December 11, 2020
3D Printing - Ender 3 -- cables and getting started.
So, where do I set up my printer? Does it have to be next to my computer?
I hope not. Here is what my expert says. I have 3 options:
#1 and easiest. Just print from the SD card. This may not be what you want to do during tinker/setup phase but there are some real benefits long term, mainly, which has happened to me, is your computer goes offline, done, end of print. This is what I do now.
#2 Octopi (Octoprint for Pi). Basically a 3d printer server with a web-interface running on a Raspberry Pi. I used this for a while then switch to the SD card because it was no longer necessary.
#3 Printing from Cura using USB. This works and is probably the best in the beginning for setting up your intro code.
The process
Intro code in short, For me, it runs the auto level routine,
then moves the print head to the left and prints a strip the length of the bed and back
just as a quick clearing of the head to get ready to print.
This is probably no longer necessary for me as I start printing with a skirt all
the way around the outside about 10mm away 5 lines.
This is just to make sure my bed is level.
It’s where I do my final tweaks, maybe adjust one of the corner bed springs
or the head offset just to get a nice smooth skirt.
I’ll do a video at some point (Maybe Monday) for you of my print process.
Have any comments? Questions?
Drop me a line!
Adventures in Computing / [email protected]