I agree. Without a heated chamber ABS is really challenging. Like you I've been using PETG for most prints that need ABS-like strength.

 

I'm mostly using PETG for strength as well.
That said, an enclosed printer is the next planned build project, since ABS, POM, nylon and PC all require a heated chamber. I have some POM filament that I really want to try out for the sliding parts.

 

My printer is enclosed, granted only heated by the heat of the bed and hot end, and even then abs is a bastard to not get to warp on you for large objects. I've tried nylon and pc as well and have had similar experiences. Maybe results would be better with an actively heated chamber though.

 

I have the benefit of having several printers with heated chambers, but for my Raise3D N2+ which only has a heated bed, my go-to almost never warp material is the 3DXTech ABS-GF10. Unless I am printing a flexible material, that is pretty much the only filament I run, and its a dream to work with. They glass content really helps with the warping, and the surface finish is a nice matte color. Its also affordable, and goes on sale a couple times a year and I stock up.

Give this stuff a try if you need really good every-day functional filament you don't have to futz with:

https://www.3dxtech.com/glass-fiber-...fibrex-abs-gf/

I use it for all my test fixtures and jigs at home.

 

Thanks for the recommendation Hans. I'l have to try that filament. I have used 3DXTech's PC/ABS with some success. Do you have any printers that can handle Ultem? That's going to be my next project printer build.

 

I haven't tried it yet, I just don't have a need to process Ultem, but I do have an iBridger i340 which should be able to:

https://ibridger.eu/

I have an early model that does not have the heated bed, but does have the heated chamber. I have considered retrofitting the bed, but its a lot of work, and thus far, the heated chamber alone works for all the filaments I use.

What is your application for Ultem. That is some serious plastic.

 

For work we use Ultem for printing experimental flight test parts used on secondary structure. It’s strong enough to carry flight loads and can be fastened with hollow rivets which allows us to mock up assemblies that eventually will be made out of aluminum.

My DIY application is two-fold. First just want to see if I can make successful parts with a sub $1K set-up. And if that is successful I am going to try designing some suspension parts for a backyard go-kart. If they fail I figure I cant hurt myself too bad traveling over grass at 10mph right?

So what do you use the iBridger for? That’s a serious looking device.

 

Thats literally putting your @ss on the line, testing printed suspension bits. Sounds like a fun challenge though.

I got a really good deal on an early delivery i340. Cant recall exactly what it was, but it was VERY cost effective. Lets say about the same price as a Funmat HT before shipping (this thing came in a crate the size of an industrial fridge.

Since the price was similar to a desktop model, that's what I use it for. I have a Markerbot Method X Carbon that really does a good job on all the small parts. The Raise3d N2 Plus that I have modified with Mosquito hotends and Bondtech extruders for general purpose projects at home, and then the i340 for anything large and critical. Its not a fast printer, but its stable, and has a pretty good lifting system for the support hotend

 

Wow that is a good deal. How effective is the filament drying chamber? I've had to leave nylon filaments in my powder coating oven overnight and use it immediately after taking it out to have any success. Sure would be nice to just hit print without all that fuss.

What version of the Mosquito do you have? Thoughts vs other hotends you have experience with? I'm looking at ordering a Magnum for my Mk3s.

 

To be honest, I have not been able to to use the driers yet. It should work pretty effectively. There is an active dehumidifier and then heater plates inside the box. I tried to run it all on a 110 circuit, and it was just too much. I am switching offices, and have a nice 220v 30a circuit installed, so I will be able to run all the bells and whistles without popping breakers.

I have both a Mosquito and a Magnum installed on the same printer. I have not noticed any real difficulty with using the Magnum for even detailed prints, however, I never run a nozzle size under 0.4mm and really tend to like the 0.6mm most of the time. I understand that anything under 0.4mm and you have issues with the Magnum.

They are really great hotends. Nozzle swapping is so darn easy.

I am going to assume you are looking at the new Bondtech LGX system for the MK3 with the integrated Slice mounting system?

 

Interesting. I wasn't aware of the smaller nozzle diameter issues with the Magnum. 0.4mm is what I use for most prints. I've played around with a 0.2mm nozzle just to see how the details came out, but I use my Form 2 or Objet at work when I need surface quality and details. I like the idea of being able to do quicker nozzle changes between materials and I'm glad to hear you've had good experiences with that.

I've never had any issues with the DD set up on my Prusa. Initially I just plan to print out the Mosquito adapter they developed for the MK3S using a high temp resin on the Form 2. Are you using the LGX on with your Mosqitos?

Have you looked into any of the print head changing systems? A reliable version of one of those is very intriguing to me. I've stayed away from Prusa's MMU and Mosaic's system because I just don't like the idea of using up filament for the purge towers and the extra time it takes to do that. Also I've read a lot of reviews from users that are having all sorts of teething problems on them.

 

I have the old Bondtechs ont the Raise. The LGX just came out in the last two weeks, but they are all native Slice mount.

I think they recommend running the standard Mosquito for any nozzle size under 1.0mm, so you may just want to go with that if you are doing the smaller nozzles.

I am keeping an eye out on the active head swapping. The E3D system seems like a bargain if you are building your own machine.

 

I think Porsche should make the schematics for old plastic parts available for printing (even license them) so people can print needed parts without the need to scan and go through that process.. even send it to a local 3D print shop.

 

That would be nice but I'd be willing to bet that 99% of 928 parts developed by Porsche were ultimately made per line drawings. Without a 3D CAD model someone would still need to take the drawings and create the models. Lot less work than scanning and reverse engineering but still a lot of work.

 

Heck, I'd love to even have access to the line drawings.
Trying to redesign parts from measurements or 'guess-timation' is a pain, and modeling from the drawings is at least good practice.
My issue is that I have a car that was a rescue, and no parts car to look at and see what missing parts looked like...

As far as printers go, nothing so fancy in my shop, just a heavily modified TEVO Black Widow that was retrofitted with an E3D extruder and a controller from Duet3D when I built the printer.
The new machine in works is a scratch built Core-XY enclosed machine, with the same print hardware other than adding an enclosure heater as well.