3D Printing Stack Exchange
3D Printing Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
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5 answers

Using dollar-store picture glass for print bed on top of original heated aluminum bed?

I'm having a really hard time printing on my aluminum heated bed... Cleaning it just results in it being scratched (trying to scrape dried hairspray/glue/etc off) and I don't think it is particularly flat either. I was thinking of stopping by the…
BunnyKnitter
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My heated glass print bed keeps chipping and cracking. How can I prevent this?

My thermoplastic FDM printer has a heated bed and uses glass as the printing surface. Sometimes the glass will chip or break entirely when I'm removing my print. This happens most often when the print has a large area in contact with the glass. What…
Mar
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Efficient and easy way to thermally insulate the heat block of the hotend?

Sparked by this question, I wanted to discuss the most efficient and also the easiest ways of thermally insulating the heat block of the hotend. I have seen Kapton tape insulations as done here with a very conclusive resumee about its usefulness. In…
kamuro
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Why does hairspray work as an adhesive for ABS?

Since I have a 3D printer, I worked primarily with printing ABS. I tried multiple methods for adhesion (various soluble glues, ABS juice) but always had the most success with hairspray on clean borosilicate glass, as long as I print with a bed…
TheEquah
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6 answers

Which endstops are most precise?

I have seen mechanical (micro switch), optical and magnetic(magnet + hall sensor) end stops. Are there any differences in how exact they switch at the right location? If so which are the most precise?
Lars Pötter
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Do 3D printers really reach 50 micron (0.05 mm) accuracy?

I've always been wondering about the actual accuracy of 3D printing devices. When looking for the perfect machine to buy, I looked at the speed, price, filaments supported etc, but also accuracy. I once asked somebody who could give me some advice…
StLuke5
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Safety precautions when using acetone

Acetone can be used to smooth ABS prints. What safety precautions should be taken during its use?
Eric Johnson
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What are the pros and cons of collecting parts yourself, versus getting a DIY kit and then modifying it?

I'm thinking about buliding my own 3D printer from scratch. Is it better to buy a starter DIY kit and try to build your printer around it, or to order separate parts for printer, and then to combine a printer?
Josip Ivic
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Printing screws - is the output usable? (M3 or M4)

I just want to ask if anyone has successfully printed a screw (M3 or M4). Is the printed output usable as a screw? What printer is capable of printing screws? I am using an M3D printer - is there a configuration to successfully print a screw that is…
xybrek
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Are there biocompatible materials available to the general public?

I am currently working on parts for a custom prosthesis. My main concern at the moment is to find biocompatible materials that can be 3D printed from a UP or a Reprap. The piece would need to be in contact with the skin for extended periods of time,…
Silver Quettier
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Choose infill percentage

Since I'm running a 3D printing facility of an engineering school, students are always wondering how much infill percentage affects the stiffness of the part. I know that it is impossible to get a numerical solution for this question, but maybe…
Anton Osadchy
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Will I see a noticeable difference switching from a .4mm to a .3mm nozzle?

I currently print with a .4mm nozzle on my extruder, and my prints seem to come out fairly accurate; would I see much of a difference if I went to a .3mm? What are the pros and cons of larger and smaller nozzle sizes?
Matt Clark
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Making your own filament

I"m considering making my own filament, with a device like the one at http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:380987. Partly because it's another machine to build, which is cool, but also to save money on filament. Has anyone here tried to make their own…
TextGeek
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Why do some models appear broken in slicing software?

In my slicing software (Slic3r) some of the vertices/walls of my model seem to have disappeared, so that the inside of the model - which should be solid - is visible, while the surface appears as a thin shell. Why does this happen? Is it still safe…
Tormod Haugene
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How does the sizes of nozzle diameter and the Z-axis layer resolution work?

I have a 3D Printer with 0.4 mm (400 micron) nozzle length and the printer guide suggests that it can print up to a layer thickness of 60 micron and has a accuracy up to 100 micron. What I'm trying to understand is that, how does the 0.4 mm nozzle…
Jash Jacob
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