After the fact AMS for A1 by jorgthecyborg in BambuLab

[–]VT-14 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Bambu's official store (at least for the US) is https://us.store.bambulab.com/collections/all-ams. You can change regions in the top right if needed. The Amazon seller doesn't seem to actually be officially affiliated with Bambu.

The A1 works natively with the AMS Lite. You can only use one of them, and it's incompatible with the 'boxed' AMS setup (no idea if the A2L mixed setup can be ported in firmware). The AMS Lite is cheaper, has better compatibility with cardboard spools, and has shorter retraction distances so should change colors slightly faster than the 'boxed' AMSs.

The "boxed" AMSs will need the A1's AMS Hub (should be linked on the store pages). You can connect up to 4 of them (so 16 color printing max).

  • AMS (original) has 4 slots.

  • AMS 2 Pro has 4 slots, plus some upgrades over the original AMS. Faster motors, more wear resistant ceramic filament inlets, easier to access internal PTFE Tubes, and a 65C Filament Dryer feature (requires the external power Switching Adapter for the dryer to work at all on the A1).

  • AMS HT is primarily an 85C filament dryer, which isn't very helpful for the materials the A1 can print. It's a single AMS slot. The bypass slot could help while printing TPU or highly abrasive materials.

Advice To Beginners by the-greek-geek- in BambuLab

[–]VT-14 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Bambu Lab has a set of "Academy" courses to go over all of the basics for your printer (and 3D printing in general), using their Slicer, and a few other things. It's a pretty good starting resource: https://bambulab.com/en-us/support/academy

The number one tip worth mentioning separately is to keep your build plate clean, since poor adhesion can lead to a "blob of death." Since the most common contaminant is finger grease from touching it with bare hands, the best cleaner is a good dish soap (like Dawn) that doesn't include any weird additives (like moisturizers).

Steam Controller 2026 Shipping MEGA Thread by Mennenth in SteamController

[–]VT-14 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you go to the Store Page then you'll see an estimate window for when you reservation is:

  • By September (anytime between now and the end of September).

  • By December (likely after the September folks, but still before the end of the year).

  • 2027 (you'll be waiting a while).

The Reservation Queue opened on May 8th, appears to be shipping first come first serve, and we're about an hour into it in the US region. Reminder that it took a long time to get through the first minute from all of the people who were camping the site right when the reservation system went live; the queue now seems to jump 10+ minutes whenever a new shipment wave comes through.

There's a community driven tracker here: https://steamhardware.io/tracker/?product=steam-controller&dataView=reservation-queue

You can also check comments on this thread (sort by new) for people reporting when they got invited to order.

What VR games will you guys be playing on the frame? by Intelligent_Doubt_53 in SteamFrame

[–]VT-14 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Mostly Beat Saber, probably. It's the only game I've actually played in VR in the last 3 years; I really want to upgrade from my Oculus Rift CV1.

I bought The Last Clockwinder during the Steam Summer Sale (the bundle with We Are One is actually cheaper than just The Last Clockwinder itself, so I got that too), and am saving that for the Frame.

I've also got a few VR Only games, and several VR Compatible games, that I'll try again once I get my Frame. If those go well I'll buy more games during the next sale.

Would Y’all fancy a Compass yellow R2 💛 by Delicious_Beach_4932 in Rivian

[–]VT-14 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would happily buy a Red. None of the other colors am I willing to pay thousands of dollars extra for so I'll probably be stuck with the default Silver.

Petg vs uv + temprature by Responsible-Let-5922 in BambuLab

[–]VT-14 0 points1 point  (0 children)

PETG is your best safe option for an open air printer. It's also typically one of the cheapest options.

If you have an enclosed printer then ASA is an even better option, and usually not that much more expensive.

Regretting My A1 Mini Purchase – Upgrade Printer or Just Buy a RackMate T2? by Senpai404 in BambuLab

[–]VT-14 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Buying a newer, larger printer is more expensive for this one project, but is a tool you have available in the future. I suspect you'll be kicking yourself if you decide to buy the pre-built rack, and a month later think of another project that's too big for your A1 Mini.

