7 Must-Have Accessories for 3D Printing

[@The3DPrintingZone]

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[@rondlh20]

The most important accessory is a backup 3D printer so I can repair my main printer

[@SteveBakerIsHere]

With some reasonably good 3D printers for $69 - that's not actually such a terrible idea!

[@LeftyPencil]

@@SteveBakerIsHere homemade?

[@Cosanplayprops]

That's why I have two adding a 3rd. Once one fails I have more. It always seems to happen.

[@SteveBakerIsHere]

@@Cosanplayprops Yeah - I have two, I'm not planning on adding a 3rd - but that's only because I don't use them as a part of a job or a business.

[@Anatomic6]

Shit thinking outside the box

[@squirrelrobotics]

Something that might be confusing for new people: What he calls "hotends" in this video are actually nozzles, they are something that goes into the hotend. Otherwise, great video!

[@tylerthefolf1856]

Funny seeing you here! :3

[@squirrelrobotics]

@@tylerthefolf1856 I swear people from the server fine me everywhere...

[@kickkerkhofs5010]

@@squirrelrobotics who do we have here

[@DormantIdeasNIQ]

LOL! Something that might be confusing for new people: What he calls "hotends" in this video are actually nozzles, they are something that goes into the hotend. Otherwise, great video! LMAO! Something that might be confusing for new people: What you call "the hotend" is the section that melts the plastic filament in the head of the 3D printer. The head is the part that sweeps across the surface to drop the hot melted plastic filament thru the nozzle installed at the bottom tip of the hotend. The actual mechanical name for the head is the 'extruder'.

[@adrianmunoz8327]

@@DormantIdeasNIQ Many printers these days have external extruders so not all print heads are also extruders, many just consist of a hotend, nozzle, and cooling fan. The Ender series of printers, for example, use a bowden extruder that feeds filament through a PTFE tube into the hotend.

[@ultrapim1]

isopropyl is my favorite chemical ever since i got into airbrushing miniatures, soldering pcb's, cleaning my pc, cleaning 3d printer/machine/tool part. its such a versatile cleaning tool

[@BrianY]

Great video! One thing that I got recently was a 3D printing pen. Helps to fill in or fix tiny portions of a print without having to reprint the entire item. But, it does take some skill to do it neatly and it's hard to fill in a spot 100% (no holes) without a couple of layers.

[@TGiFoosday]

Yeah it's about impossible to lay out plastic like a printer can right. I was pretty hesitant to buy a printer after playing with a 3dpen for a couple years, thinking the quality would be about the same.🤔 Glad I finally made the plunge and just bought one, awesome machines.

[@philmybutup4759]

How expensive was the pen and was it worth it?

[@BrianY]

The pen was about $30. Worth it? That's very subjective. Took me a while to get my printer fine-tuned, but now that it is I haven't needed the pen as much.

[@philmybutup4759]

@@BrianY well I was expecting it to be expensive in which case it’d be easier to objectively say if it’s worth it but I appreciate it. Ordered the anycubic kobra go and assume imma need the pen lol

[@WestSydeMedia1]

I just got one, haven't used it yet, still about a month into 3D printing and figuring things out, but the purpose was to glue two printed objects together with the same PLA they were created with. Have you tried that yet?

[@Collinormous]

WHAT?! I've just been throwing away my failed prints -- and I have a pair of calipers already. Thanks for the tip!

[@BigDeezol]

i dont have the patience....i see failed print....get pissed....rip it off the bed and toss it.....then afterwards when logic comes back, im like dam.....i probably couldve saved that......o well happy printing broski!!

[@mikaelhvid3078]

I learned the hard way how important IPA (not the beer, though equally important) cleaning the print bed makes all the difference. When I first started out with 3D printing I started noticing poor bed adhesion, and quickly realized that nothing would stick to the exact spot where I would place my thumb to break my prints off the bed. When this finally dawned on me I decided to de-grease the print bed with IPA using a coffee filter. Coffee filters are lint free and therefore a perfect solution.

[@hilaryross543]

your videos have been so helpful, thank you!! I got a Crealty Ender 3 Pro from my husband for Christmas and he wanted to set it up the next day and start using it. I decided it was a better idea, since neither of us had even used a 3-D printer, to look for videos to get tips on the entire printing process. I watched videos from a few different channels and wasn't getting actuels tips and advice for someone with no real knowledge of 3-D printing. I finally found your channel and am so glad I did. Your videos are actually helping me understand how the software and printer communicate and how the printer uses the data to create an object. I can't tell you how much more confident in my ability to print I am. Thank you Nils!!

