One thing that I love about Zack's vids is the fact he always manages to fit at least one sentence where 80% or more of the words happen to have the exact same sound pattern in them. This is just oddly satisfying to listen to.
TAB TEARING TECHNICIAN HERE!! Also, "Bikeshedding" - this was a new concept to me but I am WILDLY guilty of doing this... When the project gets boring, I find a different "more important" project to work on. I always convinced myself I was just a starter who lost interest in the ongoing operation, but you've really opened my eyes. Thank you Zack!! Sincerely.
I think the tendency to procrastinate is common in creative people. I know feel so much better when I finally complete important projects that I’ve procrastinated. Then, I wonder why I ever put them off in the first place.
the lazyness paradox: if you are so lazy that you find ways to avoid the work but in the end this ways contains more work. somehow procastination is a personal strategy of avoiding behavior.
Long time industrial maintenance tech tip: The hex heads with the little ball keepers are neat, but you can accomplish the same thing by placing a small piece of a plastic bag over the end of your normal Allen wrench. This makes for a nice tight fit so the bolt doesn't fall off the end before you reach the deep dark depths of whatever machine you're working on.
Vaseline or axle greese help too if grease isnt an issue. Just make sure to lick your tools clean before you put them back you animals. Who raised you?
@@A-wy5zmI'm not particularly well-versed in printing nor blades, but could a 3D printer reach the necessary thinness for a good blade or would you have to post-process it?
Protip: I have saved several doomed prints where a corner begins to pop up with a $10 3d pen. Pause the print, push the base down and squirt some filament around it. Works very well as long as you aren't super particular about the finish in that area.
I almost fell victim to mistake #2. Wanting to make a custom led project that was cheaper than the original was the goal. But with RND, failures, etc, the goal to be cheaper slowly is closing. And after a year of almost giving up I recently went at it again with a new mindset.
Consider that even if the project ends up being more than the product you were looking at, you gained valuable experience and can now make future projects that little bit more efficiently.
@@DanAnd190I think that works both ways. You can learn a lot from projects that go nowhere. And the best projects to learn from are the ones you started because you had an itch to scratch, not projects you came up with just to learn from. That itch is what prevents you from falling victim to #2, and motivates you to run the project to completion.
If you're able to pick it back up and continue/change it and continue then you'll be alright. Like others said, it's still valuable experience gained for the next project, but sometimes the idea hasn't fully cooked yet and coming back later from a new angle is all it takes to finish the project or at least make a big leap forward with it.
I really want to stress that deburring tools are still VERY DANGEROUS because they are VERY SHARP and are made mostly for debuting parts made from aluminums to hardened steels. Still works absolutely amazingly for cleaning up prints, just always make sure to follow proper knife safety rules you should be alright. Other than that, amazing video!
I worked in an injection moulded plastics factory for years as a first aider... not once did I ever have to fetch a plaster to anyone using a deburring tool, but people cutting themselves with the craft knives we also used was a daily occurrence.
Dude those Wera Hex Plus wrenches actually are the business. I got that set recently for working on my mountain bikes, and they're seriously the nicest set I've ever used. So much better than whatever cheap hex keys I had lying around before!
I first used them at work (machine maintenance) and I bought my own set like a week after. Truly an amazing tool (and to be honest, hex screws are also the best, they're hex shaped after all) xP
@MCgranat999 get a pair of knipex cobra pliers. there honestly my go to tool. black iron pipe, rounded off hex or if an allen bolt is way messed up. you will surprised at the kind of bite those will get. do not, do not get the milwaukee 'version' I am a identifying milwaukee douche and those things freaking suck. gave them to another co worker. was excited about them for an hour and then tossed them in the metal dumpster.
Your’s is quickly becoming my favorite channel. The knowledge, experience you share is next level and conveyed in a fun and watchable way. The alliteration and rhyme schemes set an upbeat tempo that make time fly and the driest topics ultra moist. 3 more tools: 1. Thread Chaser(similar to a tap but won’t cut new thread) 2. Small Torque Wrench (1/4” drive, in.lbs) 3. Impact driver( a must have to extract stripped or hogged out fastener heads. Inexpensive and you get to hit it with a hammer)
Great advice. Especially creating your own files. Even using something as simple as tinkercad to make something you need is a huge advantage over just downloading everything from someone else.
Another suggestion for crisp fine text. Add an height modifier juste before the text layer and change printing precision for the last few layers. Even less post processing, no need for glue!
Wow, #2 hit close to home for me. I mainly do woodworking, and it is so easy to get down the rabbithole of making shop projects to improve my workspace instead of making actual projects. I have one that I have pushed off finishing for three years now.
I love tip #5! One of my favorite techniques is building overhangs that appear to be basically flat to the eye but actually aren't flat at all - and/or making curved injections rather than hard right angles. I believe I've become a better designer for 3d prints because I've seen all the fun ways that my prints can fail. 😅
I've never actually made a single 3D print yet, but learned a lot :D But as a programmer, I admit I never heard of bike shedding, but definitely done that quite a few times :D
Honestly, when i first got into the hobby, i was sitting there scrolling printables looking for Dwane the benchy johnsons and other shit worried that i might not use the printer enough to make it worth it. Then i learned Creo with an EDU licence, then Onshape. Now i need to restrain myself from modeling and printing just for the hell of it
Came back here because youtube and I forgot I already watched this. AND it is actually the video that got me to buy a deburring tool and I am SO GLAD I DID. LOVE IT.
I can't stress enough how well Zack's video's are made. These video's would do great on a national network, or on the IEEE website. My sincere compliments, I'm a fan of the videos as well as the makers.
Love the video and the first point. My family is all tradesfolk, we value education a ton, and don’t neglect learning, but sometimes your hands pay better, and as a result we have always had brand name tools to spare since I could remember, so instantly the cheap complimentary tools get tossed. I know the deburrer as a reamer for deburring your inside diameter on a pipe or tube, usually copper. There’s some pretty tough ones out there Also, don’t neglect wearing gloves while using them. I know it’s quicker, but putting on gloves takes seconds… a cut takes days to heal This is the first video of yours I’ve watched, your script is amazing- instant sub
Thank you for this. I've plateaued in my journey, and I think these suggestions will really help give me some positive yΔ. Oh, before I forget, I am a bag stabber, unless it's one of those resealable bags. Then I delicately trim off the sealing plastic before ripping open the ziplock, invariably pulling half of it off one side of the bag...
Wham bam PEX works great with PETG. A tip to keep them from bonding is to use glue stick. If your PETG or other filament isn't sticking, clean with rubbing alcohol and paper towel until towel comes out clean. Then follow up with 00-aught steel wool with rubbing alcohol as a lubricant to scuff up the surfaces. When done clean again. Doing this right will make the surface stick like new.
