Hi everyone,
Over the last few weeks I've been independently printing 3D objects with a Creality Ender3. I am, of course, using my Mac and iPhone for this, as well as a raspberry pi, and I wanted to test the waters before writing a guide as, as I'm sure you can imagine, it's pretty involved and, though I am using apple products to do this, I wonder if this is the correct forum? Maybe a mod could clarify?
Please let me know if you are interested.
Cheers
O
Comments
super interested
As someone who had to give up 3D printing due to sight problems, I'd be super interested. I'd be interested in hearing about slicer accessibility and overcoming physical problems with the machine before and during the print. I suppose that's straying from making it about Apple products, but if it's too off-topic there are other places for stuff like this.
A few ideas to help make it a little more relevant to Apple products. What is it that you do on the Mac and iPhone before handing it off to the printer? Can it be done entirely on iOS or iPadOS without a Mac? How easy would it be to reproduce the process with an iPhone and a Windows machine? Does the Apple stuff help at all during the print? For example: can the iPhone help you judge whether a print is being built successfully, or if the hotend has given birth to a plastic spaghetti monster?
I've been out of the 3D printing game for a while. Last I knew, Cura was the popular slicer, everyone loved Octoprint, and the Prusa I3 rev 3 and the MP Maker Select were the queens of their respective price brackets. I'm sure things have improved since then.
Yes please!!!
I want to learn how to use it by myself, with no sighted assistance.
From scratch
A guide for a newbie should also be included.
Great
Hi, and thanks for the comments. I'll put my thinking cap on as to how to present this information. I am exclusively using apple devices to achieve this so I think that it does work here. As for a Newby guide, though I'll try to be as explanatory as possible, explaining 3D printing is an article in itself and part of the journey you take as a 3D modeller and you bring up an important point, I will have to make clear that this is a tinkerer's hobby and, as yet, there are no 'magic boxes' into which you can put some instruction and then a few hours later you have a perfect object. With a lot of work and understanding you can get close to it but it's not the replicators of science fiction. I will have to manage expectations.
Saying that, I'm very glad you are interested. I think it's amazing and wonderful and fun. It's fun tinkering with the machine, upgrading it with printed parts, its amazing that we as blind folk can pick up the object (if it's printed), and feel where there are imperfections, go back to the drawing board and work on our profiles so the next print is cleaner, or stronger, or smoother and so on...
I'm going to do it based entirely on how I do it so there is a kickoff point. I am certain there are many other means, but they are out there to be discovered for yourselves.
Okay, I'll get to it.
Thanks for your interest.