Hello, I’m a new member just wondering if someone can tell me if I can bring my own 3D printer and filament so I can used? I was looking up what filament we can used on the 3D FAB printers. I’m a beginner at 3D printing. I want to learn how to use a filament called Polypropylene. I already did my Polyprinter basic online with 100%. If someone can show me or help me I would appreciate it.
@delpn … I know Luiz is offering to bring his own printer, but would the Rostock be capable of / permitted to print Polypropylene filament?
Just wondering… what is the benefit of bringing your own printer vs using it at home? Is it a space thing?
Additionally, if you’re new to printing, I would strongly suggest starting with something other than polypropylene. It’s a challenging material to get printed properly, especially without an enclosure, which I’m assuming you won’t have if you’re bringing your own machine. Even ABS has problems with warping and can cause people a lot of problems… and PP is worse. If you’re using your own equipment, I would suggest you just start with plain ol’ PLA. It’s forgiving, doesn’t smell bad, doesn’t need an enclosure to print properly (because of smell and heat / warping), and does most of what you would want a print to do. If you’re using one of the DMS machines, you’re going to have to go with ABS instead.
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Ok I see PLA is easier to used and I can learn with that filament use my experience to then use PP. Or is it better to use ABS learn from that since it almost has the same warping problems?.
Well I know it a space thing and everyone can use the 3D printers. But I think since I’m a beginner I don’t want the printers to be out of commission and then members would be able to use the printers.
If you want to use PLA on one of the DMS printers you will have to use the one Rostock printer (and your own filament). If you want to learn on ABS you can use any of the Polyprinters and use the pay-by-the-gram orange ABS filament that DMS provisions.
I don’t think learning on ABS is going to be any more productive than PLA. What you’re going to want to learn is the software, the settings, what does what when you change it. You will run into plenty of learning experiences with PLA. I personally don’t use ABS at home when printing unless there is a very specific reason that ABS is bringing something to the table that PLA doesn’t… primarily because it smells like throwing Legos into a campfire. If you’re using the DMS printers, you’re limited to ABS and they are enclosed so you will have less issues with fumes or warping (the heat from the bed / extruder will be trapped in the enclosure and keep different parts of the print from cooling at different rates). If you’re using your own printer, I would say just print a bunch of stuff in PLA to start off.
Also, I don’t think that you’ll really “break” the printers and put them out of commission just because you’re a beginner. If you’re nervous – which is understandable since it can be an intimidating thing to start from scratch – I would have someone walk you through your first print or two. Or ten, if that is what it takes for you to feel comfortable using the machines. Once you get things set up and printing, there isn’t a lot that will happen that will put the printer out of commission. Typically, if a print fails, it will just make a mess of melted plastic to be cleaned up. The danger is more when you’re physically manipulating things (loading, unloading, removing things from the bed, etc.) because that’s when something could break or get damaged. Otherwise, it’s fairly low risk once the print is running.
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Ok thank you very much I may go ahead use PLA it still going to be a challenge since I’m a beginner. It a learning experience for me so I’m going to have fun with this. Since I’m very passionate to learn 3D printing. Yes since it my first time doing this I’m very nervous and don’t want to break anything.
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If it’s your first time 3D printing, I would recommend you take the online 3D printing course at learn.dallasmakerspace.org and then print some simple ABS things on the Polyprinters (this online class is a requirement for using any of the 3D printers at the space).
The polyprinters at the space only use ABS, but they are all calibrated and set up in such a way that you should fairly easily get a good print. We also have some orange filament to use (for a small cost) in case you don’t have any of your own ABS…
Although we have a couple of other printers that can use PLA/etc, those are far more annoying to deal with, or require special one on one classes (like the Bambu)
Ok I understand first need to learn the software the setting before doing anything else. Yes, I’m very nervous because it my first-time doing 3D printing.
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I did do one of the classes online and did get an idea of what is going on, but I rather do a one on one because that the main way that I learn the most.