I'm ready to upgrade

I am looking at printers to purchase again. I have had my Tronxy for a few years and it's time to upgrade.

I had lots of issues with getting spare parts for my Tronxy. Sounds crazy, but everything I tried to order from Amazon seemed to be wired backwards. Dealing with Tronxy was pleasant enough, but slow. In retrospect, I bought my printer from Amazon, and I think I got one that was discontinued and that's what made getting parts from the manufacturer so difficult.

But I still would like something that was from Creality or at least compatible with their parts.

I wanted a larger build area ( currently 220x220), auto level, filament detection and 2 color prints. My budget is under $1000 - actually closer to $500 but I can get away with more for the perfect printer.

Nothing from Creality. I found the Geeetech A30 Pro. With the auto level upgrade, it seemed to check all the boxes. I almost ordered one yesterday.

Then I woke this morning with a "duh" moment. It only has one extruder. I can print 2 colors, but only one type of filament - one nozzle temp. I want to be able to experiment with different types of filaments.

So I found the Tenlog TL-D3 Pro. That has everything except that it does not support auto leveling.

So, is auto level as awesome as it sounds?

Is there a printer out there that will meet my needs?

Thanks for any advice.

Donna

Yep - this one. My current favourite recommend: https://www.amazon.com/HICTOP-Indepe...45&sr=8-4&th=1

Although this - I think - is a slightly newer model: https://www.amazon.co.uk/TENLOG-TL-D...s%2C192&sr=8-5
That's the one I'd look for.

As far as I know it's the ONLY i3 currently being sold with linear rails on all three axis.
And everything else follows the same high spec. Makes creality machines look like the cheap, unfinished poorly designed kit they are.

As far as autolevel goes - it's pretty much not needed if the printer comes with an actually flat bed.
And with borosilicate glass - it's a lot more likely to be flat than cheap aluminium beds.

Would I take autolevel over linear rails ? Not in this lifetime !

Anyway that's pretty much the best specced un-enclosed sub $1000 3d printer you can currently buy.

And it's IDEX :-) Oh yeah !
Did I mention hi-temp 300c hotends ? It has 300c hotends :-)

UNless that's just the smaller one. https://www.amazon.com/TENLOG-Hands-...8CSHTKNG&psc=1

Hmm, ah here we go: https://www.tenlog3d.com/tenlog-tl-d...rsion_p11.html

And depending on where you live and (probably) when they unblock the suez canal - they have country specific warehouses for less hassle delivery.

Okay what is autolevel ?
Well the one thing it DOES NOT do is to actually level your printbed.
That you will almost always have to do by hand.

All auto level does is to make a topographical map of the printbed - which for a physically flat bed is kinda pointless.

For cheap and bumpy beds it allows the prnter to constant;ly move the z-axis up and down to adjust for the cheapo bed.

It will ALWAYS be better to have an actually physically flat bed than to rely on autolevel.

A good autolevel will possibly also help to calibrate the bed (properly with the knobs) but it's a;most as pointless as filament run out :-)

They are both really cheap addons that cost companies less money than actually making quality and flat printbeds.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by curious aardvark

Yep - this one. My current favourite recommend: https://www.amazon.com/HICTOP-Indepe...45&sr=8-4&th=1

Although this - I think - is a slightly newer model: https://www.amazon.co.uk/TENLOG-TL-D...s%2C192&sr=8-5
That's the one I'd look for.

As far as I know it's the ONLY i3 currently being sold with linear rails on all three axis.
And everything else follows the same high spec. Makes creality machines look like the cheap, unfinished poorly designed kit they are.

As far as autolevel goes - it's pretty much not needed if the printer comes with an actually flat bed.
And with borosilicate glass - it's a lot more likely to be flat than cheap aluminium beds.

Would I take autolevel over linear rails ? Not in this lifetime !

Anyway that's pretty much the best specced un-enclosed sub $1000 3d printer you can currently buy.

And it's IDEX :-) Oh yeah !
Did I mention hi-temp 300c hotends ? It has 300c hotends :-)

UNless that's just the smaller one. https://www.amazon.com/TENLOG-Hands-...8CSHTKNG&psc=1

Hmm, ah here we go: https://www.tenlog3d.com/tenlog-tl-d...rsion_p11.html

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Thanks. That's what I was hoping you would say. I like that one.

