Getting ready to purchase M2 - questions

[jdlev]

Hi Guys,

So I think I've decided on the M2. I've done a lot of tinkering with electronics (arduino, etc), and was considering getting the kit. How long/hard was assembly of your M2's, those of you who built the M2 yourselves? I'll probably just get the assembled version, but if it only takes 2-3 hours together, and the directions are good, I might get the kit.

This will be my first 3D printer. Should I get some other filaments, or is what it comes with a sizable quantity - if so, what filaments do you guys recommend? Do you guys recommend any upgrades/spare parts I should go ahead and get?

I'm considering getting Simplify3D, but if there's an open source version out there that's just as good, I'd like to save the $150 if I could. Any advice?

Thanks in advance for the tips guys

[Mark the Greater]

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1941

This should give you a good idea.

I would say buy the kit though. The instructions aren't very good, but it's not that hard to assemble so that doesn't matter. FYI: The hardware bag labeled M3x8 LH means "Low Head", not Left Hand. Hopefully that saves you from back-tracking!

[sthone]

The kit is pretty east to assemble if you have any mechanical ability. I've done 2 and they take about 4 hours to assemble. Being my first 3D printer I figured going with the kit would teach me a bit about them putting it together myself. I think it was worth it too in the long run but then again I love to build stuff.

I wouldn't say "The instructions aren't very good" they could use a bit of updating but they are still easy to follow if you read through them first. The instructions are online so you can see them and study them before you buy. (Some of the steps in the instructions are all ready completed too.)

Overall you can't go wrong with an M2 whether you go with the kit or get it assembled but keep in mind you only have until August 14th to order a kit.

-Steve

[Mark the Greater]

I wouldn't say "The instructions aren't very good" they could use a bit of updating but they are still easy to follow if you read through them first.

I sure would. If you bounce between the exploded diagrams and the assembly instructions and if you have the ability to reason you will be okay. The image quality is terrible, but only in the steps where clarity might matter. There are a few portions of the build that are only present in the exploded diagrams. Sub assemblies are built, and used, at random. Incorrect hardware is called for at least once. Also, they bounce between versions of things at will.

Look, I don't want to start anything here with sthone. You asked about the assembly and this is the truth, I have had better assembly instructions out of China. The machine is amazing and it's component quality and fitment are better than anything I have assembled in a while, but they fall totally flat telling you how to put it together.

[josephm]

Like you i was wondering the same thing and ended up ordering a kit that will be here next week. After reading through these forums, the instructions, and the videos i found on youtube for assembling the kit i decided that was the way i wanted to go but i am also very good at things like this.

My only real beef with the kit and this is just a personal thing is that if you sell a fully assembled set up the kit should be identical just not put together and tested. It is not. The v4 hot end is still an upgrade on the kit and now comes stock on the assembled units. Not that i needed the v4 as i will hopefully just go straight from the v3b to dual v4 soon after getting a little more printing under my belt


As for simplify3d i too am still deciding. I am leaning towards getting it for a couple reason. Main one would be if i need help most of the people here use it.

[jdlev]

Welcome me to the club bishes!!! Just ordered the assembled version of the M2...I thought about getting the kit, but the thing that made the difference for me was having to wait another 3 weeks for the kit to ship instead of the fully assembled version. Just thinking about all the knowledge I could gain during that time period by tinkering with it was worth the extra $300...plus I was swayed by jose telling me the assembled version has the better head.

Hopefully, I'll have my new M2 within 2 weeks. Now the question becomes...what should I print first?!?!? I gotta say...I've always been impressed with people fabricating their own drones, but that's probably a bit out of my league. Maybe I should start by printing a puppy or something simple lol. I thought of something I need! 2 RC buggy stands. That would be sweet. Now the question is, where can I buy some clear plastic to make those RC stands out of so I can add some cool LED lights to them?

PS...thanks for all the advice guys...look forward to hanging around the board more often

[Mark the Greater]

Good call. When I read that bit about the kit not coming up-to-date I though, well what did I really save then? Hadn't thought about that part I guess!

[jdlev]

So now that I ordered my M2...time for some questions (forgive the number of questions...i'm a little giddy and excited about the M2's arrival!):

1) The biggest question I have is, since the largest print area available for the M2 is 8" x 10" x 8", is there a way to make objects bigger than this without using bolts or adhesive? In other words, one a print is done, you can move it over and have the printer start over where the previous print left off?

2) What's the difference using 3mm and 1.75mm filament? I would like to order some clear filament. What size do you guys recommend and is there a particular brand that represents a good value?

3) Has anyone ever used metal to reinforce plastic designs? Like as a skeleton for a model?

4) I use ubuntu, osX, and win 7 ultimate. Is one recommended when using Simplified3D over another? How about for interfacing with the M2 itself?

5) I already a novice user of arduino, and in some of the videos I've watch on the M2, it uses the arduino. I already have a bunch of wireless breakout boards for the arduino, so are there any good tutorials/instructables out there you guys would recommend to go wifi with the M2's setup?

6) I know the printer comes with a spool of PLA plastic. Should I just stick with that plastic starting out, or should I order some ABS filament as well. Do you need a different sized extruder (or perhaps what I am referring to is a different size stepper?) if you print with different types of materials?

That's all I can think of right now

[jsc]

No way to print larger than the build volume without assembly. Nor would you really want to, a full volume print would take forever.

You will be using 1.75mm filament unless you do do some modifications. There is little reason to prefer 3mm.

You can design models to be reinforced with steel rods, etc. but that's up to you.

S3D is cross platform, you can use whichever you please.

The printer doesn't use the Arduino hardware, so won't work with any Arduino shields. You can use a BeagleBone or Raspberry Pi to run Octoprint over wifi, many of us do.

Stick to PLA until you have some experience.

[Tim]

is there a way to make objects bigger than this without using bolts or adhesive?

Has anyone ever used metal to reinforce plastic designs?

Put those two questions together and you get: Yes, people reinforce plastic designs with bolts.

People drop single, monolithic, complicated models onto Thingiverse. 3D printers will print them. Not necessarily very well. There is certainly a learning curve to designing things to be assembled, but it's worth the effort.

It's not easy to put metal in as a reinforcement because it's hard to tell the slicer that there's something there in the way of the extruder. It is possible to design a hollow spot in the middle of a model to fit some piece of metal for reinforcement, then stop the print when it gets just above that level, put the piece of metal in, then continue the print. But then it has to be just right; if it's too loose the reinforcement piece will just knock around inside, and if it's too tight you may knock your bed out of alignment trying to get it in.

I use ubuntu, osX, and win 7 ultimate. Is one recommended when using Simplified3D over another? How about for interfacing with the M2 itself?

I'm not aware of any platform-specific issues running S3D. However, I have heard of various communications issues which I have never known to happen under Linux (I use Fedora). Apparently some USB-serial driver issue.

I know the printer comes with a spool of PLA plastic. Should I just stick with that plastic starting out, or should I order some ABS filament as well. Do you need a different sized extruder (or perhaps what I am referring to is a different size stepper?) if you print with different types of materials?

Is there a particular brand that represents a good value?

As Jin said, stick with the PLA until you are comfortable with the basics. MakerGear's brand of PLA is as good as any out there. I highly recommend it unless they just don't have the color you need. A number of us on the forum shun ABS due to its reputation for being difficult and needing an enclosure to keep the ambient temperature up during the print to minimize warping; most of us have found PETg to be a good substitute that is much easier to work with.