Qidi Tech 1 - Replicator 1 clone

[DaveB]

This was too good of a deal so I have to post this to everyone... 5PCS free shipping New arrival 3d printer M7 stainless steel MK10 Nozzle 0.4mm

I wonder how good these really are?

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/5PCS-New-arrival-3d-printer-M7-stainless-steel-MK10-Nozzle-0-4mm-3D0121/32647166744.html

It does look like a great deal. I'll take a shot. My direct commerce with China has taken a major uptick since I got a QIDI. It's hard to figure how these prices even cover the shipping costs.

[wirlybird]

How were you guys making sure you got the newest model and best price on ebay from QIDI? Did you email to get it set up? Thanks for tips!
Amazon as totally screwed the pooch on this one as they can't seem to even get it shipped.

[DarkAlchemist]

It does look like a great deal. I'll take a shot. My direct commerce with China has taken a major uptick since I got a QIDI. It's hard to figure how these prices even cover the shipping costs.

One thing I can't understand about SS nozzles is how can they be that great? We use SS as a heat break because it doesn't conduct heat like aluminum, or brass does so using it as nozzle doesn't seem all that wise of a choice to me since we want a hot nozzle that stays hot.

[Noircogi]

How were you guys making sure you got the newest model and best price on ebay from QIDI? Did you email to get it set up? Thanks for tips!
Amazon as totally screwed the pooch on this one as they can't seem to even get it shipped.

I got one this week from Amazon and it worked out fine. $699 with free prime shipping. I got the newest version with the 10mm rods. Ordered last Friday and got it on Tuesday.

[Noircogi]

It does look like a great deal. I'll take a shot. My direct commerce with China has taken a major uptick since I got a QIDI. It's hard to figure how these prices even cover the shipping costs.

It looks like you can get the same package for a bit more from Amazon if you need it fast.
https://www.amazon.com/BIQU-Resistan...s=mk+10+nozzle

[DarkAlchemist]

It looks like you can get the same package for a bit more from Amazon if you need it fast.
https://www.amazon.com/BIQU-Resistan...s=mk+10+nozzle

Twice the price and not everyone lives on Amazon with their prime. I know I don't but that is the thing with Amazon their prices are always higher due to how much they charge the merchants to sell through them.

If someone has prime and doesn't mind almost twice the price that isn't bad though I still wonder how a stainless steel nozzle works considering the fact stainless conducts heat very poorly which is opposite to what we want for the nozzle.

I almost got prime before they went up to 99 a year then I said no. Then I slowed down on Amazon when they raised the min to 35 dollars to get free shipping but when they went to 49 dollars I ceased to mess with them and use Jet.com as much as I can and Ali/eBay.

[DaveB]

I got one this week from Amazon and it worked out fine. $699 with free prime shipping. I got the newest version with the 10mm rods. Ordered last Friday and got it on Tuesday.

To some extent it matters which Amazon warehouse that your printer ships from. Amazon stocks these printers at multiple warehouse locations, and even assuming Qidi only ships the latest and greatest, the products received in the USA are not distributed to all locations simultaneously. There is no guarantee that stocked product at location X is at the same rev as location Y. Over time such variances will change depending upon local product demand and changes in the product made and shipped out by Qidi.

[wirlybird]

I got one this week from Amazon and it worked out fine. $699 with free prime shipping. I got the newest version with the 10mm rods. Ordered last Friday and got it on Tuesday.

That's when I ordered mine and it was supposed to be here Tuesday also but it still isn't here. They claim it is going to be delivered but no one knows where it is. I made them ship another overnight so we will see.

[Noircogi]

Here's what I did to make it work:
1. Buy the following harware:

• Rasperby PI 3 base model (about $35)
• 8 GB Micro SD card or larger (about $8)
• 2.5A micro USB power slupply (about $8)
• Supported webcam of your choice (I got the Logitech C525 because it has good quality and was on sale at Frys)

2. Print out a case like this or other of your choice for the RPI. http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:922740


3. Mount the PI and webcam on/in your printer. I put the camera inside the front/left corner, but I'm not thrilled with the current view and may try another spot.


4. Follow the normal instructions to download and setup octopi. http://octoprint.org/download/

5. To properly set up the Qidi you must add the following steps.

• In the octoprint web interface, select settings, then Plugin Manager, then "Get More" and install the plugin "GPX".
• Under Octoprint Settings->Serial Connection, you must choose /dev/tty/ACM0 as the serial port and 115200 as the baud rate. Auto will not work and you'll be frustrated. Also choose "Auto-connect to printer on server start".

6. Set all of the following from this helpful Google Groups thread: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!to...nt/RI7CE7yAolc

Printer profile:
Form Factor: Rectangular
Origin: Center

Volume: 
X: 227mm
Y: 148mm
Z: 150mm

Heated Bed Checked

Axis:
X: 2500mm/min
Y: 2500mm/min
Z: 200mm/min
E: 300mm.min

Nozzle diameter 0.4mm

Number of Extruders 2
Nozzle Offsets T1:  X 0 Y 0

No GCODE scripts before or after job as I change depending on the number of extruders I'm using.  I keep those in my Simplify3D profiles instead

In my GPX plugin settings, I have it set as shown below:

Machine type: Replicator 1 - dual extruder
Pause after connection 2 seconds

GCode flavor: RepRap (Thanks again, Mark!!)

Recalc build progress: Yes

Ditto printing: No

Recalculate extrusion: No

Other settings are left blank.

I'm using simplify3d with with startup scripts derived from those in this thread, so the GCODE scripts in octoprint are the defaults (Blank except for cancel).

To print, you just upload .gcode (not .x3g) files over the web interface, then "load and print".

If your printer is not waiting for the bed to heat up, it's because you don't have replicator 1 dual-head selected in the GPX plugin-settings...

I previously tried Astroprint, and while it's easier to set up and "just works" with our printer, it's not really geared for users with Simplify3D and the video streaming is very restricted as far as which clients are supported.

[wirlybird]

CAD question.
Do you guys do your designing in mm or inches? Does it really matter? Is one better or more adaptable than the other? Just wondering while I was setting up Fusion 360.