Tools: What do you recommend?  

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

In that I've only ever used the textured PEI plates, I just use a basic, nylon reinfoced spudger to remove parts. They don't mark the surface and can generally remove anything I've encountered.

I also have two plates so that I can take the hot one off and let the parts cool a bit, which in turns often allows them to separate naturally.

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

@cwbullet

people will grumble now, but I use a sharp steel blade and have rounded the corners so that the PEI film is not damaged. For the textured sheet (and also the PEI foiled) I use a self-printed plastic spatula.

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

@karl-herbert

Do you have a link the 3d printed file?

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

Posted by: @cwbullet

Let focus a little discussion on Prusa print surface friendly print removal tools.  Who has one?

I'm fond of iomaa’s print removal wedges. They're handy for removing completed prints without touching the PEI print surface.

I also use plastic razors.

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

I like the plastic scraper recommended by Bob at Muppet Labs for removing stuff from the bed.

• A plastic scraper is handy for easily removing parts without them flying across the room as can happen with duller tools. This one uses plastic razor blades which are far sharper than anything I can print, but nowhere near as dangerous as metal blades.

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

@cwbullet

Of course I have a link: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3394349

have fun printing 👍 

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

I use two devices.  One is a smaller thumb-ring pry tool which I downloaded the .stl from some site I can't remember, and the other is almost like a car windshield scraper, again downloaded from one of the usual suspect sites.

I use the larger one most.  When it gets dull, I just reprint it.

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

@mog

I use the same ones.  

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

I am going to add a cheap one to the list.  I use a syringe to add lubrication to my bearings and rods.  It simply works and allows me better control over the process.  

bump

great thread with some helpful information when it comes to tooling

Tools

Do you have any suggestions to add to the list?

Posted by: @brettg

great thread with some helpful information when it comes to tooling

Some more useful tools

For Canadians, I recently replaced my scraper with this very nice (and cheap, at approx 2$!) one from Canadian Tire. Somehow I can't find it on their website. It's sharp (doesn't look like it but it is) yet flexible and has a just the right size IMO. No chance to damage the steel sheet and it doesn't erode and leave residue like my previous plastic scraper did.

Another recent acquisition is the appropriately named "Rechargeable Digital Kitchen Scale NEXT-SHINE 5kg x 0.1 Gram USB Multifunctional Food Weight Scale with Protective Tray and LCD Back-lit Display for Cooking Baking Postal Parcel, Red Weighing Plate" 😂 which is slim and precise (AFAIK). I compared it with our Starfrit kitchen scale and it produced the exact same values. Useful to check if your spool contains enough filament for a print when close to the end of a spool.

Other favorites include a hook and pick set to clean up the extruder gear on my MINI+. This specific shape is perfect for this. Tried a brush before with little success.

It's also useful to have a fillet gauge ( https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1184315)  handy to measure existing objets to make parts that fit:

And those small sanding blocks ( https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/47712-small-sanding-block) are nice and compact:

Tool Organizer

I also quite like my recently-published, self-designed tool organizer in which you can see a couple of the tools I mentioned. Not a tool per se, but related and useful:

https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/75507-compact-printing-tools-organizer

Butane torch

Oh, and I've found a butane torch (with quick passes) to be much better at cleaning up stringing than a heat gun, at least my own non-temperature-adjustable one. Strings curl up instantly as soon as the flame touches them, but the part remains undisturbed.

This one is from a creme brûlée set we had stowed away for years and never used. It found a home beside my printer 🙂

Butane

Be careful setting that near your printer.  Printers tend to catch fire and butane tends to go boom.  

Posted by: @fortinmike

Oh, and I've found a butane torch (with quick passes) to be much better at cleaning up stringing than a heat gun, at least my own non-temperature-adjustable one. Strings curl up instantly as soon as the flame touches them, but the part remains undisturbed.

This one is from a creme brûlée set we had stowed away for years and never used. It found a home beside my printer 🙂

tool organizer

Posted by: @fortinmike

I also quite like my recently-published, self-designed tool organizer in which you can see a couple of the tools I mentioned. Not a tool per se, but related and useful:

https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/75507-compact-printing-tools-organizer

That is a pretty nice design. I am printing a few to use right now.  the orange and black go well together. 

RE: tool organizer

Posted by: @cwbullet

That is a pretty nice design. I am printing a few to use right now.  the orange and black go well together. 

Thanks! I'd love to see your makes and feedback on prusaprinters. Also, if you have any insight on the "benchy hull lines" on my print I'd love to hear it. I just added my 3mf files on prusaprinters.

Regarding the butane torch, it was a manner of speaking. It's not right beside my printer as that would indeed feel like disaster waiting to happen!

Will do.

Will do.  

Posted by: @fortinmike

 

Posted by: @cwbullet

That is a pretty nice design. I am printing a few to use right now.  the orange and black go well together. 

Thanks! I'd love to see your makes and feedback on prusaprinters. Also, if you have any insight on the "benchy hull lines" on my print I'd love to hear it. I just added my 3mf files on prusaprinters.

Regarding the butane torch, it was a manner of speaking. It's not right beside my printer as that would indeed feel like disaster waiting to happen!

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

I have searched many sites for it, but I found https://www.bestsolderingirons.com/best-heat-gun/ for it

RE:

Hi, I need some recommendations on heat gun. I have two issues:

1. Often when the prints have strings, my eyes feel irrigated.

2. After sanding the prints, the surfaces discolor and sometimes looks white.

 Will getting a heat gun help? What sort of heat gun is recommended?

I checked the link for the one with digital temperature display but it is broken.

Posted by: @cwbullet

I have to agree with buying a heat gun.  

I own the Portal Cable and Dewalt Heat Gun.  I just bought this heat gun with a digital temperature display.  I found the size more useful for 3d printing and the display useful to gauge when to remove plastic bits.

I have found them very useful for cleaning up those printing misfires.  

Which gun do you use?