Bambulab's Budget Bedslinger - The All New A1

Check out the Bambulab A1 here: lost3d.link/bambu-a1
Bambu have brought out their..fourth? printer this year - the All new A1. It's like the mini, but it's a bed slinger. Yes - a bed slinger. Let's check it out!
As promised the full spec/test sheet is at the bottom of this article lostintech.co.uk/2023/12/18/t...
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Models used:
fox - cults3d.com/en/3d-model/game/...
Music from Epidemic Sound: share.epidemicsound.com/e8ahnq (aff link)
Please note that the printer (Bambulab A1 Combo) was provided at no cost for review. Please also note that affiliate links reward a commission to this channel if you go on to buy.
I try to keep a list of random stuff I use/buy, it is surprisingly random.
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[@eggbag4182]

Wants to kill bedslingers, makes most competitive bedslinger

[@LostInTech3D]

Shhhhh 🤣

[@Salamattder]

Maybe they did “kill” bed-slingers by making the ultimate one??

[@TheRIkkyP]

To quote iron man: “By trying to rid the world of bedslingers you gave it its best one”

[@802Garage]

I was literally just sitting here wanting to watch a 3D printing video. Then one of my fav channels drops a vid. Thanks!

[@LostInTech3D]

hope you enjoy!

[@802Garage]

@@LostInTech3D I did indeed. Especially the wonderful slicing music. Oh and the bit about the tiny screw and nut with the AMS on top, though I'm not 100% sure I get it.

[@eugene3d875]

Thank you for including the flir shots for the bed heating element and illustration on how evenly it is heated.

[@LostInTech3D]

yeah it's very thermally conductive so it settles out evenly very quickly as far as I can tell

[@crowguy506]

You can switch on heating without nozzle in the maintenance menu, which you will need to declog the whole toolhead. Sadly I only figured that out afterwards. A toolhead flooded with plastic isn’t fun. I now prefer X1 style again.

[@alfredoghost2306]

They use the same head....

[@crowguy506]

@@alfredoghost2306 Nope, only within the same series. X1 and P1 have bolted on nozzles, that can’t detach themselves.

[@LostInTech3D]

Oh I hadn't spotted that!

[@crowguy506]

@@LostInTech3D I think it came with an update on the mini. I don’t know if it already exists on the A1.

[@wktodd]

Interesting info on the filament buffering. I have not seen that reported anywhere else :-)

[@Marijuanajoseph]

Finally, the BEnder Labs 3

[@LostInTech3D]

Pfff try harder

[@tomaszkarwik6357]

​@LostInTech3D what about ender 3 a1 be

[@stldenise]

Super detailed as always! I don't like running mine with a single roll on top, I can't imagine putting four up there. I got cold feet while printing the clamp thingy and didn't finsh it.

[@BLuNTEDR]

It does make it rock n roll a bit BUT you can print some additional feet that give it some additional stability if you ever think about braving it again :)

[@Todestelzer]

I would never buy an open printer but this printer will replace the Prusas MK3 and 4 sooner or later everywhere. The active pressure advance build into the tool head is amazing.

[@TechieSewing]

Lots of lovely unreasonable panning in there! :) I admit I like that step away from traditional black, black and more black printers.

[@Mr.X3D]

For my a1 mini I printed a Y-splitter and attached it to one of the 4 Bowden tubes. The external spool connects through this input, hence you don’t need to remove any tubes for external spool use. 🙃

[@LostInTech3D]

interesting, got a link to the splitter?

[@Mr.X3D]

@@LostInTech3D I tried to post a link but guess KZbin wouldn’t let me, search for “Bowden Y-Splitter for Bambu Lab X1” on printables 😶

[@evropapagan5551]

Did the bed get up to the advertised 100C?

[@LostInTech3D]

It does, yeah

[@exasperated]

One of the (several) things worrying me about this is the lack of replacement parts. Sure Bambu have various bits for sale, but metal wheels on metal rails will wear, and I see no sign of those being available. This has me thinking these are a consumer/ disposable unit, that once worn out is only fit for scrap as people won't be able to buy the necessary parts. So while it may be better designed, better built, than your average Ender 3 typed machine, it's a lot less long lived. Unless Bambu eventually make the full range of spares available.

[@theo3888]

Well if its not a board problem ( just mechanical) i se the following options Rails - just replace them with 3d party ones and make an adapter, it s not like they are serialized Thermistor - a) get one with the same values b) any thermistor plus arduino and digital potentiometer for interpretation (so the board still reads the same values) Anything that s not board related can be fixed i think

[@1fareast14]

Odd comment maybe, but thank you for having a personality, unlike many of your colleagues. The little pariedolia bit at 10:50 and the tests of nozzle protection could not have happened with a video rushed to meet embargo.

