Adventures with a Flashforge

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Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by SimonWood » Mon Dec 14, 2020 9:08 pm

Ooh, look what’s come in the post…
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So I’m a complete newbie to 3D printing (though I’ve done a little 3D modelling in the past to create images or animations) and I have little to contribute by way of expertise… though I’m certainly soaking some up in the other threads here.

But what I can do is offer a few observations from the perspective of a beginner on getting garden railway stuff out of the particular printer I’ve bought - a Flashforge Adventurer 3. Incidentally this is the same printer Trevor has… although not incidentally really, since the instant I decided to buy one was more or less the moment I saw it in his workshop along with the very fine models he has produced with it! But it also suits my needs rather well: it is considerably pricier than the cheapest printers you can get now but it requires very little configuring to get going - and since work-wise I’m in the fortunate position to be about to start something that will help me afford it, while leaving me with even less time to spare - it fits the bill for what I’m after right now!

Trevor's threads show what amazing things the machine can do in the hands of an accomplished modeller. But how easy is it to get started, in terms of just printing something? I was quite astonished: I got it out out of the box - plugged it in, load the supplied filament, and pressed a couple of buttons and within minutes it had started printing its built-in test print called “20mm cube”. You can probably guess what it looks like…
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To print something a bit more interesting, I needed it to talk to my computer (which can talk to the internet and hence the Thingiverse…) This requires a few more button presses on the printer menu to get it on the wifi (taking note of the IP address) and downloading and installing Flashprint on the laptop (and inputting that IP address). Then I downloaded -steves- milk churn from Thingiverse imported into Flashprint, which is slicing software for taking 3D (virtual) models and converting them for the printer. Again it’s literally a couple of clicks to set things up and then hit ‘send’ and the printer starts warming up to print…

I printed the churn out several times with different settings to try to get a sense of the printer and what difference these made - standard resolution vs high (or even ‘hyper’), with/without supports, different types of filament (PLA/ABS). Fortunately they were all usable (as I need some milk churns!) though with noticeable minor differences. Probably too minor to photograph well until I put some primer on them, but anyway, here’s what they look like straight out of the printer:
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Standard resolution (PLA layer height 0.18mm) - print time 40 minutes
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Hyper resolution (PLA layer height 0.08mm) - print time 1 hour 57 minutes
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Standard resolution (ABS layer height 0.18mm) - print time 47 minutes
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High resolution (ABS layer height 0.12mm) - print time 1 hour 39
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High resolution (ABS) no supports

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Re: Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by Trevor Thompson » Mon Dec 14, 2020 9:15 pm

A brilliant start Simon.

I have emailed you the ".gx" file for the driver for 4415. See how you get on printing that. The driver should just prop onto the seat in the cab with hands in roughly the right places.

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Re: Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by philipy » Mon Dec 14, 2020 9:28 pm

Welcome to the dark side Simon!

Do keep us up to speed as you get your teeth into it.
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Re: Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by SimonWood » Mon Dec 14, 2020 10:43 pm

philipy wrote: Mon Dec 14, 2020 9:28 pm Do keep us up to speed as you get your teeth into it.
Thanks will do!
Trevor Thompson wrote: Mon Dec 14, 2020 9:15 pm I have emailed you the ".gx" file for the driver for 4415. See how you get on printing that. The driver should just prop onto the seat in the cab with hands in roughly the right places.
Thank you - I will send him to the printer when it finishes the current job, I do need a driver for my 4415, though I do at least have a footplate dog:
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As you can see, I wasn't able to resist downloading some livestock from Thingiverse...
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Still no CAD work required, just a bit of scaling to make things suitable for 1:19. (Hence my Google history mainly now being queries like "how tall is a chicken?"...)
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The white ABS is the perfect colour for a sheep...
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Re: Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by ge_rik » Tue Dec 15, 2020 9:10 am

The quality of those prints certainly lends weight to the argument that you get what you pay for. Actually, I was surprised at how reasonably priced the printer seems to be.

Looking forward to seeing what comes out of the printshop next.....

