3d printer help. Auto leveling sensor.

[werto165]

I've ordered this : 

http://m.gearbest.com/3d-printers-3d-printer-kits/pp_337314.html

 

Just wondering if this is a necessary addition? 

http://m.gearbest.com/3d-printer-parts/pp_591321.html?wid=21

 

Also when it comes to Pla or abs which is best to go with, abs is much cheaper so I'd assume that Pla creates a much better finish I can get 1kg of it from Amazon for relatively cheap so I was wondering what the pros and cons of abs vs Pla are. Both are equally as toxic I'd assume. 

[Hackentosher]

1 hour ago, werto165 said:

I've ordered this : 

http://m.gearbest.com/3d-printers-3d-printer-kits/pp_337314.html

 

Just wondering if this is a necessary addition? 

http://m.gearbest.com/3d-printer-parts/pp_591321.html?wid=21

 

Also when it comes to Pla or abs which is best to go with, abs is much cheaper so I'd assume that Pla creates a much better finish I can get 1kg of it from Amazon for relatively cheap so I was wondering what the pros and cons of abs vs Pla are. Both are equally as toxic I'd assume. 

It's not necessary, but it will probably make your life a lot easier, especially on such a cheap machine.

[ZachBrownfield]

5 hours ago, werto165 said:

I've ordered this : 

http://m.gearbest.com/3d-printers-3d-printer-kits/pp_337314.html

 

Just wondering if this is a necessary addition? 

http://m.gearbest.com/3d-printer-parts/pp_591321.html?wid=21

 

Also when it comes to Pla or abs which is best to go with, abs is much cheaper so I'd assume that Pla creates a much better finish I can get 1kg of it from Amazon for relatively cheap so I was wondering what the pros and cons of abs vs Pla are. Both are equally as toxic I'd assume. 

 

 

I much prefer PLA. ABS puts off a smell and I print in my small home man-cave/office. I'm normally doing something while printing so I always print in PLA. Also, IMO PLA is easier to print with. 

[Hackentosher]

The general consensus is that ABS smells like a tire fire (it's a petroleum based plastic while PLA is made from corn) and is much more difficult to print than PLA. Unless of course you have a heated chamber like a certain user of this forum that increases layer adhesion and minimizes shrinkage between layers.

[VoyexTech]

It is nice but you need to update the firmware if you want to do this I suggest joining the Facebook group and getting the updated firmware file there and then you can figure out how to update the firmware as well. 

 

Link to Facebook group: 

https://m.facebook.com/groups/1068531466501015?view=info

 

P.S I own that exact printer but don't use an auto-leveling sensor because I don't want to spend the time on if. It just doesn't seems like that much of a benefit.

[Hackentosher]

3 hours ago, VoyexTech said:

It is nice but you need to update the firmware if you want to do this I suggest joining the Facebook group and getting the updated firmware file there and then you can figure out how to update the firmware as well. 

 

Link to Facebook group: 

https://m.facebook.com/groups/1068531466501015?view=info

 

P.S I own that exact printer but don't use an auto-leveling sensor because I don't want to spend the time on if. It just doesn't seems like that much of a benefit.

Auto leveling is already baked into Marlin, it has been for a long while, you just have to un-comment it out.

[VoyexTech]

On 1/5/2017 at 2:42 PM, Hackentosher said:

Auto leveling is already baked into Marlin, it has been for a long while, you just have to un-comment it out.

Yes but I do believe that the new firmware for the Anet a8 (Skynet3d v1.1) has other fixes for the printer

[kingkang]

Just to be clear. ABS and PLA are not equally toxic. Printing with ABS should be done in a ventilated environment. And when it comes to printing with the materials, I recommend PLA. It's a easier material to print with. Printing with ABS is harder since the temperature of the surroundings is very important.

[VoyexTech]

21 hours ago, kingkang said:

Snip

I agree PLA is way easier just remember you need a heated bed for ABS prints (run it around 90°). The Anet A8 had a heated bed so no worries! Also don't use a cooling fan on ABS 

[VoyexTech]

ABS 

Pros: More durable that PLA, Higher glass transition temperature (so less chance of melting or becoming soft in a hot car), more flexible than PLA, can be smoothed with acetone, can be dissolved with acetone (allows for cleaning of blocked nozzles and heatbreaks)

Cons: hard to print, requires heated bed, needs to be printed in ventilated area (smells bad), can't use a cooling fan, prone to warping

 

PLA

Pros: extremely easy to print, can use a cooling fan, doesn't need a heated bed, makes rigid parts, foodsafe, biodegradable

 

Cons: low Glass transition temperature, parts are relatively weak compared to other plastics, susceptible to moisture (requires it to be stored away from moisture and kept with silica gel), is hard to dissolve (can be dissolved in chloroform and possibly in ethyl acetate), hard to post process because of low Glass transition temperature and other properties (you should use wet sanding).

 

There ya go!

 

P.S. ABS is also susceptible to moisture but much less than PLA

[Hackentosher]

On 1/25/2017 at 10:42 AM, VoyexTech said:

 

 

PLA

Pros: extremely easy to print, can use a cooling fan, doesn't need a heated bed, makes rigid parts, foodsafe, biodegradable

 

Cons: low Glass transition temperature, parts are relatively weak compared to other plastics, susceptible to moisture (requires it to be stored away from moisture and kept with silica gel), is hard to dissolve (can be dissolved in chloroform and possibly in ethyl acetate), hard to post process because of low Glass transition temperature and other properties (you should use wet sanding).

 

 

In testing, pla can take more stress than abs, but pla is more brittle, it doesn't have any give before it breaks.

 

Never had any moisture issues just leaving my filament out in the open for about a year. That being said, I do live in a desert. 

 

Also see Tom's Filaween videos on pla vs abs.

[Taylor Dettling]

PLA is easier to print with and has almost no smell. ABS is much more durable and strong, that is why most of the toys for children are made from ABS. However, you can only print tiny ABS parts without a heated bed and even with a heated bed, you will still struggle with warping and layer separation. ABS is also a petroleum based plastic so it releases some unpleasant fumes. If you print with ABS you will want to have the printer in a separate room. Unless you get a machine with a heated bed and heated enclosure like the UP! Mini then I would not advise printing ABS as a beginner. That being said I do about 25% of my prints in ABS due to the higher strength of ABS. If you want more info check out this video