Completely new to 3d printing and may Creality K1C

**HobGoblyn** · Yesterday, 04:08 AM

Hi all.

Where does someone completely new to 3D printing start?

Let me explain.

I bought a Creality K1C that arrived Saturday (7th June)

I fired off a few test prints, they all seemed to print perfectly to my eyes.

I did ask a question in another forum as to why the already sliced benchy code supplied on the printer prints in 16 mins, whereas if I slice the benchy stl, that one takes 31 mins. (my thread then disintegrated into personal attacks, hence I looked for another forum and found this one)

I got a few replies including one helpful one that judging by their username, they are one of this forums mods.

Their advice started by saying "Maybe if it's not broke, don't try to mend it."

That sounds like great advice, however:I watch a ton of YouTube clips, I read a ton of web sites, I look at the included Creaity-print software, I also download Orca Slicer and have a look at that.

Most vids try to explain about tuning the printer, most K1C (or K1) specific vids recommend rooting and installing the latest Klipper to replace Crealties cut down one.

There's vids about levelling the bed.
There's vids saying the Creality bed levelling system isn't that great.

There's pics showing peoples bed levels that at first glance looks like the level is at a 45 degree angle, but when you look at the numbering in the graph, it's only 2 mm from the top of the graph to the bottom and most pics seem to show less that 0.5mm difference between one side and the other, surely with bed levelling that should be irrelevant?

Anyway, I've enclosed a pic of my bed level for advice.

I look in Creality-print and under the calibration tab I have:Temperature, Flow rate, Pressure advance, retraction, tolerance, max flow rate, VFA, Speed, acceleration, Arc fittingand some of those have more than one option.

I see I'm supposed to tune for different filament and even different colours in the same brand filament?

That being the case, I think I'll stick to the brand I'm using now (Elegoo Rapid PLA) so once I've got each colour done, I don't have to worry.

BUT:

So far, I've printed out a load of silly stuff, it all seems fine (ok placement and support of some weren't the best).

I've printed out some of the calibration tests, the pressure advance explanation seems hard for me to grasp, Any other I've done just looks fine.

I printed off a calibration test where I had to push bits out of holes and score on how many I could push out easily, I pushed them all out.

I tried printing a tiny key ring size engine, all the parts move fine.

Basically, at the moment, it just seems to work, so do I really need to worry about all the calibrations?

Why do I need to change to Orca Slicer (used it to get bed mesh pic)

How will rooting my device improve my printing experience?

There seems to be a ton of vids out there explaining about calibrating this, calibrating that, but I've yet to find one (probably loads) that is aimed at someone like me, someone who is brand new to this hobby and needs to know what where and WHY I need to be doing things.

Many thanks

**Bikeracer2020** · Yesterday, 06:05 AM

Your pic is not showing, to post a pic, just go to edit your post and click on manage attachments, you can load pics straight from your PC, tablet or whatever device you use, no need to involve. an image hosting site....................... It sounds as if your printer is working okay, so from my point of view, if you're happy with the output just leave it as it is........................ Just my perspective....... When you are printing something and a fault appears, then is a good time to investigate possible causes that might need calibration or slicer setting adjustments.......