Got a 3D printer now, it's fun!

[Gassed250]

Cheers for the suggestions, the tevo looks the goods but sourcing from overseas has me worried if it will arrive in time and au stock carries a premium

So looking at ebay has me down to 3
http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBa...=1479499259248

http://m.ebay.com.au/itm/Print-5-mat...986?nav=SEARCH

http://m.ebay.com.au/itm/2016-New-Mo...ATCHING_ACTIVE

[Shonky]

Just got confirmation my Tarantula has shipped.

Mine just got to Brisbane scheduled for delivery tomorrow. No customs bullshit (and there shouldn't be for a $350 item) but was pre-cleared I think anyway.

Whilst writing that I got another SMS, stating out for delivery today

Now will need to find time to build the fucker. Too much shit on this week and next

[dsm2002]

you bastard. What makes you special? Mine still hasn't been scanned anywhere!

[Shonky]

you bastard. What makes you special? Mine still hasn't been scanned anywhere!

Really? That sucks. Mine had documents submitted Wednesday night but nothing appeared as tracking i.e. a pick up until early Saturday so 60 odd hours before it started actually moving and then it was basically all done over the weekend which is nice. Malaysia->Singapore->Brisbane

[Gin Kii]

Mine was due to arrive Tomorrow but surprise surprise there is a clearance delay. 40% rapage by customs in 3-2-1.....

if only the dumb fucken supplier shipped it by DHL like their fucking advert said.

Grrrrrrr.

[GSRman]

why does DHL make a difference? (purely curiosity)

[Gin Kii]

why does DHL make a difference? (purely curiosity)

I work in an export zone, export zone = no import tax.

DHL = ok no import tax (most of the time, sometimes they will collect)

Fedex = fuck you we will collect the import tax as we give no fucks for export zone.

[Shonky]

And delivered. Mine came from Malaysia though. Hopefully there's no particular difference between Chinese and Malaysian ones.

[dsm2002]

Rec'd missed delivery SMS for DHL while I was doing the Dad's taxi run bit

[Gin Kii]

Seems mine has left China for the second time !!

[Shonky]

Clearance delay doesn't mean it was actually in Thailand. They forward clearance info ahead of the package. (I think you know that).

Did a quick stock take on mine last night. All parts accounted for I think - at least all the bags and large parts are. Haven't/can't count individual bearings, screws etc. Not 100% sure on the addons I paid for being included. The larger bed seems right and the Z-axis sensor appears to be listed as the "Green Sensor" in the packing list. Also seemed to have received 1 extra limit switch (3 instead of 4). Very well packed and fairly well organised. Instructions are pretty bad though so this seems to be the best resource:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...8lyO57RcmNu6Vk

Note you'll need a US to Australian adapter for the power supply (or replace with an Australian suicide lead).

[Shonky]

So I put in a few hours last night and today on building my Tarantula. The youtube playlist is very helpful although his version is slightly older. The bearings already have a piece of metal in between so it shouldn't be necessary to disassemble the wheels and put the spring washer in between the bearings. There are other small differences where I used the main manual. The official manual is only vaguely helpful. I mainly use the youtube version and occasionally used the printed manual for reference when looking at the stack up of washers, spacers etc.

I'd recommend getting some washers with ~5mm ID for the eccentric nuts (basically one side of every wheeled section. The hole in the acrylic is too big and the nut bites into the edges of the holewhich also puts the whole thing off from perpendicular. I got some 3/16" / M5 flast washers from Bunnings although the ID is still bit big. Also recommend some smaller washers. I've not found any that fit yet. Need to be M4 size but the outer diameter is not big enough on the ones I got. This is for some corner bracing they supply as an extra - noted in the videos as not critical but worth doing.

My biggest problem at the moment is that even with the eccentric nuts, I'm not able to get the wheels close enough together in most cases so there's no wiggle on the. I can get it pretty close but the nut only gives about 1-2mm of play which isn't enough. I haven't research how to fix this. I presume this is fairly critical. Everything moves quite smoothly manually (haven't hooked up belts just yet) but I presume wiggle could cause issues..

T nuts can be fucking annoying.

When you get further in you seem to end up with heaps of spare nuts, bolts etc so I'm not sure if I'm missing stuff or they're just spares from variations over time of the product.

The center tower part seems to have a fair bit of movement. Not sure if that's mine or normal or even if it will be an issue, but I presume it will bump itself around a bit.

Haven't done electronics although put together the modules - I think that bit will be fairly easy though. It's the mechanical alignment, making it square etc that's giving me grief.

[Gin Kii]

Clearance delay doesn't mean it was actually in Thailand. They forward clearance info ahead of the package. (I think you know that).

Turns out the clearance delay was due to it being on the prohibited import list, sometime late last year Thailand banned the importation of 3D printers as they can be used to print guns apparently.

Printer has now been confiscated.

[dsm2002]

wtf???

[Gin Kii]

wtf???

I was a bit more colouful with my language but in a nutshell you have nailed it.

But hope is not lost yet, through a friend of a friend contact has been made with someone high up in Customs and it turns out it is not a blanket ban on 3D printers but a list exists of what brands and modes are banned, details of this printer have been forwarded to said person and now we wait and see if we can have the confiscation reversed.