I finally caved in to my desire for another toy and bought a 3D printer, shown at left with a purchased enclosure. The maximum print size is 8.6 x 8.6 x 9.8 inches. Precision is ±0.1mm and a max print speed of 180mm/s. Maximum power of 277W.

In the picture I have already added a USB light to make watching the printing easier, two humidity-thermometers and put my solder fume extractor in the enclosure. The fan is only recirculating the air so no heat is lost but the air is pushed through a carbon activated filter so the PLA odor almost disappeared entirely.

Dimensions for Printing

• Structural integrity seems pretty good if your outer walls are at least 150mils.
• Always select hole sizes that match standard drill bit sizes where possible. The resolution of the printer, especially for smaller holes may be insufficient. Havings standard sizes allows you to hand turn a bit through the plastic and get more precise dimensions. It seems like adding 5-7 mils to the radius of any cylindrical cut-out gets the dimensions very close to what I want from my printer.
• Always consider whether adding a magnet to the print has any value. For example, in the drill cradle below, adding a magnet to the backside enabled sticking this jig to the side of the drill housing and not wasting any counter space. Note to self: Use subtractive cylinder r=0.240", h=0.110", subtractive cone r₁=0.085", r₂=0.105", h=0.150" to create a pocket with a secure rivet hole for using UV resin to epoxy the magnet in. If your magnet also has a counter-sink hole it will be as sturdy as possible.

Trouble Shooting

• Seems like the main problem is when filament won't stick consistently to the bed. If the first layer isn't perfect then expect to be unhappy. Techniques that have worked ...
  1. Make sure the Z-offset is correct and the bed is level
  2. Clean the bed with 95% alcohol to make sure there is no oil from your hands on the surface. NOTE: Do NOT use glue sticks or other liquid products on the Creality magnetic sheet.
  3. Give everything time to soak to the proper temperature. I have thermometer in the enclosure and wait until the ambient air reaches 90°
  4. Change the slicer settings. See CHEP on youtube (link below) but basically printing the first layer a little bit thicker increases the surface contact area. This is an especially good tip for smaller parts. with Fixing First Layers on 3D Prints

Tips

• White filament is better than colored for three reasons. First it is easier to see if the print is properly adhereing to the bed, which is important for the first layer or two.. Black on black is difficult to see. Second, it is easier to paint, taking fewer airbrush coats. Third, PLA is known to get soft if it gets too hot. White would reflect sunlight better and is therefore preferable for outside projects.