Qidi Tech 1 - Replicator 1 clone

[Syd_Khaos]

The heat times on their own don't bother me at all...that it heats the plate then nozzle is what gets me. Why not both? At least a bit of overlap would be nice.

[cncartist]

I just started another print and the heat times aren't bad. It definitely isn't a machine for mass production as it does take ~5 minutes but I agree with Syd above. The only beef I have with it is that it doesn't start heating the extruder when the build plate gets to 80/110C or something similar. It might even be possible already but we just don't know how.

I really dislike a system that detaches me from such parameters. I understand the reasoning due to people messing with things they don't grasp and burning down their houses etc... but for someone who knows these things don't detach them. The problem is Marlin is firmly documented if you look but I don't see Sailfish documented for these things that I could easily find.

More than likely I will get this printer working and when the warranty is out I will swap that Mightyboard out for a more tech friendly version of either Ramps 1.4 or move over to the Due or Smoothie boards where I am not as detached.

I also wish the machine had more customization in firmware/software but that level of customization isn't for everybody. Yes, Sailfish wasn't documented yet from what I know but hopefully it will be in the near future.

If you end up swapping the board out that would be something I'm sure people would be very interested in. If you would like to document the procedures that would be awesome to see a full tutorial.

[DarkAlchemist]

The heat times on their own don't bother me at all...that it heats the plate then nozzle is what gets me. Why not both? At least a bit of overlap would be nice.

I am used to this in Marlin because the HBP normally takes way longer on a magnitude scale than the nozzle. In Marlin it made perfect sense because when my HPB takes 8-15 mins (depends on 24v vs 12v etc...) and my nozzle is heated in under 1 min it made a lot of sense since the nozzle first waiting on the HPB is wasted energy and ooze galore while it waits for the HPB to heat up. I will say this I would not want my HPB to heat to 110c in under a minute because the people who use glass (not boro or tempered glass) it might be too fast and break but a bed heating to 110c that takes 7-8 mins at 24v is a bit long imo.

I also wish the machine had more customization in firmware/software but that level of customization isn't for everybody. Yes, Sailfish wasn't documented yet from what I know but hopefully it will be in the near future.

If you end up swapping the board out that would be something I'm sure people would be very interested in. If you would like to document the procedures that would be awesome to see a full tutorial.

The hardest part would be the mounting of the board so its USB is at the same spot so it lines up with the case.

What is odd is that Sailfish is open source I read but it lacks the documentation, and a wiki etc..., that Marlin has that is also open source. Maybe the tweakers and the nerds/geeks (I am all of those) never went with Sailfish so the community for it is more for beginners that such information would be meaningless? I really don't know, nor understand, why there is a lack of good documentation for Sailfish like Marlin has on the web.

[cncartist]

The hardest part would be the mounting of the board so its USB is at the same spot so it lines up with the case.

I'd recommend de-soldering the USB port(s) and extending them off the board as long as the de-solder points are accessible. It does require some electrical circuitry knowledge and fine soldering work but is definitely doable.

[DarkAlchemist]

I'd recommend de-soldering the USB port(s) and extending them off the board as long as the de-solder points are accessible. It does require some electrical circuitry knowledge and fine soldering work but is definitely doable.

You know I hadn't even thought of that but I would hope to do this without the use of a drill which something like that would require so the usb port would be attached to the case.

Something like this would require a drill which I was hoping to avoid if for the public and a normal male USB connector on the end not the mini one shown.
cable_usb_panel.jpg

[cncartist]

People with experience in Marlin would be the best suited to do documentation on Sailfish I'd think. This is my first 3D printer and I wouldn't think the firmware to be too complicated but I don't have any experience creating custom firmware for these machines. I believe the issue is that Qidi has a custom version of Sailfish loaded that isn't shared publicly yet (please correct me if I'm wrong) so we don't have a way to modify our firmware and then restore it ourselves if bricked.

Dark, I'd go with modular for the final if you want people to source their parts for the extension.

[DarkAlchemist]

People with experience in Marlin would be the best suited to do documentation on Sailfish I'd think. This is my first 3D printer and I wouldn't think the firmware to be too complicated but I don't have any experience creating custom firmware for these machines. I believe the issue is that Qidi has a custom version of Sailfish loaded that isn't shared publicly yet (please correct me if I'm wrong) so we don't have a way to modify our firmware and then restore it ourselves if bricked.

Dark, I'd go with modular for the final if you want people to source their parts for the extension.

Go modular? For the USB? Is there a modular option for that?

edit: I was just thinking the other hard part would be the display but I do not know if the display for a Mightyboard could be used for anything else or not. If not then it would require not much effort as I would have to design, and print, a LCD holder and while it may not have buttons like is on it now it would be functional. Funny about the mightyboard but it has the solder pads for a Micro SD card reader next to the USB port.

On Sailfish I was told it is 7.8 on mine but on the website it is 7.7. Sailfish is open source so they can't use Sailfish and close source it and still call it Sailfish as that is a nono. The creators, and contributors, are the ones who upkeep a Wiki so I am wondering who does what with Sailfish or is it a one man job type of deal (I see JetGuy's name popping up a heck of a lot so....)?

I just tracked my DHL package and it is scheduled to be here on Monday by the end of day so I can put this printer back together then.

[rcleav]

Links to Sailfish documentation can be found here. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:32084

I have a previous version of the Qidi Tech that did not have Sailfish.
I upgrade it to the latest Sailfish version but not without drama.
I do not recommend trying upgrading sailfish on a Qidi Tech unless you really know what your doing.

My CTC which has the same main board and Sailfish firmware level as my Qidi Tech and strangely enough it's build plate heats up much quicker.

[JimHs1]

My printer was delivered today. Orange PLA and white ABS. Will assemble and try it out tomorrow.

[DarkAlchemist]

Links to Sailfish documentation can be found here. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:32084

I have a previous version of the Qidi Tech that did not have Sailfish.
I upgrade it to the latest Sailfish version but not without drama.
I do not recommend trying upgrading sailfish on a Qidi Tech unless you really know what your doing.

My CTC which has the same main board and Sailfish firmware level as my Qidi Tech and strangely enough it's build plate heats up much quicker.

Build plates are a different matter but a nozzle using a 40 watt cartridge should heat up way faster than it does since other 40 watt heaters heat up faster or at least my I3's did running Marlin. I actually had to tweak Marlin to a 94 for the max power vs 255 for the cartridge or it would be too fast (my previous cartridge was a 30watt but I couldn't get it anymore and it was better imo) and over shoot. So, basically, a little less than half power and I was 20c to 210c in a minute or 13c in the winter it took about 90 secs if I remember correctly. At full 255 OMG it was 10-20 secs and would overshoot (even with the best PID) by 10-20c because it was so fast.

I already read that and that documentation is horrible in comparison to say Smoothieware or to Marlin and this is why I suspect it must just be him and one person can only do so much.

Edit: if the build plates are exactly the same dimensions then measure the resistance of the heater for it and the Qidi and if identical then it is something else but I lay odds the Qidi would be less power (higher ohms) than the CTC if theirs heats up faster but who knows as it could be CTC used a stock Sailfish and Qidi doesn't and their numbers are too tight whereas the CTC is more loose?

My printer was delivered today. Orange PLA and white ABS. Will assemble and try it out tomorrow.

Same as what I received with mine this week.