Should I get a 3D printer...?

[Greebe]

I like Noctura fans also, but when a fan comes in a box that's nicer than the one my $1100 cell phone came in there is something wrong with the pricing. Replaced the exhaust fan on my controller with a Sunon I had left over from OCing. Exact same size, ball bearings, moves more air but is quieter. Not Noctura quiet, but then 2x the airflow. Personally I would rather make the fan larger, spin slower for the same given airflow and that would be quieter without the expense. I have a 12vdc system as it's one of the first printers Creality came out with. Since that time most are 24vdc now. We told them and they listened. A Creality replacement 350w switching PS 12vdc or 24vdc is $10! I have two, but not for use with my printer. Installed a Meanwell 350w SPS. Runs a tad quieter, much thinner, not sure exactly but would say it's 40% thinner than stock. This allows better air flow for sure. Will most likely add an additional case to the bottom of the existing controller and wire up the temp controller, install the RPI in there too.

Believe you could add 12v control for fans if you wished, just use a mosfet driver and an additional 12vdc PS. Shouldn't be hard to wire up.

[VJ]

The noise level is important to me. The current motion system is almost dead-silent (a bit more noisy when in standby), the extruder is more noisy when retracting, but not too bad. Most annoying (and constant) noise at the comes from the fans: the 30x30mm hot-end fan and the 40x40mm print cooling fan.

I already know how to add 12V fans in the mix, and how to do it in away that keeps them controlled from the mainboard without creating a ground loop or other grounding issues. But still need to design some housings for mainboard, etc. and decide on a better mount for the print cooling fan: once I know how many (and which size of) fans I need, I will go for it. I agree that the Noctua fans are expensive, but it is a price I'm willing to pay for them.
Today I'll work on the mount of power supply and mainboard: I would like to put them on a din-rail (which is why I got this type of Meanwell NDR: not only fanless but din-rail mounted) but need to print some parts for that. Printer should be good enough to handle those. Then I want to better guide the cables from the mainboard to the hotend (currently it is a bit blocking) and then worry again about print quality.

[Greebe]

I feel you, if noise is an issue at least this is one of those "hobbies" where most any mod is possible.

Remember when you first joined here? Look where you are today. Glad to see this is your life turn out so well

[Greebe]

Was making a comparison of fans dBa noise levels etc. Noctura may be quiet, but thats because they move far less air todo so. A Sunon 40mm x 10 dual BB fan maybe at 31dBa, but it also moves >3x air. When bridged across the 5vdc and 12 vdc power supply nets 7 vdc and that really makes them quiet.

Made a new EZABL fan mount out of PETG. 230c hotend / 65c bed, came out very nice. It's another part of the HUGE upgrade thats impending. New motherboard, display, filament sensors, extruders, OctoPi cam bed mount and this EZABL auto bed leveling from TH3Dstudio.com.
20190913_175338[2].jpg

[Greebe]

Have been a printing parts all day, tweaking as I go. Getting better and faster. Seems fans shouldn't be run faster than ~75% or overhangs warp upward due to shrinkage. I'm sure this will become quite helpful once the unit is enclosed for printing ABS and alike. Certainly PETG doesnt require it.

decided to make a mirror image of the above EZABL mount and then made left and right side BLTouch versions of the same. Also made a couple Y-axis stepper motor braces.

Spiders are next before I switch out to translucent green petg for frogs boiled in a cauldron. Gotta be ready for Halloween!

[Evildead666]

Was making a comparison of fans dBa noise levels etc. Noctura may be quiet, but thats because they move far less air todo so. A Sunon 40mm x 10 dual BB fan maybe at 31dBa, but it also moves >3x air. When bridged across the 5vdc and 12 vdc power supply nets 7 vdc and that really makes them quiet.

Made a new EZABL fan mount out of PETG. 230c hotend / 65c bed, came out very nice. It's another part of the HUGE upgrade thats impending. New motherboard, display, filament sensors, extruders, OctoPi cam bed mount and this EZABL auto bed leveling from TH3Dstudio.com.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]6450[/ATTACH]

Have you tried stacking the fans ?
Like dual-thickness fans ?
You would seem to have the room, and the Noctua Fans might gain a bit of airflow in the equation.
It works for servers.
I have 4 of the 40mm Noctua 12V fans I think, but nothing to test them on.
Was going to aircool the VRM's before seeing what an arse that was going to be and going watercooling instead.
Yaay much easier...
edit : /s

edit2 : Actually, looking at that Pic, couldn't you set up a large blower fan, and duct the air over the different components ?
Or even used pressurised tubing to blow air ?
.

[Greebe]

So far I've tested pla and petg. For those materials 1/3 fan speed is good. At full force it can RIP a filament thread free if not heavy (thick) enough. Even at 70% it'll over cool to the point of curling up material badly. It is overkill for now, perhaps ABS in an enclosure its required.

Current state of machine with new X and Y axis tensioners, new right hand EZABL mount, also made BLtouch mounts for either side. Added Y stepper brace a few days ago.

Couple pictures. Garden Frog remix is from Thingiverse. It's 85mm tall. Nearly perfect print for 0.2mm layer height.

[Evildead666]

So far I've tested pla and petg. For those materials 1/3 fan speed is good. At full force it can RIP a filament thread free if not heavy (thick) enough. Even at 70% it'll over cool to the point of curling up material badly. It is overkill for now, perhaps ABS in an enclosure its required.

Current state of machine with new X and Y axis tensioners, new right hand EZABL mount, also made BLtouch mounts for either side. Added Y stepper brace a few days ago.

Couple pictures. Garden Frog remix is from Thingiverse. It's 85mm tall. Nearly perfect print for 0.2mm layer height.

Looks really good, no sagging or anything
Great setup by the way.

How long to print the Frog ?

[Greebe]

Frog was sliced like you would make a tool strong. LOL way more plastic extruded than necessary and way longer. It would normally take 5.5hrs, the way it was made nearly 9 hours!

But wait... there is more...

[Greebe]

Flower vase, my first one. Made after direct extruder hotend mod. 5 layer bottom, single layer wall. 210mm tall. It had only one tiny leak about an 3cm from bottom, easily fixed.

It is florescent too as I found out tonight.

It deserves a window view in the sun.

[Greebe]

Hotend was mod'd over the last few days. Added a BMG clone dual drive extruder after making several required parts to complete the assembly. As seen in photo as the vase is printing are also the same bloody GREEN

Oh forgot, was running the machine at 200% speed, the vase took 3.5 hrs.

Also added X and Y axis belt tensioners. An additional Y stepper bracket and a mess of tweaks.

Received on Friday from TH3Dstudio a pair of new Z axis anti backlash lead screw nuts. They prevent the gantry from dropping when either the stepper is powered off or power was lost and requires resumption of print. It can do that correctly. They will go on shortly.

[Evildead666]

A lot of the Single layer wall prints I see have sag, and you managed it at 200% speed !!
Mad props for that

Amazing setup.

That vase looks perfect.
Do you have a close up of the defect ?

[Greebe]

I could not see the defect it was so small. Used a tiny little dab of Gorilla Glue "Clear Grip". It's water proof and cannot be seen, even under UV light it does not appear.

New one started, Ctron vase. This one is alot more involved with 3 inner and three outer layers with 40% infill. Even at 200% speed with it at ~33% completed it'll be another 15 hours on top of the 7 it now has into it. Yes long print

[Greebe]

Finished in 17 hrs 55 min. "Solid enough to pummel someone with it" and "wouldn't want to get hit by it even if thrown". Comments from a few friends lol

[Greebe]

Why my pics rotatered?