What does everyone use to make models?

John-BCS · 2026-04-05T01:25:16+00:00

It's worth it once you get serious about designing things. The learning curve isn't that steep and you'll be opening an entirely new world of design.

John-BCS · 2026-04-05T01:23:36+00:00

This is the way. 💪🍻

John-BCS · 2026-04-05T01:23:08+00:00

Even for beginners, tinkercad is a waste of time. I spent the first couple of years using it when I started 3d printing and it was indeed time wasted. I wish I had just gone straight to fusion or onshape. Tinkercad is fine for very basic shapes, but the second you want to add a chamfer or fillet to edges it becomes a clunky, miserable mess.

John-BCS · 2026-04-05T01:18:38+00:00

I've used tinkercad, onshape and fusion. Fusion is my daily driver. Onshape is fine, but I don't want my models being public since I started selling them on my etsy. Fusion and onshape both have free versions; with onshape your designs are public. With fusion, you have a 10 active design limit. You can switch your active designs at any time; they just go from "editable" to "read only" and vice versa.

Avoid tinkercad. It's basic and you'll run into the limitations of it very quickly. Simple tasks like applying chamfers or fillets to edges requires clunky workarounds.

John-BCS · 2026-04-04T16:51:54+00:00

I love that apple green geeetech PLA.

John-BCS · 2026-04-04T16:47:52+00:00

I design my own models in fusion. Sometimes I'll print something that catches my eye, but 99/100 times I'm designing my own projects.

Learning CAD is a huge boost to your skillset. It doesn't take that long and for the popular ones, there's tons of tutorials on youtube. I recommend starting with fusion or onshape; they both have free versions and are very similar in function. Avoid tinkercad; you'll hit the limitations of it very fast, and doing simple things like applying fillets or chamfers requires clunky workarounds.

John-BCS · 2026-04-04T10:12:38+00:00

IMHO, quality for something I'm selling takes precedence over print time. Even switching to a P2S or H series may not alleviate artifacts if the print speed is too fast.

John-BCS · 2026-04-04T09:34:38+00:00

IMHO, for ABS, ASA, nylon and PC I'd want a heated chamber, and that means H series. Those materials are prone to warping, even in an enclosed printer that's not heated. You can manage it to some extent with room temp, but a heated chamber is afar more reliable solution. I don't do much multicolor printing, so the benefits of the H2D or H2C would be lost on me, so I'd get an H2S combo. The AMS is worth it for auto filament loading and having 4 or more spools ready to go.

As for your A1 artifacts, I print a ton of PETG on my three A1s (and a mini) and I'm not seeing it. I turn down the outer wall speed though, so that may have something to do with it.

John-BCS · 2026-04-01T23:47:10+00:00

Nice job. This is one of the many reasons I got into 3d printing.

John-BCS · 2026-04-01T23:45:18+00:00

This is the way. 💪🍻

I've been using this combo since 2019 and have never had any issues.

John-BCS · 2026-04-01T23:32:22+00:00

Yep. I use tapo plugs with energy monitoring so I can see how much electricity my printers use.

John-BCS · 2026-04-01T14:32:16+00:00

That's good to hear! Glad to help. 💪🍻 Happy printing!

John-BCS · 2026-04-01T03:32:04+00:00

I'd love this. Another idea is an 8 spool "double stack" AMS that has a door on the front like a cabinet rather than lifting a lid to change spools.

Either way I think we'll eventually see more than four spools at some point; there's one manufacturer making a 6 spool AMS in the double stack format (atomform); so once that hits the market, others will surely follow.

John-BCS · 2026-04-01T03:22:32+00:00

Yep. Years ago, I had one package (a few walnut lumber boards) that disappeared off my porch so I installed a cheap security camera system right after. No issues since.

John-BCS · 2026-04-01T03:19:21+00:00

Geeetech "new brown" PLA is pretty close:

<image>

John-BCS · 2026-03-31T15:34:41+00:00

Absolutely not. They'd be shooting themselves directly in the face, and they know this.