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Re: Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by philipy » Tue Dec 15, 2020 9:53 am

Just got around to looking at the m/c specs. It does look very impressive and shows just how much things have moved on since I bought mine a couple of years ago - automatic levelling is certainly a major advance, as is the conectivity stuff. My only reservation is the print volume at 150 x150x150. It's fairly typical of entry level machines but limiting. Mine is about the same and I've sometimes had to split things in half to print and join them subsequently, which is less than ideal. If/when I need to replace mine I'd definitely go for a bigger bed.
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Re: Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by SimonWood » Tue Dec 15, 2020 10:12 am

ge_rik wrote: Tue Dec 15, 2020 9:10 am The quality of those prints certainly lends weight to the argument that you get what you pay for. Actually, I was surprised at how reasonably priced the printer seems to be.
It's certainly good value - but I've been astonished at what you have produced form a printer at literally a fraction of the cost! That's cost in £, of course, not factoring in your time in building and tuning... though I think I'd find that fun and satisfying if I could find the time to do it myself! But purely on the finances, taking the cow as an example, I think it used about 15p worth of filament... not sure how much electricity... and still needs painting - but with Schleich cows at £5+ a pop, it's already (slowly) starting to earn its keep...
philipy wrote: Tue Dec 15, 2020 9:53 am My only reservation is the print volume at 150 x150x150. It's fairly typical of entry level machines but limiting.
Yes, I've already hit that limit... went to print Rik's lovely Southwold van, found it would not fit :cry:

I think when designing for printing on this machine I can work around that, especially having seen how Trevor's 4415 goes together (length over buffers 245mm). But for printing existing models, I'm going to have to learn the art of pulling them apart (virtually) so they glue well back together (in the real world).

But no regrets really, as I can learn and do so much at <150mm it's going to be a while before I get bored!

One modification I have made (there's not much you can modify on this machine) is to print using the supplied small reel of PLA an extended spool holder for larger reels (I bought 1kg of ABS and anything larger than 500g doesn't fit in the enclosed filament holder). This does mean leaving the side hatch off...potentially increasing the flow of cold air into the enclosure. Not ideal, but I'm looking at replacement side hatches on Thingiverse that fit with an extended spool holder...

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Re: Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by philipy » Tue Dec 15, 2020 10:56 am

SimonWood wrote: Tue Dec 15, 2020 10:12 am
One modification I have made (there's not much you can modify on this machine) is to print using the supplied small reel of PLA an extended spool holder for larger reels (I bought 1kg of ABS and anything larger than 500g doesn't fit in the enclosed filament holder). This does mean leaving the side hatch off...potentially increasing the flow of cold air into the enclosure. Not ideal, but I'm looking at replacement side hatches on Thingiverse that fit with an extended spool holder...
My Qidi is designed with two reels sideways on the outside back of the machine and the filament feeds up and in to the print head from the top. It works fine but is a real pain to replace the reels. I've modified things by putting the reels on a roller arrangement ( ex Thingiverse of course!) on a shelf above, so the filament just feeds straight down into the head and the reel can be simply lifted off to change it.

The sides/cooling issue is simply solved by using PLA instead of ABS. PLA wants as much ventilation as it can get. I've got and used both but not really seen any advantage in ABS and it is more particular than PLA when it comes to temperature of the print environment.
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Re: Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by Trevor Thompson » Tue Dec 15, 2020 11:10 am

Firstly let me comment on some of the above:

150 x 150 x150 limit. Yes it is limiting - and I really wanted 300 x 150 x 150 - but you know lots of the things I want to build wouldn't fit on that in one piece either.
The size isn't actually holding me back. Look back at the Tan-y-Bwlch station building which is about 500 mm x 500 mm at a guess. Look at the bridge - which is huge. I have plans to print coach 16 - and that will have to have each side printed in 4 parts - but even with a bigger bed it would be 2 parts - so does it really make that much difference.