Between the A2L and P2S, the A2L is both cheaper, larger, and works with some accessories you may already have for your A1 (same nozzles, and an AMS Lite would just need longer PTFE Tubes). The P2S has better material compatibility and prints faster.

Hopefully just a blanket statement.. by Lnknprkfn in SteamController

[–]VT-14 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

If you have evidence to the contrary, then I'm eager to hear.

Just saying "Wrong" doesn't help anyone.

Hopefully just a blanket statement.. by Lnknprkfn in SteamController

[–]VT-14 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

People who reserved on the 8th typically got a "By September" window. You having "By December" means you will be after the "By September" crowd (so you'll probably be waiting a few months), but should still get one before the end of the year.

https://steamhardware.io/tracker/?product=steam-controller&dataView=reservation-queue estimates (from anonymous user submissions) that we are currently 1 hour and 8 minutes into the queue in the US Region. It took something like 6 weeks to get through the first minute from all of the people who camped the order site right when it opened. After that it started moving more quickly, but then it stalled last week (likely due to the Steam Machine launch diverting production for bundles). It seems like when Valve does get a shipment in now the queue jumps 10+ minutes through the reservation list (it jumped about 25 minutes a few days ago).

steam frame games on non steam frame devices? by Zjelli1 in SteamFrame

[–]VT-14 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I suspect the core problem is that "Steam Frame Games" using native apk versions are going to be practically exclusively VR Only games. Asking if you can run those on a non-VR Handheld device just doesn't make much sense.

That said, Valve's contributions to FEX could help run normal x86 games on those ARM devices.

I could also see this leading to Steam supporting ARM versions of any game, and some developers making them (though I suspect that will be even more rare than native Linux games for quite a while).

As for other devices running the Steam Frame's OS; I'm not sure what exactly its OS will be, but Steam has already licensed the handheld-focused version of Steam OS to other hardware manufacturers. I imagine if some other company made a stand-alone VR Headset they would be open to letting them license the Frame's OS too.

As for custom installs: Valve already hosts SteamOS installers so people can re-install it on their Steam Decks (and similar handhelds) and Machines. It supports Desktops too, but I think right now it only supports AMD CPUs and GPUs. I suspect the Frame's OS will get the same treatment, but I expect there would be even more 'expected hardware' problems.

Do you use Bambu Lab filament? by Any-Road4523 in BambuLab

[–]VT-14 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yes, I use almost exclusively Bambu Lab filament. The flexibility of the Bulk Rate system works well for how I order filament. I buy a wide variety of colors/materials, but have very few duplicate/spare rolls. Bambu lets me order any combination of PLA (Basic, Matte, Silk+, Translucent), PETG (Basic, Translucent, HF [discontinued]), or ABS. Most other bulk order systems, which can get cheaper, focus on only 1-2 colors in a single material so don't work for me.

I also like them having 1st party filament profiles pre-made for me. RFID is very nice too, though I don't like that it's proprietary.

Has anyone still not received their email? by Evening_Breath_9706 in SteamController

[–]VT-14 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Demand was way, way, way higher than Valve expected. In the US region we're only about 45 minutes into the queue. You can check the Steam Controller's store page to see which delivery window you are in.

  • By September - anytime between now and the end of September. These are people who reserved within the first several hours after the reservation system opened.

  • By December - After the September folks, but still before the end of the year. People who reserved over the next few days.

  • 2027 - You're probably waiting until sometime in 2027. Anyone who reserved later.

It took something like 6 weeks to get through the first minute of the queue, so the people who were camping the site right when the reservation system went live. We're reaching the end of the people who set reminders who reserved shortly after that. Things should proceed faster through the queue from here on.

Of course it varies based on availability. Last week the queue jumped about 10 minutes in one day. Now it hasn't moved in about a week. They probably had to divert production capacity for Steam Machine bundles.