[@The3DPrintingZone]

That’s so cool to hear! Best of luck to both of you - it sounds like you’re in for years of happy printing!

[@mariospanayiotou6644]

First 3d printer tool video ive seen that shows you actual useful stuff instead of dumb prints like little drawers to put on your printer. Good video!

[@apinakapinastorba]

I use a guitar pick quite regularly. It’s good as a scraper to remove thin bits from the builtplate, when flexing it wont do.

[@electriccomics]

It's worth noting that PLA held near the glass point for extended periods may leave behind an extremely small amount of oils which build up overtime, often resulting in eventual but sudden complete refusal for first layer adhesion. It took me forever to figure it out the first time this happened as I never touch the bed. But, of course, a bit of iso cleared the issue right up.

[@zackaryfry1825]

A soldering iron for fusing prints together 👍

[@eugenew2]

First thing I printed after my initial testing was printer tools and replacement parts before something went horribly wrong. Example of I don't have these tools yet, a rulers, hole gauges, torture tests, printer printable parts. These could help compare to diagnose and repair a problem.

[@forlaughs272]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGnPlKyQbbdma68&ab_channel=THEWAY

[@AceDegree76685]

Dang he even muted himself when he said Alexa!!🤯

[@adriangarza1519]

So considerate right

[@chuckthetekkie]

He did that so someone can't use a recording to trigger his devices and do malicious things.

[@VitalikHobbies]

@@chuckthetekkie it doesn’t work like that Alexa does not only listen to your voice. It does not only listen to its owner. I can say Alexa and his will go off you can say Alexa and mine will go off. Just the word Alexa will trigger it.

[@adrianmunoz8327]

@@chuckthetekkie That's not true at all, and even if it was he literally said "Alexa" right before the clip so him muting himself in one instance and not the other would make no sense

[@Tannius]

I can't believe I never thought of the hot glue gun trick! So simple yet so useful! When I think of the filament lost over the years because of poor bed adhesion... Also, turning your closet into a print center inspired me as well. Thanks!

[@ijzervreterf8094]

Thank you for these tips! . Upon your invitation to share: I myself use a 19" server cabinet.. this allows to buy 19: rack lights with 2 foldable arms, readily available and mounted with 2 screws. Also I use an internal 19"powerstrip. The printer is on an extendable drawer plate (standard available in server cabinets) I lined the server cabinet with acoustic foam (adhesive/mass/foam- three layer material). The filament goes through a hole in the 'roof', and is suspended on a loose alu stand with rubber feet for easy acces. The cabinet has 2 fans that can be ducted to the outside air (for non-pla printing). Most features are available in patch cabinet configurations, apart from the foam I suppose (akoustic shop) .

[@Oddman1980]

I found a video last weekend where someone set up octoprint for an android phone. I got bored and tried to set it up, and it's been amazing so far.

[@SteveBakerIsHere]

A lot of 3D printer tools can be 3D printed. I made a "radius gauge" - basically a set of flat pieces of plastic with a quarter-circular bump and a quarter circular-cutout in every size from 1mm up to 20mm. When you're trying to design something for 3D printing that has to mate up against some real-world object that has curved corners or whatever - these are PHENOMENALLY useful. I threaded all 20 of them onto a key-ring...super-handy!

[@angelorecce6493]

Hey Nils I am in a holding pattern waiting for my very first printer to arrive and have been devouring all your power user tips. I didn't realize how unprepared I am. I was too focused on selecting the right printer and not all the vast peripherals that is the next step. Thanks heaps.

[@BigDeezol]

youll be ok....most of us had no clue what the heck we were doing. I had no clue, but dove head first......If you apply yourself to learning the hobby its not that hard and quite rewarding actually!!! Good Luck broski!!!!

[@LightOfReason7]

Calipers for failed prints is a great idea! Thanks

[@Moyersteven1]

Great video! I use ALL these tools too. I actually use my hot glue gun to help with supports sometimes. I like to print statues and bust. The supports can be thin or sometimes ive had a support break off 6 hours into a 16 hour print. I hot glued a trash piece of PLA in place and it worked perfect. Nice thing about hot glue is it peels right off the prints without leaving any marks.