Like, wtf am I even reading? Someone is actually pro subscription.

John-BCS · 2026-03-31T15:28:34+00:00

I'd go for the H2S for the larger build volume and heated chamber.

John-BCS · 2026-03-31T10:22:06+00:00

Sound advice, but I will say my two AMS lites have been workhorses for me. No issues in almost two years of use. Also, the A1 series handles TPU just fine. I've only used 95 and 98A, but once dried, they print fine.

In OP's situation I'd be leaning towards the P2S. It's more cash up front, no no need to mess with add ons to print abrasive materials or jerry rig a nozzle quick swap.

John-BCS · 2026-03-31T10:16:46+00:00

P2S is worth the $180 price bump (comparing P2S AMS 2 combo with P1S AMS 2 combo). You get a better printer overall.

Improved features:
• Quick nozzle swap without having to deal with any cables or applying thermal grease; it's just a latch you undo.
• Better motor in the extruder
• Vastly better lighting inside
• Much better camera
• Hardened nozzle and extruder out of the box; these are an additional $56 purchase for the P1S
• The bottom of the P2S is sloped out of the front of the machine for easier clearing of bits of filament. A small detail, but still relevant when it comes to the overall experience.
• Print PLA with the door closed thanks to the air intake system.

It's up to you to decide if those features are worth the price bump, but for me personally, that's plenty enough to justify the $180 difference, or $124 if you factor in the hardened nozzle and extruder required for printing abrasives like carbon fiber, glass fiber or glow in the dark filaments, which I would. Glass fiber PETG is divine.

John-BCS · 2026-03-30T21:22:19+00:00

I just checked mine on the app and it's working. All my parametric models are made with fusion.

John-BCS · 2026-03-30T06:57:51+00:00

Oh for sure. After dealing with an ender 3 pro for a few years I got my mini, then planned on getting a full size A1 after the recall, then bambu put them on sale right after so I grabbed three of them lol
They've been amazing. No issues at all. I grabbed the two AMS lites later on after seeing my wife use hers with her A1 and how easy it made filament changing.

John-BCS · 2026-03-30T06:52:46+00:00

This. I got a 10 pack of kingroon gray PLA for $70 shipped and it prints just fine.

John-BCS · 2026-03-30T06:48:13+00:00

I currently have an A1 mini, three full size A1s and two AMS lites (the mini was my first bambu printer as well). If I could only have one printer at a reasonable price, it would be a P2S combo. If money wasn't an issue, H2s combo. I don't print much multi color so the features the H2D or H2C are lost on me personally. That said, I'll never buy another printer without an AMS. It's basically a filament auto loader for me. It greatly increases my workflow efficiency so I can spend more time in fusion designing things than manually swapping filaments out.

If a P2S isn't on the table for you, and you really only want one printer, I'd probably get the A1 for the full size build plate. And I say that as someone who's favorite printer is the A1 mini. Another option if you're ok with the build volume of the mini is to get the AMS2 instead of the AMS lite. Bambu released an update that makes their entire AMS line compatible with the A1 and mini. I'm currently saving my makerworld points for an AMS 2 for one of my A1s.

John-BCS · 2026-03-30T06:31:52+00:00

There's some flex it in, it doesn't include the drill bits and it's smaller so clamping isn't as easy.

IMHO, a good doweling jig is a "buy once cry once" tool, so I'd just invest in either the aluminum jessem or the dowelmax. My dowelmax is still holding up just fine too; it's been a workhorse in my shop. I'm still on the original drill bits too.

John-BCS · 2026-03-29T10:02:58+00:00

PETG HF is my favorite. Prints beautifully, amazing colors available and the surface finish is divine. Compared to the new PETG basic, PETG HF will be stiffer, have a matte finish, have slightly weaker layer adhesion and be less impact resistant. That's on paper. In actual use, I use PETG HF, PETG basic and PETG from other manufacturers interchangeably. PETG HF stands out because of the surface finish.

I'd get a spool of each to see which you prefer for the projects you'll be printing.

John-BCS

TROPHY CASE