Printing Ricks wagon. Your slicing software has a cutting option at the bottom LHS of the screen you can choose where to cut - just try it its fairly self explanatory. Just be careful if you cant get both parts on the bed at once. If it has to be two prints you will need to cut, delete one part print and repeat deleting the other part on the second time. You need to cut in a place which you can find again accurately so the two prints fit together properly. Hope that makes sense.Try down the edge of one of the straps for example - looking for places where the cut won't be noticed. On coach 16 I am going to cut inside the doorways and add the doors as separate pieces, covering the join.

You got to print the sheep before me! well done. I particularly like being able to make things like this so that they are actually the CORRECT size. That is one of the things about the horse drawn carriages - which you cant actually buy anywhere at anything like the right scale - the ones I make are the right size. It was very satisfying to make the carriage wagon from the plan, and independently make the carriage from plans and photos - and find that the carriage wheels actually fit onto the rails on the wagon correctly.

Electricity use. 150 watts max - so it doesn't cost much to run for days on end!

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Re: Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by Trevor Thompson » Tue Dec 15, 2020 11:13 am

If you want the Dandy wagon to go with a 14 hand horse from thingiverse let me know!

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Re: Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by Trevor Thompson » Tue Dec 15, 2020 5:40 pm

I forgot to mention why I am using ABS rather than PLA.

It is to do with gluing bits together.

Using ABS the solvent glue is Acetone - nail varnish remover. Easily available.

I have found that using the same solvent I can UNGLUE a finished model to rebuild or improve it. It comes apart readily with minimal damage to the bits I want to use again.

For example I have dismantled 4415 and replaced the engine box sides with new ones which have the lettering embossed on them. I also dismantled the cab and replaced the spectacle plate and cab sides with better prints. It has all gone back together nicely and you would never know what I had done.

I know everyone else is using PLA - but I have just got into this routine, and now I have ABS in 4 colours, and a supply which prints well without causing the issues ABS can generate, I think I will just stick with it!

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Re: Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by SimonWood » Tue Dec 15, 2020 6:08 pm

philipy wrote: Tue Dec 15, 2020 10:56 am The sides/cooling issue is simply solved by using PLA instead of ABS. PLA wants as much ventilation as it can get. I've got and used both but not really seen any advantage in ABS and it is more particular than PLA when it comes to temperature of the print environment.
That's interesting. There are a few non-railway things I definitely want to use ABS for... The printer doesn't do well, apparently, with swapping from higher temperature filament (i.e. ABS) to lower temperature filament (i.e. PLA) - it becomes blocked. It does, however, have the facility to quickly swap nozzles, so I think I will get myself a PLA nozzle so that I can use both materials more easily.
Trevor Thompson wrote: Tue Dec 15, 2020 11:13 am If you want the Dandy wagon to go with a 14 hand horse from thingiverse let me know!
Thanks Trevor. I don't (yet) have an incline for running gravity trains. Though I suppose I could always run 'horse excursions' behind a locomotive. Much more relaxing for the equine passenger!

I've been working on a 'lego wagon' for my sister's children. I bought them the Tesco trainset last Christmas in a not-so-subtle effort to get them into garden railways (I'm just waiting for them to persuade my sister we should build a line in their garden) with a couple of open coaches for Playmobile people made from The Works boxes. I thought I'd make them flatbed wagons this Christmas, with a Lego top, so they could build their own superstructure. So I've been playing with Lego from Thingiverse, which has lead me into discovering parametric 3D designs and downloading OpenSCAD... and also into doing a little bit of designing of my own in TinkerCAD in order to create buffer beams with Tesco-compatible couplings.
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TinkerCAD I am hugely impressed with. It has an extraordinarily well designed interface - I'm used to 3D drawing packages having a steep learning curve, but this is a remarkable piece of software which has clearly not just been through many iterations of user testing but some very focused development. It's incredibly quick to get going and produce something I can throw at the slicer and get printing. I will say I did buy a cheap graphics tablet at the same time as the printer, as I find doing these things with a mouse virtually impossible (hats off to those who manage it) but even so it really has a low threshold for actually producing something! Just as well, as I need to get these wagons sorted before the last post goes...
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I think I'll start a separate thread for the Lego wagon, and the tribulations arising...

