QIDI Plus4 - 3D Printer

[GreenBar0n]

Well, those prints look great. There's nothing wrong with your printer.

I've ordered some transparent PETG. I hear it can be tricky to print but hopefully I'm able to make some clear lenses.

was very pleased it wasn't the printer that was off. Lubed all the moving parts today for the first time, and it sounds and works a lot better, the resonance is less too.

Looking forward to hearing about the clear lens PETG.


Amazon is having a sale on filament right now, got this Matte Light Brown PLA today for $17/Kg, looks like old stone or pottery.




I'm going to have to get some more before the deal is gone, it prints really well for me using the QIDI Rapido Matte profile. Just looked and it's even cheaper now, $15:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HVP2Q1C?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Might try that same manufacturers Wood and Marble filament.

[GreenBar0n]

I have long suspected the bed was not level, so I tried a large print job, and had to stop it:


The left side is warped along the base, doesn't even sit flat on the left side.


Ran the Bed Mesh calibration test in the Tune section of Fluidd:

It shows the left side is 1.89mm lower than the right side. This would explain a lot.

Going to have to manually adjust and level the bed in order to do high quality large prints.

[GreenBar0n]

When I got this Plus4, I watched every Youtube video I could find on it. They all said don't do the Auto Bed Leveling, it takes too long and isn't necessary, at least two videos said that same thing. I shouldn't have listened to them.

Here's the results after running the ABL feature:


went from 1.9mm difference, to just over 0.55mm, which is in tolerance for high quality prints.

Going to run a large print to see if the warp is gone now.

[GreenBar0n]

The warp is gone now that the bed is level, should've done that long ago, but when printing single small projects in the dead center of the bed, the warp wasn't noticeable.


This is a planter, so it has a shared drain for all three of the planter sections.


When the planter is too full of water, it comes out of the fountain, and in to the reservoir by the front door.


Will put some jade plant in there.



Now that the bed is calibrated for larger projects, going to start on some other printable car models, that have larger one piece body's.

[GreenBar0n]

For a large first project, I went too big when I purchased this model, it was designed with a 313mm wheelbase, that's just over a foot in WB alone!


Scaled the WB to 250mm, or just under 10" to get it to fit on the plate.


Problem is, how do you print this?? Check out the amount of support material, it's more than the model


I tried to print it upside down, but it was a disaster, the rounded off shape of the roof wouldn't hold to the bed. Plus the top is the most important, or obvious feature.


Looks like I need to figure out how to remove the roof section, at the top of the windows, and print the roof in a separate piece.


@XLR8, I uploaded this model in the Gdrive, VW Camper Six.zip, for you or anyone with the link to check it out. Seems like the best model of the VW Bus I've seen so far, too bad the rear window is the later '64-'67 wider one, and the rear tail lights ('63-'67) aren't the correct shape for having the bullet turn signals on the nose ('58-'61).

[XLR8]

Thanks for the model.
I ran into similar orientation problems with the F-100 and ended up separating it into panels (doors, roof, back, cowl, fenders, etc.) and making custom supports for each part. It's a lot of work but it was the only way I've found to make acceptable prints and reduce filling and sanding to remove layer lines.

When I have a few minutes, I'd like to try same approach with your VW model and perhaps correct the rear window.
Of course, if it works, I will share.

[GreenBar0n]

Thanks for the model.
I ran into similar orientation problems with the F-100 and ended up separating it into panels (doors, roof, back, cowl, fenders, etc.) and making custom supports for each part. It's a lot of work but it was the only way I've found to make acceptable prints and reduce filling and sanding to remove layer lines.

cab parts.jpg

P1010098.JPG

When I have a few minutes, I'd like to try same approach with your VW model and perhaps correct the rear window.
Of course, if it works, I will share.

Your F-100 looks great! Printing the pieces separately seems like the way to go. Have you completed all of your parts for it yet?

I noticed that Orca Slicer has a split and join feature, not sure that's the same thing I'm thinking it is, but being able to cut the roof off is the only way I can imagine this will work correctly. I'll check out the split and join later tonight.

[XLR8]

Thanks for the model.
I ran into similar orientation problems with the F-100 and ended up separating it into panels (doors, roof, back, cowl, fenders, etc.) and making custom supports for each part. It's a lot of work but it was the only way I've found to make acceptable prints and reduce filling and sanding to remove layer lines.

cab parts.jpg

P1010098.JPG

When I have a few minutes, I'd like to try same approach with your VW model and perhaps correct the rear window.
Of course, if it works, I will share.

Your F-100 looks great! Printing the pieces separately seems like the way to go. Have you completed all of your parts for it yet?

I noticed that Orca Slicer has a split and join feature, not sure that's the same thing I'm thinking it is, but being able to cut the roof off is the only way I can imagine this will work correctly. I'll check out the split and join later tonight.

Thanks! I have only a few small parts yet to print and it will be ready for final assembly. I have a bottle of Alclad II Chrome paint to do the bumpers, hub caps, door handles, mirrors, grill, etc. The LEDs arrive today and I'll post photos when the model is complete.

Anyway, you can use the cut features in the slicer to remove the roof however the window frame tops will require supports. Most bridge features that run parallel to the build plate require supports. If they are angled away from the plate (30 degrees or more is best), many times they can be printed without supports.

Another option that will preserve the scale and minimize the need for supports is to orient the model vertically, then print in three sections. Arranging the cuts along the door gaps will help to hide them.

In the example above, I believe the nose will print okay unsupported (or with minimal supports) since it is arched away from the build plate. The inside wall might look a bit messy but it won't be visible in the finished model.

Anyway, I can dissect the model any way you wish.

[GreenBar0n]

Looking forward to seeing the F-100 chromed out. This is your model with the scale engine block, that has the DC motor in it?

That's an interesting idea to orient the Bus model vertically like that, and then split it, to keep the original size or scale of the 313mm WB. Nice!

Would also like to figure out how to take the roof off, once the model's Y-axis is set to 250mm, the body could then be printed upside down, or on top of the windows, it's completely flat that way, and can then hide the printing bed marks with the roof.

Those bullet turn signals are way too big in the scale of things, on that model:


Really all the lights on that model, and not separating the roof, made it not as great as it could've been, but I can't find a more accurate Bus model to start with.

If I left the wider rear window, could make it a 21 window like my real Bus:


It could be easier to change the front turn signals to the fried-egg style, like the later Bus like mine has.


Happy trails.


Will start messing with the Split and Join features in Orca Slicer, still not sure they do what I think they should.

[XLR8]

So am I. Anyway, yes, the F-100's engine block houses a Tamiya brushed 380 motor, the C6 transmission houses a metal planetary gear set pulled from a stepper motor I found on ebay.

So, I just watched a how-to video and Orca's cut feature definitely will work to remove the top allowing you to print it separately from the rest of the body. That might be the quickest path to a printed VW camper body .

However, I really want to attempt the modifications you've mentioned but I'm having trouble pulling the stl file into my surface modeler; It imports as a mostly open mesh. We might need to depend solely upon the slicer for our cuts and address the mods as post-processes.

... or maybe I just need to upgrade to Fusion 360.

Nah, that would make my life too easy.

EDIT: Ah, okay, I got it; The stl was slow to open but I got it. Now, I need to find those bard door reference photos you sent me a while back.