[@User-kd5xv]

I've been using epoxy resin on prints that need to withstand abuse. I mix a small batch and apply a thin layer using a gloved finger/hand. For small prints, I'll use the 10min epoxy "glue" you can find at a hardware store.

[@NeoIsrafil]

funny thing, usually if something fails i can figure out the exact layer that it failed by looking at my logging or just counting the layers, then modify the gcode to start from the point where it broke and as long as i didnt take it off the buildplate i can pretty much continue it. i also wired my octoprint with some of the IO pins attached to a mosfet and a little circuit i made on a board blank to give me octoprint app control of my lights on my phone ^_^

[@kelvinwolf225]

I've never heard of the glue gun trick. Thank you

[@kelvinmitchell1457]

Dang... Great Video! Definitely going to look into the Raspberry PI option.

[@wires22]

2:15 the tiny little island killed me

[@siryoneyal]

Great video. I am using a filler gauge to check the distance of the nozzle to the bed. I like to have the ability to just grab it instead of looking for a piece of paper. The timelapse you show are beautiful. Can you share the way you set the camera, which camera you use, does the camera move along the z axis, how far from the bed it is placed...? Maybe a video on this topic?

[@The3DPrintingZone]

Thanks so much. Yes, I’ll be working on an Octolapse tutorial before long. In the mean time, watch some videos on Octolapse - it’s an amazing plugin for the OctoPi.

[@youswizz1]

Hey there what raspberry pi works great for a big printer like a longer lk5pro ? without heating issues etc. Most ideal for a hobbyist

[@The3DPrintingZone]

Honestly, just about any of them will do. The size of the printer doesn’t make a difference. I’m running printers on Raspberry Pi 2’s, 3’s and 4’s Andy they all work great.

[@nickmegert4662]

Love your caliper trick to save the print, thats a great tip. And the hot glue gun thats a great idea i'll have to try that one.

[@iAmTheSquidThing]

Callipers are also vital for calibrating flow rate and first layer height.

[@SteveBakerIsHere]

@@iAmTheSquidThing And if you live in the USA - don't forget that you need METRIC calipers. I think most digital ones will switch modes - but I actually prefer the old-school dial calipers and I have four of them - imperial and metric - and in two different sizes.

[@jeffreytackett3922]

You did something in this video that I can't appreciate enough. It is absolutely UNREAL how many people don't think to do this, don't give a shit, or just don't bother. The fact that you muted yourself saying "Alexa", is unbelievably considerate. Thank you for giving a shit.

[@The3DPrintingZone]

I hate it when my echos respond to KZbin or TV uses of the word "Alexa" so I didn't want to be guilty of it myself :) Thanks for commenting, man.

[@sierraecho884]

You don´t need other nozzle sizes for thicker lines. In fact you increase part strength using a 0.4mm nozzle and printing 0.8mm line widths instead of using 0.8mm nozzle to print 0.8mm line width, due to the increased pressure your layers bond much better together.

[@MorningDusk7734]

I have a cheap spatula I found at a thrift store that's thinner than any other print separator I've used. If you don't use a flexible bed, I would highly recommend finding the thinnest metal spatula you can.

[@polydynamix7521]

fishing line. For pesky prints that won't let go and you can find anywhere to slip a scraper underneath- use fishing line.

[@The3DPrintingZone]

I’ve never heard that - great tip!

[@ku8721]

One of my favorite 3d printing accessories is just a simple magnet bar that holds my tools. I've got it mounted on the edge of my desk right in front of my printer. Also weren't those nozzles not hot ends?

[@johnandrews9433]

Yes. And I disagree with the 75% layer height. At least with my Volcano I have no trouble with .4 at .4 and the same with larger nozzles up to a point.

[@forlaughs272]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGnPlKyQbbdma68&ab_channel=THEWAY

[@Connor-s1k]

I use masking tape for holding down corners that are starting to lift, works a treat. Just put a strip just in from the corner and it will print right over it no issues and that baby ain't going nowhere. Then you can cut the tape flush once it's done or even pull it out if you're careful. Got to make sure there's plenty of material either side of the tape but otherwise it's saved many a large print that was starting to warp on the corners

[@andyin3D]

Do you find when you clean your bed with alcohol your prints stick without anything to help? I have gluestick resedue on my beds. Windering if i need that

[@EadieCD]

Instead of shop towels I use microfiber cloths. You can get a huge pack of them for cheap at home depot or lowes and they're reusable. I use these for everything I used to use paper towels for around the house and have a dedicated trash can that I store used ones in, and then clean them all at once once it fills up. I still keep paper towels around for the messiest stuff but I'd say I use 95% less paper towels now. They also leave behind fewer particles than even shop towels, although I doubt at that point it makes any difference.