I am quite a big fan of printing on tempered glass. I have printed on it for close to 2 years now on 3 printers and love it. it holds tight on every filament type i have used (PLA, PETG, Nylon, ABS) and once you wait for it to cool down often times the part just pops right off without any effort. Its tricky to get it to print initially but with mesh bed level and some patience you too can have glossy shiny first layer prints lol
Oh man, I remember I was on a cycle of just DIY tool after DIY tool because I just would not buy a proper cleaning station for my resin printer. Everything from just a Ziploc baggie full of alcohol that I would shake to buying one of those magnetic mixers and fiddling around with all sorts of printed standoffs that would just disintegrate over time or swell. Then I finally just bought a proper cleaning station and that's improved my enjoyment of this hobby like 100 fold.
Thank you for correcting the Moist problem. a LOT of youtubers spread the bad info that "PLA doesnt need to be stored dry". and they all are extremely wrong. You sir are the king of all by reminding us that you gotta keep the filaments dry.
5:45-9:00 was real as hell and honestly a good wake up call and applicable to any projects or endeavors beyond the scope of 3D printing. I need to finish up a good 3 projects before I should even start fiddling with the new 3D printer I have on the way. Thank you, I needed to hear it
I think you're the most ADHD friendly TH-camr I've ever seen. Your videos are some of the only ones I can watch without getting distracted at some point, because you never waste a second off audio or screen time (except the credits, I hope you don't mind that I usually skip those). And these are excellent tips, I think I needed to hear the one about moist filament that most. I'll have to evaluate some of my hoarding tendencies.
Yeah! I second that. First video I had to slow down, because it is too dense and the language is not easy straight forward but so wordy. I do like it as it is a great change and makes them unique.
I faced all those issues with my creality printers, I got fed up constantly adjusting the bed and other parameters. I sold them and got an Ankermake M5, out of the 30 some prints I have done so far, never needed to intervene at all, the auto leveling does its job, and it does so much homing and leveling before each print that all of them come out perfectly. I didn't feel right hocking up that much money for this printer, but damn is it nice not to deal with all the tedious adjustments I used to have to do just to have the print fail half way through.
I got into printing years ago on a whim and love it… and proceeded to not look into it anymore. I have been printing with some regularity, but never getting into making my own models All my problem solving came down to painstakingly tinkering with my ender3 and cooking the god out of filament until it came out passable. That’s it… This video is the first time I heard of mesh leveling. And more. Happy to say I’ve got a number of upgrades ordered and on the way (silent board, crtouch, silicon bed spacers, new filament, and I’m switching slicers) Thanks so much. So sorry for being a dirty lazy printer 😂
The bike shedding problem is exactly why I recommend people not buy project printers, because I know people 99% of the time don't want to actually tinker even if they say that. What they really mean is they want to put a silly hat on it and that's it. Just get a P1S, X1C or MK4s, and then actually do things.
This video came across in a surprisingly personal way, and at a good time. I really appreciated the emphasis around not procrastinating, or 'Bike-Shedding'. I have only seen a few of your videos before this, as I don't watch a lot of TH-cam, but I will definitely change that so I can continue to watch your uploads. I find your videos very entertaining and informative, so, thank you!
First time viewer. I immediately subscribed, because you keep it so straight, real and entertaining. The fact that you tell the viewers to stop f ing around and get to work. Love it
Surprisingly reasonable advice! Definitely guilty of a few of these. In my experience the metal bed removal tool won't damage a glass bed, and I used one for years with no noticeable damage, but it does become a problem for basically any other print surface. I have filament as old as 2017 that's been stored in well maintained dryboxes and still prints fine, but yeah prolonged exposure to moisture and you're on a highway to degradation town.
Yeah, that checks out - If you have no moisture getting in, the degratory reactions wouldn't be happening. That takes good discipline and practices with a good drybox setup, of course, not to mention a filament dryer to match in most cases. So the advice to "use it or lose it" is overall pretty fitting for most people.
@@Woodledude Printing Nylon early on forced me build this discipline quickly. 5 gallon buckets with rubber gasket sealed lids and an esp32 for each that alerts me when humidity goes over 15% so I can dry the desiccant. Also started using activated alumina a while back and it keeps humidity very low. All my hygroscopic filaments print from another dry box. But yeah, doubt most people go to these lengths.
Wasn't expecting plural support, but honestly not surprised! Love it! My partner was also quite excited seeing a non-system focused channel say it (not assuming not plural, just that it's not the focus of the channel). Thank you, you beautiful cyborg ❤
Yeah, it really caught my ear, too! We're a system, too, and two of us work together on our 3D-printing projects. I do the printer-related stuff and an alter is the software guy (working in SolidPython 2).
"Bike shedding" is more about effect of focusing on trivialities that everyone can grasp and have an opinion on, rather than larger and more complicated topics.
This makes me pretty happy. I had a long list of prints and parts to make for and upgrade my printer. But I have been too busy completing projects to get to more than two prints on that list. I have made so much cool stuff for my apartment that I am always working on and completing a couple projects at a time. It is so satisfying!
On the deburing tool, the guy who got me into this has been printing for a few years and only discovered it after i got a job at a plastics plant. They are a life changer. If you need cheap you can get them at harbor freight. Also, I use one multiple times a day. Because of how the blade spins you usually hit your finger with the back when you slip. Because of the shape you gotta *try* to make blade contact with your finger
Hey yeh I totally agree. But I had an issue mid project and my printer was supper whack and out of tolerance I was like, I have to fix this. So I'm gonna upgrade to linear rails, upgrade motors to double the standard size, add inductive bed levelling, and order custom cnc machined parts from PCBway (they have also been giving amazing prices). And my hope is to fix the issue that I have with my printer. And I hope to finish my printer and have to essentially almost never worry about it being out of tolerance or inaccurate. But hey, I'm spending about 1500 cad for all of these upgrades (about 1100 usd) but i'd say it's a worthwhile investment as if everything with this printer goes well, I will have super accurate tolerances, fast printing speeds, improved quality, and less material wastage. But I don't really plan to upgrade it again besides standard maintenance and I don't think there would be more I could do to the printer I could do to improve it. I don't think I'm going overboard as a lot of the components and the design was pretty cheap and basic. But even after all that I still would want to get back to my projects as they're the reason why I use and need my printer anyway.
I got into 3D printing when I discovered hextraction. I don't own a printer myself, so it's slow going (using the library and more recently the printer I found at my new workplace), but I finally finished a full beginner set of tiles and a board. I just need to glue it together. My next project is a board of quoridor. I'm taking the extra step of designing all the models myself, which is fun. OpenSCAD is not the best language, though. Maybe I should have used of the python wrappers or something instead. At any rate, it's coming along nicely. I have the board, the walls and a box more or less finished. I only need to tweak the box a little and design the pawns. And perhaps, if I'm feeling ambitious, dedicated spaces for all the pieces inside the box. Or I'll just let everything rattle around freely in there. I abandon my prints all the time, though (but I always keep watch the first few layers). And my game board and box have sharp 90° corners, and the walls are tall and narrow. Sorry, people.
