Klic-N-Print Dual Extruder printer, $299 Good Buy??

[lordkhomar]

https://knp3d.com/product/klic-n-print-3d-desktop-printer/

I saw this mentioned in another thread at $399, went to the site to check it out and saw it was down to $299. Does anyone have any experience with this printer?

[curious aardvark]

yes I have one.
It's essentially an unenclosed replicator dual pro. Equivalent to the flahsforge creator pro.

Seriously well made and engineered machine. AT that price - there is no reason not to get one :-)
Heavy duty all metal chassis. Just a cracking bit of kit.

And if you wanted to enclose it - it would be very easy. just add a door and lid. Seen people do that with laminating pouches and magnets.

They're clearly selling off the stock. The company makes machines for crafters and went into the 3d printer market thinking their existing customaers would all dash out and buy 3d printers.
Apparently, this did not happen.

But it's still a superb machine.
The only issue I've ever had is that I don't like the three wheel bed levelling system.
Other than that had it around 2 1/2 years. never had a single issue with any part of it.

[JustMatt]

I've seen you critical about the 3 point leveling system in another thread. Can you elaborate your dislike for the 3 point vs. the 4 point leveling plate? The Sindoh printer at my old job was a 3 point and my Tronxy kit at home is a 4 point. In theory, I thought the 3 point plate would be better because a plane can be defined by 3 points, whereas 4 points can overdefine or throw out a plane. Just curious what your thoughts are.

Also, are there any modifications you've done to your K-N-P printer? Does it have any kind of leveling assist? Also, it looks like it doesn't use plain g-code, but a different format you need to convert g-code into. Is that accurate, and if so is it a pain to deal with? I was looking at the Monoprice Maker Ultimate, but I could get the Klic-N-Print one and an inexpensive delta kit for that price, and the K-N-P printer is a dual extruder to boot.

Thanks for any input,

Regards,

Matt

[lordkhomar]

Thanks for the insight on this Aardvark. I went ahead and ordered one. I noticed the filament is pretty cheap too

As far as the 3 vs.4 point leveling, I'm actually looking forward to 3 point. I currently have a monoprice maker select with 4 point and it's horrible to level.

I started using Mattercontrol instead of Cura since it has software leveling and it's been effortless, hopefully ill be able to use it with the KnP

[curious aardvark]

see I don't get this.

A wheel at each corner makes it unbelieveably easy to work out what each wheel or pair of wheels is doing.
Where-as a triangle in the centre of a rectangle is almost impossible to visualise what each wheel is doing.
The back wheel can adjust a whole plane - but the two front wheels can only tilt.
Just can't get my head round it.

Say I need to drop the left side a little. On a 4 point system I simply adjust the two left wheels the same amount.
On a 3 point system - where do you start ?
None of the wheels adjusts the left side by itself. They all also change every other geometry as well.
I genuinely hate it.

Without that levelling system, I'd have used her a lot more.
The fact that I won her in the big 3dprintboard competition a couple or so years back, also means that I don't have any real money invested in her so never felt a strong desire to fight the 3 point levelling.

Now on a delta - it makes sense. No corners on a round build plate, so a three point system makes sense and is understandable.
But using a triangle to leval a rectangle - it's nonsensical.

***

Also, are there any modifications you've done to your K-N-P printer? Does it have any kind of leveling assist? Also, it looks like it doesn't use plain g-code, but a different format you need to convert g-code into. Is that accurate, and if so is it a pain to deal with? I was looking at the Monoprice Maker Ultimate, but I could get the Klic-N-Print one and an inexpensive delta kit for that price, and the K-N-P printer is a dual extruder to boot.

Added print area cooling fan. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:537918
That's it :-)
Oh and smaller diameter filament holders. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:559623
I use that with cheap 8mm carriage bolts and a vinyl tape for covering the pointy end and getting a really tight fit.

As far as converting gcode to x3g files - knp supply a convertor program to do it for you - never tried it. I've always used simplify 3d or makerware desktop with the knp - so it's never been an issue as both programs convert automatically.
https://knp3d.com/software/#knp3dconverter

I never got dual extrusion to work on my flashforge creator - but it's one of the things I do use the knp for. You need a good dribble wall. So I generally use makerware for dual extrusion as I've yet to get simplify3d to do it effectively.
I suspect it would also print a lot faster than the flashforge, given how rigid and heavy it is - but that damnable 3 point levelling just puts me off using her to her full potential.

But the knp and the he3d k200 kit would be a perfect couple :-)

[JustMatt]

I like both of your points. The Sindoh printer I used at my old job had a leveling assist function that told you how many turns of the left and right screws were needed to level the bed. I'm guessing this feature wouldn't work with a 4 point plate. However, I can see where if you already have a method using one way, the other might seem foreign.

Thanks for the extra info on the K-N-P too. Seems like a too good to be true price / performance combo. I'll have to see what I can do to get the wheels moving quick on one. At that price, they have to be running out of stock soon.

[curious aardvark]

yeah get in quick.
It's a seriously engineered machine. And based on opensource, so if you should get any issues - easy to fix.
I also really like that the control panel is at the top of the machine. easy to see if you're standing up.

Oh yeah, the rubber feet fall off.
Glue them on :-) Or make better fitting feet lol
I've yet to get round to making better feet.

And yes john, I follow the onscreen levelling. But, all the knobs are i the middle of the plate. So the slightest variation translates to a larger difference at the edges of the plate.

I do a lot of bed levelling as things are being printed. With 4 points - it's dead easy. Hell any kind of levelling of a rectangular plate is simple with a screw at each corner.
Nope you will never convince me that a small triangle in the centre of a large rectangle is a good idea for levelling purposes.

With the delta the screws are set at the very edge of the plate and it's round, so makes sense.

But that is genuinely the only gripe I have with the machine and they were copying the replicator pro, so not really their fault :-)

Three points is the MINIMUM number required for levelling - not the best. Just the least you can get away with.

[lordkhomar]

Printer was delivered yesterday. Unfortunately it doesn't work. When I switch it on there's no welcome screen, just two white bars. The power supply also seems to make way too much noise. I opened a support ticket, hopefully it'll be sorted out soon. Other than that, seems like a seriously well constructed machine.

[curious aardvark]

That'd a bugger - mine crossed the atllantic with no issues.

[lordkhomar]

Support pointed me to a loose cable, pressed it in and printer is working fine now. I opened up MatterControl 1.7, added a 'Flashforge Creator Pro Dual' profile from the drop down and hit 'connect', it connected with no problem. I adjusted the print bed size, opened one of my 'creations' and hit print. Screen reported extruder and bed temp, once it hit the target temp it started printing. No need to convert the GCode file. I let it print for a few minutes and cancelled it as I need to level the print bed.

I'll try software bed leveling now, don't want to deal with the 3 screws...

All in all, from what I've seen so far, a very nice stable printer, doesn't shake like my monoprice maker select plus does.

I might just buy another and send it to my dad..