I am getting a Solidoodle this month, anything I should know/try before it arrives?

3D Printing
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I am getting a Solidoodle this month, anything I should know/try before it arrives?

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  1. Its name is silly.

  2. see if you can get a software stack before the puppy arrives - you’ll want a 3d modeler, a slicer and a host. The solidoodle should have recommended versions and profiles of slicer and host already.

  3. http://thingiverse.com has a lot of cool stuff to print.

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I have Solidoodle, recently switched to Repetier Host & Slic3r away from Pronterface & Skeinforge, which were initially recommended. You can do dry runs with Repetier Host, and I suggest you do that - practice with the software before your hardware arrives. And when it does arrive, check the screws etc. Mine were loose and the print platform was not level, but otherwise the device works fine. And yes - get a measuring device to measure the thickness of your filament :-). And get filament - they ship extremely little filament with the standard package.

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@Karan_Chaphekar Solidoodle is a good deal for the pricetag. My other machine is 3D Touch with three extruders. It is a bit more percise, and the print area is much larger, it also has a fan that helps to cool down tight places especially in PLA-prints. It also has capability to print without a PC, leveling the platform is easier and suspension is excellent while Solidoodles is almost nonexistent causing the hot end to get stuck when you extrude too much - but Solidoodle is a bit faster, changing filament is much easier and it can be carried. Actually your question could be answered in detail with few pages of text and a dozen pictures. But in short, Solidoodle is not perfect, it is cheap and quite adequate. I am now waiting eagerly for Makibox and miniFactory and b9Creator, which we have ordered but not yet received.

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Solidoodle frame is quite rigid and light enough to carry. Clamps look awful but do their work. Build platform should be easier to level and there should be better suspension as I said so that it could clear small bumps.

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How has the wait been? When did you order it, and how long has it taken?

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Ordered it in early May and received it in late October. They said they started shipping in July. I actually (was led to) expected to get mine in early August. Luckily it was not my first 3D-printer.

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Ordered it in September, supposedly ships the week of the 12th of December.

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@Karan_Chaphekar yes, springs below the bed. That system works wonderfully well with 3D Touch and not at all with Solidoodle - at least not with the one I have. Naturally you only need those when you extrude too much or have some other problem but it is easy to extrude too much as the filament diameter is not exact.

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What modelling software should I use, was looking at 123d from AutoDesk, but the 3d software is daunting.