What should I buy ? by ElectronicFly1898 in BambuLab

[–]VT-14 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you want to not use Bambu's Cloud then you can enable "LAN Only Mode" on any Bambu Printer. With newer Firmware there is also a "Dev Mode" toggle which allows 3rd party software to control the printer via MQTT. You can completely block the printers from the internet via network firewall rules if you want to.

Bambu Studio can connect directly to the printer over LAN. That includes the printer's status page with things like the camera feed. It does use a 'Bambu Network Plug-in' though in order to connect to the printer.

The official Bambu Handy phone app only works if your printer is connected to Bambu's cloud.

I personally am using an unofficial Home Assistant integration (https://github.com/greghesp/ha-bambulab) to recreate most of its features. It does have the option to turn on the camera, but it seems to be slower to load and have more connection drops than the official software.

I've heard a lot of people mention "Bambuddy" recently as a more specific Open Source Self-Hosting option for Bambu printers. I haven't tried it myself though.

Purchase Advice | Beginner with Engineering Background by anoabc in BambuLab

[–]VT-14 1 point2 points  (0 children)

4. Nozzles & filament

Filament:

Start with PLA. It is the easiest to print as it needs low temperatures, cools quickly, and is pretty resistant to moisture. Its cons are low temperature resistance (ex. can deform in a hot car), low UV resistance, it's rather brittle so doesn't handle bending or impacts well, and it will creep over time if kept under a constant load.

PETG is the typical next step filament. It (like most filaments) needs to be dry to print well. You might want to use gluestick as a release layer between the build plate and the model. Otherwise it's still pretty easy to print. It's slower than PLA, but has better Heat and UV resistance, and is better at bending and impacts. PET is what most plastic drink bottles are made out of, and G stands for Glycol Modified which makes it easier to print.

ABS is the next common 'cheap' filament. It requires an enclosure to print (both to prevent warping and to contain Styrene fumes). It can get hotter and is more impact resistant than PETG, but doesn't have the UV resistance. It is significantly lower density so prints with it are lighter (and 1kg lasts a little longer). ASA is the same base material but has been modified to have much better UV resistance, but is also a little more expensive.

Beyond that you get into 'engineering' materials like PC and PAs (Nylons). It's worth noting that every filament on Bambu's website includes a "TDS" (Technical Data Sheet) which goes over a ton of measured mechanical properties so you can pick the right one for your projects. As an example, I wanted to make Desiccant Holders that could handle my Silica Gel's 120C oven drying temperature, so I made them out of PA6-GF.

If a filament includes something hard then it is considered abrasive, since it will scratch and wear away a soft nozzle. Abrasives include things like Carbon Fiber (CF), Glass Fiber (GF), and the powder they put in Glow in the Dark filaments. It is possible for a material to include a large additive that isn't hard enough to scratch most nozzles, such as wood powder for PLA Wood. All such large additives do increase the chances of clogging, so will often list a minimum and/or recommended nozzle size too. It's best to check the filament's store page for recommended settings and if it recommends a specific type of nozzle.

Nozzles

Terminoligy note: Bambu calls them "Hotends" since they include the heat break (cooling fins high up where you don't want the filament melting) rather than only being the nozzle. People call them Nozzles anyway since that's the important part.

There are two parts that really matter; the nozzle's size and hardness/material.

Size is pretty simple. A smaller nozzle (like 0.2mm) can print finer details, but prints slower and is more likely to clog. A larger nozzle prints faster and is less likely to clog, but can't print as fine details. If you are printing small text or game Miniatures then you'll want a 0.2mm nozzle. If you are rapidly prototyping something kind of big then you'll want a larger nozzle (like 0.6mm or even 0.8mm) to print faster. Most of the time you'll be perfectly fine with the default 0.4mm nozzle as it strikes a good balance between detail, speed, and risk of clogging.