I hope this will save your time Here are 10 common beginner mistakes: 1 Not Upgrading Tools: Failing to upgrade your 3D printing tools and equipment as you progress in the hobby, using sketchy or inadequate gear. 2 Ignoring Project Goals: Focusing too much on printer upgrades and maintenance and neglecting to work on actual 3D printing projects. 3 Neglecting Filament Maintenance: Allowing your filament to absorb moisture, which can lead to print quality issues and even filament degradation. 4 Leaving Prints Unattended: Not monitoring your 3D prints and walking away, which can result in failed prints and potential damage to the printer. 5 Designing Without Printability in Mind: Creating 3D models without considering 3D printing constraints, leading to issues like the need for excessive supports or poor print results. 6 Not Checking First Layers: Neglecting to inspect and adjust the first few layers of your prints, which are critical for a successful print. 7 Ignoring Printer Safety: Failing to use safety measures, such as a print camera, to remotely monitor and pause prints in case of issues. 8 Procrastination (Bike Shedding): Focusing on minor printer-related tasks to avoid tackling the more significant aspects of your projects, leading to project delays. 9 Overstocking Filament: Accumulating excessive filament stock, which may lead to moisture absorption and waste if not used promptly. 10 Designing Without Consideration for Printing: Creating 3D models that are not optimized for 3D printing, leading to difficulties, longer print times, and potentially failed prints.
I learned that my old Creality printer *was* the project instead of helping me make projects since I was always trying to get it to print correctly. I tried getting bed leveling probes, switched build surfaces, added new bed springs, and messed with so many settings only to find my prints were unusable. So I sold it and now have a P1S. Couldn't be happier. I don't have to babysit it for hours and I can actually trust that when it says 'finished' there is a working, practically flawless part on the build plate
The bike shedding tip is something I really need to internalize more with all of ny hobbies (；^ω^） Ive just finally got my printer mostly functional, and now im in this weird decision making paralysis of what to do next. I have saves files across multiple websites, and yet i feel like i have to wait before even doing any of those. I keep feeling like i need to learn everything first. I know that i dont, but the 88 bees in my head convince me otherwise 🙃
i just printed few gridfinity bins with 7 years old PLA and zero bubles. Simply put my filament into sealed IKEA box with simple windows seal on the lid and cat litter crystals on the bottom. No problems with filament. Not that I would recommend this, but hey, it worked. I didn't have a working 3D printer for a few years.
I don't use it often enough, but Adam Savage has a great rule for avoiding mistake 1: Any time you buy a new tool, you should always start with the cheapest one you can find. If you use it enough to break it, you're allowed to get a nicer/more expensive one.
There is a major flaw with that. If the cheap tool doesn’t do as good or fast a job then that is a valid reason to replace it. Like Zach showed in the video, cheap hex keys can mess up bolts and you could keep going until it breaks or you could save yourself a lot of time and stop damaging bolts and just buy a decent set. It is a good rule for some tools and some situations but for most it isn’t that great.
@@conorstewart2214 This is true, but it's a good starting-point for just about any tool. I think the example Adam Savage used was getting a cheap power-drill for a single project. I also mentioned that I'm not the best about following it, and this is the main reason why. But I still find it useful to keep in mind when shopping for tools.
@@conorstewart2214 It's his attempt at curbing some of that spending. Because spending...(I don't know what they cost) ~$60 on a drill, and only ever using for that one project is a huge savings, especially when it's so easy to feel like you need all the fancy features of the $200 drill...when in truth, only someone that uses it for several hours a day actually needs those... But it's so easy to tell yourself that you'd actually use it, and just get the better one to start with, and fighting that gave me the same vibes as the "spending spree" that Zack mentions.
I'm new to 3D printing. This is a very well written video. Insightful, concise, funny, and thorough. Subscribed. Thank you for the wisdom. I felt called out with the bike shedding bit. I've totally done that.
for print cams i wouldnt pay the price for a specific printer based camera, a live pet camera works just as well and if you have the printer power hooked up to a voice activated home assistant like alexa or google home you may be able to turn it off remotely, asuming your printer doesnt already have this feature.
“If you don’t have money, no hobby is worth spending your last dollar” This hits fucking hard, as someone who’s done almost every hobby under the sun. This advice should be a more commons statement.
The shock we felt at acknowledgement?!?!!? Me and my headmate bf were watching this vid to calm down from a stressful day. We love your vids! We don't do 3d printing ourselves but you're giving us reasons to come up with a good excuse to buy a printer, lol
Damn son, I just started 3d printing yesterday, and I thought I was going crazy, because I had at least a few of the thoughts that you just explained, and thankfully I'm not crazy. Thanks. Good to hear a professional with some sound logic.
Dude, I never thought what I do had a name "Bike shedding" its funny. I never expected this video to make me start contemplating why I start many side projects when Im working on something.
I’ve watched this a few times now and it’s always informative and moistly accurate and makes me question daily my choice of hobby. You can’t take it with you and burning money is not as creative as 3D printing with it and then chucking it in the garbage. 🗑️
Thank you for this video. You made me realize a few things I didn’t know before. or maybe I did and I was just procrastinating. Good work! Love your videos.
I am neither a tab tearing technician or a bag stabbing barbarian, instead I am a WRAP RIPPING REPTILE (I tear the thing open with my bare hands because I am too impatient to go get a knife).
I did not realize until rewatching that the throwaway line at the end of #2 that goes "Don't give yourself time to make excuses. Immediately jump directly into the scariest thing on the list." is directly responsible for my recent success in making a video game. Directly tackling the hardest stuff I decided I would do with this project both A) took out all the stress and procrastination I would have done later and B) made me structure my code around the most critical, most complicated systems the game would have instead of trying to jam them in later
Dude Idk how many times I told people DRY YOUR FILAMENT on the 3d printer subreddit but Ive pretty much given up on that now. Making sure its dry will remove a ton of issues that people often assume are from something else. 2 years ago I started drying all my filament vs only drying stuff I thought might be moist and my down time has went way way down. When printing I keep the rolls in dryers with desiccant now too. Makes a huge difference especially in stuff like petg.
I am new to 3d printing, I just bought a XIC. I am also the king of prognostication. You should see how many unfinished sculptures I have lol This video been a great motivation. Thank you.
had bed adhesion issues, installed pronterface and used a visualiser (copy paste data from pronterface to visualiser web page) to show bed, it was not pretty, some coper tape used in lead lighting and some patience, slowly raising low areas with a strip of tape applied to heating plate, run bed mesh, rinse and repeat until it got as close as I can. cast improvement. no more adhesion problems. win.
Just use a small piece of a stretched rubber glove over top of your allen wrench before placing it in the allen screw head. It holds just as good as the allen wrenches with built in holder.