[@LostInTech3D]

Absolutely 👍

[@BennyTygohome]

The print quality looks good on your A1 prints. But looking at some other review videos there seems to be a weird layer shift line consistently appearing. Have you seen anything like that in your prints with the A1? I really like this printer and I'm deciding between it and A1 Mini. I'd choose the larger if it consistently has great quality prints. The mini using linear rails and bearings on Y axis vs steel wheels on the larger A1 and I'm wondering if that contributed to occasionally layer shift lines. Or perhaps the A1 just needs a better firmware update? Or maybe those other reviews didn't tighten the frame properly 😄 So how would you rate the print quality of this A1? Any weird or consistent artifacts or lines showing up in prints? THANKS!

[@LostInTech3D]

I've not yet had chance to watch other peoples vids but nothing of that sort here at all, did it coincide with a change in layer geometry? Pretty sure I would have caught something like that on the larger parts of the jet engine.

[@BennyTygohome]

​​​​@@LostInTech3Di went back and rewatched the other reviewer videos and it may have partly been my eyes playing tricks from reflective lighting on some of their prints. There were some issues one guy had with banding with silk pla, but i think it was just his specific filament roll because his other prints looked great. Another guy had issues with inadequate cooling on some prints and the pla globbing on rounded corners. Maybe just needed to adjust a few variables. Might just have been a few isolated circumstances. I'm really thinking about pulling the trigger on this A1 and getting it after the new year. Thanks! ✌️

[@N0a5301]

The pattern of the heatbed is the serpentine like one of the oven

[@LostInTech3D]

Correct, it looks like it came from a fryer lol

[@SpectraV3i]

How much room does it take up in width with the ams lite? Is it about 3 feet?

[@LostInTech3D]

I measured the footprint as 750x500mm give or take

[@SpectraV3i]

Thank you very much​@@LostInTech3D

[@BLuNTEDR]

I love mine, I come from a resin world so this was actually my first filament printer and it's idiot proof :) For anyone thinking of getting into 3D printing for the first time, this is a great machine BUT bear in mind you need to keep filaments humidity controlled as they are hydroscopic (hold water). That can come with an additional cost (filament driers/dehumidifiers/etc) so bear that in mind. It's not just buy the printer in the video and go, even though you do get the smallest ever reel on filament included, maybe enough for a benchy boat.

[@PJ_rollin]

It loooks fantastic. Does the A1 support the LAN only mode? I guess not, it's not mentioned in the documentation.

[@LostInTech3D]

good question; apparently it does have lan only mode, although I've not tried it.

[@garcy9983]

I was thinking of buying the A1 with no AMS. Does it come with the turbine thing too or that's only for the AMS users?

[@LostInTech3D]

I'm not sure actually, I can ask. Of course, the model is free on thingiverse so anyone can print it subject to getting hold of a bunch of hardware.

[@vladonizer]

The hardware is also for sale on their website

[@OrlanDave]

Stupid question, because know. my Geeeetech A20 in theory can print with 2 colors if it ever worked, and used a purge tower to cleanly change colors or materials (in theory), but it did not have a poop chute. If this printer extrudes filament with the goal of switching from one, to the next filament, why does it still need a purge tower? I'm thinking those to the same thing, I assume I'm wrong in thinking that (at least a little).

[@LostInTech3D]

the geeeeeeetech has two entry points to the heat block so it simultaneously has both filaments melted close to the (very short) nozzle - which is why it's so prone to clogging. By completely retracting one filament before pushing another in, bambu type systems avoid that. But the price is they have to purge way more filament out because the single long heat break is full of the stuff, and the nozzle is significantly longer.

[@OrlanDave]

@@LostInTech3D Right, I mostly understand that, but what I mean is since the filament is purged, why does it still need a purge block? Seems redundant, or do those not perform the same function?

[@TechieSewing]

@@OrlanDave I believe that's a prime tower, and it works the same way as purge line... which is really a prime line. Consistent terminology to the win! ;)

[@mrs5850]

Really struggling between this and the P1s now. Wanted the enclosed ams to keep dust moisture out my filaments as I don’t print non stop.but the near £360 price difference is hard to argue against

[@christian_U81]

I bought this over the p1S , if you going P1 it need to be the P1P

[@henninghoefer]

The question is more about what materials you want to print. If you don't want to print ABS/ASA/PA etc. (which warp terribly without an enclosure), then I think the A1 is pretty much as good. The P1S just is a little faster and gives you more options (for example, I bought a second AMS because I'm too lazy to swap spools - you can't do that with the A-series models).

