Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Discussions related to the Rostock MAX v2
J_Man
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Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by J_Man »

I'm very new here and made a post in the welcome section. I have been looking at printers since before Christmas. I wanted to research printers before I jumped in. After looking at so many of them, people recommend me to get the Flashforge Creator Pro. While I almost went ahead and bought it, I still like the look and idea of the Rostock Max.

I own an UP! Mini and have had lots of success with it. I need something better and I really don't think the Flashforge would be it. What I am all concerned with aside from the build is the alignment. I read people having difficulties on that. I read about people that have a resistor blow. Some that have had this or that not working. Am I mostly reading stuff out of context and those are more specific issues? Is it basically less likely for the average user to see these type of things?

I hate sounding like a total newbie, but of course I just want to be sure to make the right choice. What I want to make is 1:1 scale prop replicas such as Star Wars guns, or lightsabers, maybe even Doctor Who Screwdrivers. I am also a big GIJoe collector and have designed various vehicles I would like to print. I made one with my UP! but it was rather difficult due to having to break it up into so many parts. The other image attached is a vehicle I want to make for He-Man collectors, but there is no way the UP! could handle it. The Rostock has a big enough area that it probably could.

So I guess I'm just looking for reassurance before I buy. I know, total newbie thing to do but there's so many options out there and whatever I select will be what I'm going to have for a while before I could add a 3rd printer. Any help would be greatly appreciated and I do apologize ahead of time for stepping in with such odd questions.


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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by DavidF »

You would do very well to buy a rostock max.
I looked at quite a few printers before making my decision no regrets!
Keep in mind, you do have to build it. But that helps later on down the line when a hot end resistor does fail and you need to replace it. Personally once it did I would replace it with a cartridge heater, but i ran the stock hot end for a year and never had to. The rostock is a joy to own and fun to hotrod. Go for it!!
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by J_Man »

I guess that's the part I'm slightly afraid of is hearing parts burning out. Being new to 3D printing, is that common for any printer? If it's not that big of a deal I guess I'd be fine with it. Would it be best to have the common parts replaced right away rather than wait, or is that something that won't happen for quite a few number of prints? I'll most likely just use PLA on it and keep my UP! running with the ABS.
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by Tinyhead »

I've got over 55 days of printing on my Rostock and have never had a problem with the resistors. I think when people are talking about the resistors burning up, it's due to a thermistor coming loose from the hot end. If it pops out, it doesn't register as being hot enough so the resistors keep heating and heating. As long as you've got everything secured in place, I don't see you having any issues.

This printer has been a dream. Highly recommend! If you ever have issues, the people on here are awesome.
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by Holy1 »

You will have calibration issues like everyone else. Power supply unit seems like a regular thing. Mine never worked reliably, had to replace. It does have a good build volume but you can't print reliably near the edges. I put a heater cartridge in from the beginning.
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by J_Man »

Ok, sounds good. I can fix most things with good direction. Being new is making me overly cautious I guess. I just really wasn't comfortable with the idea of getting a Flashforge as people were recommending me to do. Of course too, once I have learned more using the Rostock, I guess I'll probably look back on myself as being dumb for hesitating, haha.

I do like the looks of the prints I have seen people make. It's within what I want to be doing. I could see making like a Star Wars Biker Scout gun and not really requiring too much clean up from the print. Currently my UP! would require days worth of work just to get 1 replica looking right. I'm feeling like the Rostock would cut tons of time down.

Thanks for the replies!


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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by J_Man »

Oh I guess I should also ask, once the calibration is dialed in, is this something that continues to be an issue or is it fine once it's dialed in.
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by jdurand »

I expect to re-calibrate from time to time since things wear. But it shouldn't need anywhere as much as my Afinia, it's moving bed wanders out of level all the time.

One thing I did was ran the printer with the nozzle turned on but low temp with no filament for two 7 hour "prints" before finishing the calibration. I noticed a Cheapskate wheel loosened a bit, some of the Koptan* tape peeled up, but I knew anything that was going to wear in had.

* I got my polymid tape from China, it's Koptan brand with the lettering styled to look like Kapton brand.
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by J_Man »

My UP!, I've only done the nozzle calibration. I only have had to do it every so often. Generally it's only because the nozzle seems to shift off and gets too close to the print bed. The result is the raft sticking. Beyond that, never had an issue. Is that pretty much all we are talking about is just getting the bed lined up? I know I've seen with most printers that do not have auto bed levelers need the same. Even some auto bed levelers have required some fooling with from what I read.
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by hubrigant »

I'm firmly in the newbie camp, with only a few days of print time under my belt. My printer's in an unfinished room in the basement, so I've been fighting temperature and draft problems on top of newbie learning curve. Despite all that, I've been getting decent prints even though I know the printer's not calibrated (I'm holding off until I finish building my enclosure and get the heat spreader ready for the bed).

