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Arne2 wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 12:27 pm
OK, it may be time to invest in a 3D printer. Any recommendations for a reasonable hobbyist tool?
Yippee.... we have a convert! I honestly think 3D printers will become standard tools for most car people over time.
So many options these days in terms of printers, at all possible price ranges. I've had quite a few printers over the years and --BY FAR-- the current Bambu Lab X1C is the best FDM printer I've owned. Truly a next-gen printer. They have an entry version at about $700 (the P1P) that has a lot of the same technology, but the X1C is better for printing more heat-tolerant plastics for automotive use. Prusa is now making a printer that seems to be aimed at the Bambu Lab printer, and is generally known as an innovator and quality 3D printer -- so that would probably be my second choice. Personally, I'd stay away from the really cheap printer (under $400-$500) as they can be fussy and zap the fun and desire to keep going...
Tom wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 1:25 pm...the X1C is better for printing more heat-tolerant plastics...
Hmm. I like the price of the P1P better, but probably need to research the different printing materials a bit (total noob here) to see if buying a P1P might put too many limits on what I can do.
Tom wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 1:25 pm...the X1C is better for printing more heat-tolerant plastics...
Hmm. I like the price of the P1P better, but probably need to research the different printing materials a bit (total noob here) to see if buying a P1P might put too many limits on what I can do.
Looks like a lot to learn...
The most common type of filament is PLA. It's very easy to print, looks great, comes in endless colors, textures, sparkles, etc. The downside, however, it that it starts to melt/droop when the temp gets higher than maybe 110-120 degrees. So it's great for printing Baby Yodas for your office shelf, but it won't hold up in a car interior in the summer (and forget about under the hood). PETG is popular too and holds up to the heat better, but if you plan to make parts for a car you really need to think about ABS or better. While the P1P will print ABS, the X1C will have more success because it has an enclosed printing chamber. Without the warm chamber, ABS loves to warp while printing, which often ruins the print altogether. I struggled for years with ABS on other printers and just accepted that maybe half the prints were throw-aways. The X1C changed all that -- ABS prints with ease!
That said, people LOVE to modify their 3D printers, and there are already oodles of enclosure kits/plans/3D parts, etc. to make an enclosure for the P1P. Some are better than others, but a nicely made enclosure would neutralize that particular issue. Beyond that, the X1C comes with a hardened steel nozzle, a print bed that heats up to 120c, and LiDar bed leveling, which together make it suitable for even more durable/strong materials like nylon and carbon fiber filaments. You can upgrade the P1P to a hardened steel nozzle (which is essential for these plastics), but I have not seen any upgrades for the other features (yet anyway). X1C also comes with a built in camera, which is nice for checking in on print progress from your phone from wherever. Bottom line, you can upgrade the p1p to get pretty close to the X1C (although you might end up spending as much). I obviously do a lot of printing and even use it to make parts for others, so the X1C is a no-brainer for me, but I'm mindful that it's kind of like recommending a fully decked-out 40-foot boat for a guy who is thinking about getting into fishing....
Good info, Tom, thanks! I see that the P1P now comes with the camera and inside LED, but the enclosure and LiDar bed leveling seem like they would be important to me at some point.
Arne2 wrote: Tue Apr 25, 2023 11:22 am
Good info, Tom, thanks! I see that the P1P now comes with the camera and inside LED, but the enclosure and LiDar bed leveling seem like they would be important to me at some point.
It's a close call between the two. If you ultimately 'get into it,' you'll end up wanting the X1C features (or whatever the next great leap forward is). If you buy an X1C now and don't take to it, it could end up like those top-of-the-line exercise machines that people use as coat racks. Decisions, decisions.... Can't go wrong either way.
This is such a cool solution, I was struggling to find the correct combinations of main and tracer wires for my classic rebuild, but this solves all of my problems!
Can't go wrong either way.