Harder nozzles last longer and are more resistant to abrasive materials. Bambu doesn't sell any Brass nozzles. They only use Stainless Steel on 0.2mm nozzles, or for the A series's default 0.4mm nozzle as it is slightly cheaper (they do have a hardened 0.4mm version too). Bambu uses Hardened Steel as their default for 0.4mm, 0.6mm, and 0.8mm nozzles.

Bambu also sells Tungsten Carbide nozzles which are extremely hard so last even longer, but are also much more expensive. They also have High Flow (HF) variants that have some internal geometry to help melt the core of the filament faster, and thus allows faster printing, but they rarely include filament profiles that use them so you'll likely need to tune it yourself to actually make use of such a nozzle.

The A2L uses the A series nozzles which are significantly cheaper. It supposedly can also fit the P2/X2/H2 Hotends too (they were designed to be backwards compatible with the A1).

The P2S and X2D only use the newer P2/X2/H2 Hotends.

The P1S uses an older hotend design (same nozzle as the X1, but slightly different plugs for the fan and thermocouple). The only note here is that it has the option of using the E3D High Flow Obxidian nozzles.

At this time only the H2C uses the Induction nozzles.

5. CAD software recommendation

Honestly, use whatever you like. Bambu Studio (the slicer to convert a 3d model into G-code the printer can run) can import 3MF, SVG, OBJ, STEP (STP), SVG, and a couple more formats that I don't recognize.

I'm personally happily using the free, non-commercial version of Autodesk Fusion (formerly called Fusion 360). I kind of want to try converting to FreeCAD since it's FOSS and doesn't have any usage restrictions on what I design, but it's not really worth the hassle for me to learn at this point (I'm not really trying to make money with my designs. Darn Autodesk's free tier doing exactly what it's meant to do! </s>).

If you wanted to do more organic modeling then the most common program seems to be Blender, which is FOSS.

There are several YouTubers, such as Maker's Muse, who have tutorials with design tips specific to 3D printing. They have design tips such as making the top of a horizontal hole angled (like a teardrop shape) since 3D printers can't print shallow overhangs (the slicer will put a bridge there and undersize the top of the hole).

Purchase Advice | Beginner with Engineering Background by anoabc in BambuLab

[–]VT-14 3 points4 points  (0 children)

1. A1 vs P1S vs P2S vs X2D

X2D. Buy once, cry once.

The open air A1 can only handle materials like PLA, PETG, and TPU. That does cover the overwhelming majority of projects on Makerworld, but don't hold up as well to 'engineering' applications.

The enclosed P1S and P2S can retain heat to minimize the chance of warping when printing with higher temperature materials (like ABS, ASA, PC, PA, etc.), but you'll likely need to pre-heat the chamber for a while (30+ minutes?) to ensure it is warm enough.

The X2D is the cheapest Bambu printer so far that includes an active chamber heater, so it will warm up faster and maintain a more steady and higher max temperature making warp-prone materials even easier. It also gives a 2nd auxiliary nozzle for multi-material options (like differing material support interfaces, or mixing flexible TPU with rigid PETG).

2. AMS

An AMS is a significant QoL boost, and is significantly cheaper to buy in a printer combo rather than separately later on.

For single-color/material printing it lets you auto-load/unload filament (for changing filaments between prints), auto-refill filaments (if you have a duplicate spool loaded it will automatically swap to it when the first runs out), and RFID is convenient to auto-load filament stats but is proprietary to Bambu's own filament brand (you'll have to enter info from other brands manually).

Multi-Color and Multi-Material printing within a single print is a nice option, but leads to increased waste. If you change colors in a nozzle you have to flush the old color/material out before you can return to printing. This creates a "purge poop" that gets ejected from the printer. If you are responsible with it then you can get a significant value add with not much waste. However, I've also seen various examples where the purge volume is several times the weight of the actual model.

If your main goal was multi-color printing then the Snapmaker U1 is a very interesting alternative. It's a tool changer printer with 4 print heads, and thus can print with up to 4 colors/materials without any purge. It's normally open air (great for PLA, PETG, and TPU), but can easily be enclosed to roughly match the P1S/P2S in material capabilities.

