3D printing. I'm looking for help to get started, please.

[Proffesor]

I've acquired a ( basic ) 3D printer ( Anycubic Mega 5 ). Allegedly it has never been used. It came with several spools of different plastic filaments

I've set it up in my Machine Shop, inside a dust proof enclosure.

I can turn it on and everything seems to come to life. Tried threading the filament ( i.a.w. the Manuals instructions ) but can't seem to get beyond that step. The filament appears to be brittle - it keeps snapping; does it age harden ?

I really don't have the time to try to research the issues, I'd rather find someone who knows what they're doing, to tell me where I'm going wrong.

Not looking for a freebie, happy to buy lunch / dinner and a couple of drinks, if someone could please point me in the right direction . . . .

Please reply here, or feel free to P.M. me.

Thanks

The Proffesor

[fygjam]

Garden trimmer line becomes brittle over time. Some experts recommend soaking it in water for 24 hours before use. Maybe the same will work for the filament.

 

[forcebwithu]

I know you mentioned not having time to research the issue, but I've found often times a quick Google search on the issue can lead to a quick answer. In this case I found the article below.

What's interesting is it mentions the opposite of what @fygjam thought might be the solution, probably because the filament is a different material.

It'll be interesting to hear your experience with 3D printing once you get it to work. It's something I've had in the back of my mind to try for fun.

How To Stop Your Filament Breaking in the Extruder During a Print

Bad Storage
Filament that is stored incorrectly is a lot more likely to break in the middle of a print because its overall quality is lowered from the immediate environment.

Being in a humid area can mean moisture gets in to the filament, leaving filament in a dusty room can cause it to get dirty and give issues when being heated up, oxygen breaks down material through oxidization, so it deteriorates much quicker.

All of these reasons are why you need to correctly store your filament when you aren’t printing. You don’t want your 3D printer filament in sunlight or stored in hot environments for a prolonged time.

Solution
One of the most common storage solutions out there is using an airtight storage box container with desiccant added to increase your filament’s lifetime and quality overall.

A good storage container that is highly reviewed and works very well is the IRIS Weathertight Storage Box (Clear).

It holds plenty of filament with no air leakage to keep your 3D prints optimally stored. It has a rubber seal and keeps your filament dry as long as the latches are secure.

You can hold around 12 spools of filament a 62 Quart storage container, which is more than enough for most 3D printer users, but you can choose a lower size if you wish.

If you get this storage container I’d also advise you to get some rechargeable desiccant to reduce the moisture in the box. You’re probably planning on 3D printing for some time in the future so getting a long-lasting solution is key.

------------------------------

Rather than a storage container with desiccant, a dry cabinet with electronic humidity control would be another option. I bought the Digilife Dry Cabinet to hold my camera equipment and it's working as advertised.

Edited April 16, 2023 by forcebwithu

[fygjam]

36 minutes ago, forcebwithu said:

I know you mentioned not having time to research the issue, but I've found often times a quick Google search on the issue can lead to a quick answer. In this case I found the article below.

What's interesting is it mentions the opposite of what @fygjam thought might be the solution, probably because the filament is a different material.

It'll be interesting to hear your experience with 3D printing once you get it to work. It's something I've had in the back of my mind to try for fun.

How To Stop Your Filament Breaking in the Extruder During a Print

Bad Storage
Filament that is stored incorrectly is a lot more likely to break in the middle of a print because its overall quality is lowered from the immediate environment.

Being in a humid area can mean moisture gets in to the filament, leaving filament in a dusty room can cause it to get dirty and give issues when being heated up, oxygen breaks down material through oxidization, so it deteriorates much quicker.

All of these reasons are why you need to correctly store your filament when you aren’t printing. You don’t want your 3D printer filament in sunlight or stored in hot environments for a prolonged time.

Solution
One of the most common storage solutions out there is using an airtight storage box container with desiccant added to increase your filament’s lifetime and quality overall.

A good storage container that is highly reviewed and works very well is the IRIS Weathertight Storage Box (Clear).

It holds plenty of filament with no air leakage to keep your 3D prints optimally stored. It has a rubber seal and keeps your filament dry as long as the latches are secure.

You can hold around 12 spools of filament a 62 Quart storage container, which is more than enough for most 3D printer users, but you can choose a lower size if you wish.

If you get this storage container I’d also advise you to get some rechargeable desiccant to reduce the moisture in the box. You’re probably planning on 3D printing for some time in the future so getting a long-lasting solution is key.

------------------------------

Rather than a storage container with desiccant, a dry cabinet with electronic humidity control would be another option. I bought the Digilife Dry Cabinet to hold my camera equipment and it's working as advertised.

Interesting. I think the answer is ???

3D printer filaments are made from a variety of thermoplastics.

https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/3d-printer-filaments-explained

Trimmer line is usually made from nylon.

Nylon is a thermoplastic and is sometimes used for 3D printer filament.

Nylon can dry out and go brittle.

How to care for your nylon cable ties and prevent them from going brittle.

https://www.nelcoproducts.com/blog/effects-moisture-nylon-66-cable-ties/#:~:text=When dry%2C nylon is stiff,the tie is fully desorbed.

The first answer to the OP would be, what, of the numerous possibilities, is the material the filament in question is made of?

 

Edited April 16, 2023 by fygjam

[Proffesor]

Time for an update.

Firstly, my apologies for the delayed reply; to say we're busy is a bit of an understatement !

Thanks for the advice. I bought a drying cabinet and am keeping the old filament coils in it. I also bought a new coil of PLA filament on Lazada. It arrived in a vacuum packed foil bag, which also contained 2 packets of desiccant. 

The new filament went through the drive motor without cracking, which was an immediate improvement, but wouldn't go all the way to the print head. After stripping down, cleaning and readjusting the drive motor - it worked.

So I loaded the sample Test file supplied with the printer and set it to work.

Not the best of images I'm sorry to say. A pair of owls, about 5cm tall, as they came off the printer - phenomenal detail.

Now I just need to master the Software to create useable items. If only I had more free time  . . . . 

[KWA]

23 hours ago, Proffesor said:

Now I just need to master the Software to create useable items

You may be able to find  online "libraries" of other folks' designs which could either save you from re-creating something that already exists or give you a starting point to customise for yourself.