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VagabondStarJXF

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About VagabondStarJXF

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  • Birthday 05/08/1976

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    In London, UK.
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    RC's, Paintball, Video Gaming, Movies, Women... and not necessarily in that order!

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  1. The Creality K1C... Although I've seen some good reviews of it I can't help you with that printer. All I can say is that I've heard good things about it. Other than that I can give a bit of advise about 3D printing. Get used to basic PLA before trying anything else. I tried going straight into ABS and basically failed for the first few years of having a 3D printer. It was only after I got fed up enough to buy my 2nd 3D printer that I started getting any decent results in ABS. PLA is pretty tough, more rigid than ABS apparently, so it isn't bad for structural parts. It can be filled, sanded, primed and painted without much issue if you were thinking of doing bodyshells. About filament... Don't skimp on quality (i.e. choosing a low price over anything else) for your filaments because that'll give you problems. I've made that mistake several times before I forced myself to find a few manufacturers that I'd pretty much always go to now. JAYO do cheap but good quality PLA and the spools are 1.1kg as opposed to the 1kg standard. Bambu Lab is good across all their filaments (for all the ones I've used so far) but are a bit more expensive so I usually wait until an offer pops up. 3DQF have a nice range of PLA and are UK based but, again, are more expensive than JAYO and they require a bit more dialling in to get the best results out of them. I've used Creality filaments and they're not too shabby either but the results I've had aren't as good as I get with JAYO. If your going to do more 'decorative' prints then there's a whole load of different PLA filaments (glittery, matte, silk/shiny, etc) from other companies but please do try to get used to the basic PLA first as dialling in settings can get a bit upsetting/annoying if you're not used to that sort of thing. Good thing is that after you get used to printing with PLA you can pretty much print with PETG filaments as well because they have similar print requirements. If you were thinking about printing ABS in the future... The K1C is built into an enclosure so that's good. ABS has its difficulties but temperature stability causes the most problems. Even in warmer climates you'll need a fully enclosed chamber that keeps the print temperature stable as it's printing then you need to give the print time to cool slowly before you remove it from the printer. Hitting it with cooler or cold air too soon causes warping and delamination (splitting between layers) issues. That's on top of design/slicing 'principles' that, if ignored, will cause the same problems even if you have a stable temp in your chamber. For ABS I usually use Bambu Lab (when they're on sale), PolyProps, and eSun (when I can find their ABS+ cheap enough). I've tried loads of generic cheap stuff too and seriously wouldn't recommend doing that at the start (or ever if you don't have to). The lower the quality the more warping and delamination you'll encounter. P.S. If you can print ABS you can also try printing with HIPS (High Impact PolyStyrene) as they have similar print requirements. There's ASA as well which I've heard also has similar print requirements (although I've not tried ASA yet myself). Getting a model ready to print... Get used to one slicer (the program you'll use to create the code your printer will use to print the model). Try a few out then stick with the one you get along with the most. I think Creality now use a variation of Slic3r or Prusa Slicer like Bambu Lab does with its Bambu Studio. They used to have Creality Slicer (based on Cura Slicer) but I think I saw somewhere that they've got something very similar to Bambu Studio now. I prefer to use Orca Slicer which is pretty much Bambu Studio but with a few extra bits. I've had a Bambu Lab X1 Carbon for just over a year now and Orca allowed me to tweak and/or accomplish a few things that Bambu Studio wouldn't. If I were to recommend anything it'd be Orca Slicer but do try out others to find the one that you get along with best. If you're thinking of designing you own parts... There's a few CAD programs out there that are free. Onshape can work on your phone if your looking for something like that. FreeCAD is where I pretty much started and, if I could remember how to use it, I'd probably try going back to it. I'm currently using Fusion360 which, despite the restrictions they've added to the free version over the years, is really easy to use which is pretty much why I've forgotten how to use FreeCAD. There's others out there but I can't remember which ones I've tried off the top of my head. All in all, 3D printing is actually not as complicated as the above might make it sound and it's actually kinda mesmerising to watch the print form (i.e. prepare yourself to lose hours just watching your printer do its thing). So good luck with your choice of printer and I wish you a lot of printing success.