[@The3DPrintingZone]

I’ve got a bunch at home - I’ll have to give that a go!

[@hotrodpegleg]

im a beginner at this and watching as much as i can on printing what fillament you use?

[@guykovacs9334]

Elmer's Glue stick on bed were your printing, no rafts or skirts, or alcohol needed, glue washes off with hot water, comes off print and bed. I use a glass bed. I also do not wash it after every print and have waited a day or so between prints, just scrape it down as it builds and blow off the dust then reapply. The heated bed re-melts existing glue for a day or so then its time to clean.

[@lakloplak]

On the failed print part, I have resumed multiple prints by modifying gcode to start printing right on top of the failed print. It removes the glueing part of the process and only needs mild retouching when done correctly!

[@The3DPrintingZone]

This is a trick I have looked into but really need to learn. In cases where there’s a failure but everything stays in place, this would be perfect.

[@annieworroll4373]

I've got a pocketknife I sometimes use to help free prints. X-Acto knives dig into the bed surface too easily, and more flat edged objects can't get between the print and the bed. But a reasonably sharp knife gets to a nice middle ground.

[@viperdaboi]

nice

[@DamjanDimitrioski]

How to use caliper to measure stepper's motor axis end that thing with a half circle at the top? I tried measuring the height, but a bevel at the bottom tilted the angle and it's hard to get an angle, maybe I should the angled caliper instead?

[@HariWiguna]

Excellent tips! Some other useful tools I use: tweezers and deburring tool.

[@mikedoingmikethings702]

Awesome pointers... Here's what I often use that are not already mentioned... - Q-tips to clean the ooze off the nozzle... (remove as much of the cotton as possible, only use the paper stick) - Razor blades to clean prints... - Razor scraper to clean glass print bed with glue stick - Painter's scraper to help pry off large prints - Round tip, LONG Allen wrench - Flashlight, to see parts, moving parts in dark areas such as under the moving bed plate - Small flat head screw driver... clean support located in closed tight areas of prints... - Small crescent wrench to hold the extruder block - Curved 6mm/7mm wrench to remove nozzle

[@achugainov]

OMG! This is the first time I don't have to shut my Alexa up after some youtuber talks about it. Thanks for taking care muting on 6:19, you've got my subscription for this gesture

[@Roberto-oi7lm]

I always have a one or two heat blocks, heat breaks, heat block socks, and a spare heater cartridge and thermistor on hand. These things occasionally go bad and I like to be up and running immediately after a failure. Of course, they come in many flavors so be sure to get something compatible with your existing hardware. Nozzles are a consumable item as far as I'm concerned. I NEVER clean a nozzle. At the first hint of a quality issue I toss the old nozzle and put in a new one. If you buy them in bulk, say 30 at a time, you can get them for 25 cents each or less. I always have a set of cheap surgical forceps (hemostat) next to my printer. It's handy for grabbing that long string of ooze which seems to form just before starting a print. They come in handy for fishing out nuts and bolts which always seem to land in an inaccessible place. Four or five bucks on Amazon. The other thing I wish I had done sooner is learn how to compile a Marlin build. Once you break free of propitiatory firmware you can take advantage of inexpensive mother boards from a wide array of vendors which most likely have features your inexpensive factory board lacks. And you can add/swap a Z axis probe, add fancy firmware controlled fans, and control just about every aspect of 3d printing using the latest and greatest version of Marlin. Want to try a new extruder or add linear rails? No problem if you can work with Marlin. The latest version of Visual Studio Code gives you the ability to make custom Marlin builds much easier than a few years ago and there are many great KZbin videos to show you how. Want Linear Advance but the maker of your printer doesn't offer that as an option? Make your own Marlin build. It's really not difficult.

[@DavidBogenhagen]

It hot glue compliant with kapton tape?

[@przemekkobel4874]

Textured steel build plate, PEI-coated, with matching magnetic surface. FR4 build plate with ferromagnetic foil, z-stop adjuster with micrometric screw, unwarped and insulated heat bed, good linear bearings, copper/titanium heat break (or some more modern one without a teflon liner), power cutoff box for powering down entire rig once octoprint shuts off.

