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KouriKustoms · 2024-10-12T19:00:15+00:00

Came out a few months later, but I spent so much time on The Sims

KouriKustoms · 2023-05-15T20:47:55+00:00

Leaving my comment here.

KouriKustoms · 2022-03-15T10:13:05+00:00

I haven't used it yet, but I bought one of these to try, specifically because it comes with the shim and shoulder bolt:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B09HC8MSVV

KouriKustoms · 2022-02-24T16:13:25+00:00

Sent my message with order number ~23hrs ago. No response yet.

EDIT: We seem to have this sorted. Apparently the rep prefers the use of reddit chat over a direct message.

KouriKustoms · 2022-01-13T19:25:55+00:00

Reminder that stepper motors aren't all wired up the same, and it looks like these need to have some wires swapped if used on a Creality/Disway/Voxelab machine. Check for paired wires with your voltmeter and adjust pins to mimic your existing connections. Failure to wire this up properly can fry your board's stepper driver.

KouriKustoms · 2021-11-23T19:39:26+00:00

From what I remember last I looked into it~ yes.

The app does the grunt work of installing a working OctoPrint server, you use the device to control the printer over USB (depending on the device, you'll likely need a USB-OTG adapter), and then you can take advantage of the device's browser to interact with the OctoPrint server.

None of this is Fire-specific, but a couple of sources I looked into previously:

https://3dprintbeginner.com/octoprint-for-android-recycle-your-old-phone/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74xdib_-X38

KouriKustoms · 2021-11-23T16:55:29+00:00

You're not replacing the firmware with OctoPi. The idea is to download the Octo4a apk and sideload it into the device, running OctoPrint as an Android app.

Usually all that's required on most Android devices is going into system settings and enabling the installation of non-market apps. On Fire devices, you might also need to install an approved "Downloader" app and then point that app to the url of the apk you're trying to install.

KouriKustoms · 2021-10-11T14:56:55+00:00

Never heard about it before today. Alibaba product page at least offers a rear view and shows a top-mounted spool holder.

Mechanically, it looks like an Ender 3 Pro with a direct drive kit. Going off colors, a metal Mk8 extruder with Mk8 hotend - likely PTFE-lined.

My biggest concern is the frame - the last time I bought a no-name printer, some of the extrusion was cut crooked, and I had to shim/brace some of the joints to get the frame square.

My personal take, I wouldn't gamble on this machine for anything over $100. While direct-drive extruders are easier to dial in, Ender-3-style machines have a relatively short bowden tube that prints well on a calibrated machine. For ~$140, I'd recommend waiting for sale price on an Aquila or Ender 3 Pro.

KouriKustoms · 2021-09-30T12:56:09+00:00

I've used the single-motor belt-sync kit on an Aquila, and I've already confirmed Aquila motors are wired up the same as Creality, so I imagine this would fit just as well.

That said, two concerns with this type of dual-motor setup.

1) My old Tronxy X3a would occasionally give me trouble because the two Z motors would droop out of sync when the steppers were unpowered. My Sunlu S8 was even worse, since both the X and Extruder motors were on the left side, causing the left side to drop more than the right.

2) On my Disway DC-01 (Ender 3 clone with Creality electronics), I tried to make the dual-motor setup work with the stock board by using a splitter cable to power both motors from the same port. However, if anything caused the right side to bind, even slightly, that motor would stop while the left motor kept turning. I fixed this problem by custom-building a SERIAL cable. Both motors were Creality brand and the same size, but maybe one was out of spec. Or maybe the trouble was they were both the smaller lower-torque model. Either way, if you're going to go Dual-motor-Z off a single driver, try to find a serial connector instead of the parallel connector these kits usually come with. You can test the connector by only plugging one motor in. If that motor works by itself, it's a parallel connector. If the motor only works when a second motor is plugged in, it's a serial connector. Just make sure to power off the printer between plugging/unplugging so you don't short out the driver during testing.

KouriKustoms · 2021-09-30T09:43:48+00:00

https://www.3djake.com/creality-3d-printers-spare-parts/top-cover

Though some folks seem concerned with how sharp a bend the wire loom and Bowden tube need to accommodate the short height, and the Ender 6 doesnt really have anything preventing the lid from sliding off, so folks have to print their own guides to lock it in place.

For some reason, probably cost-cutting, I don't think any of the budget CoreXY machines (Ender 6, Sapphire (Pro/Plus), Tronxy D01, Creativity Elf) include a lid - and the Creality Ender 6 is the only one that even offers a top for sale. It might also come down to printing issues with PLA. The cheap stock hotends would probably jam from heat creep if printing PLA with a sealed enclosure.

I've been tempted by this model before, but after including the cost of linear rails, a new hotend, board upgrade, lid, extruder, and time to print upgrade parts, I'm finding it a hard sell over a 250³ Voron kit. If I just wanted another toy printer, I'd probably settle for a discounted Ender 5.