I've also enjoyed every single minute, including peeling the masking tape off the melamine parts! :D
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by J_Man »

Ok, looking at some of the prints I'm seeing, I saw this one:

http://forum.seemecnc.com/download/file ... &mode=view" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Is that typical of the in fill for the printer? Or am I looking at like a 300 micron in fill? I'm used to seeing a good solid fill line and not like rope poured between 2 walls. I'd compare it to the Robo 3D going off this picture.
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by Earthbound »

J_Man wrote:Ok, looking at some of the prints I'm seeing, I saw this one:

http://forum.seemecnc.com/download/file ... &mode=view" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Is that typical of the in fill for the printer? Or am I looking at like a 300 micron in fill? I'm used to seeing a good solid fill line and not like rope poured between 2 walls. I'd compare it to the Robo 3D going off this picture.
Infill issues like those in the picture are more typically due to the model or slicing settings than caused by the printer itself. Solid infill presents a challenge when the gap is not a multiple of the nozzle size.
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by DavidF »

thats not a very good print and I lean to it being more of a slicer problem where the infill in concerned. The rest of the print? Blah!! not a good example at all and likely a 300 micron print (or wicked over extrusion) Ive been runinng about 3 months now without a single recalibration, not even a z height change!!
I would highly recommend switching to the e3dv6 with a threaded thermister form the beginning, make sure you have good cooling for pla prints, and let the factory delta arms relax before trying to really dial it in. Relax = letting sit or print small parts over heated bed for a day or so. Also when calibrating the machine I have found it easier just to print something, look at the first layer, and make quarter to eigth turns on the end stop screws than it was to run through the calibration process (once an intial calibration was performed)
There is so much more I could say when it comes to printing, and most of it has nothing to do with the machine. but the rostock is very capable and I have compaired what it can do with other printers best prints and its right there with them but with a much larger build volume :D
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by J_Man »

I guess I should just ask since these other printers were the ones referred to me. How does the Rostock stack up against the Flashforge Creator Pro. Also compared to the Wanhao 5S Mini. Those were the 2 that was most popular among friends and on Facebook. Just from my own observation I assume Rostock is worlds better than a Flashforge. I have no idea about a Wanhao at all. Those were the only other 2 in the running.
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by Holy1 »

The Rostock max is not a very "stiff" printer so if you have to move it the towers are easily shifted throwing off the calibration. The bed is fixed so you have to adjust each tower end stop screws plus the horizontal radius every time you calibrate. Do yourself a favour and get a dial indicator.
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by geneb »

That's utter nonsense Holy1. The towers are NOT "easily shifted", unless of course the screws aren't tightened down.

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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by DavidF »

A dial indicator isnt really necessary, just look at the first layer and make your adjustment accordingly. If the extrusion is thin and smooshed at one tower you tighten the end stop screw on that tower, if its thick and not sticking to the bed you loosen the screw. Easy peasey. I dont have anyone around me that uses the Flash forge so I have no way to compair prints with it. I have compaired prints with the ultimaker and replicator2 and I can do what they can print quality wise.
I have the rostock max V1, the only change to the printer has been installing the e3dv6 hot end and a set of hair ties to the arms for lash straps. The printer is a year and a half old now and I have experienced zero problems.
another thing to keep in mind is how many rostocks are out there in the world (how many?) and that people mostly come to the forum when they are having a problem and are looking for help to resolve it.
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by DavidF »

try printing this http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:33746" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; at 25% scale, 100 micron 2 shells, 0 infill and see what you get.
This picture is very high res and shows EVERYTHING!!! I could likely spend a bit of time dialing in my feedrate but this is good enough for me and what I do.
[img]http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g446/davidflowers1/Mobile%20Uploads/20150126_125027.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g446/davidflowers1/Mobile%20Uploads/20150126_123807.jpg[/img]
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by jdurand »

I came here originally to get mine set up and running, now it's mostly to give people hard times (and ship them empty spools).
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by J_Man »

I guess the only thing left I would need to see if anybody would mind is showing me what the bottom and top of a print looks like? It can even be a box. Anything that shows a good flat top and bottom surface. That's something over all hard to actually find samples online of any printer actually.

The tiki looks great. I could see working with that and turning it into something for sure.
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by jdurand »

Bottom and top of a 200mm x 20mm calibration box. It's hollow and the first PLA I printed on the RMax and only the third print it ever did. Printed on glass with painted on glue stick/water.
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by DavidF »

J_Man wrote:I guess the only thing left I would need to see if anybody would mind is showing me what the bottom and top of a print looks like? It can even be a box. Anything that shows a good flat top and bottom surface. That's something over all hard to actually find samples online of any printer actually.

The tiki looks great. I could see working with that and turning it into something for sure.
Ill print you a cube, no problem. Keep in mind though I am no where near the level of a couple people on this form when it comes to printing things, so it may not be the best you can do.

and yes I turned that print into this LOL
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by DavidF »

jdurand wrote:Bottom and top of a 200mm x 20mm calibration box. It's hollow and the first PLA I printed on the RMax and only the third print it ever did. Printed on glass with painted on glue stick/water.

Translucent filament is horrible when it comes to showing off prints.....
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by jdurand »

I notice the bottom of my box has some black streaks, that's because I just changed filament. On my other printer it's always printing a raft so any old color is always gone long before the money print.
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Re: Want to buy, got the newbie fears

Post by J_Man »

Here's some examples of things I have done with my UP! Mini. This would be a good example of what I am looking to improve the print quality on. Currently what I print with it looks like velvet almost. It's pretty solid on it's fills and all that. It's just that it can only do 200 micron and has such a small area to print. I can't do the big stuff.

The R2 is the one to show off the unpainted. The guy with the helmet is an un sanded piece. The rest have been sanded dremeled and painted. I want to cut down some of the dremel and sanding time.


EDIT: I should state that the Darth Vader head and the sword are the only parts printed on the one figure, and the helmet is the only thing on the other figure. The rest are all solid 3D prints.
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