I know this video is about 3d printing, but the part about biteshedding, and getting into a finish-it mindset.. it motivated me to finish something that I've been sitting on for weeks. thank you for making this video! Also I love the 3d printing tips!
Those plastic razor blades are perfect for getting flexible TPU prints off a textured Prusa plate. I can't believe I hadn't tried them before. Enjoy the $0.60. You earned it!
Finishing the project is a great tip. So often I put more effort into printing the next thing to keep my printer going, that I have an entire bin of finished prints, that I haven't done anything with
Thank you, dear algorithm for suggesting this guys videos to me. Can't believe your excellent infotainment remained hidden from me for so long. Keep it up, buddy.
Zack, Thank you for this video. It has restored some of my faith. A couple of weeks back I left a model building overnight (using ASA on an E3V2) I thought the adhesion was spot on... I was wrong... About 2 hrs in (only 1/2 hr after I went to bed) the model came unstuck from the bed and when I checked in (7hrs later) I was greeted with a very bad smell and something that resembled the fking elephants foot beneath Chernobyl. Items that were disappointingly yet somehow amusingly fuc;3d included: Both cooing fans, the entire shroud, silicon sock, various wiring & my entire interest and faith in the whole process. I actually had to re wire the heater block on a separate power supply and heat it up for 10 mins to start to remove the whole disaster, lump by sorry lump. What did I learn.... 1. If you don't have a camera and some kind of AI setup watching, don't take your eye off it. 2. Thank you for reminding us that 'If there's any doubt, there's No doubt' i.e. if a corner curls up - it'll probably fail.. bin it sooner rather than later. and..... 3. ASA is an Amazing material as long as it turns out the shape you were hoping for ... rather than a giant turd 🤣
honestly i never thought i would fine some solid life advice from a random youtube video about how to fix my damn printer again. this was some powerful stuff about procrastination. seriously great job dude.
The moist filament bit is so true! I was going mad trying to fix terrible print quality and then I bought new filament and my print quality was perfect again
depends on the bag- if it's resealable, you gotta go for the tab. If it's just a vacuum sealed/ heat shrink closed system kind of deal- there's no resisting stabbing into the center of the filament roll hole with a metal bed scraper.
That bikeshedding thing describes my life from about age 3 to age 40-something. I'm talking diving down rabbit holes so deep and fractal in nature that I wasn't writing the code I needed to, but working on components for the input system I needed for the text editor I wanted to finally write code the proper way, and I'm on Linux, and coding on a Uni steno keyboard, and the code is in Haskell. I was always miles below the mantle, mining ever deeper. Now at 46, and just exhausted, I bought a MK4 about a month ago, and it's printing something right now, and I've not only modified nothing, I haven't even looked at any of the connectors or things on the sides and back of the printer. I haven't had a jam yet, but when I do, I'm up the creek until I investigate how the nozzle works in the first place. Right now it's mostly magic. That said, great timing; I actually have a deburring tool and a flush side cutter arriving later today.
Oh, and I cut open my first bag of included Prusament Galaxy Black, and, while shaking the reel out the bag, realized I was holding onto the long ziploc edge on the opposite side. Sigh...
Bike shedding is exactly what caused me to loose interest the hobby for the last few months. I got so obsessed with making “the perfect setup” and all of my projects built up and got pushed off. So thank you Zack I needed this video. Also 8:50 you’re welcome.
First video ive seen of yours. I said out loud while watching this "this guys is fucking smart on probably 6 dimensions" im definitely a new watcher and fan also i relate with what you said about becoming a better person through discovering printing and the fact that sometimes you forget the project. Here i was set out to figure out how tight my belts need to be because during a print the brass nuckle lopped out and i thought my belt snapped 😂😅 and now im a little teary eyed amd pondering life. Edit. Spelling
this is why I love my Bambu machine instead of my DIY machine.. spent 7 years building, re-building, upgrading, tweaking and messing with my custom machine.. almost never actuially printed anything.. now with my bambu im making more stuff and tinkering less
Hell, I felt that last tip in my soul. I too primarily use PETG for functional prints, and the most I've ever done is just try to reduce bridges. Thanks for the tip!
One thing that I love about Zack's vids is the fact he always manages to fit at least one sentence where 80% or more of the words happen to have the exact same sound pattern in them. This is just oddly satisfying to listen to.
His alliterative abilities are amazing!
@@boonemeat2652 Absolutely artful and astounding!
@@boonemeat2652amen
Seriously super satisfying!
it’s called assonance
TAB TEARING TECHNICIAN HERE!!
Also, "Bikeshedding" - this was a new concept to me but I am WILDLY guilty of doing this... When the project gets boring, I find a different "more important" project to work on. I always convinced myself I was just a starter who lost interest in the ongoing operation, but you've really opened my eyes. Thank you Zack!! Sincerely.
I'm the same way, i also get too easily distr
I think the tendency to procrastinate is common in creative people. I know feel so much better when I finally complete important projects that I’ve procrastinated. Then, I wonder why I ever put them off in the first place.
TTT FTW!
the lazyness paradox: if you are so lazy that you find ways to avoid the work but in the end this ways contains more work. somehow procastination is a personal strategy of avoiding behavior.
Long time industrial maintenance tech tip: The hex heads with the little ball keepers are neat, but you can accomplish the same thing by placing a small piece of a plastic bag over the end of your normal Allen wrench. This makes for a nice tight fit so the bolt doesn't fall off the end before you reach the deep dark depths of whatever machine you're working on.
A single wrap of electrical tape also does the same
I have definitely NOT used torn pieces of shop rags to hold bolts onto sockets or hex wrenches. 😉
Vaseline or axle greese help too if grease isnt an issue. Just make sure to lick your tools clean before you put them back you animals. Who raised you?
But… that doesn’t require buying more tools!
BAG STABBING BARBARIAN HERE
i didn't even know they had tabs 😆
Same
When you stab, it pops and is so satisfying
Facts
Same
Yes!!! Finally someone who tells people to use plastic razor blades as scrapers AND that you generally shouldn’t need a scraper at all.
I always love to use my machete to get my prints off seems to work the best for me
sadly it is too late LOL
@@A-wy5zmI'm not particularly well-versed in printing nor blades, but could a 3D printer reach the necessary thinness for a good blade or would you have to post-process it?
@@nerd_nato564I printed one that works pretty well when I need it
Protip: I have saved several doomed prints where a corner begins to pop up with a $10 3d pen. Pause the print, push the base down and squirt some filament around it. Works very well as long as you aren't super particular about the finish in that area.
"Pro"tip: Staples
I almost fell victim to mistake #2. Wanting to make a custom led project that was cheaper than the original was the goal. But with RND, failures, etc, the goal to be cheaper slowly is closing. And after a year of almost giving up I recently went at it again with a new mindset.