Thanks. I kind of figured that. You know what they say about things that sound too good to be true.

What's wrong with the filament detector? I have ruined prints by running out and it's hard to use the last of a roll without standing over the printer watching.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by frierson22

I had lots of issues with getting spare parts for my Tronxy. Sounds crazy, but everything I tried to order from Amazon seemed to be wired backwards. Dealing with Tronxy was pleasant enough, but slow. In retrospect, I bought my printer from Amazon, and I think I got one that was discontinued and that's what made getting parts from the manufacturer so difficult.

But I still would like something that was from Creality or at least compatible with their parts.

---

All of these parts are more interchangeable than you could ever know.

The LEGO Movie | "I am a Master Builder!" Clip [HD] - YouTube

LOL. I ran my printer for a couple of weeks with the 2 pin connector to the extruder motor plugged in backwards while I was waiting for a replacement from Tronxy. It worked fine like that. But only during the day - I didn't leave it running while I was sleeping.

But the extruder motor should be a 4p connector. because stepper motors require 2 sets of coils to walk from one step to the next. Wig wag the 2 PWM drivers is how stepper motors turn. 2p connectors at the extruder might be the temp sensor, the heater cartridge(both of which can be wired backwards without concern), A extruder fan, a part cooling fan, and some might have a z or x sensor on the extruder carriage. If it is just a simple microswitch it can also have just 2 wires and be ok to be wired backwards. Only the fans would be hurt if wired backwards. And because of the electronics internal to the fans they will not spin backwards. They will let out a tiny puff of smoke and usually that circuit in the mainboard gets burned. For your description you either had the thermistor or heater cartridge plugged in 'backwards'.

It's been a while and I definitely don't know much about electronics.
I'm pretty sure it was one of the servo motors, now that I think about it - might have been the x.
It ran backwards when I hooked it up, so I flipped the connector to see what would happen and it worked.

there are two types of filament runout detector.

The first - and cheapest and most common - consists of a physical endstop in a tube. The filament runs through the tube, keeping the switch closed.
It only does one thing and that is to stop the printer if you actually run out of filament.
Now assuming you look at your filament spool and slicer before printing. You SHOULD always know whether you have enough filament for the job.
So you should never run out of filament - well in 8 years and thousands of prints, I never have
So type 1 is pointless. But you do get a spare endstop - and they are always useful :-)
Hell I've even used them as on/off switches for computers :-)

Runout sensor type 2.
Consists of an optical sensor and a roller. - pretty much like how the old computer mice used to measure movement. And I wouldn't be at all surprised if those sensors are exactly what they use.
And that's the key phrase: type two measures actual filament Movement.

So while you should never run out of filament, there are a bunch of reasons why the filament might get jammed or just stop feeding.
Type 2 will register this and stop the print.

So filament sensor type 2 is a potentially valuable addition to a 3d printer.
Type one is a free endstop :-)

Thanks for the info. I'm assuming this one has the first kind, but I'll take it. Apparently you are much more precise than I am about printing. LOL. I look at the spool but don't necessarily do the math to make sure. When the roll starts getting low, most of the time I keep checking when it's questionable, but things happen and I forget. And sometimes I misjudge when I leave a print running. Hasn't happened often - I guess if it did I would start doing the math.:D

I use th 'pinch test'.

One finger against the filament the other inside the spool. Adn then do a rough guestimate of the weight left.
Haven't been wrong yet :-)

As far as what type the tenlog has. I dunno, it looks a lot bigger than the standard endstop runout 'sensor'.
They haven't compromised on anything else. So you never know :-)

So here's my new printer that was delivered Saturday - a week soon than expected. I purchased it from the manufacturer to avoid problems like I had with the last one, that I'm pretty sure was discontinued when I bought it on Amazon. The cost was the same, and I waited for the upgraded driver that was not supposed to be available in the US until today.

So far I'm very happy. It was pretty easy to put together. Just mount the frame on the base, mount the extruders and filament holders. Then it was just a matter of plugging in the wires. The wiring looks so neat and robust - I feel like this is a huge upgrade. It is pretty big and really, really quiet. I

ncluded a pic of my first 2-color print. Well it turned out to be 3 color because I am using the last little bits of filament rolls to test things out.

The quality looks really good. I'm still learning how to use everything, but it's really not that hard so far.