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Re: Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by FWLR » Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:16 am

Simon....Thank you so much for the insight with the Flashforge....I spent 3 hours.... :roll: looking through various sites to get some reviews on it and while I was, Anne came to see me and told me I was spending to much time on the laptop. I do get very tired quickly and I need to rest, but I was finding the machine fascinating and when Anne saw what I was looking at, she was at least agreeing to me getting one when I can afford it. The only thing that could end it however is the uncertainty with Brexit.....

In the meantime, thanks also to Trevor for his information on the Flashforge, it is very welcome and informative. One thing I do want to ask is, the reviews I have seen didn't say anything on which platform it was being used on for the software. I have a MacBook Pro.
Do you know if I will be able to do pretty much what you guys are doing on it...

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Re: Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by SimonWood » Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:39 am

FWLR wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:16 am One thing I do want to ask is, the reviews I have seen didn't say anything on which platform it was being used on for the software. I have a MacBook Pro.
Do you know if I will be able to do pretty much what you guys are doing on it...
Glad to hear you're joining the printing party, Rod! We're on Macs - I'm on a MacBook Pro just like you.

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Re: Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by FWLR » Wed Dec 16, 2020 9:04 am

Thats great Simon. Will be bending you ear soon hopefully.

One thing though, I am trying to sigh up to Thingiverse, but it just won't go beyond continue. It just sits there and says passwords must match. I use the strong password that is provided by Safari....I have tried 4 or 5 times now and it still won't go any further. I have even tried with my google account, but then that asks me for my username and I can't flipping remember it..... :scratch:

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Re: Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by FWLR » Wed Dec 16, 2020 9:44 am

Signed up now. Apparently they are having some problems with their email server.....

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Re: Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by philipy » Wed Dec 16, 2020 10:17 am

Thingiverse can be a bit flaky sometimes.
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Re: Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by ge_rik » Wed Dec 16, 2020 10:27 am

SimonWood wrote: Tue Dec 15, 2020 6:08 pm TinkerCAD I am hugely impressed with. It has an extraordinarily well designed interface - I'm used to 3D drawing packages having a steep learning curve, but this is a remarkable piece of software which has clearly not just been through many iterations of user testing but some very focused development. It's incredibly quick to get going and produce something I can throw at the slicer and get printing. I will say I did buy a cheap graphics tablet at the same time as the printer, as I find doing these things with a mouse virtually impossible (hats off to those who manage it) but even so it really has a low threshold for actually producing something! Just as well, as I need to get these wagons sorted before the last post goes...
Hi Simon
You might find my most recent blog post useful. I've walked through how I drew the parts for a Southwold open wagon (nearly 200 screenshots). Rather than ploughing through the whole thing, I've indexed some of the more useful techniques at the end.

Though, as you say, TinkerCAD is remarkably intuitive.

https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2020/1 ... -with.html

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Re: Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by SimonWood » Wed Dec 16, 2020 9:15 pm

ge_rik wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 10:27 am You might find my most recent blog post useful. I've walked through how I drew the parts for a Southwold open wagon (nearly 200 screenshots). Rather than ploughing through the whole thing, I've indexed some of the more useful techniques at the end.
Thanks Rik, I had read it, and your post on the Southwold van, but really helpful and I intend to go through using it as a 'worksheet' just to get to grips with those techniques once work finishes.

Meanwhile I've moved on from printing livestock to people... When Trevor's 4415 driver came through, I was already printing my first human, and a knight of the realm no less.

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But can you guess which one?
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"Great men are forged in fire. It is the privilege of lesser men to light the flame."

Then I threw Trevor's pre-sliced driver at the printer. In this case I did break off most of the supports before I put him in the cab of 4415, but otherwise he is as-printed.
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Look at the fingers!
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There are several hairy filament bits that need tidying up, but that shouldn't prove tricky.
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Re: Adventures with a Flashforge

Post by ge_rik » Wed Dec 16, 2020 11:00 pm

You're a braver man than me (Gungadin).... I've not yet had a go at printing figures.

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