Replicator 5th Gen

Replicator 5th Generation Information

Applying Blue Painter’s Tape

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Applying blue painter’s tape to you platform can be done in a number of ways. Below we will discuss one method of applying it that consistently works well for us. Materials Needed: Build Plate(easiest to apply tape when out of the printer) Blue Painter’s Tape Sheet Squeegee(A credit card or similar will work in a pinch) Rubbing Alcohol Paper Towel Sand Paper (320 grit works well) Process The First step is to remove all pieces of the last sheet of tape on the build plate. If there are any large chunks of adhesive left over scraping them off may be necessary, but leaving some adhesive residue from the last sheet generally doesn’t hurt anything. The first step is to peel half the sheet of tape off it’s backing. This should be done starting at one of the shorter edges. With the backing removed align the edge with the side of … Read more

MakerBot Desktop 3.7

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Many of you have likely already downloaded MakerBot Desktop 3.7 as it was released in June. This is just an update for those that haven’t either because they are sticking with an older version they feel is sufficient or that haven’t noticed this latest version of MakerBot Desktop. Desktop 3.7 is a significant upgrade in terms of the ease of accessing the bulk of the settings that many users want to fine-tune when they are printing day-to-day. By simply switching to the custom tab in Settings, you can now control things like how far your raft extends from the print, travel speeds during a variety of printing stages, angle required to generate support and even choose to print infill at a lower resolution than the outer shells. This customization is a great way to get your prints printing how you want while no longer requiring you to edit text files … Read more

Helping PLA Stick to Blue Painters Tape with Glue

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If you run into issues with a big flat print warping in the corners and you can’t seem to get it to stay stuck to your blue painters tape we have a simple trick that might help. As always if possible redesign your piece to have small portions that break up long flat portions on the build plate and include recesses or other relief areas to make it smaller chunks of warping rather than one big area. To make your prints stick to the blue painters tape you can simply apply a thin coat of UHU glue where your print will be and slightly further out to ensure you get the edges well. If you just need a tiny bit of help to make the print stick, tracing the outline of the print or even just a good coat in the corners can be sufficient. This glue stick is easy … Read more

Spool Holders for the new Thor3D Filament

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We recently brought in a new line of Thor3D filament. This filament is a great way to gain access to new colors and reduce your print costs. This Thor3D filament does have a few different sized spools compared to the MakerBot filament and as such the stock spool holders won’t work. To solve this problem of not being able to use the stock spool holders we have found and designed spool holders that will work. If you are looking for a spool holder for the Replicator 5th Generation, here is a link to the one we designed: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:937667 This is a straightforward print that requires no support and works great with all sizes of Thor3D spools. If you are looking for a spool holder for the Replicator 2/2X, then we found one that works great. Here is a link to it: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:36459 This print works best printed on a raft with support.

Removing 3D prints from the build plate

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How to Remove a Stuck Print When you have a print that stuck too well to the build plate it can be very frustrating. Here are some techniques we use to make this process a little easier. The first step is if possible remove your build plate. It is much easier to both damage your print and injure yourself if you are struggling to remove a print in the confined space inside the printer. It is also wise to wear thick gloves on both hands for really stubborn prints as the tools used to remove prints generally are somewhat sharp. We mainly make use of large dull knives as tools to remove prints as they can get under a print fairly easily at a corner and with a rolling/twisting motion rather than a prying motion and can generally remove a print without damaging the tape. Another widely used item to remove … Read more