this post was submitted on 28 Dec 2023
54 points (100.0% liked)

3DPrinting

15595 readers
18 users here now

3DPrinting is a place where makers of all skill levels and walks of life can learn about and discuss 3D printing and development of 3D printed parts and devices.

The r/functionalprint community is now located at: !functionalprint@kbin.social or !functionalprint@fedia.io

There are CAD communities available at: !cad@lemmy.world or !freecad@lemmy.ml

Rules

If you need an easy way to host pictures, https://catbox.moe/ may be an option. Be ethical about what you post and donate if you are able or use this a lot. It is just an individual hosting content, not a company. The image embedding syntax for Lemmy is ![](URL)

Moderation policy: Light, mostly invisible

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

Hello there! My friends gifted me an Ender 3 printer, and I achieved my first successful print today! I have a few (probably stupid) questions:

  1. I will store it in my garage, in a shelve among other things. It is quite dusty, so I'm thinking of building a plexiglass hermetic box to keep it while powered off. Would it be a problem to keep it closed also while printing? This would change the type of box I'll build, because there is not much space and I'm trying to save the most of it
  2. How do I store the filament? I (currently) have only one filament (black PLA), so I see no need to remove it from the printer each time, but leaving it "connected" (I don't know how to say it) will not allow me to store it in a different way the printer is stored. Do I need to store it in special ways or can I leave it connected? (And bonus question, what is the correct word to say it?)
  3. If I don't move the printer, how often should I calibrate it?

Sorry if these are basic questions, I'm taking my first steps into this magic world... Thanks in advance!

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Thank you for explaining it so thoroughly. I'll keep a look out for changing extrusion levels because I use the white pla, it probably has titanium oxide in it. My printer came with quite a few extra nozzles, I'm just afraid of fucking up the printer when I change it the first time so I'm avoiding having to do it.

[–] TwanHE@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Even if you do wear out your nozzle slightly it probably still works perfectly fine if you change nozzle size/line width in the slicer. I printed a bunch of cf-asa on a brass nozzle since my hardened steel one hadn't arrived yet. Started out as a .4 but became a .8 nozzle after about 500 grams of printing.

[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

That's good to know, I guess I have to start measuring the width now. I didn't even think to get one of those measuring devices. Thanks.

[–] TwanHE@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Don't need to measure, just increase the size by .1 when the extruded lines aren't flattened out by the nozzle anymore. It's not a foolproof strategy but might save you from wearing out multiple nozzles instead of 1

[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 1 points 10 months ago

Thanks again, very helpful.