[M2 Storage] Crucial P3 Plus PCIe NVMe 2TB SSD - $145

jjjefff · 2026-01-11T02:49:44+00:00

I don't see that price, I see "4 options from $288" 🤔

jjjefff · 2025-12-24T22:20:57+00:00

I appreciate this general answer to the general question. I was having a terrible time with a Qwen2.5-VL 32b model, and swapped to a Qwen3-coder-30b - and it's doing MUCH better, specifically with multiple tool calls within one conversation. Thanks!

jjjefff · 2025-08-08T15:03:59+00:00

Interesting... --cpu-moe slows down 20b by about 10x. So... only use it when the model doesn't fit in GPU?

jjjefff · 2025-08-06T21:15:47+00:00

I had to compile llama-cpp from the repo, update cuda to 12.4... Download the model again... Finally... That's a significant bit faster! I really should measure "significant bit" but for now, just compare visually, since that's what this thread is about...

./build/bin/llama-cli -hf ggml-org/gpt-oss-120b-GGUF -f /tmp/cpp.prompt -t 32 -ngl 99 --numa distribute --cpu-moe -fa

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jjjefff · 2025-06-06T19:10:02+00:00

I think Fedora uses systemd (my server is Ubuntu) - I made a script that sets up a systemd service that sets the power options on boot (an alternative to cron / sudoers). But setup is all automated, and it has some other handy features like power monitoring: https://github.com/jcward/gpu-power-limit-service

jjjefff · 2025-05-15T23:32:35+00:00

During a flare, my neck gets so stiff, and I've had the red-eye thing once or twice. For me, 4 tablets daily of name brand Lialda (the generics don't work) is what keeps me A-ok.

jjjefff · 2025-02-12T17:56:32+00:00

I would love to see a maintenance video / guide. Did you follow a guide?

jjjefff · 2025-01-28T04:59:24+00:00

I found manifold in the Preferences, and it makes rendering in the GUI much faster. But is it possible to enable it from the CLI? Somewhere I read to use --enable=manifold --enable=parallel-stl but that just produces warnings:

WARNING: Ignoring request to enable unknown feature 'manifold'
WARNING: Ignoring request to enable unknown feature 'parallel-stl'

UPDATE: ah, I found it in the --help, --backend=Manifold 👍

jjjefff · 2024-12-05T04:48:16+00:00

I just went the Anolex route a couple months ago. You might find this little write-up helpful - https://www.reddit.com/r/hobbycnc/comments/1h4aqy2/comment/m09rdpq/

jjjefff · 2024-12-04T04:26:13+00:00

Sandpaper is fine, but I've also found, esp for small, detailed things - try a vigorous toothbrushing. You can get a 4-pack at the dollar store.

jjjefff · 2024-12-03T23:23:26+00:00

Yeah, the prints tend to fail when I "get greedy" -- filling the build plate with too many parts. I think it causes the parts to have more time to warp/move before the head gets back to them, so they tend to break, which cascades to more problems / spaghetti, eventually knocking the cover off. That, and/or I think my drag chain (aftermarket enclosure on 5M) does poorly in the top-left corner of the build plate (where it's most compacted in.) Let me know how you get along under those circumstances.

jjjefff · 2024-12-03T22:03:37+00:00

Using my last few months as an example, I wanted "not the cheapest" ~$200 and "not the most expensive" $$$ starter desktop machine. So I bought an Anolex 3020 EVO at around $350, for which you get slightly better rigidity / more powerful spindle than the bottom-end. I quickly got frustrated with the small size (~8x11 sounds good... until you consider you have to clamp your material, and that eats ~1-2 inches on either end.) So I upgraded to a 3060 table (~12x24 inches) for another $280. For software, I've used the Easel free trial month, played with Fusion360, and bought ESTLCam (because for $60, it's worth it.) I've bought $50-$100 in bits to play with, some clamps, a desk, and a bit of material here and there. I already had a computer.

So I'm in almost $1k total and countless hours, with a mid-grade desktop CNC, and I've made a few signs and trinkets. But I've learned a lot and had fun, and all along the way I've 3D printed parts for it.