[@jyarf]

Great video, I need to stop putting off setting up my octoprint. It looks so useful.

[@pizzablender]

I went on to use Mainsailos with Klipper firmware and never looked back.

[@jyarf]

@@pizzablender Sweet, I'm going to look into that.

[@calvinthedestroyer]

I saved a print once by rolling up a ball of tape and placing it where I forgot to add supports :) So Painters tape is always a good thing to have on hand

[@joshuabray37]

That’s a great list. It’s also good for CNC’s and Laser cutters. I even use a lot of those in woodworking.

[@pirobot668beta]

Not an every day item, but 300-400 grit sandpaper, the wet/dry kind. I use it once with a new Ultrabase or PEI sheets and every 50 or so prints ; the surface 'glazes' over time and adhesion gets iffy. Don't go nuts with it, just enough leave faint scratches on the build surface. Don't use grits finer than 400 grit or steel wool; we want 'tooth' on the print bed. Think of the first layer like applying paint; a glossy surface isn't going to hold paint very well!

[@j_t_]

Hi! What happen to your print at 1:44? I have the same issue on some of my prints and I can’t find any solution 😪 please help! Thanks for your time

[@The3DPrintingZone]

I can't remember exactly what happened to that one but likely one of two things: 1) it ran out of filament but the filament sensor didn't pick that up or 2) the nozzle got clogged. In order to figure out what's going on with yours, first watch it to see if it's a clog. If it is, there's a good chance that either you've got debris in the hot end / nozzle or that the material you're printing with might be doing damage. If it's something simple like PLA, it's more likely just a clog. Also check that your nozzle, bowden tube and everything in between is fastened and tight and that there aren't gaps or areas where something can get lodged. Good luck!

[@TannerOff]

You should check out bondik UV glue pens. The pen style holder makes the glue much easier to apply, especially in small detailed areas. Flip the pen over and turn the UV light on and dries in seconds. Will come off the bed cleanly

[@The3DPrintingZone]

That sounds awesome - gonna have to check that out!

[@hilaryross543]

I have been using Bondik around the house anmd for DIY projects for a few years now. In fact that's what sparked my interest in 3-D printing. I just got my first printer as a Christmas gift from my husband and so glad I found Nils channel before I set it up.

[@SteveBakerIsHere]

I'd add a set of filament filters - these are just dense black foam cylinders that you thread the filament through prior to inserting it into the extruder. They wipe any dust or other debris off of the filament before it gets into the machine. I use these: www.amazon.com/Printer-Filament-Resistant-Printing-Filaments/dp/B089KMDJV1 and for just a little over $1 each - they are well worth having. They definitely cut the amount of crud that accumulates in the extruder drive grippers...and that alone is worth the price of admission. Some people recommend moistening the filter with mineral oil to help the filament slide through a bowden extruder...but I'm not convinced because it might also make the extruder lose it's grip on the filament.

[@gizmobowen]

Glue stick. Keeps some parts stuck and keeps some filaments (PETG) from sticking too well.

[@The3DPrintingZone]

Great point!

[@chuckthetekkie]

A caliper can also be used for initial setup to make sure a benchmark print is accurate like "Chep's Cube" so you know quickly if your printer is properly trammed on all axis an all belts are properly tensioned.

[@spudnickuk]

I wonder how many times someone has said (were glad to see you have come out of the closset) :) My super tip for Led strip lights that are the same lights as yours. is on the Creality Enders and others is that I slide them in either side of the V slots at the top bar and cut off the remaining length So I take out two of the top black plastic bungs/caps that is in the V slot ends at the top of the extruded aluminium ( the top cross bar) and feed the led strip though it, as fits perfect , the cabels/ controller can sit or tie up on the left side of the machine, Nice and tidy and looks like they were meant for the printer, you do get to see your print and bed very clearly.

[@simoncook8772]

Hi, do you have the stl files for that castle on rocks you showed in the video?

[@kristiyantopchiyski]

9:50 Using hair spray for better adhesion works wonderful for me, with stock bed

[@dfortin0011]

thank you so much man !!!! made it easy for me :D great videos

[@davidroderick920]

Hi the 3d printing zone name is cool. What software did you use to design it please??. Great channel. I'm new to 3d printing. And have leant alot from your videos.. cheers and keep up the good work.

[@macvideo]

That printer monitoring with camera is an Octoprint plugin? Thanks!