  2. Happy New Year! My plans are the same as they were at the end of 2023, unfortunately. I'm intent on getting all my unfinished RC projects finished, recording vid footage along the way and, after editing, uploading vids to my YT channel. I'd intended to start this at the beginning of 2024 but it turned out to be a lot more involved than I was prepared for... Then the rest of the year was taken up with getting used to my [then new] 3D printer, adapting my workspace to be add the "video recording" capability, accommodating stuff for the 3D printing 'hobby' that I'd failed to resist falling into, (i.e. making a never ending, self perpetuating mess that I just can't seem to tidy ), rebuilding my custom Detolf cabinet with 3D printed parts relearning how to 3D scan stuff, and a plethora of other methods of procrastination that life presents. (TBH 2024 was mostly me finding out I need stuff, then waiting for money to appear in my bank to order stuff, then waiting for said stuff to arrive, before working on stuff to find out what other stuff I needed to order next... repeat ad infinitum.) So, yeah, same plan as then for me in 2025 so... Happy Same Year Everybody!
  3. Well this idea of mine went a bit sideways. Half of my camera gear, as well as some of my RC stuff, is still stuck in the Philippines and its been about 4 months since it was initially sent. The box didn't pass the x-ray scans and just sat in a depot over there until a couple of weeks ago. My cousin only notified me today that he's just reshipped it and so the waiting game begins anew. Honestly if this wasn't the cheapest (i.e. only) solution for me, or if I could afford to just replace everything and leave that stuff over there, I'd be able to get started properly. But anyways. Enough ranting... I've picked up some lighting from Lidl of all places. They're small Parkside cordless LED worklights... so not exactly "photo studio" purpose lights but I'm sure I'll make them work! 😄 Now if only I can figure out how I'd need to rearrange my room to accommodate the lighting and cameras. I'm not too sure about rearranging anything until my stuff gets back to me. In the meantime I'm thinking of 3D printing some custom diffusers and/or reflectors out of some white PETG. That'll mean I can make them fit my lamps and the available space but I'm not sure if there's a minimum space needed to achieve the correct effectiveness. I think I'm going to have to do some more Google "research".
  4. I've just started trying PETG recently myself. Dry your filament before each use. I dried mine for over a day before the first print, just for a bit of overkill, then forgot to dry it before the next print a couple of days later. Needless to say the print went a bit weird. It took me a few failed prints before I remembered that PETG is really, really hygroscopic. 😄
  5. Have you got any other batteries to try other than the 1300mAh NiCd?
  6. Yup. Dust is not your 3D Printer's friend. Creality do portable type enclosures (now available from other companies too) that should fit the Prusa mk3 just fine if you want to print in the more temperature sensitive materials like ABS. I have one left over from when I was using my Tevo Tornado and I'd printed ABS ok with it. I'm not sure if I'd try the really, really sensitive ones (like Nylon, PEEK, etc.) with that kind of setup. I'm not even confident enough to try those with an X1C.
  7. Thanks. I'm basically stalled on most of my projects due to custom parts needed so that's what I was thinking about doing on my projects, CAD & 3D scanning/printing as part of the project. As I'm not entirely sure how those parts are going to work out I'm sure that there's going to be a lot of experimenting thing going on. Custom parts FTW! Thanks for the advise on lighting. I've been looking at the umbrellas but I'm a bit unsure about how I can place them in my room as space is a premium. The light boxes seem like a nicer idea but I think I'm going to have the same problem with placement & space. That being said, I do have a pop up photo booth that came with some 'backgrounds' which might work as diffusers... if I can remember where I put them!?! I'd replaced the bulbs on my spot lamps when I'd bought them for the exact reason you'd mentioned. I don't know why they were so badly mismatched in the first place. Maybe one bulb was on its way out? Anyways, good advise on the bulbs. Thanks.
