guide

Table of Contents

General

Apps

  • blender.app
  • slic3er.app
  • a browser

Cautions

  • Never pre-heat (vorheizen) when extruder is less than 10cm above the bed
  • Always have the metal plate in place correctly
  • Always before preheating wash the metal plate with LITTLE Isopropenol. Close the Isopro bottle quickly. Every few weeks, use Acetone the same way.

Emergencies

  • If first layer fails, immediately press X. Long Press knob > z-value heighten extruder by clockwise turning until extruder is > 10cm above bed.
  • Usually it's unneccessary to recalibrate. Currently set height: -700um
  • Control if between the metal plate and bed are any corns/dirt

Download an STL file from the web

  1. Visit Printables or Thingiverse and open any asset, get files, unzip and check the .stl file.
  2. Either import & edit it in blender.app or add it directly in slic3er.app

Slice an STL file

  1. Open slic3er.app
  2. Add .stl file
  3. Scale correctly (build plate = 20cm)
  4. Set print settings to level of detail. Usually 0.15mm compromises speed & quality optimally
  5. Check if you need Support/Infill - Use Support if you see bad overhangs (concave or straight edges) - Use Infill at less or equal 20% to be stable & reduce waste
  6. "Slice"
  7. Check in preview if the layers look good
  8. Generate gCode file.

Upload a Gcode to the printer

  1. Power up the printer
  2. Take out the white SD card from the printer (left side underneath the display)
  3. Place the gcode file from your laptop onto the SD card and then put the SD card back into the printer
  4. On the printer: Position the metal plate correctly and clean the metal with Isoprop
  5. "Preheat" (vorheizen) to PLA settings for 30sec
  6. Remove dripping filament from extruder
  7. "Print from SD card"
  8. STAY WATCHING WHILE THE FIRST LAYER PRINTS! If it does shit for any reason, cancel by pressing X or power down the printer and follow Prusa first layer calibration

Multicolor Printing

  1. In Prusa Slicer, after Slicing, view the vertical bar. There you can add color changes on any level Color Change Example on Layer 6

Design a 3d model (in Blender)

Initial activities

  1. User Preferences > Interface > Rotate Around Selection
  2. User Preferences > Input > Emulate Numpad
  3. Set metrics Toggle to object mode > Properties Window > Scene > Units > Length = Metric
  1. Display edge metrics Toggle to edit mode > Show sidebar (N) > Mesh Display > Edge info > Length

General Shortcuts

Shortcut Action
n toggle Sidebar View
5 toggle Ortho/Perspective
1 Side View
7 Top View
TAB Toggle Object Mode / Edit Mode
x select what to delete
b border select
c circle select
CTRL+TAB what to select
z toggle mesh view
a deselect current selection
o Apply any deformation to neighboring faces, too. Scale impact radius with RMB+LMB
RMB selection (shift + RMB = multiple)
s + z + 0 "scale axis zero" align selected vertices to same z layer
SHIFT + s > u Put the cursor to the center of the selected object/faces
CTRL + SHIFT + ALT + c Select Object>Transform>Origin to 3D cursor
select edges + f Create Polygon between edges
. Edit Mode > 3d cursor rotation pivot centering
SHIFT + c Center view to selection
SHIFT + d duplicate selected faces
P extract to a new mesh

Improve curce details

Create an STL file in Blender

Blender Theme

While you're here, why not install a nice light theme?

  1. Download this file white_sky.xml into your Application folder
  2. In Blender>File>UserPreferences>Themes>"Install Theme...">
  3. "Save User Settings"
  4. Enjoy a shiny light theme, now :-)

Update

Get blender 2.93 it's way cooler

Shortcut Action
g grab /move
SHIFT+TAB toggle snap in move