[@The3DPrintingZone]

It’s actually built into Octoprint and really easy to use. You do have to use a plug-in like Octolapse to get the super smooth time lapses though.

[@FrostEnceladus]

New to 3d pritinig. Q. What do you do with your waste filaments and bad prints? Do u just trash them or can you recycle them? And if so how?

[@The3DPrintingZone]

Great question. There are (at least) two big waste sources in 3D printing. 1) Failed prints and wasted print material, like supports and 2) empty filament spools. I know some folks hold on to all of this and then melt it down in the oven to make things with, which I think is a great idea. I have seen a few small efforts to recycle these but it's not super practical at this point. I'm hoping we'll see a better solution to this in the future. I still have every empty spool I've ever used but the pile is getting big :)

[@datrandomdugggy5537]

9:47 you are a genius mate, i've been printing for like 4 years how have i never thought of this

[@billmacfarlane4083]

Great tips! I think you just saved me 61% of a 26 hour print! My printer just stopped inexplicably and now, with the measuring and re-slicing method you explained, I've set it off to print the other 39%. Thank you sooo much! You earned a sub and like!! Just a quick question, what glue would you use for PLA?

[@The3DPrintingZone]

Hey Bill, glad to hear it! I've heard lots of different types of glues being used, including using acetone, but I usually just super glue it.

[@MrMadenuff]

I use plumbers plastic water pipe glue. It also gap fills really well.

[@capthowdy126]

ive noticed with textured glass like the creality glass the alcohol seems to bring some of the textured surface off an leaves a yellow residue out the whips, i thought it would eventually quit this but it will still do it with my glass being almost 2 yrs old also after using it like this for a while it quit sticking all together an the only thing i found that brought it back around was either a light grit sand paper or washing it with hot water with dish soap i used blue dawn with the rough side of a dish sponge. so with any of my texture glass i use a bottle of soapy water the dawn dish soap an this removes any oils that may end up on the bed from my hands an doesnt remove any of the texture surface or i assume its not cause it doesnt have the yellow residue on the towels. this is only an issue with the textured glass and i use the alcohol on all my plan glass, mirrors or flexible plates so id be cautious with the alcohol on the textures glass if anyone out there has that.

[@The3DPrintingZone]

I've found that everyone is having different experiences with this, and yes - I got some of the yellow residue after cleaning too. I'm just sticking to glass cleaner for now because it's working well but there doesn't seem to be a one-size-fits-all answer, unfortunately.

[@Procommand]

for a modeling software i use minecraft then using mods i export .schem files and easily convert them to obj then to stl

[@cavemankarol7309]

Thank you! Great tips!

[@shaneofthehillpeople]

Digital calipers are also needed to calibrate your X, Y, and Z axis by printing a calibration cube. Most printers come set up pretty close, but you can adjust them to be dead on perfect in each axis. Good video.

[@ericvauwee4923]

Please don't do that. This is such a common misconception I stumble upon quite frequently.

[@shaneofthehillpeople]

@@ericvauwee4923 alright, then I guess I should just go die, then.

[@ericvauwee4923]

@@shaneofthehillpeople What

[@shaneofthehillpeople]

@@ericvauwee4923 Well, you told me not to do something, but gave me no alternative or reason. What's that alternative procedure? Is doing this harmful to the printer? Will it kill a panda if I continue to do it in the future? You claim it's wrong, but it seems to be a standard procedure in several places. Provide at least a minimum rationale. If you're an expert with their own series of how - tos, link the appropriate one. "I prefer to cook bacon in the oven." "That's incorrect and stupid."

[@deathedell215]

i remember snapping a knife on supports once, that was fun

[@ichbinueber18]

Also a Mosquito hotend is nice when changing the nozzles a lot, because its a one handed change and often can be done cold.

[@francez123456789]

was making a keychain and the whole time i was cursing wishing i had some calipers because i kept printing too small. eventually i just scaled everything in blender and that worked but it did make it hard to go back and edit things that needed adjusting. but luckily orthographic view exists.

[@yvantartakovsky]

I would also add diagonal nail clippers, you can use it to trim small unnecessary print or blobs specifically on tight spots.