Lol feels
These tips won't make me a better printer. But it will help me to become a better maker... Besides, turning into a printer sounds painful. 😁
Consider that even if the project ends up being more than the product you were looking at, you gained valuable experience and can now make future projects that little bit more efficiently.
@@DanAnd190I think that works both ways. You can learn a lot from projects that go nowhere. And the best projects to learn from are the ones you started because you had an itch to scratch, not projects you came up with just to learn from. That itch is what prevents you from falling victim to #2, and motivates you to run the project to completion.
If you're able to pick it back up and continue/change it and continue then you'll be alright. Like others said, it's still valuable experience gained for the next project, but sometimes the idea hasn't fully cooked yet and coming back later from a new angle is all it takes to finish the project or at least make a big leap forward with it.
I really want to stress that deburring tools are still VERY DANGEROUS because they are VERY SHARP and are made mostly for debuting parts made from aluminums to hardened steels. Still works absolutely amazingly for cleaning up prints, just always make sure to follow proper knife safety rules you should be alright. Other than that, amazing video!
I worked in an injection moulded plastics factory for years as a first aider... not once did I ever have to fetch a plaster to anyone using a deburring tool, but people cutting themselves with the craft knives we also used was a daily occurrence.
Dude those Wera Hex Plus wrenches actually are the business. I got that set recently for working on my mountain bikes, and they're seriously the nicest set I've ever used. So much better than whatever cheap hex keys I had lying around before!
I've got them for work (industrial maintenance tech). they are indeed the bees knees.
I first used them at work (machine maintenance) and I bought my own set like a week after.
Truly an amazing tool (and to be honest, hex screws are also the best, they're hex shaped after all) xP
@MCgranat999 get a pair of knipex cobra pliers. there honestly my go to tool. black iron pipe, rounded off hex or if an allen bolt is way messed up. you will surprised at the kind of bite those will get. do not, do not get the milwaukee 'version' I am a identifying milwaukee douche and those things freaking suck. gave them to another co worker. was excited about them for an hour and then tossed them in the metal dumpster.
Are they ball heads?
@@Seriniboy328Knipex just calls them a “Pliers Wrench” but if you haven’t seen them yet they are a smooth face adjustable wretch. Great tool
Your’s is quickly becoming my favorite channel. The knowledge, experience you share is next level and conveyed in a fun and watchable way. The alliteration and rhyme schemes set an upbeat tempo that make time fly and the driest topics ultra moist.
3 more tools:
1. Thread Chaser(similar to a tap but won’t cut new thread)
2. Small Torque Wrench (1/4” drive, in.lbs)
3. Impact driver( a must have to extract stripped or hogged out fastener heads. Inexpensive and you get to hit it with a hammer)
Great advice. Especially creating your own files. Even using something as simple as tinkercad to make something you need is a huge advantage over just downloading everything from someone else.
Zach, you are an amazing script writer! Taking a simple concept and turning it into a DIV/0 error was a chuckle I really enjoyed.
You not only make amazing tutorials, you make them very easy and fun to watch. Thank you so much.
Another suggestion for crisp fine text.
Add an height modifier juste before the text layer and change printing precision for the last few layers.
Even less post processing, no need for glue!
Wow, #2 hit close to home for me. I mainly do woodworking, and it is so easy to get down the rabbithole of making shop projects to improve my workspace instead of making actual projects. I have one that I have pushed off finishing for three years now.
Great Video, So many people complain about printing and there printer failing when in fact its one of these problems they have caused themselfs.
I love tip #5! One of my favorite techniques is building overhangs that appear to be basically flat to the eye but actually aren't flat at all - and/or making curved injections rather than hard right angles. I believe I've become a better designer for 3d prints because I've seen all the fun ways that my prints can fail. 😅
I've never actually made a single 3D print yet, but learned a lot :D But as a programmer, I admit I never heard of bike shedding, but definitely done that quite a few times :D
@yourt00bz👁️👄👁️
Honestly, when i first got into the hobby, i was sitting there scrolling printables looking for Dwane the benchy johnsons and other shit worried that i might not use the printer enough to make it worth it.
Then i learned Creo with an EDU licence, then Onshape.
Now i need to restrain myself from modeling and printing just for the hell of it
Came back here because youtube and I forgot I already watched this. AND it is actually the video that got me to buy a deburring tool and I am SO GLAD I DID. LOVE IT.
I can't stress enough how well Zack's video's are made. These video's would do great on a national network, or on the IEEE website. My sincere compliments, I'm a fan of the videos as well as the makers.
This. Video Form and Jokes in it were GREAT as always!
seriously, he's broadcast quality talent! Pay the man!
Love the video and the first point.
My family is all tradesfolk, we value education a ton, and don’t neglect learning, but sometimes your hands pay better, and as a result we have always had brand name tools to spare since I could remember, so instantly the cheap complimentary tools get tossed.
I know the deburrer as a reamer for deburring your inside diameter on a pipe or tube, usually copper.
There’s some pretty tough ones out there
Also, don’t neglect wearing gloves while using them. I know it’s quicker, but putting on gloves takes seconds… a cut takes days to heal
This is the first video of yours I’ve watched, your script is amazing- instant sub
Zack is the only maker to turn 3d printing into a life lesson
Point number 3 for me
agreed, I wouldnt mind listening to how he overcame and got to where he is now.
Right? 6:00 in, Zack reached through my screen and straight-up slapped some sense into my bike-shedding brain.
I don't have a 3D printer, but I love your videos
Yet...
Get one, you wont regret it
Same. No plans for one, just vague interest and deep love of Zach's alliterative antics.
For now the council will soon condume you too
you will, but also won't
Started 3d printing because of this channel. Now I'm learning arduino because of this channel. Thx so much Zack! It's been a blast!
Thank you for this. I've plateaued in my journey, and I think these suggestions will really help give me some positive yΔ. Oh, before I forget, I am a bag stabber, unless it's one of those resealable bags. Then I delicately trim off the sealing plastic before ripping open the ziplock, invariably pulling half of it off one side of the bag...
Wham bam PEX works great with PETG. A tip to keep them from bonding is to use glue stick. If your PETG or other filament isn't sticking, clean with rubbing alcohol and paper towel until towel comes out clean. Then follow up with 00-aught steel wool with rubbing alcohol as a lubricant to scuff up the surfaces. When done clean again. Doing this right will make the surface stick like new.
I am quite a big fan of printing on tempered glass. I have printed on it for close to 2 years now on 3 printers and love it. it holds tight on every filament type i have used (PLA, PETG, Nylon, ABS) and once you wait for it to cool down often times the part just pops right off without any effort. Its tricky to get it to print initially but with mesh bed level and some patience you too can have glossy shiny first layer prints lol
DO NOT PRINT PETG DIRECTLY ONTO GLASS it will chemically fuse and rip chunks out of your bed, use glue stick or hairspray as a buffer.
