Hi, all. So my first ever 3D printer is on its way to me. I went with an Elegoo Centauri Carbon, partially for the option of using OpenCentauri firmware. I have been looking at various models on printables.com and Thingiverse, getting excited for the possibilities. I would just like to ask if there are any big pitfalls I should look out for as I’m starting my 3D printing adventure. What mistakes did you make when you were just starting out? What resources do you wish you were aware of earlier? What general advice can you give me?
Thanks in advance, and have a lovely day.
Something I’ve seen people fail to do is watch the printer print. People go “Welp, I’ve bought my newfangled 3D printer, first out the gate I’m gonna pick out this giant model that I like, I’m gonna hit go, and I’m gonna go grocery shopping.” then they come back to a ruined model and a damaged machine and wonder what happened.
Start out small, and watch it print. You’ll find out what doesn’t work and how to design or slice around it.
Thanks, that’s good advice. I do plan to start small and simple.
And watch it print. Sit there and binge watch a season or two of Extrusion starring Nozzle and Build Plate. First of all, it’s got better written dialog and deeper characters than anything broadcast on television since my niece was born. Second, the folks who refuse to watch the printer print tend to be the ones wo go “It didn’t work. Why didn’t it work?” Watch it print, you’ll learn “Oh the part wasn’t being cooled enough so the edges curled, the nozzle caught on the curled up edge and the axis slipped.”
Do some of that, and you’ll start seeing the problems in the slicer before they happen.