[@crowguy506]

The ams lite is much better than the standard ams. It’s both over complicated and fragile. My four ams units are in constant need of attention even with just pla. My lite just works. The best part is no part. And the protection is very limited.

[@mrs5850]

@@henninghoefer thank you so much. I only really print with pla and petg. Just thought the enclosure of the unit and ams would help in that regard but that’s a very valid point.

[@LostInTech3D]

yep agree with the points above.

[@pierregrollier4155]

Thanks for the review! How tall prints are compare to P and X series?

[@LostInTech3D]

I think it's the same height?

[@vladonizer]

I think he is asking how to tall prints do compared to bambus corXY printers ​@@LostInTech3D

[@adamsvette]

What I don't understand is how the vibration tuning works with a bedslinger. If the accelerometer is in the head of the printer then okay you can tune out x axis vibration, but unless you're putting a separate accelerometer in the bed I don't understand how to tune out y axis vibration

[@LostInTech3D]

It might well have one in y

[@kimmotoivanen]

Pricewise it's between Ender 3 V3 KE and K1 (equal-ish to that oddly named CR-one which is closer to KE with more metal, but maybe we can forget that). Neither have AMS-like capability, but none is IDEX either. I wonder how they compare in print quality 🤔 No googly eyes? Could put at least one on the extruder indicator 😅

[@LostInTech3D]

No googly eyes? You...sure? 😁

[@kimmotoivanen]

​@@LostInTech3D Oh, well hidden but found one 👍 Decades ago, there was a British series (similar to not nine o'clock news), where a guy (might have had hair combed across mostly unfertile scalp) was turning his face to different funny expressions during end credits, and when the credits ended, he started looking around and said (possibly with lower-than-expected voice) "Bloody hell, there's no toilet paper". My exact thought, but for the googly eye (and no funny faces). If you would by some incredible coincident know the name of the series, please tell 😉

[@LostInTech3D]

m.imdb.com/title/tt1412927/ :)

[@AndrewAHayes]

On launch day I had 15 A1 reviews all in a line in my notifications, I did not watch one of them, I bought an X1 Carbon and AMS a couple of weeks ago and although having a few problems with errors relating to not being able to wind back and load filament by the AMS the experience has been a goodish one instead of the perfect one I had been led to believe by reviews and users on Reddit. of course it is entirley possible that I got a Friday printer!

[@LostInTech3D]

nope that is consistent with my experience with the AMS, especially with third party reels. It is fine because it waits for you to resolve it, but it's something I would 100% have mentioned in a review if I'd ever done one. Multi material systems are rarely perfect, I guess this iteration is more reliable than the last but I am sure it will find ways to tangle given long enough.

[@AndrewAHayes]

@@LostInTech3D I guess I shall have to build a respooler and buy some Bambu spools of filament, so I can put third party filament on them when they are empty.

[@LostInTech3D]

I'm wary of doing that after horror stories about respooling filament only for it to completely shatter on the reel

[@marlonmartins82]

Did the bed reach 100C when setting to the max? some reviews show 80C max

[@LostInTech3D]

Yeah those were reading off the spec sheet, which had a typo 😁

[@christian_U81]

@@LostInTech3D Auroratech messured the bed to 80C max so how did you get 100C?

[@TechieSewing]

@@christian_U81 Have you asked Aurora the opposite question though? ;)

[@prebenhansen9846]

@@christian_U81 They have updated the review, it seems to be a measurement error. It does indeed go to around 100C.

[@5doolar]

where u get that top spool mount ams?

[@LostInTech3D]

You have to print it

[@henninghoefer]

4:51 So adorable! 🦊 That resisting to get up is exactly how I feel every morning... 11:05 Those should come in the box! 😂

[@ChimpyChamp]

Kinda reminds me the interior of the USCSS Nostromo from alien, sort of the same aesthetic.

[@metalikartz]

Does anyone know if the A1 supports an additional AMS? Thanks

[@LostInTech3D]

I was trying to figure that out. There's a second port.

[@metalikartz]

Same with the mini having another port, I have searched and searched with no answer. Hopefully someone will know. Having a mini with AMS now, it would be awesome if I could swap it over to the A1 combo when I need more than 4 colors.@@LostInTech3D

[@BennyTygohome]

Bambu Labs, on their A1 FAQ page, says only a single AMS lite can be used. The 2nd port they say is for future features. Perhaps they will eventually permit two AMS.

