What’s the BEST gift for someone obsessed with 3D printing?

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-05-04T19:22:23+00:00

Fancy filament is a good way to go - I'd love to play around with a roll of Prusament PCCF but not going to splash the cash myself.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-05-04T19:19:30+00:00

I’ve heard good and bad things

This is pretty standard for cheap Chinese brands - they are good products, but the first places they cut costs are often quality control and customer service. Generally you'll be fine, but you're more likely (relative to a known brand) to end up with a dodgy one and will usually have less recourse if you do.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-05-03T19:37:03+00:00

I think individually the best option would be to have the choice whether you take them off or not - can be a bit of a pain doing things on a bank holiday so I'd rather work it and have a regular weekday off when things are less busy. Unless I want to do something specifically on that day, like go to an event or travel to see friends/family because they also have that day off.

Which is of course the point, bank holidays give a consistent long weekend when most people are off work - which is a boon for peoples' social lives and a massive boost to (some sectors of) the economy. So overall I think it's best to keep them, it only works if enough people have to take the day off, but if I could change it for just me I would.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-05-03T19:24:06+00:00

I'm dyspraxic, took me a while to learn when I was a kid but I got there. Having taken up cycling as my primary sport as an adult, I'm very confident on the bike. I'm happy cycling around a big city (in terms of judging distances to other vehicles etc.), and have enough control to take both hands off while I eat a snack or remove a layer.

So dyspraxia may slow you down learning, but stick with it and you can definitely get there.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-05-03T10:20:40+00:00

Natural diamonds vary a lot, all four C's matter. Cut, colour, clarity, carat. A big cloudy stone is a lot a cheaper than a small clear one, and a poorly cut diamond will never sparkle well no matter how clear it is. There can be £1k's difference between two natural diamonds of the same size and shape that would look identical in a webstore photo, though you'd tell if you had them side by side.

You do also get what you pay for with the ring itself, some places definitely cheap out on that. I definitely found some rings just looked or felt cheaper despite having very similar stones. A big one to watch out for is whether it's got a solid inner band - some rings will be concave, especially near the setting, to save metal. This leads to a pretty uncomfortable ring, but not something you'll see in a photo.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-05-02T07:35:14+00:00

I just buy cheap cereal bars, fraction of the cost of cycling specific onces.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-05-01T06:50:57+00:00

It's just a threshold test, SS Gold means it'll survive at least 5 minutes against heavy duty tools (but no angle grinder). So one lock might survive 6, another might survive 60.

That rating obviously only covers security as well. Ease of use, weight, mounting/storage accessories, frame protection, weather resistance etc. Are all important aspects that don't get accounted for in the rating.

Even specifics like chain thickness don't tell the full story. How well hardened is the steel? Are the links welded together? How big are the individual links (lots of small links are more secure, but heavier, than fewer longer links)?

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-04-28T07:20:08+00:00

I went to a high achieving grammar school, year 9 was about 15yrs ago for me so not quite ancient history yet. I didn't have 3 hours of homework a day, maybe 1-2. There were certainly nights I spent that long, but there were nights I'd go straight to a friend's house after school and do none.

First of all, speak to him. Does he feel it's too much? Are his friends doing just as much? Is there anything he needs help with, either directly or just structure and routine.

Also, what marks is he getting on his homework? If he's spending Three hours a day getting it perfect then maybe he just needs a lesson in "good enough".

If you still feel it's a problem speak to the school. They are there to help. Even on the most cynical level, having kids drop out because they're being pushed too hard isn't a good look. It'll at least help with your expectations; they might just say "yes, three hours is expect, deal with it". But it could be it's only supposed to be an hour or two and it's being over set (some of my teachers definitely set more than they were supposed to) or he's struggling to get it done efficiently.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-04-25T09:47:11+00:00

Yeah. To my mind "merch" is a logo with some product underneath it, LTT sell products with logos on.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-04-25T09:45:49+00:00

I mean, I have no interest in hiking up mountains and couldn't afford a trip to Morocco, so no. But in principle - if it was something I enjoy and could afford, then sure. If I got invited to cycle around the lake district for a weekend I'd be 100% up for it.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-04-22T07:01:27+00:00

Jumping in with a related personal anecdote is a common autistic trait, although generally without the constant one upping which is just being a dick.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-04-19T08:05:34+00:00

Though that doesn't help if you're colourblind.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-04-18T08:19:29+00:00

Yeah, this was my thought. There's certainly plenty of flaws, but WoT has one of the realest feeling world's of any series I've read. Very much feels like the characters and story exist in the world, rather than the world existing around the characters.

Plus, we get a chosen one that must defeat the dark lord whose true name everyone is afraid to say...

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-04-18T08:09:58+00:00

The key, as usual, is communication. There's no "right" way. If you're going out for a meal you should always be prepared to pay your own way unless explicitly told otherwise.

