Advice for a newbie building a MK3 KIT  

Re: Advice for a newbie building a MK3 KIT

Do it how you want, but I'd recommend that you, as a newbie, build to the official standard without modifications the first time. Then, if you have trouble, contact prusa support and they'll help you solve it.

When you have a first version of the printer working, then you can start adding mods.

Re: Advice for a newbie building a MK3 KIT

Plus 1 to above. Build it according to the manual and then make modifications after you've seen it print successfully. You're going to drive yourself insane if the printer doesn't print properly after you've completed the build with all of the custom parts. It's going to make troubleshooting really hard for you.

Re: Advice for a newbie building a MK3 KIT

One more vote for building the kit without any mods.

The whole FDM printing is a surprisingly complex subject, and Prusa has done a great job making it easy and reliable for newcomers to get good results and learn, but there are still enough challenges to tackle.

I have started with an MK2S kit last year, sold it after just 1 week when the new MK3 was announced, and have now been printing with the MK3 for more than 2 months. I changed shafts and bearings (but really not necessary IMHO), otherwise everything is stock, and it just works. There are the odd FW issues that I am sure will be ironed out over time, but HW wise just focus on a precise build and it should be fine for a long time to come.
The instructions are very good, and point out many small things that woudl be easily overlooked.

So have a goood build and take your time!

Re: Advice for a newbie building a MK3 KIT

My opinion is that I doubt that some of the "enhancement parts" that are circulating here are a true enhancement.

Some seem very theoretical to me...

+1 for building it original. No need to buy replacement parts up front.

Re: Advice for a newbie building a MK3 KIT

+1 for build to original spec.

I consider myself fairly "up to speed" on 3D printing as I have ad a 3D printer for about 3.5 years and have built both the MK2 and MK3 kits. But i build both to original spec before assessing what might need to be changed. A lot of what you read on forums about "short falls" in printer design and issues people have should be taken with a pinch of salt. It is seldom some one will post on the forum saying "just built my printer and it works a treat"

I built my MK3 last week and struggled to get the X-Axis belt as tight as I would like so I did print the X-Axis tensioner mentioned elsewhere in this forum. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2740715 . BUT I assembled the printer first before deciding on this approach. Yes that meant I "lost" about fifteen minutes refitting the X axis motor but to me it was worth it.

If you build to spec and have issues then both the forum and support will be able to assist you better AND you will get to understand the printer and its workings a little better.

Z

Re: Advice for a newbie building a MK3 KIT

My opinion is that I doubt that some of the "enhancement parts" that are circulating here are a true enhancement.

I absolutely agree with you. I have the greatest confidence in the original design.

Re: Advice for a newbie building a MK3 KIT

I absolutely agree with you. I have the greatest confidence in the original design.

Oh I think there are flaws in the original parts (the x axis to say it out loud). But Josef Prusa already confirmed they are working on it. And until then the original parts are good enough for me:-)

I just think that Prusa Research have a lot of experience - some people designing enhancement parts do not even have a MK3. That is why I think some enhancements are only based on theoretic problems.

Re: Advice for a newbie building a MK3 KIT

Thank you all for the feedback!!!

Will go for the standard them... 😀

One more thing:

Should i put the spiral wrap from the heatbed wires or not?

thanks!

Gustavo Schmitt

Re: Advice for a newbie building a MK3 KIT

I kind of agree with build stock first... The only two things I'd change on that is I'd add the Rambo Extruder Cable protector. No matter what I did I couldn't keep my harness snugly attached to the Rambo case, this little guy helped a ton...

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2696342

The other I'd consider though still haven't added it to my build is the X-axis belt tensioner... I was worried about cross threading a screw into the motor while trying to tension the X-axis belt, that and I had to futz with the belt notches at the extruder back. Too many notches and the belt would be too tight and teeth would slip too few and it was too loose. Having some sort of belt tensioner would have minimized that fiasco...

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2740715

Otherwise, if you're all stock and you have a problem you know it's not due to one of the "upgrades"

Good luck on the build it's actually quite easy and goes well if you take your time... And yes I too flipped the X-axis during the build...