[@EsotericArctos]

Do you control your LED Lights from the firmware in the printer, or separately? Does Octoprint integrate with external control, or do you rely on Alexa/Google? Reason I ask is if it was controlled in firmware, could the colour be changed depending on print status? Also, as well as pliers/snips, I found a pair if fine tweezers to be beneficial for removing curled up filament from the nozzle. :) Thanks for a great video

[@forlaughs272]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGnPlKyQbbdma68&ab_channel=THEWAY

[@arthurtorricer4544]

Does Ultimaker Cura work for Snapmaker J1 with Apple laptop with latest apple firmware? Prusa isn't working for us , as it not able to send GCodes to our J1 via wifi.

[@fermio100]

The last tip sounds very interesting!

[@EionSmith]

This entire video was worth it for the glue gun suggestion. It'll pay for itself soon enough between the time and filament saved. Awesome work.

[@billallen6109]

I love that you show your expensive calipers as you suggest a $10 pair that the mouth doesn't even set flush on

[@tehKap0w]

splurge and spend the extra $10 LOL

[@billallen6109]

@@tehKap0w I've got some mitutoyo from my old machining job and it's hard for my to suggest anything less even though they're $120. Theyll definitely last longer than 12 of the cheap plastic ones and I can actually trust them

[@tehKap0w]

@@billallen6109 I hear you but kids gotta start somewhere. I think I actually have a set of plastic ones around here somewhere.

[@billallen6109]

@@tehKap0w I didn't hate on them till I got a pair in my hand from the filament Friday kit thing chep sells. They just feel off. I couldn't justify calibrating a machine with a tool less accurate than the machine lol

[@billallen6109]

@@tehKap0w I do get that everyone has to start somewhere though

[@mbae7865]

Too good! So much to take away from this.thanks!

[@curiousgeorge4608]

I find fret cutting pliers can be quite useful as they are meant to make flush cuts perpendicular to the handles.

[@forouza1]

Glue stick. Works great to improve bed adhesion for glass beds. Easy to clean afterwards.

[@gaiustacitus4242]

I had a print running that would take more than 48 hours. Everything was going well when I took my wife out for dinner. There was a malfunction somewhere after the 16-hour mark. When I returned from dinner, I found a large amount of filament that had been output into thin air. Really long running print jobs can be problematic even if you can monitor them.

[@ronrocheleau6303]

Great video Nills

[@Vienticus]

If you print a lot in ABS, Acetone is a great thing to have. You can break down larger prints into pieces, mix some acetone and filament or scraps, and use the mix to glue the pieces together into a larger item. If you have a smaller print bed or just trouble with certain prints, it really helps out. It also helps if you have a large print that separates; you can patch the holes.

[@beemerrox]

Now THIS was a great trick! Thanks a lot, I will go do CTRL-Z on the waste filament scraps that are now stuffed into the trashbin, and use it for exactly this purpose. Great tip!

[@eyemwilly]

Acetone is also highly carcinogenic and in some people can cause extreme dermatitis issues. Many workplaces have totally banned it because of these two issues alone. Just remember to have good ventilation with this stuff, gloves and face-mask. I'm speaking from personal experience here.

[@albertmagician8613]

acetone carcinogenic, you must be kidding. The body makes it naturally and is sometimes in the bloodstream.

[@benjaminfranklin5576]

Every time I use my calipers for 3d printing stuff I laugh, as my calipers cost almost the same a my 3d printer. Just find it funny!

[@nxsuan]

great video! you should make one explaining resolution prints as most printers says layer heigh...very confusing some times.

[@YodaPuppetAdvice]

Do you need to have an OctoPrint to let your printer print overnight or when you are out of the house?

[@The3DPrintingZone]

Not at all. You can use the SD card or USB and it will print for as long as it takes to complete.

[@darkshock42mlg05]

I'm using the Astro prints similar to octoprint but You don't have the option to plugins. I originally tried octoprint but unfortunately it did not work for me which is why I tried Astro print

[@johnd6980]

Octoprint runs on windows for those of us that have extra pcs but can't get a rpi now

[@ChrisTuttle]

To easily release hot glue from any surface, wood included, use isopropyl alcohol. Usually I will grab a Q-tip, douse it with alcohol, and dab it on the seam where the glue meets the surface. Give it a few seconds, wiggle it around, brush a little more alcohol into the seam and it will release extremely easily and very cleanly. If you decide you do not want to remove the glue but you have already put alcohol on it, just leave it there. When the alcohol evaporates the glue will re-adhere to the surface.

[@nunyabizness6734]

I was adding a bltouch to my son's Artillery Sidewinder X1 and when I got to the control board I found every connection and port covered in hot glue. Took me the better part of a day and half a bottle of alcohol to get it cleaned up. I was about to just scrap the board and buy a replacement before I leaned this trick.