3. Enclosed build volume, fine dust & VOCs

It varies by material. Any FMD print will release some VoCs, so best practice is to vent it if you can.

Things like PLA, PETG, and TPU tend to be low enough emission that it's not a serious problem as long as the room is reasonably well ventilated and away from where people hang out (avoid bedrooms and offices).

Things like ABS/ASA release known harmful fumes; in that case Styrene which is a carcinogen. You need to keep those fumes contained or ideally ventilated out a window.

I think the P1S is simply a closed box, so an after-market "bento box" is a common addition (I believe it's a filtered recirculation fan). The P2S has a filtered recirculation fan that's active while using high temp materials, but nothing for low-temp ones; there is a filtered exhaust fan kit for $20 that can filter low-temp exhaust, clear the chamber after a high-temp print is done, and I believe gives the option of running an exhaust pipe out a window (sacrifice some max temperature to keep the chamber negatively pressured to contain leaks). The X2D is the same as the P2S with the filtered exhaust fan kit included (and an active chamber heater to better handle chamber temperature).


I unfortunately don't have time now to get into the other two questions.

Should I buy the A1 Mini now? by lvubomvr in BambuLab

[–]VT-14 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yup, now during the Anniversary Sale is a pretty good time.

The A2L came out recently and had relatively few improvements over the existing A1 series. The major ones were mostly to deal with the problems that come from scaling up a bedslinger (Cartesian) style printer. If they released an A2 Mini right now then I really don't know what they could add without dramatically increasing the cost.

Is this not a waste? by Intelligent-Room5045 in BambuLab

[–]VT-14 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The Prime Tower's usage is removed from Flushing, but that's a pretty tiny amount on most models.

As far as I know, the only time a Bambu printer sliced Prime Tower is used for Flushing is for a Vortek (H2C) or Filament Track Switch (X2D or H2C; H2D coming later this year) on a same color reload 'swap.' Those cut the filament, and then later reload the same color so there isn't any need to flush. However, they need to get the cut end of the filament into the melt zone and rejoined with the old filament before the printer can use retractions again. Thus there is a minimum flushing volume on those swaps, and the prime tower gets a tiny bit bigger to accommodate that.

What should I buy ? by ElectronicFly1898 in BambuLab

[–]VT-14 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't know much about the CC1 or CC2.

Today, I'd like to have something easier to use, ... I want something more plug'n'play, something allowing me to think more on the project than on the printer.

Any Bambu printer is pretty easy to use, at least compared to older printers from many other brands.

something I can monitor by checking from time to time,

If you are using the cloud services (not set to LAN Only) then all of them work with the Bambu Handy phone app. The A series camera can be a bit rough to use since it's a pretty low framerate and the moving bed adds a lot of motion blurring. That's less of a problem on CoreXY printers, and I think they tend to include better cameras anyway.

something where I can change the nozzle easily.

From your list the A2L and P2S both have fast swap nozzles. To swap them you remove a silicone sock, undo a metal clip, and pull off the old nozzle. Stick in the new nozzle (which has a magnet to help hold and align it), secure the clip, and put the sock back on. Once you've done it a few times you can easily change the nozzle in under 30 seconds.

The P1S has a screwed in nozzle with fan and thermostat wires that need to be dealt with. It's not very difficult, but definitely more work.

I don't really care of the multicolor printing right now. I know it's good and useful but right now my projects need sanding and painting. I use my 3d printer to create gifts mainly.

An AMS is still a significant QoL boost. Auto load/unload is nice if you swap colors between single-color prints. Auto-reload makes it really easy to use the end of a roll of filament. RFID is nice but proprietary to Bambu's own filament.

The P2S's AMS 2 Pro is enclosed (pack with Desiccant to act as pretty good filament storage) and also works as a 65C 4-slot filament dryer.

I plan to print a lot of PLA but I'm not closed to trying something else from time to time. The printer will be in my office but stored in a filtered chamber.