Had a little trouble getting prints to stick to the bed. I had to up the bed temp a little and use some hairspray, but now it's working fine.

It's direct extrusion - no bowden tube - which is new. I have had some problems already with clogged nozzles. I'm not sure why, unless it's the old filament. So far I've been able to work it loose with the nozzle tool. I'm assuming when I do have to open up the extruder to clear a serious clog, inside those boxes will look similar to what I'm used to and it won't be any harder than before.

I have ordered some dissolvable filament. I can't wait to try something with supports that will melt away or at least be removed easily.

Thanks for the advice everyone. You helped me make a good decision.

can you take a couple pics of the back of the printer please - I can't find any online.

But - yep, every bit as good as I hoped it would be.

So what slicer are you using to layout the two colour prints ?

Oh and can you hold the camera the other way up please :-)

Hmm clogwise.
I'd have to see inside one of the extruders - but if the filament path is correct you really shouldn't get clogs that aren't sue to bad filament ever.

clogs seem to be one of the things that people accept will happen with 3d printers regardless of filament.
No they shouldn't, ever.

Can you adjust the tension on the extruder ? that's also a reason they can happen.

Does this show what you wanted to see? Attachment 16205I'm using Ultimaker Cura. I think I could have used the Repetoir (sp) that I was using, but I uninstalled it and started over with Cura since that's what they recommend and that's what all the "how-to's" online seem to be using. So far it's easier to use.I'm not sure about adjusting the extruder, but I bet I can. I'll have to check into that. For now it's working OK so I'll leave well enough alone.Here's also a pic of another print. This 2 color thing is pretty cool.

one thing to try - and martin_au reminded me that all deirect extruder setups have different length filament paths.
Check the retraction settings.

I remember reading that those extruders you have do have a very short path. so you want a correspondingly short retraction length.

So maybe 1-1.5 mm. probably at 50-60mm/s for stiff filaments.
If the retraction length is currently set significantly higher than that - then it could help cause the blockages.

Damn good froggy :-)

What sort of purge wall does it use ?
Or can you get away without using one ?

Retraction is currently set a 4mm. Nozzle switch retraction is 8mm. So I'll try lowering it and see if it helps.

There is an option for creating a shield but I haven't tried it yet. The model has strings where colors change, but they are easily removed. I'll try it at some point and I'm sure it will help with more complex prints. I have to find it again - can't remember where that option is right now.

I'm trying a custom model now. Having trouble placing the individual parts on the build plate. I though the models would come in with 0 where it was in the original model, and I could just 0 everything out and they would be in the right place, but it doesn't work like that. I went back and set 0 at the COG assuming that would work but it was a waste of time. I finally eye-balled it and hopefully it's close enough for what I'm doing. But I've got to figure out how to make the parts fit together better.

Just an update. I'm still loving my new printer.

I figured out how to set up models for the dual extruder - not hard - duh.

The prints seem to take longer - even when I'm only using one extruder. I think the default print speed on the slicing software I'm using now is slower than on the old slicer. But my prints look awesome, so I'm trying to be patient and not mess with the settings too much.

I've had to start printing almost everything with a raft to get it to stick to the hotbed. Unless I have a large cross section touching the build plate, it comes loose almost every time. I didn't have this issue with the Tronxy.

And the filament runout was nice while it lasted. Now I can't get it to print with them activated. I tried replacements, and it still doesn't work. What I have read online says that it's probably because of a clog. I have cleaned the nozzles and I don't see any signs of underextrusion, so I'll just live without them.

But these are all little things that really don't matter and can probably be fixed with a little tinkering. It's a great printer.
I LOVE the PVA for supports. No more prints ruined because supports won't let go of the print.

there is absolutely no reason you shouldn't run 100mm.s as a 'normal' print speed.

But with the rails and setup on that machine you should be able to run a functional print at 150mm/s no problem.

So try something simple and ramp the speed up - pretty sure you'll be pleasantly surprised at just how fast it will print.

My print farm runs on Zortrax printers. They are amazing, all metal, auto-leveling, corexy, enclosed, hepa filter, camera, all the bells and whistles you can ask for. To make things better, they have optical (non-mechanical endstops) are made of metal, and generally, are very durable.

You can read about them here if you are interested in learning more.

Thanks. I kind of figured that. You know what they say about things that sound too good to be true. vidmate mobdro