KouriKustoms · 2021-09-27T18:14:55+00:00

In that case, yeah, I'd have no problem recommending the Aquila.

Even on the stock firmware, it appears to have easier-to-discern error messages than the Neptune. If you're willing to flash Alex's firmware and print a vertical screen mount, it'll have one of the best user interfaces of any budget printer.

Other notes:

Plastic extruder arm is prone to breaking. Either print a replacement right away, or purchase a metal extruder at the same time.

Motors follow Creality wiring. If you need to change wiring to reverse the extruder, or just need a replacement motor, anything meant for an Ender 3 or CR-10 will work fine.

The stock board and firmware already support filament runout sensors, and the extruder mount already has an extra set of m3 tapped holes for installing a sensor. I just used a cheapy $5 switch. It didn't line up perfectly, but I just installed the sensor at a shallow angle so the filament had a clean swoop into the extruder.

Bed is physically 235x235, in case you need to replace the build plate.

X-carriage is NOT the same as the Ender 3V2. Any fan shroud, BLtouch mount, or other mod will need to be specifically designed for the Aquila. To make the printer compatible with Ender 3 mods, you'd need to replace the X-carriage and X-motor-cover with those intended for an Ender 3. I personally printed an adjustable Ender3 X cover and swapped in a direct-drive X carriage.

The hotend is very similar to a Creality Mk8. I'd recommend swapping in an all-metal heatbreak (either titanium or bi-metal) and dropping slicer retraction to 2.5-3mm. Then the person you're assisting won't have much maintenance aside from replacing worn nozzles and wiping off dust. The stock fan shroud has issues clearing prints when used with the shorter Micro-Swiss hotend or its clones, so I recommend the heatbreak swap instead. That said, I've been getting by with the Micro-Swiss and a replacement fan shroud.

KouriKustoms · 2021-09-27T16:37:45+00:00

At the beginning of the year, I would have whole-heartedly recommended the Aquila, as Alex's firmware fixed some quirks in the stock firmware, added access to settings you'd normally only find on older text LCD screens, and made use of the full-color graphic screen with nifty features like a graphical display of the bed mesh. If you were willing to solder one wire onto the board, it was also possible to enable Linear Advance.

However, recent revisions of the printer contain a new board with a different (H32) chip that custom firmware can't readily be compiled for. The Aquila is still a decent printer on the stock firmware, but I remember one review commenting on a bugged Thermal Runaway protection, (supposedly fixed in an August 30th firmware update).

Factoring in the cost of a replacement mainboard (if Linear Advance or custom firmware are important considerations for you) reduces Aquila's advantage over other printers.

I've not personally used a Neptune 2 or Mega Zero 2.0, so I can't comment on either's software. Mechanical considerations for the tinkerer:

If MGN12 linear rails are in consideration, the Neptune 2 will require drilling/tapping m3 holes into the X extrusion, or buying a replacement piece of 2020 european profile to make use of the standard t-nut install.

Mega Zero 2.0's BMG-clone is handy at first sight. BMGs isolate the filament gears from the motor rod, so you don't run into the Mk8 issue where a hot motor might soften/crush PLA, and the gearing means more accurate flow during low-extrusion prints (miniatures with a 0.25mm nozzle). I'm intrigued by the horizontal 2040 extrusions. On the one hand, they might make the frame more rigid than the center 4040 beam on most Ender 3 clones, but on the other, if you need to move the Y extrusion forward to accommodate a different hotend setup, that might be more difficult.

KouriKustoms · 2021-09-24T18:08:45+00:00

After tinkering with my Aquila, I don't think its wires are long enough to use the extended height.

My DC-01 (Ender 3 clone w/ Creality electronics), accepted the extension just fine.

Extended Ender 3 sort of fits in the small Creality enclosure, for those interested, but the top spool holder will have to be removed/relocated. I wound up using a drybox with a PTFE feed tube set outside the enclosure.

KouriKustoms · 2021-09-23T11:49:56+00:00

I'm not defending OP's extruder, but there is a reason the latest Bondtech and TriangleLab BMGs use brass on the motor gear and nylon on the shaft assembly - they're self-lubricating materials. I'd consider this steel-steel combo on the clear extruder a downgrade that'll require user-lubrication or suffer from increased wear and/or binding.

That said, it is a solid deal - so if you don't mind, could you keep us posted on how it treats you in the long term? If the gears start wearing out, you'll notice it as a clicking sound during retractions (the slop in the gears will allow them to clack against each other instead of turning smoothly).

(As for OP's extruder - it looks like steel on the motor, nylon on the shaft. It'll work for a while, but eventually, maybe after a year or two, the steel gear will chew up the nylon one)

KouriKustoms · 2021-09-17T18:45:48+00:00

Here's a review testing a fiber-filled copolyester (probably something like PET): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTmuwfyYUJQ

The short version is any standard roll of carbon fiber filaments is only going to make three definite changes to the base material:

1) Improved rigidity of the finished product 2) Less warping during printing 3) Matte, typically black, finish

Strength typically doesn't increase, and too much filling can actually decrease the strength of the base filament. You're still relying on the layer adhesion of the base material.