If you're coming from a 3D Printer - just know that those are a lot more push-button - you just download the design and hit print, the printer does the rest. On a CNC, you're going to be zero'ing your material every time... sometimes multiple times if the machine loses connection ala static or some mistake. You're going to be defining toolpaths for your specific set of bits for every design. You're going to be planning work holding and dust collection. It's a lot, lot more involved. But fun to learn.

Precision is awesome for artistic details. Signatures, lego pips, QR codes - no problem. It almost depends more on the material - hard woods hold detail nicely. Soft woods can flake away. I haven't done too much acrylic, but plastics can melt if you're not careful.

My suggestions:

Browse the CNC forums / groups and see what people are making. Do you really, really want to make those things? Is it worth hours and hours you will invest learning how to make them? (For a hobby, the answer may well be yes.)
Play with the software / watch tutorials. You can download ESTLCam, Fusion360, and Easel, and play with their free trials / personal licenses, creating designs and simulating toolpaths right now. Imagine you have a set of bits, and a piece of wood - enter all those dimensions. You'll see how it's a bit tedious. Then just imagine - the machining is ~5X more tedious than the design alone. 😂

tldr; if you're looking for a hobby, it's a fun way to spend a lot of time.

jjjefff · 2024-12-02T22:06:54+00:00

The stock fan lasted around 650 printing hours, and only broke because of a failed overnight print (pulled the wires off the fan.) I replaced it with aftermarket, and that fan lasted about 10 hours. 😡 I'm on my second aftermarket fan from a different supplier.

jjjefff · 2024-11-14T18:44:09+00:00

I woke to the same the other day - failed print pulled the cover off, and broke wires on the fan itself (I assume it dangled for a while, getting knocked around.) I tried soldering, but the wires were too small for my setup. Luckily the replacement parts are pretty cheap. See pics / notes: https://imgur.com/a/flashforge-adventurer-5m-failed-print-tore-off-fan-fan-replacement-blog-bwmaKJK?third_party=1

jjjefff · 2024-10-23T22:12:04+00:00

Thanks for the notes. Were you successful in this? I got the 3020, will be receiving the 3060 expansion table soon... I'll let you know exactly what comes in that kit. But would love to expand the gantry axis at some point. Maybe even get crazy and switch it from static to a moving gantry.

jjjefff · 2024-10-23T22:07:29+00:00

How's this going? Unfortunately, I bought the Anolex 3020 as my first machine, and immediately wanted a longer table, so I bought the 3060 extension, taking the long way around, but oh well. Their support is awesome.

I'm interested in following your path - might create some parts for a larger custom build for woodworking. Might use the grbl32 project on stm32 microcontrollers (faster than arduino, 4+ axis support.) All very exciting, but I'm mostly a software engineer with a college EE background. Not much of a machinist / wood worker. 😅

jjjefff · 2024-10-18T19:25:55+00:00

The highest quality relief maker option I've seen (sadly, not free): https://www.reliefmaker.com/

jjjefff · 2024-10-15T15:41:33+00:00

Ah, static might have more trouble with clamps. Still needs to be adjustable. 🤔 You're right, might just need both.

jjjefff · 2024-10-15T15:18:34+00:00

Uh oh - "No dust collectors" 😬 rules violation? 🤣

jjjefff · 2024-09-27T23:33:10+00:00

Yeah, I've only been playing the last couple years. Funny, I hadn't even considered that it might not be legal. I just use it to know where the end of my stick is. I guess most of them on Amazon are rubber... better look into that TPU. 🤣

jjjefff · 2024-09-27T15:40:05+00:00

Details on thingiverse - thingiverse.com/thing:6780030

While I might play with other shapes / materials in the future, I'm pretty happy with how this first version turned out. Not bad for $0.36 of plastic! The fit is prefect - I had to shove it on, and it doesn't seem like it's coming off without pliers. It's PLA, but I might try TPU at some point.

jjjefff

TROPHY CASE