Convince me to buy Core One to replace old dead UM2
Hi All,
In 2016 I bought my first 3D printer - an Ultimaker 2. I spent some months climbing the learning curve and ultimately arrived at a workflow of:
Use only Polymaker PLA (no dryer, no climate control, it sits out for months at a time). Design in OpenSCAD, slice in Simplify3D (adding custom g-code for extruder priming), upload to OctoPrint, print. Since 2016 I have only occasionally lubed the guide tubes and Z spindle and otherwise done no maintenance. I print maybe every two months and that flow has been flawless ever since. Til yesterday when the UM2 died. It appears the "electronics pack" (circuit board) is dead. I can replace the board for 500 bucks or upgrade the whole workflow to something modern.
I only print practical, functional things - don't care about multi colors - but I do care about precision, repeatability and reliability. I am used to starting a print without checking on anything and expecting it to finished cleanly overnight.
As the UM2 has a single nozzle, I have to design around the limitations of supports, which usually means compromising the design to avoid needing supports for overhangs. Having dissolvable supports as an option would be nice. Other than that nice-to-have, I would be happy to get my UM2 running again. But 500 bucks is a long way toward a good new machine, and who knows what else will crap out next on the old UM2.
Will I be happy if I get a Core One (assembled)? Should I get an XL with two heads so I can print dissolvable supports? Or should I fix the UM2?
Thanks!
RE: Convince me to buy Core One to replace old dead UM2
Only you can make the final decision.
I believe thar UM2 uses 2.85mm filament, if you have a large investment in 2.85mm filament in stock, choosing either a Core1 or an XL, may be an expensive choice as your 2.85mm filament stock will be redundant.
I am no UM2 expert, there may be a 1.75mm filament version that I am unaware of...
9 years is a reasonable age for a printer... My first printer was a Prusa Mk1, it's been upgraded to Mk2 with MMU1, and is still working, it's about the same age as your UM2.
things have changed a lot in that time...
Both printers that you mention have Nextruder, which simplifies first layer calibration.
Both printers have magnetically removable build plates in an assortment of surface finishes, which may be more flexible than the UM2 head bed options,
I believe the UM2 has a smaller build plate area, do you often Max out the build plate size?
I believe the UM2 can have a variety of build heights as high as 230mm
If you have this version and you use the available height, then the Core1 may not suit your needs.
the XL series printers are, to the best of my knowledge bigger in X, Y and Z dimensions that the UM2.
You have lasted 9 years with a single extruder printer, do you need multiple extruders?
the XL offers 2 extruders and 5 extruders as options.
From my experience with MMU1, MMU2 and MMU3, multi material prints require a significant purge volume, to prevent cross contamination between dissimilar filaments as perhaps used for supports.
the XL's separate tools can mitigate that.
What Slicer do you use for the UM2? are there Prusa Profiles available for that slicer?
Users often develop an affinity for the first slicer that they encounter, and sometimes find it difficult to switch to a different slicer,
I suspect that Prusa slicer will be easier to use, with multi extruders, than the single extruder UM2 slicer you are used to... again I am no expert...
Prusa tend to offer upgrades for their printers as time passes. did ultimaker do that?
I believe the UM2, has an 8bit controller, where as the Core1 and XL have 32bit processors. buying a replacement electronics set for the UM2 may be limiting future performance...
No doubt there are other factors to take into account, the ones I have mentioned are your starting point, for consideration...
Best wishes whichever route you take.
regards Joan
I try to make safe suggestions,You should understand the context and ensure you are happy that they are safe before attempting to apply my suggestions, what you do, is YOUR responsibility.Location Halifax UK
RE: Convince me to buy Core One to replace old dead UM2
I will refer to a post I placed in another thread, but seems relevant here [with a few extra comments added]......
I have a Core One built from kit. No serious issues and it prints pretty well. I would recommend the kit version so you can gain valuable insight into all the parts and how they come together - because you will need that knowledge further down the line. I do not believe the Core One to be a 'set and forget' experience. You will need to tinker with it every now and then.
I also have a H2D. And I hate to admit it, as much as I like my Prusa machines, 90% of my prints go straight to the H2D. For me it was the fact that it comes as as a 'complete package'. The multicolour/multimaterial system. The camera. The remote possibilities. I can power my printer up (via smart plug) while I'm at work, send a print job across, then monitor the print via the camera system if I want to, and when I get home after work the print is complete and waiting for me. No fuss. And reliable. This seems like what you are used to with your Ultimaker.
At this point in time I don't have that same confidence with Prusa. I also don't want to have to purchase all these extra parts as add-ons - even down to the camera, which should have been included by default at this stage. And I have a MMU3 unit that's a bit of a tacked on afterthought, with a teaser as to what's coming, but no idea how long I have to wait. And we all know Prusa likes to make us wait, and wait, and wait........
I think Bambu have proven themselves thus far. Yes its a relatively closed system, whereas the Prusa is very open sourced, allowing you do whatever you want with your purchased hardware, but BL have come leaps and bounds over a relatively short period of time. From my personal experience, the H2D is a well polished all rounder, even though its a first gen product from the company, and at this point in time I feel it has the edge in terms of reliability, quality, and the overall setup.