Qidi Tech 1 - Replicator 1 clone

[Syd_Khaos]

You need to edit the gcode script for start something like this:

~snip~

That will produce a long line across the front of the bed rather than a glob.

Thank you for sharing this.
Now, time for noob questions.
Does this gcode need to run at start of every print? Or rather every so often as calibration?

The last line of your post makes it sound like this blob/line is a normal thing. Does the machine require this material ejection at start, or is there a way to tweak the machine so this does not happen?

How reliable is printing from SD card? Was reading back in this thread some and seems like its maybe hit or miss.Was planning on printing from SD, or I need to get 150ft usb cable.
Its standard size SD cards ya?

[bluemeane]

Thank you for sharing this.
Now, time for noob questions.
Does this gcode need to run at start of every print? Or rather every so often as calibration?

The last line of your post makes it sound like this blob/line is a normal thing. Does the machine require this material ejection at start, or is there a way to tweak the machine so this does not happen?

How reliable is printing from SD card? Was reading back in this thread some and seems like its maybe hit or miss.Was planning on printing from SD, or I need to get 150ft usb cable.
Its standard size SD cards ya?

I think the glob is a hangover from the actual flashforge. I have a friend who has one and his just pushes out a long line of it off the build plate. But our plate is slightly bigger so it instead puts it on the plate making a big glob. And yes it is normal as it needs to make sure it is full of material and 'primed' I prefer the long line instead of the glob as it doesn't burn the bed plate or melt and possibly get stuck and then dragged into the print. I guess you could adjust where it purges and it will do it off the build plate lol.

As for printing I built a 'Astroxbox' from a cheap raspberry pi and added a USB camera so I can start, stop, and keep an eye on my prints remotely. I love it because I can stop a print if it starts to fail or something goes wrong and I am not there.

As for USB you can't have a 150ft USB cable as their theoretical limit is about 9 ft beyond that and the signal doesn't make it to the other end lol.

[RetroCreo]

Thank you for sharing this.
Now, time for noob questions.
Does this gcode need to run at start of every print? Or rather every so often as calibration?

The last line of your post makes it sound like this blob/line is a normal thing. Does the machine require this material ejection at start, or is there a way to tweak the machine so this does not happen?

How reliable is printing from SD card? Was reading back in this thread some and seems like its maybe hit or miss.Was planning on printing from SD, or I need to get 150ft usb cable.
Its standard size SD cards ya?

The blob is only a result of using the third party software Simplify3D and the script goes in the start scripts menu.

The qiditech needs no modification and prints fine out of the box. I get better results printing from SD than over usb. Sometimes when printing over usb, if my computer crashed or shut off then the print would fail.

[rcleav]

I agree the SD card is the most reliable. I also have an Astroprint setup but only use it to monitor prints. i've had problems with it crashing during a print.
As for the purge line my right extruder does drop the line off the right side of the plate the left extruder would to if I didn't have my plate clamp there.
I have found no real reason to change this behavior. My CTC does the line across the top of the plate but I have gone been using the Flashforge Creator pro for both machines for simplicity. They both work great.

[rcleav]

So how is everybody's top cover hood doing? Mine is being held together by tape.
I got an enclosure kit from here http://www.criticalmods.com/ for my CTC. It's built in one piece and much stronger then the Qidi tech one.
They said they would sell me just the hood for $35.00 + shipping. It will fit on top of the Qidi Tech just not drop down into the top slots like the original one does.
Also the back is cutout in a way that entails using a spool system that feeds from the top. I have made one of these for my CTC. One advantage to top spools is it's easier to change filament. It's also come with a vent if you want to go that route.
My overhead system is not as compact but it does work.

IMAG0488.jpgIMAG0490.jpg

[Syd_Khaos]

I'm having some serious issues...and don't even have my printer yet.
Blender is what I have always used for rendering models. Up till now its always been to mod video games. The Blender I'm using is out-of-box so to speak, no add-ons or plugins besides the default ones.
Last night I purchased S3D and was excited to start getting some stuff ready to print.
Right away it seems like Blender is a very poor tool for use in tandem with S3D and the 3D printing community in general.
Seems like a vast majority of the stuff on the internet (via sites like Thingaverse) is done in .stl format. S3D lists its native formats as .stl and .obj.....