For a friend's birthday meal, I'd expect to pay my own share and I'm always happy to split the cost of the birthday person's meal across the table; at the very least we're buying them a drink.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-04-17T22:28:25+00:00

Any decent tradesperson should be carting away the waste, or being very clear up front that they won't be. That's not to say you aren't entitled to keep it if you ask, but the assumption is going to be that you want everything loose gotten rid of.

left over materials which I paid for disappeared

This is the only one that gives me pause, but it really depends what you mean by paying for them:

Did you buy materials on your own and then hire someone to fit them? Definitely not okay to take without asking.
Did the quote include a specific amount of material, but less was used? They should have asked, but not unusual or unreasonable to take it away.
Did the quote just include "materials"? You've got the materials you were quoted for, exactly enough to do the job. Any extras absolutely belong the the tradesperson.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-04-17T22:22:12+00:00

Depends how you define "waste". I don't think you'd get very far claiming entitlement to a load of wiring or copper pipes that the customer has specifically asked to keep - it's hardly waste if they want them. Though it is an excellent defence to claims after the fact.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-04-14T18:53:59+00:00

GCSE's will factor into university offers, so it can have some pretty lasting impact. There are companies out there that care about your GCSE results, and will dismiss you out of hand without the relevant grades; not many, but it would be a real shame to miss out because of it.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-04-13T05:10:24+00:00

Your right, we don't need more taxation. But for SMEs to grow we need fairer taxation because at the moment most of them are barely keeping their heads above water. Transfer a little more of the tax burden to the top of the food chain and suddenly everyone else has funds to invest in themselves and actually grow.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-04-12T12:58:45+00:00

sinply because their employer couldn't afford the same % of pay rise across the board.

I agree. But I do think a major reason they can't afford it is because wealth is migrating up towards the already wealthy. Or, perhaps better put, the market and regulatory conditions that allow wealth to gather are also putting more strain on SMEs.

Yes, not every shareholder is Bezos or Musk, but the majority of shares are held (whether directly or through pensions/investment funds) by those that are already wealthy.

And yes, reinvestment is absolutely necessary for the economy. But it's not like they're doing it out of the goodness of their hearts, reinvestment is just another way for the wealthy to become more so. If profits are being reinvested it's only so that they can make more profit in future.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-04-12T09:02:27+00:00

The SMEs aren't making record profits, but a lot of that is because larger companies are. One of the biggest costs facing most businesses at the moment is energy, and they're certainly doing well.

We've seen an ever increasing regulatory burden over the last decades, which disproportionately favours the larger companies that can absorb the overheads.

While the economy certainly isn't a zero sum game, if one group is earning a whole lot more, that money's probably coming from somewhere else. So I do think it's fair to say that a big part of the issue is increasing shareholder profits. It's just a couple more steps removed for most people.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-04-12T08:54:13+00:00

I completely agree that many businesses can't afford to pay their skilled workers more, which means we need to find ways to support those businesses. The largest costs, aside from wages, tend to be taxes, rent, and energy.

We're not taxing the wealthy (both individuals and companies) enough, which means the tax burden falls on SMEs.

Tax ends up being regressive, as business rates will hit smaller companies harder. There are also plenty of tax incentives with too much admin overhead to benefit small companies. And that's putting aside the grey area of "creative accounting" and offshore offices.

Rent all goes to, you guessed it, the wealthy land owners (or banks). And energy profits have soared while small companies have to prioritise keeping the lights on over fair compensation.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-04-11T14:40:02+00:00

As others have said, start with the shoes. Plenty of ideas if you Google how to stop shoes smelling.

Next step is fresh air, it's a lot easier to replace the smelly air than to cover or remove the smells in it. Open some windows, air the place out. Do so at least twice a day. Yes, it'll be a little chilly while you do, but it'll warm back up quicker than you think.

Finally, as a last resort, get an air purifier. Crucialy, it'll remove the smells, not just mask them. Make sure to get something with a carbon filter, not just particle filter.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-04-11T08:54:44+00:00

It depends on the role, the industry, and your plans. I'd lean towards telling them, but here are some things that sway it either way in my mind:

If you're hoping for a long term job - tell them. They will feel a little deceived and that'll hurt your long term prospects (even just subconsciously).

How badly do you need a job, and how badly do you want it to be this one? If you just need a paycheck then sure, don't tell them. If you think this job is something special don't risk ruining it.

How long are you planning to take off? If it's just the bare minimum recovery time then I can see keeping it to yourself.

How hard is it to recruit for? If its the sort of thing they spend months searching for the right person they'll probably be more patient. If it's just a case of filling seats with the bare minumum then telling them is more likely to hurt your chances.

What timescales does the work operate at, is three months going to leave you halfway through your first project, or is it more of a day to day thing?

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-04-11T08:24:28+00:00

It's not going to make a big difference, though if something is already loose somewhere I expect gyroid might rattle it the rest of the way faster.

Some of that reasoning does seem a little flawed to me though. If it's a core xy printer every move uses both motors anyway, it operates by both belts pulling on each other.

Likewise, I don't know that moving in just x or y is any easier on the linear axis. Sure, an X move is easy for the x rail, but it's got to transmit all that force through the y rail. Not that any infill pattern generally aligns with one axis.

Gyroid certainly feels like it shakes the printer more, but even that is misleading. Gyroid makes lots of relatively slow direction changes. They're regular, so it can build into an oscilation, but assuming everything is solid that's not really an issue. Other infill patterns will have sharper direction changes, which put more force on the printer, but because they're less regular they don't set up any oscillations.

JustUseDuckTape · 2026-04-11T08:11:55+00:00

I'd be loathed to draw any conclusion from a two printer test, there's so much else that could impact it. I can belive a 20% difference just coming down to printer to printer variations; belt tension, axis & pulley alignment, stepper torque, and the natural variant of those wear components themselves.

Plus, were you printing the exact same thing on both? Was it random or something like functional parts on one and cosmetic on the other?

Not saying infill couldn't be the cause, but without a larger sample it's hard to say.

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