[@vladonizer]

​@@BennyTygohomeI'm hoping for that, I would be willing to buy a whole new print head for 8 colors

[@catlenamcmanamy3164]

Does it have a timelapse camwra?

[@LostInTech3D]

Yes although the reason I didn't show it is because it's super wide angle and shows the entire room. I keep it covered up.

[@FREESYRIANmNOOR]

I'll wait for the A1 plus😅😅

[@802Garage]

I'll find it so hilarious if they release an A1 Max before a larger P1 series.

[@FREESYRIANmNOOR]

@@802Garage oh they will..plus then max

[@gofven]

Would be funny ngl

[@kimmotoivanen]

@@802Garage it would probably be X2 followed by cheaper P2, unless they ditch P series in favor of A series?

[@802Garage]

@@kimmotoivanen I'm just talking sizing haha.

[@andrewlongfellow8745]

I'm trigged!

[@MisterkeTube]

The "wheels" should be clean indeed, but lubrication (except for the axle of the wheel) should not be needed as it roles over the bar (or whatever to call it). Assuming both are stainless steel I would guess they will hold up pretty well, but I would expect metal on metal to be more noisy than ex. POM wheels.

[@LostInTech3D]

I presume the lubricant is there for noise reduction but I'm not an engineer

[@adamklosterman8960]

A1 Max. 330mm cubed for $499, ams lite support for some sick helmet prints.

[@LostInTech3D]

Sick helmet, that's a great visual right there. Keep it inside. lol.

[@DouglasFish]

I bought one. I can't believe I bought one

[@LostInTech3D]

All the cool kids are buying one. Apparently.

[@cameron_bowe]

I've modded the hell out of my Ender 3 Pro and I still can't get it to do what I want, is this a viable upgrade?

[@LostInTech3D]

Depends what you mean by "what you want" 😂

[@cameron_bowe]

@@LostInTech3D Constant tweaking and failed prints to get decent quaility, not constantly have to mess with firmware and such, the hell of leveling and using wires and only being able to see it on my PC, soo much more LOL

[@DianosAbael]

JP had an heart attack seeing this. I’m not a typical customer but can’t see why newcomers should or even could buy a Prusa.

[@kevinsmart2165]

I swear, if they come out with a large format bed slinger next before a corexy......

[@LostInTech3D]

I think they will? It seems logical to me.

[@jerrymk6846]

The extruded motor is a NEMA 11, even smaller

[@LostInTech3D]

Wow that's tiny

[@NathanBuildsRobots]

I watched the whole review and I noticed a few things that you need to work on: 1) You didn’t say it is the best printer ever. I checked with the other reviewers and the general consensus is that it is indeed the best printer ever. 2) You didn’t tell me to buy it at least 3 times. Your sales pitch at 13:20 confused me. I need you to tell me something like “buy it now before supplies run out.” 3) You actually used the machine. 3D printers are incredibly wasteful devices, and produce plastic waste that is harmful to the environment. Please refrain from using the printer in your next review. Other than those small complaints, this is an excellent video. Final grade for this video assignment: #badshill

[@LostInTech3D]

1) I'm futureproofing. Got to leave some headroom for the next printer that will be the slightly better printer ever. 2) yes, sorry. Will improve next time 3) I'm using it so you don't have to lol

[@dekurvajo]

This is what happening when a technology starts to become mainstream and focused on customer's demands rather than educate the market. The Bedslinger is a stereotype of 3D printing. This is how a "proper" 3Dprinter should looks like. It does not matter if its more expensive to make them half as reliable than a coreXY, this is what people knows no to nothing about 3D printing and they are willing to pay certain amount. The price as well also positioned like that. This printer is nothing but a perfect product of an expensive marketing research.

[@JoeMalovich]

AMS but exposed. My filament is nicely dry inside my enclosed AMS. I predict a bunch of damp filament related questions in the near future.

[@LostInTech3D]

Hahaha 🤣

[@somerandomperson8282]

Thanks for the review I will check it later... but no video bookmarks dude, really? :(

[@LostInTech3D]

they take some time to show up (aka I havent done them yet lol)

[@802Garage]

@@LostInTech3DHahaha that does mean they take time!

[@LostInTech3D]

Everything takes time 😴

[@caminara]

I use P1P but to be honest I think this is better than them.

[@LostInTech3D]

in my opinion this beats p1p hands down

[@sciencesaves]

Looks like Bambu should’ve stuck to their word when they said “no more bed slingers”

[@djgraffiti5627]

The AMS on A1 Combo is terrible and fails way more loading than ever

[@LostInTech3D]

if you're having issues with your particular ams then I suggest raising a ticket and trying to solve it that way.