Time For A 3D Printer Upgrade?!?! Keep, Upgrade, Something else?

[Nifty]

Came here looking for the Voron 2.4 mention... Was not disappointed.
I have being thinkering with my homemade Graber i3 since @thehat gave me a gentle push to it. And I've made my mind that if I would ever build a new printer it should be no less than a Voron 2.4, but with a 400mm x400mm x 400mm volume. The 200mm I am stuck right now make the printer for my use/scenario pretty limited.

Glad you weren't disappointed

Ya, there are a TON of positive Voron discussions, videos, etc. all over the place. In fact, it seems Youtube really wants me to go down that path since it's been recommending Voron videos to me left-and-right. LOL!

Sadly, the Voron is a bit out of my skill and budget at the moment... but the idea of replacing both my CR-10 and Ender-3 V2 with one big awesome FAST reliable machine is very tempting!

 

[Redbrickman]

Yup! That's the new plan.


Hopefully this is just a laugh since we don't (shouldn't) have any rules or issues with off-topic discussions. The only time I've ever even considered "policing" it is if the original poster had a very on-topic discussion and the whole thread went off-topic and the OP was really bothered an not getting the support they needed from the thread... and people weren't respecting the OP's request to stay on topic.

... but that's SUPER rare. Human conversations usually tend to flow different directions, and I'm fully ok with that on my forums too.


I looked briefly at the Voron, especially after watching the video below... but it's currently outside of my skillset (and budget), but there are a lot of cool features!

Well I built one by self sourcing all the components which took about 6 months and another to get it built due to other stuff in life. I love it but if I were to build one now I'd order a kit from the LDO company. Having watched a build of one of their kits I hav eto say it is a very nice quality package. Not cheap but there is something nice about having a kit to build. If you ever decide to spring for one I'd advise the 300mm version. The 350mm weighs a ton and is so big it is difficult to get it through standard size doorways! The 250 is neat but the 300mm is the sweetspot for speed and practicality.

If you are at all interested then this build series will give you much insight into the Voron.

 

[Nifty]

I'd order a kit from the LDO company

Ya, I think I'd need to go with a kit to ensure I didn't end up with a bunch of expensive parts and no real support or knowledge on why things didn't play nice together.

The 250 is neat but the 300mm is the sweetspot for speed and practicality.

Ah, that's very interesting and helpful!

If you are at all interested then this build series will give you much insight into the Voron.

I was excited to see a video (I love videos for this stuff)... until I noticed it was FOUR HOURS and all he had accomplished was the frame and some other basic assembly.

 

[The Hat]

until I noticed it was FOUR HOURS and all he had accomplished was the frame and some other basic assembly.

 

[Nifty]

Update: I sold my original Ender 3. I listed it on craigslist, FB Marketplace, Offerup... same price, pics, info. I got 5 people interested from FB and ZERO from the other two!

... then purchased an Ender 3 V2... which has been sitting in the box for about 3 weeks

Now that the GF and I are in the final stages of covid / isolation (both triple vaxed and wasn't much worse than a cold so far) I'm pretty sure this is the week I'll be putting it together. Crossing my fingers everything works and goes together without issue!

 

[The Hat]

Now that the GF and I are in the final stages of covid / isolation

Pretend you’re still a bit shaky from your dose and get the GF to give you hand with the assembly, two minds are better than one, plus the extra pair of hand can hold some of the pieces as it goes together, and you never know she might start to get Techie and build something..

P.S. I couldn’t honestly part with any of my 3D babies..

 

[Nifty]

P.S. I couldn’t honestly part with any of my 3D babies..

Ya, I feel ya on that! Fortunately the one I let go was never considered family since it was always in the box. More like a passing-through visitor. LOL!

...BUT... it will be interesting to see how I feel about my CR-10. If the Ender-3 V2 fulfills everything I need it to do, and does it better, will I want to keep my CR-10? Will I upgrade it? Something else?

I will say this: If I get the Ender working great, that gives me a lot more confidence in messing with the CR-10 because if I break it, I'm not out of luck with no printer.

 

[The Hat]

If the Ender-3 V2 fulfills everything I need it to do, and does it better, will I want to keep my CR-10? Will I upgrade it? Something else?

With the new Ender3 in your stable, it takes the pressure off the CR-10 to perform all of the time, this will enable you to make better decisions on its future.

If I get the Ender working great, that gives me a lot more confidence in messing with the CR-10 because if I break it, I'm not out of luck with no printer.

Isn’t it just pure heaven to be in there fiddling with your 3D printer, even if you break it, you’ve got the confidence to fix it again, and no pressure this time..

 

[Nifty]

WOOOHOOO!!!!

All put together and working GREAT (so far)!

My very first print, a 30% Benchy:



I think it took me about 1.5 hours to put it together since I was replacing springs, couplers, bowden tube, etc., and being VERY slow and deliberate following all the instructions in the videos below.

...and then another hour to set it up in CURA, get the SD cards (had to reformat it), connection to my PC USB, play with start codes, etc., and then setup and then to dial-in the level.

First BIG impressions:

• Big screen is BEAUTIFUL and really easy to use / navigate. MUCH MUCH better than the CR-10 and earlier screens! Only improvement would be a touch interface might be nice.
• WOW movements are SUPER quiet! I knew they would be, but after YEARS of hearing nema motors screaming, this is still very surprisingly awesome quiet!
• ... but ya, the fans are loud! may need to swap them out eventually.
• Overall, pretty happy!

This video was by FAR the best, especially when it came to really dialing-in the support beams!!

Other videos I used for additional reference:

 

[Nifty]

Oh, and something I noticed: I don't think I needed to buy the upgraded "metal teeth" bowden pneumatic couplings. It looks like Creality took the feedback and started including couplings that have metal teeth and good grab. They also included the little bowden clips that a lot of people are printing / adding so the tube doesn't pull out.

I still swapped mine out for the "nicer" ones I had already purchased since I felt like it couldn't hurt. I also upgraded the springs to the "yellow ones", added the metal wheels, and also upgraded to the Capricorn tube.

Basically this kit:
https://amzn.to/3IfZkA7