Blender has both these formats for import/export, however there seems to issues with both. I found a set of Fallout 4 bobble-heads on thingaverse I am planing to print, as a test, and because I want them. The files are of course .stl format. When I import one into Blender it was 130+ meters tall. When its scaled down to its proper size (and scale value reset in Blender) I export it as new file in .stl format. When the new .stl from blender and the original .stl file are loaded together into S3D the one from blender is 1/10 or so the size of original.

The same thing happens when exporting to .obj format, but the size decrease is greater.
I have double and triple checked settings in Blender to make sure its on metrics, and scale value is resetting properly.

If Blender is in fact not a good choice, is there another free/cheap alternative?
$800 on printer, $150 on S3D, another $400 on machine parts and materials...my budget for getting into this is about maxed for now=)

Any tips would be very welcome.

[RetroCreo]

I'm having some serious issues...and don't even have my printer yet.
Blender is what I have always used for rendering models. Up till now its always been to mod video games. The Blender I'm using is out-of-box so to speak, no add-ons or plugins besides the default ones.
Last night I purchased S3D and was excited to start getting some stuff ready to print.
Right away it seems like Blender is a very poor tool for use in tandem with S3D and the 3D printing community in general.
Seems like a vast majority of the stuff on the internet (via sites like Thingaverse) is done in .stl format. S3D lists its native formats as .stl and .obj.....

Blender has both these formats for import/export, however there seems to issues with both. I found a set of Fallout 4 bobble-heads on thingaverse I am planing to print, as a test, and because I want them. The files are of course .stl format. When I import one into Blender it was 130+ meters tall. When its scaled down to its proper size (and scale value reset in Blender) I export it as new file in .stl format. When the new .stl from blender and the original .stl file are loaded together into S3D the one from blender is 1/10 or so the size of original.

The same thing happens when exporting to .obj format, but the size decrease is greater.
I have double and triple checked settings in Blender to make sure its on metrics, and scale value is resetting properly.

If Blender is in fact not a good choice, is there another free/cheap alternative?
$800 on printer, $150 on S3D, another $400 on machine parts and materials...my budget for getting into this is about maxed for now=)

Any tips would be very welcome.

What machine parts did you buy? Also, S3D isn't really necessary as the ReplicatorG software the printer comes with is more than adequate. Also, you don't have to import the .stl to blender, you can open it directly in S3D and scale from there.

[Syd_Khaos]

What machine parts did you buy? Also, S3D isn't really necessary as the ReplicatorG software the printer comes with is more than adequate. Also, you don't have to import the .stl to blender, you can open it directly in S3D and scale from there.

MagHold build plate
2 borosilicate glass plates
And about $80 at Lowes on PVC and fittings and various hardware. To make overhead dual-feeder, and a mounting system for the glass plates.

I already purchased S3D. For me, as an entry-level hobbyist, it seemed like money well spent. Plus it seems like ALOT of people are using, makes it easy-peasy to share settings and such.

I was importing the .stl I got from thingaverse to Blender not to scale it...thats why I had to do because of the huge size on import. I was actually wanting to smooth and adjust the model a bit before loading it into S3D.

[rcleav]

First Blender is a modeler that can handle meshes and S3D is a slicer. STL are meshes. Modelers create objects that are then converted to meshes.
There is a lot of support for using blender as a modeler check Youtube. I use Autodesk Fusion 360 to create models and S3D to position and slice the meshes for printing.
To edit a mesh STL you would need a mesh editor Autodesk makes a free one of them to. In S3D after importing the object click on it and a side window will open which allows you to reposition and scale your object. Finally there will always be a debate about what model slicer is best I personally have used most of them and prefer S3D.

[DJalin1]

Hello All,
I have enjoyed reading this thread and the information here has helped me make the decision to to get a Qidi Tech 1. Originally I was going to get it on Amazon (prime customer) but I see many of your have gotten the machine direct from eBay and saved 150. Are their any benefits from purchasing from Amazon over eBay? I am thinking with the 150 saved I can get Simply3D software. This is a great thread btw!!!
I am a bit concerned about getting the newer model versus the older as I have seen some one you with a recent eBay purchase getting the older model (pre Dec 2015)