Qidi Tech 1 - Replicator 1 clone

[RetroCreo]

I've not sure where your at have you successfully loaded the bootloader and usb code?
If you have load Sailfish with RepG.
Watch this video to learn the proper way to load Sailfish.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_Y9tCpsn3E
Don't worry the CTC and original Qidi have the same controller board.

Hmm,

Well I had access to the motherboard before via USB through RepG. Did I even have to flash the bootloader?

Also, what I was asking was, Do both .hex files get loaded onto the 8u2 port?

[rcleav]

Yes both use the same header. The second hex file adds USB.

[DaveB]

I am looking for an effective way to check the dimensions on .STL files that I download from Thingiverse etc. The S3D SW provides an exterior max X, Y & Z dimensional display, but often that does not reveal the dimension info I am after. Any suggestions?

[Syd_Khaos]

I am looking for an effective way to check the dimensions on .STL files that I download from Thingiverse etc. The S3D SW provides an exterior max X, Y & Z dimensional display, but often that does not reveal the dimension info I am after. Any suggestions?

Almost any rendering or CAD program.
Even most of the free programs out there can be made to read .stl format.
Personally I use Blender.

[DaveB]

Almost any rendering or CAD program.
Even most of the free programs out there can be made to read .stl format.
Personally I use Blender.

I've got Autocad Inventor. It imports the STL as a mesh of polygons, and displays it as that on the screen. Convincing it to offer up a specific dimension on that object is pretty chancy so far for me as the on screen interaction is one of selecting the appropriate polygons. It seems like there should be some way to turn that mesh into an object that I can manipulate, but I have not found it.

[DaveB]

Anyone have experience using the Makergeeks "High Performance PLA" filament on a QIDI?

[Syd_Khaos]

Anyone have experience using the Makergeeks "High Performance PLA" filament on a QIDI?

You talking about the 60k PSI stuff or the FDA/dishwasher safe stuff?

I have used the latter, and from my understanding both are based off the same resin.

[DaveB]

The Makergeeks website refers to the High Performance PLA as having both of those characteristics. They state that the dishwasher safe aspect is due to that material's high temperature performance (post anealing). What is it like? Does it behave more like PLA or ABS?

Just loaded some ABS on the QIDI for the first time. Did my first print and... Holy guacamole Batman, it prints like butter!!! My inital impression is Wow!

[JSensebe]

Just loaded some ABS on the QIDI for the first time. Did my first print and... Holy guacamole Batman, it prints like butter!!! My inital impression is Wow!

As long as you disable the cooling fan, ABS prints great on the QIDI. Turn on that fan, and it prints more like oatmeal.

[DaveB]

As long as you disable the cooling fan, ABS prints great on the QIDI. Turn on that fan, and it prints more like oatmeal.

Using an IR spot thermometer, at a 60C setting the top of a 1/4" glass build plate on a Maghold platform is pretty close to 60C. But at a 110C setting, the top of the glass is only showing about 100C. Cranking up the setting to 118C got the glass surface to around 108C.

There also seems to be a good deal of thermal mass to the 1/4" glass plate relative to the capacity of the heater. It takes 3-4 minutes for the top surface of the glass to come up to temperature, even after the heater's thermocouple readback has stabilized at 60C. With the Maghold system, there are multiple layers of not-so-conductive material that the heat must traverse. There is a kapton layer on the exposed underside of the steel sheet, and another adhesive layer between the steel plate and the glass.