I just use some random piece of glass i found. a larger print i made in black pla had a near-perfect mirror finish, but only for a few weeks
You able to print PETG without bed adhesive though?
I loved my glass panes, and I can't lie, pei is not as flat. But my bed also weighs 40% less, with a pei sheet.
Oh man, I remember I was on a cycle of just DIY tool after DIY tool because I just would not buy a proper cleaning station for my resin printer. Everything from just a Ziploc baggie full of alcohol that I would shake to buying one of those magnetic mixers and fiddling around with all sorts of printed standoffs that would just disintegrate over time or swell. Then I finally just bought a proper cleaning station and that's improved my enjoyment of this hobby like 100 fold.
Just a heads up, there's a "New frames need analyzing" message on the screen at around the 35 second mark. I love your vids!
Thank you for correcting the Moist problem. a LOT of youtubers spread the bad info that "PLA doesnt need to be stored dry". and they all are extremely wrong. You sir are the king of all by reminding us that you gotta keep the filaments dry.
I think this is because it really depends where you live the average humidity of summer where I live is around 30%
Very good advice! The filament dryer is really useful, I use SUNLU S2 to solve the moist problem. The first layer problem accurs alot, thanks to zack!
Same for me
5:45-9:00 was real as hell and honestly a good wake up call and applicable to any projects or endeavors beyond the scope of 3D printing. I need to finish up a good 3 projects before I should even start fiddling with the new 3D printer I have on the way. Thank you, I needed to hear it
I think you're the most ADHD friendly TH-camr I've ever seen. Your videos are some of the only ones I can watch without getting distracted at some point, because you never waste a second off audio or screen time (except the credits, I hope you don't mind that I usually skip those).
And these are excellent tips, I think I needed to hear the one about moist filament that most. I'll have to evaluate some of my hoarding tendencies.
Wow, I never realized that but that's totally accurate.
Yeah! I second that. First video I had to slow down, because it is too dense and the language is not easy straight forward but so wordy. I do like it as it is a great change and makes them unique.
I would lile to heartedly agree with this. The loud, crisp audio with no breaks at all is just perfect for my perpetually distracted brain.
Yeah, it's very stressful for me. I feel for you. You're missing out on some real gems from Jack Hargreaves.
brother u should dopamine detox
HE READ THEM ALL AND DIDN'T SKIP A BEAT! RESPECT.
I faced all those issues with my creality printers, I got fed up constantly adjusting the bed and other parameters. I sold them and got an Ankermake M5, out of the 30 some prints I have done so far, never needed to intervene at all, the auto leveling does its job, and it does so much homing and leveling before each print that all of them come out perfectly.
I didn't feel right hocking up that much money for this printer, but damn is it nice not to deal with all the tedious adjustments I used to have to do just to have the print fail half way through.
I got into printing years ago on a whim and love it… and proceeded to not look into it anymore.
I have been printing with some regularity, but never getting into making my own models
All my problem solving came down to painstakingly tinkering with my ender3 and cooking the god out of filament until it came out passable.
That’s it…
This video is the first time I heard of mesh leveling. And more. Happy to say I’ve got a number of upgrades ordered and on the way (silent board, crtouch, silicon bed spacers, new filament, and I’m switching slicers)
Thanks so much. So sorry for being a dirty lazy printer 😂
The bike shedding problem is exactly why I recommend people not buy project printers, because I know people 99% of the time don't want to actually tinker even if they say that. What they really mean is they want to put a silly hat on it and that's it.
Just get a P1S, X1C or MK4s, and then actually do things.
This video came across in a surprisingly personal way, and at a good time. I really appreciated the emphasis around not procrastinating, or 'Bike-Shedding'. I have only seen a few of your videos before this, as I don't watch a lot of TH-cam, but I will definitely change that so I can continue to watch your uploads. I find your videos very entertaining and informative, so, thank you!
Zack, you're too kind. Pretty sure I'm making at least 50 mistakes :-)
But watching this video ain't one!
7:35 was watching this video to avoid doing work I’m not interested in doing. The bike shedding explanation has really helped my life in general
First time viewer. I immediately subscribed, because you keep it so straight, real and entertaining. The fact that you tell the viewers to stop f ing around and get to work. Love it
Surprisingly reasonable advice! Definitely guilty of a few of these. In my experience the metal bed removal tool won't damage a glass bed, and I used one for years with no noticeable damage, but it does become a problem for basically any other print surface. I have filament as old as 2017 that's been stored in well maintained dryboxes and still prints fine, but yeah prolonged exposure to moisture and you're on a highway to degradation town.
Yeah, that checks out - If you have no moisture getting in, the degratory reactions wouldn't be happening. That takes good discipline and practices with a good drybox setup, of course, not to mention a filament dryer to match in most cases. So the advice to "use it or lose it" is overall pretty fitting for most people.
@@Woodledude Printing Nylon early on forced me build this discipline quickly. 5 gallon buckets with rubber gasket sealed lids and an esp32 for each that alerts me when humidity goes over 15% so I can dry the desiccant. Also started using activated alumina a while back and it keeps humidity very low. All my hygroscopic filaments print from another dry box. But yeah, doubt most people go to these lengths.
Just wanted to say I got a M5C for $299 and it's simply amazing. Super nice printer.
Wasn't expecting plural support, but honestly not surprised! Love it! My partner was also quite excited seeing a non-system focused channel say it (not assuming not plural, just that it's not the focus of the channel). Thank you, you beautiful cyborg ❤
Yeah, it really caught my ear, too! We're a system, too, and two of us work together on our 3D-printing projects. I do the printer-related stuff and an alter is the software guy (working in SolidPython 2).
"Bike shedding" is more about effect of focusing on trivialities that everyone can grasp and have an opinion on, rather than larger and more complicated topics.
16:59 Where's the link to that cheat sheet?
This makes me pretty happy. I had a long list of prints and parts to make for and upgrade my printer. But I have been too busy completing projects to get to more than two prints on that list. I have made so much cool stuff for my apartment that I am always working on and completing a couple projects at a time. It is so satisfying!
5:40 Zach is really just throwing out amazing life lessons! Forget 3D printing, this is some stuff that everyone needs to hear. I definitely relate!
On the deburing tool, the guy who got me into this has been printing for a few years and only discovered it after i got a job at a plastics plant.
They are a life changer. If you need cheap you can get them at harbor freight.
Also, I use one multiple times a day. Because of how the blade spins you usually hit your finger with the back when you slip. Because of the shape you gotta *try* to make blade contact with your finger
2:47 hearing him casually mention plural systems caught us so off guard. thanks for the inclusion lol
Right? Surprised me there!