[@ChrisTuttle]

@@nunyabizness6734 … I wish school taught these skills. Life hack ^2

[@forlaughs272]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGnPlKyQbbdma68&ab_channel=THEWAY

[@johnvodopija]

Cool shirt. Thank you for the good collection of tips. Cheers 👍😎🇦🇺

[@lilsquidgaming39]

hey how do you fix elephants foot no matter what I do with my ender 3 I have it I found another way im going to try now people said turn initial layer flow rate way down to under extrude

[@Expeebaba]

Does the glue gun residue clean off easily after completing the print and how easy is it to remove the print from the board after printing?

[@The3DPrintingZone]

The glue comes off really easily once the print is cooled - just like removing hot glue from any other hard surface. The same goes for removing the print. Once the bed cools the glue still has a slight softness to it so it can be removed pretty easily.

[@rjds1800]

“Getting the specs right” very good sir.

[@reyalPRON]

Might i add that calipers are great for leveling the gantry as well :) most lowcost printers tend to loose their "synch" in the z axis upong power cycles. I found that using my calipers to measure three times, take the average and disable the stepper motors from the control panel. Then i use my fingers to manually slowly turn the leadscrew to match the left and right sides. takes two or three attempts as adjusting one rod just 0.05mm WILL shift the gantry on the other side if you have a proper fastend and tight gantry that is :) . been doing this for while now and after doing so i always get a perfect first layer. no elephant foot at all.

[@EDC3DP]

Calipers in micrometers are also very useful when calibrating a new filament or a new printer. I think all of those tips and tricks were good besides one that pertain to the clippers I myself would not advise anyone to use a clippers to cut ooze out of a nozzle especially beginners because they have a higher chance of clipping a portion of the nozzle and even a fine layer or dent will cause extrusion issues. Just my quick two cents. I do think a lot of the video was pertained to lighting and videos but I think a good thing to add would be like Auto bed leveling sensors 3D printed modifications like Purge buckets, other spare parts that might wear such as belts and bearing Wheels, some other tools like a brass wire brush and a nozzle clogged kit, I think another thing for me when I was beginning I think getting a 4 hardened steel nozzle in the beginning would have saved me a lot of trouble with clogged brass nozzles, when it comes to the bed if you have a removable bed it's always nice to have a spare that's in good quality, having some other equipment to help better adhesions such as aquanet hairspray and possibly glue sticks.

[@RIDGIDMJR]

At 2:48 in the video what software are you using?

[@The3DPrintingZone]

That's Fusion 360. It's the software I'm (very slowly) trying to learn so I can make my own models from scratch.

[@RIDGIDMJR]

@@The3DPrintingZone got ya, thanks for the reply! I’ve been trying to learn blender. Would you recommend fusion over blender?

[@The3DPrintingZone]

@@RIDGIDMJR I can't say one way or the other - there are pros and cons to both. I can say that Fusion 360 comes with a very steep learning curve, enough that it has a slowed me down because it feels a bit overwhelming. For me, though, I chose Fusion 360 because I want to make woodworking plans with it as well, and it felt like Fusion was better suited to that than Blender or other software.

[@RIDGIDMJR]

@@The3DPrintingZone yea fair enough! Thanks again for the reply!

[@magma2050]

I have some small brass wire brushes I use to routinely clean the residual filament off nozzles, and silicone socks to cover the rest of the hotend so it doesn't get dirty too. Acetone is useful to smooth or fuse together ABS or ASA parts, and sometimes to recondition certain printing surfaces (take care as it will also destroy certain other surfaces, so only use in accordance with the printer's instructions). Other plastics can be smoothed with very careful application of a hot air gun (note there is a very fine line between smoothing and warping or outright melting). Finally, an enclosure is useful for printing materials prone to warping, especially if the printer is somewhere with a low ambient temperature. It is possible to make one quite inexpensively; Prusa have instructions for enclosures you can make with two IKEA Lack tables, some acrylic sheet, a few screws, and 3D printed PARTS. The enclosures fit their MK3 and MINI printers, but will work with any printer that has an operating movement range that fits inside.

[@randycny]

I had to post to say how much I appreciate him muting the word "Alexa". So many don't do that. :)

[@The3DPrintingZone]

Glad you appreciate and caught on to that! Thanks for watching!