What slicer should i be using?  I have installed Cura and Slic3r..

3D Printing
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1

What slicer should i be using? I have installed Cura and Slic3r… Started with Cura… Seams simple to use, slic3r seems to have more control options, like honeycomb infill, but doesn’t seem to do simple things like give a ETA on how long the print would take.

Still tuning my (first) printer and want to know what people use and why.

2

Cura is nice if it’s simple, nothing too out there and just works.

Slic3r is like a Swiss army knife. You can do near anything including breaking stuff.

I usually use cura, especially if I’m calibrating the printer and not the code.

3

Use whatever works best for you. There are people who use Cura and can’t get Slic3r to work for them. There are people who use Slic3r and can’t get Cura to work for them. There are people who use neither, or both… it’s really something you just have to experiment with, see what works best for you (and maybe give it a re-evaluation every once in a while).

4

I use kisslicer. just try out software that fits you best.

5

I think it’s worth knowing more than one program, even just passing familiarity helps. You’ll eventually come across a model that works much better in a different slicer.

6

I, too, use KISSlicer. I use PronterFace to control my printer and THAT is what tells me how long a print takes. It updates the print time as it prints so times very a little from the first quote.
You load a gcode file into PronterFace and you get ". . . 4774.23mm of filament used in this print
The print goes:

  • from -36.88 mm to 36.88 mm in X and is 73.76 mm wide
  • from -41.42 mm to 37.43 mm in Y and is 78.85 mm deep
  • from 0.00 mm to 36.00 mm in Z and is 36.00 mm high
    Estimated duration: 180 layers, 1:15:44"