Hey yeh I totally agree. But I had an issue mid project and my printer was supper whack and out of tolerance I was like, I have to fix this. So I'm gonna upgrade to linear rails, upgrade motors to double the standard size, add inductive bed levelling, and order custom cnc machined parts from PCBway (they have also been giving amazing prices). And my hope is to fix the issue that I have with my printer. And I hope to finish my printer and have to essentially almost never worry about it being out of tolerance or inaccurate. But hey, I'm spending about 1500 cad for all of these upgrades (about 1100 usd) but i'd say it's a worthwhile investment as if everything with this printer goes well, I will have super accurate tolerances, fast printing speeds, improved quality, and less material wastage. But I don't really plan to upgrade it again besides standard maintenance and I don't think there would be more I could do to the printer I could do to improve it. I don't think I'm going overboard as a lot of the components and the design was pretty cheap and basic. But even after all that I still would want to get back to my projects as they're the reason why I use and need my printer anyway.
I got into 3D printing when I discovered hextraction. I don't own a printer myself, so it's slow going (using the library and more recently the printer I found at my new workplace), but I finally finished a full beginner set of tiles and a board. I just need to glue it together.
My next project is a board of quoridor. I'm taking the extra step of designing all the models myself, which is fun. OpenSCAD is not the best language, though. Maybe I should have used of the python wrappers or something instead. At any rate, it's coming along nicely. I have the board, the walls and a box more or less finished. I only need to tweak the box a little and design the pawns. And perhaps, if I'm feeling ambitious, dedicated spaces for all the pieces inside the box. Or I'll just let everything rattle around freely in there.
I abandon my prints all the time, though (but I always keep watch the first few layers). And my game board and box have sharp 90° corners, and the walls are tall and narrow. Sorry, people.
I hope this will save your time
Here are 10 common beginner mistakes:
1 Not Upgrading Tools: Failing to upgrade your 3D printing tools and equipment as you progress in the hobby, using sketchy or inadequate gear.
2 Ignoring Project Goals: Focusing too much on printer upgrades and maintenance and neglecting to work on actual 3D printing projects.
3 Neglecting Filament Maintenance: Allowing your filament to absorb moisture, which can lead to print quality issues and even filament degradation.
4 Leaving Prints Unattended: Not monitoring your 3D prints and walking away, which can result in failed prints and potential damage to the printer.
5 Designing Without Printability in Mind: Creating 3D models without considering 3D printing constraints, leading to issues like the need for excessive supports or poor print results.
6 Not Checking First Layers: Neglecting to inspect and adjust the first few layers of your prints, which are critical for a successful print.
7 Ignoring Printer Safety: Failing to use safety measures, such as a print camera, to remotely monitor and pause prints in case of issues.
8 Procrastination (Bike Shedding): Focusing on minor printer-related tasks to avoid tackling the more significant aspects of your projects, leading to project delays.
9 Overstocking Filament: Accumulating excessive filament stock, which may lead to moisture absorption and waste if not used promptly.
10 Designing Without Consideration for Printing: Creating 3D models that are not optimized for 3D printing, leading to difficulties, longer print times, and potentially failed prints.
Repeating
i didn't know i could make mistakes with something i never did
great
I learned that my old Creality printer *was* the project instead of helping me make projects since I was always trying to get it to print correctly. I tried getting bed leveling probes, switched build surfaces, added new bed springs, and messed with so many settings only to find my prints were unusable. So I sold it and now have a P1S. Couldn't be happier. I don't have to babysit it for hours and I can actually trust that when it says 'finished' there is a working, practically flawless part on the build plate
The bike shedding tip is something I really need to internalize more with all of ny hobbies (；^ω^）
Ive just finally got my printer mostly functional, and now im in this weird decision making paralysis of what to do next. I have saves files across multiple websites, and yet i feel like i have to wait before even doing any of those. I keep feeling like i need to learn everything first. I know that i dont, but the 88 bees in my head convince me otherwise 🙃
i just printed few gridfinity bins with 7 years old PLA and zero bubles. Simply put my filament into sealed IKEA box with simple windows seal on the lid and cat litter crystals on the bottom. No problems with filament. Not that I would recommend this, but hey, it worked. I didn't have a working 3D printer for a few years.
I don't use it often enough, but Adam Savage has a great rule for avoiding mistake 1: Any time you buy a new tool, you should always start with the cheapest one you can find. If you use it enough to break it, you're allowed to get a nicer/more expensive one.
There is a major flaw with that. If the cheap tool doesn’t do as good or fast a job then that is a valid reason to replace it. Like Zach showed in the video, cheap hex keys can mess up bolts and you could keep going until it breaks or you could save yourself a lot of time and stop damaging bolts and just buy a decent set.
It is a good rule for some tools and some situations but for most it isn’t that great.
@@conorstewart2214 This is true, but it's a good starting-point for just about any tool. I think the example Adam Savage used was getting a cheap power-drill for a single project.
I also mentioned that I'm not the best about following it, and this is the main reason why. But I still find it useful to keep in mind when shopping for tools.
@@HumanShield117 I also think it is a strange rule to come from Adam Savage when he seems to just spend money almost impulsively.
@@conorstewart2214 It's his attempt at curbing some of that spending.
Because spending...(I don't know what they cost) ~$60 on a drill, and only ever using for that one project is a huge savings, especially when it's so easy to feel like you need all the fancy features of the $200 drill...when in truth, only someone that uses it for several hours a day actually needs those...
But it's so easy to tell yourself that you'd actually use it, and just get the better one to start with, and fighting that gave me the same vibes as the "spending spree" that Zack mentions.
@@HumanShield117 yeah that is true, it is easy to tell yourself it will be useful in the future.
I'm new to 3D printing. This is a very well written video. Insightful, concise, funny, and thorough. Subscribed. Thank you for the wisdom. I felt called out with the bike shedding bit. I've totally done that.
came for 3D printing content, got surprised by plural acknowledgement that just treats it as normal (positive)
for print cams i wouldnt pay the price for a specific printer based camera, a live pet camera works just as well and if you have the printer power hooked up to a voice activated home assistant like alexa or google home you may be able to turn it off remotely, asuming your printer doesnt already have this feature.
Something original
“If you don’t have money, no hobby is worth spending your last dollar”
This hits fucking hard, as someone who’s done almost every hobby under the sun. This advice should be a more commons statement.
Just wanted to say that I was impressed how well you summed up the bike shed problem. Kudos!
The shock we felt at acknowledgement?!?!!? Me and my headmate bf were watching this vid to calm down from a stressful day. We love your vids! We don't do 3d printing ourselves but you're giving us reasons to come up with a good excuse to buy a printer, lol
Damn son, I just started 3d printing yesterday, and I thought I was going crazy, because I had at least a few of the thoughts that you just explained, and thankfully I'm not crazy. Thanks. Good to hear a professional with some sound logic.
Dude, I never thought what I do had a name "Bike shedding" its funny. I never expected this video to make me start contemplating why I start many side projects when Im working on something.
