dropper is mostly going over my head, I can’t tell at a glance what the X1C is), I had considered getting them some fancy filaments but I’ll avoid those.

Yes I definitely recommend Bambu.

 

[DonyaQuick]

Well then...time to actually put cords into those thru-HWC thingies I designed and printed a while back to help me run my heated water bases in the winter. Kinda sorta looks like winter now! Sounds like I won't be seeing above freezing temps for a while.

I now have 4 of these ports, one on each enclosure. I have two in clear (one being the hybrid PLA/PETG case) and then the other two are in white PLA and black PLA respectively to see if the the pigment makes any difference to material resilience.

So far the PLA feeder ports and single smaller feeders have done great at keeping rain/snow out and have handled sub-freezing just fine. All but one of my feeders are now either fully 3D printed or using 3D printed components. And I'm almost exclusively using the flip-top feed scoop to take feed out to everyone since it works great in bad weather.

The last feeder-related thing on my to-do list is that I still need to design a replacement feeder for my last bachelor rooster with vision issues on one side. The vision thing makes design a bit trickier than what I did for single feeders for my other bachelor roos; it's going to have to be a very smooth, rounded design for my partially blind boy. I might try to do a weather-protected holder with a removable feed cup for him.

 

[NameIwish]

I have a relative looking to get a 3D printer. Do you have any recommendations for anything that would make life significantly easier while using it, or otherwise remove pain points for a newbie getting started?

Look about for a DIY / MAKER Group or club. Also check with local Community Colleges for a 'maker space' or similar. As with so much of NEW TECH, there are mind-numbing options and the mfg and vendors seldom help one compare their products in their advertising the "features" and benefits of their product.

Take a course or join a club and get to play with whatever model(s) they have on site. There is more to it than bringing a printer home since with 3d, the 'ink' comes n more varieties than you can name. Various colors, of course, then temperature ranges, 'stickiness' (would you believe?). Gloss, texture and some I've failed to recall.

Which to select, well that's a No Brain'r to answer:

It Depends!

And, then there's the design software. READY TO TAKE ON ANTHER COMPUTER PROGRAM - OR THREE? As best I can recall, there's a program to translate the design into code a 3d printer requires. Which one to get?

No Brain'r again: "It depends."

So sign up for a class, use their 3d printer and 'ink' and software. After a few 'prints' you'll begin to develop some preferences that may lead you to explore another type of printer or design software and even preferences as to the rolls of 3d 'ink.'

Asking me which 3d printer you should purchase is akin to asking a (somewhat less than perfect) stranger "What type of person should I marry."

Of course I know the answer!

It depends

 

[DonyaQuick]

Most recent experiment: mini feeder/waterer cups to snap onto 1/2inHWC or bars of the pet carriers I sometimes have to use with chickens (usually for hospital purposes). Previously I had been using some little plastic cups like are meant for parakeets; they are kind of good but spill a lot and don't hang onto the side very firmly. I figured why use those when I can make something better. However, getting one of these that was water-safe was...interesting. Simple as the design is, it easily shows the weaknesses of using an open-air bedslinger in a room with a window cracked in winter when trying to get something sufficiently smooth (which requires minimal Z-shifting) and with solid enough walls that I trust it as a waterer, even with plain old PLA. Got it to work eventually though.

 

[Evadig]

I read through the first and last two pages of this thread and it was very interesting.

Could someone please explain in the simplest terms possible how 3D printing works?

Is this how they make all the plastic objects in the store?

Thank you in advance!