  8. Hey everyone on TC! Long time no see! I'd reduced my time on TC a few years back because I was working/tired all the time so, after a couple of years of 'lurking' on here, I find myself going back to an idea I'd had back in 2010 of making a YouTube RC video show/blog/thing. I'd never really given up on the RC hobby (probably never will) so doing vids about my builds was what the main idea was about. The only problem is that I really don't know anything about doing the whole YouTube thing. As some of us on TC do vids regularly I'm hoping people can chime in on how to build a YT channel. I'm going to be doing builds so that's not the most exciting thing ever but I'm hoping that I can avoid making the show too boring to watch so any pointers about avoiding 'boring-ness' will be appreciated. If anyone has advice on setting up their room as a 'studio' that's also be appreciated. For filming I have 3 small 1080p camcorders to capture multiple angles. They're all the same model, and they're old models for sure, but they were cheap and film pretty well. My initial idea was to have one cam for me, one for my desk and one for close up shots of whatever I'm building. Each camera has time lapse capability but no slow-mo. I do have a small selection of small tripods to stand them on my desk and only one large enough to stand on the floor. For lighting I have 2 small spot lamps that can add a lot of light (they're blindingly bright) although I don't have anything to diffuse or reflect at this moment. My window is semi-blocked by equipment at the moment so natural light shouldn't be too much of an issue. For sound recording I've got a small lavalier mic setup but that only attaches to my phone or my laptop so I don't have any other decent way of recording sound at the moment. The camcorders don't have a mic input on them. For editing I have no clue as to what programs to use. When I did my first few vids back in 2010/11 I had access to Windows Movie Maker which was free and did a decent enough job but now, in 2024, that program no longer exists. I can't fork out the money for Adobe (as good as I hear it is) so if anyone has any recommendations for free software that'd handle the task of A/V editing that's be great. For Content... Obviously I'm going to be doing vids about my RC builds, as I'd stated earlier, but what exactly about the builds would everyone like to see? How informative would you like the builds to be? Would RC painting vids be welcomed viewing? Are you interested in watching someone fumble around in CAD and/or 3D scanning before 3D printing? Is there any RC related content that isn't in the multitude of RC vids out there that you'd like to see? (or to see attempted in a YT channel) N.B. I don't have an RC track (or access to one) and nowhere really available to run my RCs in safety so action vids will be minimal if any. Lastly... Is it worth setting up a Patreon account right from the beginning? What even is Patreon? Is it better to use than YouTube? Thanks in advance to all who can offer advice and/or tips & tricks on how to get this idea up 'n running. J. P.S. I apologise if this is in the wrong section of TC. Mods - please move if necessary. Many Thanks, J.
  9. I also highly recommend the Bambu Lab X1 Carbon (a.k.a the X1C). I got mine last November on the Black Friday sale and I've never had such an easy time with 3D printing. Admittedly all the stuff I'd learned in the prior years of having a Tevo Tornado (along with all its problems) made the X1C feel like a Godsend. It is a bit pricey (currently £1099 for the base model) for someone who will occasionally dabble in 3D Printing but if you're intent on doing a lot of bits 'n pieces (e.g. I printed a couple of vases the other week... who'd have thought, eh?) you wouldn't be wrong for getting an X1C.
  10. All Cartesian style bed slingers, ones with the print bed moving on the y-axis, are pretty much the entry point to 3D printing for most people. As such they're pretty good if you can get used to them. There's a bit of a learning curve to get the best out of any 3D printer but, if your friend of a friend doesn't mind helping you, you might have an easier time of it than I did. I don't have anyone to hand that knows about 3D printer stuff so I'm having to work stuff out for myself using a combination of trial & error combined with YouTube & Google. 😄
  11. This! It's recoverable though but you'll need a lot of clear paint, and even more patience. Basically you'll need to do a few clear coats to build up to a sandable level. This is when you can carefully wet sand a bit. Then you add a few more clear layers and lightly wet sand again. You'll need to repeat this until you're happy with the levelling of your paint. Once you're happy you can do your final clear coat, cure, polish and buff. It's a lot of work/time but it's pretty much the way to get the best finish. Edit: the trick is to "fill" the dips in the orange peel instead of sanding away the "peaks", if you know what I mean?
  12. I figured they'd be gone but, as the saying goes, "if you don't ask" and all that. 😁 thanks for responding. 👍
  13. I know this is a long shot as it's coming up to a year since this was posted but do you still have these tracks for sale?
  14. I'm pretty sure that that Lunchie is the reason why I've got a TLT-1 based Pumpkin project amongst my list of unfinished projects. Peace be with you, @MadInventor, my TamiyaClub brother.
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