I’ve watched this a few times now and it’s always informative and moistly accurate and makes me question daily my choice of hobby. You can’t take it with you and burning money is not as creative as 3D printing with it and then chucking it in the garbage. 🗑️
The alliteration at 7:13 is stupendous.
Thank you for this video. You made me realize a few things I didn’t know before. or maybe I did and I was just procrastinating. Good work! Love your videos.
I am neither a tab tearing technician or a bag stabbing barbarian, instead I am a WRAP RIPPING REPTILE (I tear the thing open with my bare hands because I am too impatient to go get a knife).
I did not realize until rewatching that the throwaway line at the end of #2 that goes "Don't give yourself time to make excuses. Immediately jump directly into the scariest thing on the list." is directly responsible for my recent success in making a video game. Directly tackling the hardest stuff I decided I would do with this project both A) took out all the stress and procrastination I would have done later and B) made me structure my code around the most critical, most complicated systems the game would have instead of trying to jam them in later
Dude Idk how many times I told people DRY YOUR FILAMENT on the 3d printer subreddit but Ive pretty much given up on that now. Making sure its dry will remove a ton of issues that people often assume are from something else. 2 years ago I started drying all my filament vs only drying stuff I thought might be moist and my down time has went way way down. When printing I keep the rolls in dryers with desiccant now too. Makes a huge difference especially in stuff like petg.
I am new to 3d printing, I just bought a XIC. I am also the king of prognostication. You should see how many unfinished sculptures I have lol This video been a great motivation. Thank you.
had bed adhesion issues, installed pronterface and used a visualiser (copy paste data from pronterface to visualiser web page) to show bed, it was not pretty, some coper tape used in lead lighting and some patience, slowly raising low areas with a strip of tape applied to heating plate, run bed mesh, rinse and repeat until it got as close as I can. cast improvement.
no more adhesion problems. win.
Great video as always, seems like an easy topic but anyone who has done a video knows how much effort goes into not only this video but every one.
Just use a small piece of a stretched rubber glove over top of your allen wrench before placing it in the allen screw head. It holds just as good as the allen wrenches with built in holder.
I know this video is about 3d printing, but the part about biteshedding, and getting into a finish-it mindset.. it motivated me to finish something that I've been sitting on for weeks. thank you for making this video! Also I love the 3d printing tips!
As always, brilliant, insightful and rudely funny. Best TH-camr ever. Never stop.
The writing and delivery here is a work of art. Instant subscriber!
Videos like this one are some of my favorites on TH-cam. Thanks for Gridfinity!
Those plastic razor blades are perfect for getting flexible TPU prints off a textured Prusa plate. I can't believe I hadn't tried them before. Enjoy the $0.60. You earned it!
The reference to systems was surprising! Thank you hehe
Finishing the project is a great tip. So often I put more effort into printing the next thing to keep my printer going, that I have an entire bin of finished prints, that I haven't done anything with
Thank you, dear algorithm for suggesting this guys videos to me. Can't believe your excellent infotainment remained hidden from me for so long. Keep it up, buddy.
Hey Zack, it's 6AM on a sleepless Monday morning for me and this video finally clicked for me. Thanks for the help!
Zack, Thank you for this video. It has restored some of my faith.
A couple of weeks back I left a model building overnight (using ASA on an E3V2) I thought the adhesion was spot on... I was wrong...
About 2 hrs in (only 1/2 hr after I went to bed) the model came unstuck from the bed and when I checked in (7hrs later) I was greeted with a very bad smell and something that resembled the fking elephants foot beneath Chernobyl. Items that were disappointingly yet somehow amusingly fuc;3d included: Both cooing fans, the entire shroud, silicon sock, various wiring & my entire interest and faith in the whole process. I actually had to re wire the heater block on a separate power supply and heat it up for 10 mins to start to remove the whole disaster, lump by sorry lump. What did I
learn.... 1. If you don't have a camera and some kind of AI setup watching, don't take your eye off it. 2. Thank you for reminding us that 'If there's any doubt, there's No doubt' i.e. if a corner curls up - it'll probably fail.. bin it sooner rather than later. and..... 3. ASA is an Amazing material as long as it turns out the shape you were hoping for ... rather than a giant turd 🤣
The alliteration is off the charts on this one. Love it.
honestly i never thought i would fine some solid life advice from a random youtube video about how to fix my damn printer again. this was some powerful stuff about procrastination. seriously great job dude.
The moist filament bit is so true! I was going mad trying to fix terrible print quality and then I bought new filament and my print quality was perfect again
depends on the bag- if it's resealable, you gotta go for the tab. If it's just a vacuum sealed/ heat shrink closed system kind of deal- there's no resisting stabbing into the center of the filament roll hole with a metal bed scraper.
Your educated but carefree delivery is awesome!
That bikeshedding thing describes my life from about age 3 to age 40-something. I'm talking diving down rabbit holes so deep and fractal in nature that I wasn't writing the code I needed to, but working on components for the input system I needed for the text editor I wanted to finally write code the proper way, and I'm on Linux, and coding on a Uni steno keyboard, and the code is in Haskell. I was always miles below the mantle, mining ever deeper. Now at 46, and just exhausted, I bought a MK4 about a month ago, and it's printing something right now, and I've not only modified nothing, I haven't even looked at any of the connectors or things on the sides and back of the printer. I haven't had a jam yet, but when I do, I'm up the creek until I investigate how the nozzle works in the first place. Right now it's mostly magic. That said, great timing; I actually have a deburring tool and a flush side cutter arriving later today.
Oh, and I cut open my first bag of included Prusament Galaxy Black, and, while shaking the reel out the bag, realized I was holding onto the long ziploc edge on the opposite side. Sigh...
Bike shedding is exactly what caused me to loose interest the hobby for the last few months. I got so obsessed with making “the perfect setup” and all of my projects built up and got pushed off. So thank you Zack I needed this video. Also 8:50 you’re welcome.
First video ive seen of yours. I said out loud while watching this "this guys is fucking smart on probably 6 dimensions" im definitely a new watcher and fan also i relate with what you said about becoming a better person through discovering printing and the fact that sometimes you forget the project. Here i was set out to figure out how tight my belts need to be because during a print the brass nuckle lopped out and i thought my belt snapped 😂😅 and now im a little teary eyed amd pondering life.
Edit. Spelling
I had no idea that the nozzle clearing tools I have were acupuncture needles; you learn something every day.
I like Zack’s videos. I’m about to take the plunge into 3D printing by investing in a laptop, 3D scanner, and 3D printer.
this is why I love my Bambu machine instead of my DIY machine.. spent 7 years building, re-building, upgrading, tweaking and messing with my custom machine.. almost never actuially printed anything.. now with my bambu im making more stuff and tinkering less
Plurality representation, in a video that has nothing to do with the subject? It's wonderful... thank you...
Hell, I felt that last tip in my soul. I too primarily use PETG for functional prints, and the most I've ever done is just try to reduce bridges. Thanks for the tip!