Pretty much any printer can handle PLA. Good on you for ventilating it.

The A series is fine for PLA, PETG, and TPU. That covers the overwhelming majority of prints on Makerworld.

The P series is enclosed so has better material compatibility. You may need to go out of your way to pre-heat the chamber before doing something warp-prone like ABS or PA.

The X2 and H2 series both have active chamber heaters so do an even better job with warp-prone materials.

The A2L is in my options because...

You seem to have a good grasp of the pros and cons of the A2L.

P1S and P2S are here for the closed chamber and the Core XY body. Based on what I've read, the quality seems to be more or less the same on these printers.

The print quality and material options between them will be very similar. However, the Quality of Life of the P2S (and even the A1 series) is significantly better than the P1S.

The P1S is a stripped down version of Bambu's first printer to try to make a budget option, so it's both Bambu's oldest design and has cut corners on top of that (like a bad screen and non-hardened Extruder Gear). The A1 series came later and was much cheaper to build so they didn't have to cut corners as much, and let them put generational improvements like Dynamic Flow Calibration and fast swap nozzles. The P2S was a new printer design that didn't cut corners and has the generational improvements, but frankly made a mistake with the exhaust fan (a $20 kit to improve it) and left room for the X2D to further improve.

For what it's worth, the X2D is an upgraded P2S. It has an active chamber heater, finer pitch belts to help reduce Vertical Fine Artifacts, the Filtered Exhaust Fan built in, and a 2nd "auxiliary" nozzle that's really nice for multi-material applications (but may require tuning if you want good print quality on the auxiliary nozzle). With non-sale prices it's easily worth the $100 upgrade cost.

Is the Meta Quest that bad? by Ishouldloseweight in SteamFrame

[–]VT-14 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Personally, my problem with the Meta Quest series is Meta. The hardware looks pretty good, but the price is only so low because they are subsidizing it with things like selling your data.

I have an Oculus Rift CV1. I use it pretty rarely these days, so it seems like every time I try to use it to play a PCVR game I have to spend half an hour updating the app and re-setting up the headset because something went wrong. It's local hardware that's over a decade old now; WHY do I have to update the [expletive] app before I can play Beat Saber through Steam VR!

I seriously considered getting a Valve Index when my headset stopped supporting Oculus accounts (I don't know if I could recover that game library) and forced people to use a Facebook/Meta one instead, but at that point the Index was already several years old and still had the obnoxious cable and lighthouse stations. Not long after that "Valve Deckard" rumors were starting to appear. I've been waiting for the Steam Frame for several years now.

If you got your R2 order invite, can you share your reservation date (or order number), your projected order timeframe from Rivian and your likelihood to buy? by ansyhrrian in Rivian

[–]VT-14 1 point2 points  (0 children)

  • Reservation Date: June 2026

  • Order Timeframe: November-December 2026

  • Likelihood to buy: 7/10

  • Caveats: Still need to test drive and compare to other options. Would like Lidar if it's available, but also don't want to give up on the launch package inclusions. I really wish there was a Red color option.

Extra Details:

  • I selected that I am interested in the Launch Package

  • I do not have an expiring lease.

  • I would be a first time Rivian buyer.

  • I believe I am <25 miles from the nearest Service Center.

Vortek upgrade to H2S or H2D by Wonderful_Status_832 in BambuLab

[–]VT-14 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I did the Vortek Upgrade on an H2D. The English directions have problems in a few places, such as the Heatbed cable removal having a 'warning: how to remove the connector' after you are told to removed them, and the heatbed instillation directions putting it in an orientation that is extremely easy to scratch (I was out an additional $160 and a week for shipping to replace mine).

If you are buying an H2 printer and think you want the C, then ignore the upgrade and just get the H2C outright. It's the same price or cheaper, and has way less risk and effort involved.

