One More Perplexing Issue with Printing

**The Grey's Studios** · 05-18-2015, 09:15 AM

Okay -

As you can see from the screen shot, the model that I was trying to print does NOT have a display stand.

Is there any reason that Flashforge wants to make a flat display base it seems under the model when I print it out? It doesn't have it in real life.

Any settings in the menu to prevent it?

Here is a image of what I mean. It shows no display base in the printer software, yet the model was to seem "flat" with a display base at the bottom. I do not need support structures or anything like that if that is what it is. Can someone explain to me how to get rid of that? Thank you!

John Thuot II
The Grey's Studios

**Mjolinor** · 05-18-2015, 09:26 AM

If you get rid of the support then you will not get that once it is printed. You need to cut the support off after you print it. There is no way you can bridge that sort of distance with an FDM printer.

To remove the support is easy enough but without you telling us which slicer you are using no one can tell you how. You will end up with a birds nest of wasted plastic once you remove the support.

**The Grey's Studios** · 05-18-2015, 09:56 AM

Thank you for the explanation. That explains it 100%. Appreciate it.

What slicer would you recommend? As you can tell, I'm VERY new to this. LOL

**Mjolinor** · 05-18-2015, 09:59 AM

I use Cura. Slic3r and Skeinforge are the traditional ones but Skeinforge is now old and does not seem to be supported any more though it is very capable. Slic3r to me, seemed to vary too much between releases so you had to learn it all again and it never seemed to do a good job. I like Cura.

Simplify3D seems to be very popular but you have to pay for it and it is not good if you have a real OS, it only works with Windo$e and you have to pay for it. Two good reasons for me not to have tried it right there.

**The Grey's Studios** · 05-18-2015, 10:06 AM

Thank you - I will check into Cura. is there a setting you can use to create the support beams to be paper thin so they just cut off easily? I don't want to have to fuss with the cutting aspects afterward.

I appreciate your help Mjolinor. As I said, I'm a complete newb to it, and it is appreciated. I studied my manual about 3 times waiting for the printer, but I have a lot of questions coming, I'm sure. LOL

**Mjolinor** · 05-18-2015, 10:23 AM

In Cura the support just breaks off when you grab it. You can also view it layer by layer in Cura and you can turn it off completely should you want a plastic filament bird nest.

**The Grey's Studios** · 05-18-2015, 10:26 AM

Thanks - nope no bird nests for me man. I appreciate that info. At least it's easy. When you said, "Slicer" I thought you meant you had to cut it off. That shows you how new I am at this. LOL

**curious aardvark** · 05-19-2015, 06:48 AM

okay - for one - mj has various printers not just flashforge.
cura won't work with flashforge machines.
In fact neither will the other two he mentioned either :-)
At least not without a lot of work and a gpx utility of some sort.

simplify3d is the best around - yeah you pay for it - to be honest it's the only software I've actually paid money for in the last 15 years. And yes it's worth the money.
Prints are sharper, cleaner and just better. You have more options than you can shake a lot of sticks at and it's out of the box compatible with ff machines - even with complete usb control.
It's also going to be compatible with any other printer you might get in the future.
But apparently not linux compatible ;-)

The main alternative to rep-g (which is the worst slicer I've ever seen) is makerware desktop.
download links here: http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.p...-x86-computers
Pretty good, easy to use and does produce decent prints.

**Mjolinor** · 05-19-2015, 11:12 AM

I use Cura with RepG. I have never succeeded in getting GPX to do anything despite really trying. I can tell you how GPX works, I have tried that hard I can probably quote sections of code from the source.