Longtime lurker willing to enter 3D

[stratman]

I found this very helpful when I started...

I agree with him. I hate when my nozzle isn't "parallel" with my bed.

 

[The Hat]

The first two tasks are to Level the bed properly and to get a good first layer.

That’s all very fine @Redbrickman, but I found this video tutorial more for an accomplished user and totally useless for a beginner, I use a 160gm piece of paper and move the head and bed into position to hand level.

Set the heated bed so as the paper can just move slightly under the hot nozzle without tearing, do this on each corner then when you start to print you can make any slight adjustments on the run..

When you gain more experience you’ll get the hang of it very quickly, more than 3 years on, I’m still using the piece of paper to level, because your never going to get it perfect, a tiny bit low is better than to high..

 

[Artur5]

Thanks a lot for your advices.
I'll have to check brands of filaments easily available to EU buyers. I guess Amazon and Aliexpress are the obvious sources or maybe it's better to search at online shops dedicated to 3D supplies ?

 

[The Hat]

I'll have to check brands of filaments easily available to EU buyers.

I used the 3DQF filament in the UK, but that avenue is now closed, they were 25% cheaper than most other filaments and free delivery, a no brainer for me.

Now I use the “Real” brand out of Holland, I get mine from 123ink.ie but 123ink.nl may also sell to the rest of the EU, I also use AliExpress but it takes 3 to 4 weeks to get it from them.

Surly there are filament suppliers in Spain too.. I buy PLA 1.75 Dia. size and it comes in 1 Kg rolls, I can get filament cheaper on the EU Mainland but the courier charges have become murder, they now must ship through Le-Havre. Brexit changed everything..

This is the stuff I use now…

 

[Artur5]

Thanks again, @The Hat.
So much info to digest about everything on the tridimensional Universe.
I found a web in Spain dedicated to 3D supplies. Prices aren't the best, but shipping is cheap (for domestic orders). Even free for purchases above 90 euro. Very nice web too. They have a great blog with advices, answers to questions, properties and uses for different materials, parts of a 3D printer ,etc. For newbies like me that's a big bonus.
They sell the Fillamentum brand and others which, I presume, are also of good quality.
In case somebody is interested:
https://filament2print.com/gb/

 

[The Hat]

In case somebody is interested:

Those prices are not bad at all. I pay €24 a roll now..

 

[stratman]

I used the 3DQF filament in the UK, but that avenue is now closed

What do you mean "closed"? Their web site still has shipping to Ireland available, though the shipping charge was more than the price of the filament.

 

[The Hat]

What do you mean "closed"?

I shipped to Belfast to avail of the free shipping here but that failed in December when the couriers refused to deliver to Northern Ireland because of extra duty to be collected and extra paper work and anything else they could think of.

The shipping cost to Ireland was €30 plus VAT plus custom duty plus extra unknown charges, basically Brexit become a nightmare to deal with.. Nobody has a clue.. Now the UK has become one big obstruction between us and the Mainland..

 

[stratman]

Now the UK has become one big obstruction between us and the Mainland..

Sounds like the problem is on your side of the swimming pool.

If we could airlift/drop food into East Germany during the 60's then someone should be able to figure out a way to drone some filament to you.

PS Do the Brits call it the Irish Sea, too? Or is it the English Sea to them?

 

[The Hat]

PS Do the Brits call it the Irish Sea, too? Or is it the English Sea to them?

Now who’s getting into hot water here, the name of the sea hasn’t change in 400 years..
When the UK were part of the EU, our freight passed over the UK land bridge.. But now they have different customs arrangements and they charge for them.. No mystery..