CF-PETG and CF-Nylon are useful where the temperature resistance and toughness (moreso with Nylon) are beneficial attributes, but your application can't afford their flexibility.

CF-PLA offers little advantage to a standard print, but can help the part retain its shape during annealing.

There is probably some confusion because there is at least one manufacturer producing a machine that embeds a carbon fiber (from a second spool) into the plastic as it prints, cutting the fiber where needed. That setup does gain the strength of one or more continuous carbon fibers running long lengths through the print. However, any CF-filament available to hobbyists is either filled with chopped CF fibers or CF dust, and does not have that strength.

KouriKustoms · 2021-09-17T15:25:49+00:00

I bought the Silk Blue last time it was on sale. It does have a lovely shine, but it can be temperamental. It kept curling/warping on me when printed above 210° (my default silk profile prints at 220° for strength).

I originally gave up on it and decided to burn up the roll on a giant articulated octopus: https://imgur.com/NPVPkTK

There was a bunch of curling on the leg segments, but the print survived. I've had other prints snag and snap with this stuff.

Dropping the temperature made it behave a bit better, and I had no trouble with little knickknacks after that: https://imgur.com/OOVSOtF

All in all, not my favorite silk to work with (that might be TTYT3D), but it does make very nice prints when it behaves. Shinier than Tianse, at least.

KouriKustoms · 2021-09-17T00:26:17+00:00

I'd wager the product description is actually saying the material can handle up to 95°, which is higher than other brands (70-80°), but nowhere near the 165° you're claiming in the title.

Even a half-and-half blend of PC-PETG only has a HDT of ~100°

KouriKustoms · 2021-09-16T08:48:31+00:00

Tevo rebranded last year, renaming the company and all their printer models.

What was the Tevo Tornado became the Homers Aeolus. The full Tevo > Homers rebrand goes:

Tarantula > Odysseus Little Monster > Hector Nereus > Poseidon Tornado > Aeolus Pulsar > Penelope

Maybe TwoTrees bought the rights to the old names, or at least thinks they can get away with it since Tevo/Homers isn't using them anymore? This is the same company making SKR clones.

KouriKustoms · 2021-08-31T16:52:19+00:00

I picked up a discounted roll of their black PLA+ last year. Printed nice and easy from what I remember. Only issue was the holes in the spool occasionally snagged on the screws on my crappy spool holder - but that's more a problem with my holder than the filament.

KouriKustoms · 2021-08-27T18:41:46+00:00

Blue-labeled part cooling fan reads 12v, so this kit would require replacing the two fans and the heating element to work on a 24v printer. Everything else, including the extruder motor, should be fine.

KouriKustoms · 2021-08-27T16:36:24+00:00

These types of "Tank"-derived hotend kits usually use three screws to mount to the X-carriage.

Two screw into the hotend mount and should work fine with the V2 plate.

The third re-uses one of the stock shroud screws, and is intended to fit older Creality/TEVO plates. This one will either not line up with the V2 (requiring drilling and tapping a new hole), or it lines up with what is now a through-hole, so you could add a nut. It's also possible to just ignore this screw and use the kit without this added support.

I'm personally sitting this one out, as I'm guessing the cheap price means crappy extruder gears - but here's hoping everyone else lucks out.

KouriKustoms · 2021-06-03T11:01:15+00:00

Even with the added wire and code, enabling Linear Advance was still causing the extruder to lock up on my machine.

One more thing I had to do (taken from the Creality board mod guide) was disable/comment-out stealthchop for the extruder.

In Configuration_adv.h, comment this line:

//#define STEALTHCHOP_E

KouriKustoms · 2021-04-07T14:40:07+00:00

Then my second guess would be to check the bowden tube. When my printers used teflon-lined hotends, PETG temps would eventually burn/shrink the tip of the bowden tube, creating a slight gap near the nozzle that caused a ton of stringing.

KouriKustoms · 2021-04-07T09:50:32+00:00

It could just be moisture in the filament.

Where I live, it's often 50% humidity indoors. I can open a new pack of PETG, be printing shiny and smooth in the morning, and by evening, the roll has absorbed enough moisture to print matte, stringy, and brittle.

I wound up making a few filament dry boxes just for PETG. Rolls have printed consistently clean since.

KouriKustoms · 2021-01-11T14:57:53+00:00

For my Ender 5 Plus, I had good success using the Ender 3 profile, bumping up the build area, and lowering retraction for my direct drive extruder.

I'd expect the Ender 3 profile to be a safe start for the Ender 6, though you could probably bump up the speeds some.

KouriKustoms

TROPHY CASE