Which 3D printer is best for home use

[marto]

The acetone treatment is a trade off between smoothness and size constraints most of the time. The more you smooth it the more melty it gets and may change shape. I prefer the rice cooker, as you just throw in 2 cap fulls of acetone. Wait until you can see the vapour condensing on the lid. Turn off rice cooker. Wait 2min then remove part. This is the fast and dirty way of doing it.

I also make sure to stand the part on a platform which I can remove without touching the part.

Steve

[peterwaller]

Thanks for all the infomation and advice and keep it coming.
I have just bought some of the Gekko Table Plates from ebay and they look rather good.
I have read several good reports and they are supposed to stick when hot but detatch easily once cooled.
I just tested it printing another wheel and this time I did it without a raft.
The wheel printed without lifting and even without removing the Gekko sheet from the table after about 3 minutes it came off with a gentle tug.
In the picture you can see where the wheel had been.

The perforated sheets worked well but it takes ages to remove the ABS from all the holes and printing a raft just about doubles the time and material used.

[peterwaller]

It looks as though you still need the raft when printing something that needs supports.
This very small version of Enterprise (5cm) supports were so fine they wouldn't stick so I had to print with a raft.

[earthwormjim]

You are so cool,Peter.
When I grow up,I want to be just like you!
Those wheels are very swish,They look like the wheels from the A-Team van! (which are one of my favorite wheel designs,like ever.)
Amazing stuff,as ever.Well done. ( I want one. 8) )

[peterwaller]

You can't grow up and be like me, they are mutually exclusive as I never have grown up.

[earthwormjim]

You can't grow up and be like me, they are mutually exclusive as I never have grown up.

Jolly glad to hear that,Peter!

[peterwaller]

Just been playing with the acetone vapour system to try and make the coverage more even.
Eventually put a small motor gearbox on the lid (outside dont want the brushes to ignite the acetone) which gently turns the printed item.
Here is the result on a replacement chassis for my FSB suction bot that broke itself.

[marto]

Adding a small PC fan inside the vapour bath will make a huge difference. Usually easier than rotating the part you will find too that the vapour rises so rotating may not have the desired effect.

Oh and PC fans are pretty much always brushless too. (I would double check) My rice cooker has a vent hole which I hang the wires through with a plug.

*Just make sure you check what your particular fan is made from. First one I tried sorta melted.

Steve

[Anoptimistprime]

Anyone know anything about the one their offering at maplins?
http://www.maplin.co.uk/3d-printer-vell ... 200-783902
Looks pretty good and for £699 can't really complain

[alasdair]

Just looking at the specification, it doesnt look too bad. The minimum wall thickness I noticed, is 0.2mm thinner than shapeways will print, so thats pretty good. The price tag is fairly attractive to. The model printed in the video seems accurate and clean.