Re: Advice for a newbie building a MK3 KIT

Should i put the spiral wrap from the heatbed wires or not?

Install the spiral wrap and then manually move the bed back and forth a few times. If you see behavior that worries you - like the wrap bending unreasonably tight, or pinching the cables - then you could figure out a way without the wrap. You don't necessarily need to run it stock for ages before starting to mod it, just enough to make sure your mods aren't introducing new issues.

Re: Advice for a newbie building a MK3 KIT

This was my first build but second printer (first was a Monoprice Maker Select).

* READ ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS for each step first before doing the step. The ONLY problems I had was when I moved forward with what seemed to be an obvious assembly and was wrong.

Other than that I have had few problems. My issues now are more with learning about how to properly slice different shaped objects, when to use brim/raft/supports, etc.

Take your time and enjoy learning your printer from the inside out as you build it. Having mine pass all of the tests and do a simple print was extremely satisfying.

Re: Advice for a newbie building a MK3 KIT

Thanks for asking this question, and all the great answers on here, I was planning to ask the same thing, and now I don’t have to! 😉
I’d been compiling a list of upgrades on thingiverse, and was wondering which (if any) to print before building my MK3 when it arrived (currently predicted by the unofficial shipping date estimator to ship around February 19th; arrive by early March). As the consensus seems to be to not print any upgrades before it’s assembled, that’s what I’ll do. 🙂

Re: Advice for a newbie building a MK3 KIT

I am in the same boat as you OP. Waiting for my printer and deciding how to build it first. I am like all the great people are suggesting build it stock configuration. Then use it in stock configuration to print any upgrades i may need.

While i agree alot of these "upgrades" are theoretical and sometimes untested as in made by someone that doesnt even have a mk3. Some of them are legit, such as the Z axis motor mount. The Prusa design is .5mm to small there is no way to deny that, this is painfully obvious to anyone who has looked at the CAD files(which i did after learning about this issue to see if there were similar issues on Z axis or elsewhere on the printer). Something like this should have been caught before now, and the user suggested fix is indeed a upgrade in this instance.

The PSU twisting the frame is also a real issue i dont need a printer to know that a loose tolerance china made PSU is not going to have exact to the fraction of a mm trued mounting holes. So connecting it to two axis is a poor design choice.

Thats where im going to start my mods, as well as the x axis likely as alot of people complain about it.

But im going to run it stock long enough to get comfortable printing in both PLA and PETG first.

Re: Advice for a newbie building a MK3 KIT

Install the spiral wrap and then manually move the bed back and forth a few times. If you see behavior that worries you - like the wrap bending unreasonably tight, or pinching the cables - then you could figure out a way without the wrap. You don't necessarily need to run it stock for ages before starting to mod it, just enough to make sure your mods aren't introducing new issues.

Will try that, thanks!

🙂

Re: Advice for a newbie building a MK3 KIT

Sorry I missed your post, but I'll be using the below videos from Ron Hunt as I build and if needed do maintenance on my printer when it comes in. You've got a good thread going here on your post so I plan on adding it to my list. From his main page scroll down until you see his 5 videos for MK3 build.

https://www.youtube.com/user/RonHuntPhotography/videos

Re: Advice for a newbie building a MK3 KIT

After some great hours feeling like a mad scientist my baby is born!
😀

Got perpendicular from the self test...

allready made some whistle and a batman logo fir my sons...

will print a benchy for test...

It is completely stock printer...
But now prusa released the new parts and i will be printing them on my printer...
Thank you all for the advices!

Re: Advice for a newbie building a MK3 KIT

After some great hours feeling like a mad scientist my baby is born!
😀

Got perpendicular from the self test...

allready made some whistle and a batman logo fir my sons...

will print a benchy for test...

It is completely stock printer...
But now prusa released the new parts and i will be printing them on my printer...
Thank you all for the advices!

I’d skip the benchy takes a long time to print and the print from the included gcode may make you wonder if your printer is up to snuff.