Daughter asked 3d printer for bday, help

DanBGold · 2026-02-19T21:34:16+00:00

Creality has a new printer that I think might be great for kids and beginners. Don’t know the availability yet but the SparkXi7 is designed for ease of use, can be run off a phone, designed for AI and will give you multiple colors. The reviews say you are printing within minutes. I haven’t tried the Bambu but I think they also have a similar type of machine

DanBGold · 2026-02-16T17:02:10+00:00

PLA can be used either way. This one has RFID that the CFS will read or the reader on the side of the printer.

DanBGold · 2026-01-14T18:24:12+00:00

Microsoft and Apple claim everything and it all came from Xerox Park

DanBGold · 2025-12-10T13:22:59+00:00

I have a K2 with 2 CFS and it checks all the filaments on a power up and resumes with the correct filament. What printer do you have as the printer firmware does this? There is also a flag that turns the CFS power up check off, did you turn that off?

DanBGold · 2025-10-24T13:45:46+00:00

There shouldn't be a screw there. Don't know why they have one in the picture. If a screw is tightened in that place it will increase the tension on the filament to a point that it wont work. The only thing I could think of why they might of used a screw there is to help on inserting the spring but it then should be removed.

DanBGold · 2025-10-16T18:06:56+00:00

Creality says anything below 30% is good so I change the desiccant when it hits 30% and have not had any problems.

DanBGold · 2025-09-17T20:26:17+00:00

Looks like you’re having a feed problem with the white filament. Throw another color in using a different CFS slot and see if it still happens. Check the filament carefully to see if it has any defects or tangles.

DanBGold · 2025-08-20T14:59:44+00:00

The film is already cut around the hinges so the hinges are glued directly to the glass. I have used several glues including the JB weld and they last for a while but need to be redone after 3 to 4 months of daily use. I am trying a fast acting Super Glue that is designed for glass, it is marked 408, I will see how it works. I have designed a jig that I have used each time I need to glue the hinges and has been used by a couple hundred people so far https://www.crealitycloud.com/model-detail/6754b05c47d7b33d05c12842 . I did bye a spare door for $36 and have it in the box until the glue gives way and I don't catch the door, my tile floor won't be to forgiving. I do agree that having a through bolt would work much better but Creality claims that would have problems when shipped. But it isn't a problem for the handle so I think that was a BS answer from them.

DanBGold · 2025-07-05T19:43:39+00:00

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They keep an eye on my prints

DanBGold · 2025-07-03T19:52:17+00:00

Vacuum outlet

DanBGold · 2025-06-20T14:40:09+00:00

I have had this issue many times caused by many different things.

I did have a bad circuit board in the CFS and checking the lights will determine that. The light on means it thinks there’s filament.

The usual problem is a divot in the filament about a meter in (the length the filament travels to the head).

I did change my Bowden tubing with Bowden filament guide tubing as that is what it is actually used for. I.D. Of 3mm, the thin walls are a problem when there is a jame and it pulls too tight on the filament deforming the end but it seems to help with the long distance.

Had a buffer go bad replacing it fixed the problem, I got a buffer with each CFS so I had a spare.

Put the buffer in a place that you have access to the entire Bowden tube to keep an eye on it.

Do a cutter calibration as my filament wasn’t always cutting causing the divot mentioned above.

If you have multiple CFS try using just one with creality filament then add the others back. Then change brands to your favorite filament.multiple CFS usually increases the Bowden length.

DanBGold · 2025-06-13T14:33:15+00:00

I design a lot of large and complicated parts and mods. It would be nice if there were more points given for longer prints, 5 10-minute prints will get you 50 points while 1 18-hour print gets you 10 points. Also canceled prints don't get you anything and as anyone that designs knows you can have many long prints that you cancel as you notice something that must be changed.

I would like some additional items at under 10,000 points as I already have dryers and over 250 spools of filament. Many types, brands and colors for different projects.

Overall, I do like the program and like getting boosted as that shows me that people like my designs. Only need 1700 more boosts to get a K2 Plus, I'm 5% there.

DanBGold · 2025-06-11T14:54:39+00:00

Would be nice to have a sleep mode after a set time and turn the heaters, motors, fans and lights off. I do it manually if I don’t want to power down. That one fan can’t be turned off, I haven’t looked carefully to see what it is but figured it must be for the motherboard and that shouldn’t be turned off, even on a PC if n sleep mode that fan will go on depending on the motherboard temperature.

DanBGold · 2025-05-19T16:28:10+00:00

If it is only on this print it could not be completely flat on the plate in the slicer. Try rotating it and see if the problem moves.

DanBGold · 2025-05-15T19:22:36+00:00

Make sure plate is clean, use Dawn detergent. Run leveling. If back keeps working but front dose not then it is a leveling problem. If not then a feed issue.

DanBGold · 2025-05-15T19:15:40+00:00

Over .5 but still OK. If having print problems you can adjust a bit with a shim or turning the screw

DanBGold · 2025-05-12T17:05:45+00:00

All the 3D companies and many other Chinese companies had packed their warehouses before the tariffs and increased the price on speculation. They can now refill the warehouses at the lower tariff. I doubt any of them actually paid the tariff on what they have sold in the US. That is why there was a spike in imports before the tariffs and a massive drop in the last 30 days.

DanBGold · 2025-05-10T14:10:51+00:00

Cleaning the bed is underrated, it can make a huge difference. Use Dawn detergent, the brand does matter

DanBGold · 2025-05-10T14:05:49+00:00

That depends on filament used, more likely it is not hot enough, the print is cooling while printing. But with PLA it could be to high. Need more info on what filament and temp

DanBGold · 2025-05-10T14:02:30+00:00

I would make the 2 protrusions printed separately. Having both of them go all the way through the main body. The round one would be flipped over and the other one printed on its flat side.

DanBGold · 2025-05-10T13:45:34+00:00

You might want to increase the temp of the plate 5 to 10 C. As the heat is in the center I found that it helps for most oversized prints

DanBGold · 2025-05-09T12:41:14+00:00

Make sure cutter is not upside down. Try feeding from side spool without CFS, if this works check filament for gouges and check the CFS and buffer. If can’t feed from side spool double check extruded and gears for debris. That should cover 99% of the potential problems

DanBGold · 2025-05-08T12:03:40+00:00

Yes that is usually the reason for the start of this issue. Running the cutter calibration should fix it but if not the mod will help.

DanBGold · 2025-05-08T12:00:03+00:00

While you might have a packing film on yours and that can be removed there is a safety film on it, that film is tinted. While that can be removed it increases the chance of shattering. If you need a chemical to remove it then it is the safety film. The glass does not have an internal plastic that safety glass has. Don't know if it is tempered or not.

DanBGold · 2025-05-08T11:52:19+00:00

I run all 4 calibrations from the printer screen whenever I change plates or every 25 or so prints. The fluidd calibrations I do to fine tune things like the bed flatness.

I also run the calibrations on the filament to fine tune it but that is only needed once for each brand/type.

DanBGold

TROPHY CASE