Just got new printer: Need Advice

[Moonpatrol]

Hey all I am very new to 3D printing... as in this is literally my first exposure (although I'm fairly technical). Been interested for some time. The wife surprised me with a printer for the holiday. I was excited to say the least.

Then I started googling to find information on the printer... and literally could find almost nothing on this printer. I love my wife but only she could pick this needle in a haystack...

So here is my question. Should I return it and look for another more highly supported printer with a larger community base (any suggestions) OR should I take the plunge and see what this thing can do?

Shining Einstart S

https://www.amazon.com/Performance-E...rds=Shining+3D

[awerby]

These printers are all basically the same, but you'd d probably get more support with one built in the US (or wherever you are). On the other hand, you might pay more for an equivalent machine. Some of the best-known ones (I'm not naming names here) are actually some of the worst built, so while there's a lot of commentary about them on the internet, it's mostly complaints and pleas for help. According to an article on this site Shining 3D has established a US facility, so support may be better than for China-based companies without one: https://3dprint.com/59376/shining-3d...us-subsidiary/ They do seem to have a fan-base here for their scanners, but the printers are less well-known.

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

[curious aardvark]

yeah pretty new printer only came out a short while ago.
They make the best 'budget' 3d scanner around - so should be decently engineered printer.

Looking at the amazon entry - it looks like a pretty decent bit of kit.
My only issue would be that it doesn't appear to have a heated build platform - which is weird on an enclosed printer.
The main reason for enclosing a build volume is to trap the heat generated by the build platform to allow you to print abs and other such problematical materials with greater ease.

There are a lot of machines around now without heated build platforms, this looks like a pretty decent example of them.

Me I'd start using it. if you have issues with the software - you can use other slicers. Cura is probably the easiest to use free one.
It's a free 3d printer - use it :-)
And if you runn into limitations, then you will know what to buy next :-)

[Moonpatrol]

yeah pretty new printer only came out a short while ago.
They make the best 'budget' 3d scanner around - so should be decently engineered printer.

Looking at the amazon entry - it looks like a pretty decent bit of kit.
My only issue would be that it doesn't appear to have a heated build platform - which is weird on an enclosed printer.
The main reason for enclosing a build volume is to trap the heat generated by the build platform to allow you to print abs and other such problematical materials with greater ease.

There are a lot of machines around now without heated build platforms, this looks like a pretty decent example of them.

Me I'd start using it. if you have issues with the software - you can use other slicers. Cura is probably the easiest to use free one.
It's a free 3d printer - use it :-)
And if you runn into limitations, then you will know what to buy next :-)

Thanks Curious & Andrew. Sounds like sound advice. I ripped into it and have already had some successful prints. Looks like I am running into some problems with prints not sticking. I'll need to look into some work arounds due to not having a heated bed.

[djprinter]

Not sticking could also be due to be leveling (too much gap between nozzle and bed)

[Moonpatrol]

Just a little update... I started using painters tape and it has worked perfect! So far so good.

[curious aardvark]

painters tape works quite well.
Can be a pita to replace as you need to be really precise when matching strips.
Try gluesticks as well. easier to apply, cheap and easy to remove and clean up.

Like most new 3d printer owners I went through the whole lot: glass, abs juice, hairspray, tape, pva and settled on printbite - that does need a heated bed, so no good to you.
Pva I found the best both for adhesion, application and relatively easy to remove.

[wirlybird]

Check out thingiverse.com and do some searches for your printer to see if people are building anything. Also google to see if it is a clone of another printer. Usually then you can swap in part etc.