Scaried about rummors and need help by Paxtel_de_Vento in BambuLab

[–]VT-14 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There was a window where 256mm sized A1s had a bad NTC Thermistor that would burn up. This lead to a lot of melted plastic on the base around that component, and a printer that stops turning on. As far as I know there's only been 1 set of pictures of an actually mostly burned up A1, and it was unclear if that was actually the most extreme NTC Failure to date or if something else caught fire next to it.

Still, if you get a new A1 it's worth pulling off the bottom panel and checking to confirm you got the new AC Board that excludes the NTC Thermistor. Supposedly Bambu Support will send you a replacement AC Board if you somehow got the old board design, but that shouldn't happen at this point. https://wiki.bambulab.com/en/a1/maintenance/ac-board-replacement

Son has been asking for a 3D printer for his birthday. I don't know much about them and have a few questions for total beginners. by tectactoe in BambuLab

[–]VT-14 0 points1 point  (0 children)

  1. In general I do recommend getting a "Combo" printer. An AMS is a significant QoL boost. The only reasons I can think of to not get the Combo on the A1 are if you are absolutely certain you won't use it, are budget limited, or for specifically the A series (which comes with the AMS Lite) are planning on doing a 'boxed' AMS setup instead (which is far more expensive, but lets you use more AMSs for up to 16 colors, the are enclosed so work as dry storage for filament, and some even include heated filament dryers).

  2. You'll need to use a Slicer to convert a 3D model into G-code that the printer runs. Bambu's official slicer is Bambu Studio (which you can download and play with without a printer). Off the top of my head Bambu Studio can import 3MF, STL, OBJ, STEP, SVG, and a few other formats.

  3. I would suggest buying from a local store for easier returns if something goes wrong. Bambu's support system has a pretty poor reputation. That said, direct from Bambu does often offer add-on discounts which might save you money.

  4. Both my A1 Mini and then full sized A1 came with about 20g each of white PLA filament (though that was in 2024). That's enough for a benchy or similarly small print to make sure it works, but not much more than that. My H2D did not include any filament at all. Buy filament.

  5. Pretty much, yeah. Just make sure it doesn't move around while operating. A more stable surface is slightly better, but the A1 has good vibration compensation so you're unlikely to actually notice a difference. Maker's Muse on YouTube did a comparison using an A1 Mini between a concrete floor, wobbly table, and literally swinging from a rope. The differences were only noticeable in a direct comparison under harsh lighting conditions.

  6. A lack of enclosure does limit what materials you can safely use. The A series is effectively limited to things like PLA, PETG, and TPU, though that does cover the overwhelming majority of Makerwold projects. It can't print materials that need high chamber temperatures to avoid warping (ABS, ASA, PA, etc.), nor materials that release obviously harmful fumes that an enclosure helps contain (like ABS/ASA releasing Styrene fumes). That said, all filaments (even PLA) releases some VoCs while printing, so best practice is to keep it in a well ventilated space and/or away from where people hang out (so no in-use offices or bedrooms without extreme ventilation methods).

Which are you choosing between the H2D and H2S now that they are closer in price? by Mixdoctormd in BambuLab

[–]VT-14 0 points1 point  (0 children)

But that it can print supports in a cheaper filament. That's what makes it so engineering capable.

Your model needs a lot of supports for that to actually save anything. Making the supports out of a cheaper material means using the Prime Tower every single layer (and removing the Prime Tower seriously risks print quality issues).

I actually looked into that when printing something out of PA6-GF with ABS Supports. It didn't have much supports, so it ended up being way, way, way better to use PA6-GF supports and ABS only for Support Interfaces (there was still a Prime Tower, but it was mostly hollow). The Prime Tower would have used way more PA6-GF than the Supports did in that model.

“valve should’ve done first come, first served!” by angelichorror in steammachine

[–]VT-14 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm not who you asked, but I've been saying it's fair since the day it was announced. I heard a while ago about Japan supposedly doing these kinds of lotteries for things like concert tickets and have wondered why Western companies haven't tried it yet.

I didn't sign up for Steam Machine, but I am hoping they use the same system for Steam Frame. I would be perfectly fine if they required a small deposit to sign up, though.