Qidi Tech 1 - Replicator 1 clone

[cncartist]

Very nice fix!

Before I try, does anyone know if I could utilize the USB port on the back of the machine to supply up to 500mA of power to a device?

[KludgeGuru]

Very nice fix!

Before I try, does anyone know if I could utilize the USB port on the back of the machine to supply up to 500mA of power to a device?

I don't believe so. The machine would be considered a peripheral which would sink the current not source it.

[CheesePatrol]

Got mine last Friday and successfully printed out a part yesterday on my first attempt!

Side note: ReplicatorG stinks. I switched over to Slic3r today and was able to generate a x3g file for a car part that ReplicatorG was messing up on.

[DarkAlchemist]

Got mine last Friday and successfully printed out a part yesterday on my first attempt!

Side note: ReplicatorG stinks. I switched over to Slic3r today and was able to generate a x3g file for a car part that ReplicatorG was messing up on.

Wonderful, I was wondering if Slic3r could be used but how do you get slic3r to output a .x3g file or does this machine also accept .gcode? I know I can tell Slic3r the flavor of gcode to make but it didn't give me an option to save as .x3g instead of .gcode or do we need to still use GPX to convert it over?

[CheesePatrol]

Wonderful, I was wondering if Slic3r could be used but how do you get slic3r to output a .x3g file or does this machine also accept .gcode? I know I can tell Slic3r the flavor of gcode to make but it didn't give me an option to save as .x3g instead of .gcode or do we need to still use GPX to convert it over?

Unfortunately GPX needs to be used to convert to x3g as the machine does not accept gcode. I found a tutorial that mentions using a Perl post-processing script, but I couldn't get it to work (gotta debug that later). Currently I'm manually kicking off GPX from the console.

[cncartist]

I don't believe so. The machine would be considered a peripheral which would sink the current not source it.

Thanks, I'll have to look into a different way of having the printer power up peripherals based on its status.

[DarkAlchemist]

I notice that Qidi can be controlled via a PC/Laptop using USB but how in the world do you get to the USB port on it? I saw a picture showing the bottom of the printer (only one I could find) and the power supply was exposed while everything else was behind the metal cage. I prefer to control my printer via the USB BUT there is something I was reading about that sounds like something I want to try as well and that is this http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Flash-...fi+memory+card but that is in the future.

So, how about that USB connection?

[rcleav]

The USB port is on the backside of the printer opposite corner from the power cord.
It's not recommended to run a print from a computer. Things like the computer crashing or going to sleep will kill the print.
Most use the SDCard it's more reliable.

[DarkAlchemist]

The USB port is on the backside of the printer opposite corner from the power cord.
It's not recommended to run a print from a computer. Things like the computer crashing or going to sleep will kill the print.
Most use the SDCard it's more reliable.

Never had that as an issue with that setup and my printbox runs Linux.

Thank you for telling me where it was because finding an all around image of this printer is not easy.

I placed my bid and will know tomorrow if I get outbid or not. If I do I will place my order directly with them.

[KludgeGuru]

I notice that Qidi can be controlled via a PC/Laptop using USB but how in the world do you get to the USB port on it? I saw a picture showing the bottom of the printer (only one I could find) and the power supply was exposed while everything else was behind the metal cage. I prefer to control my printer via the USB BUT there is something I was reading about that sounds like something I want to try as well and that is this http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Flash-...fi+memory+card but that is in the future.

So, how about that USB connection?

I've been running mine from a Raspberry Pi running Astroprint. I've been able to upload my files to the Pi over my network. Now my Pi is getting really slow and it is starting to take way too long to upload the files. Even when I SSH into to Pi it is really slow. I've looked into those Flash Air SD cards before and now I'm considering them again. I'll probably try to get Octoprint working before I go the Flash Air route.