Black Friday Noob Question (Maker Select V2)

Hello! I have never owned a 3d printer (but have some experience modeling) and see that the Monoprice Maker Select V2 is on sale for $280. I only want a machine for simple home use, maybe make things for my fish tank if I can find fish-safe material. Should I jump on the deal now or wait and maybe get something better for a little more, or something similar cheaper? My price range can be up to $500. Thanks in advance I appreciate the help 🙂 http://ift.tt/2gb1x4t

My first 3D Print!

Over the summer i bought rollers for riding my bike indoors. It was missing a part, the seller disappeared, and the manufacturer no longer has the parts.Luckily this part was one of 6 so I had a piece to measure out. Used digital calipers to build it up in Sketchup Make, and printed at a local 3DHubs printer. Hoping to get a MP Maker Select but this cost me like $5 to have printed so I cannot complain at all. Installed on the roller today and it fits like a glove. Printed in black ABSIn case you were wondering, the purpose of the part is to properly hold a nut inside the frame so a leg can be threaded onto it. It also functions a sort of a foot when the roller frame is folded in half for storage.Here are a few pictures, printed on the left, original on the righthttp://imgur.com/a/0f7SuHere is the STL file in the rare chance anyone else needs one of thesehttp://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1905196All of the square recesses in it were just to roughly match the original to save on material. In hindsight I should have left it flat as this created overhang problems for the printer. http://ift.tt/2gboofG

Is it even possible to level a glass bed on a bent heated bed with thermal pads?

Wanhao Duplicator i3 v2.1I am asking because I cannot figure out why my bed is way off in some areas and not in others. My heated bed is warped like a bowl. The corners are higher than the space surrounding the center, left and right areas. The front and back are not as bent and stay mostly level with their corresponding corners. These symptoms are similar to that of y-rods being bent downwards, but I have concluded this is not the case by turning them 180 degrees and trying many other orientations. I have glass a top of my bed and am using thermal pads to hold it in place and transfer heat. I have noticed that some corners lift off from the bed and pull the thermal pads with them, making leveling inaccurate and hard as it changes its height and resettles. Is there any way to get around this? Thanks TLDR: Bed will not level, the heated bed is bent/bowed like a bowl, and the glass pulls the thermal pads up and off it when trying to level. http://ift.tt/2fgIaYi

Printing PetG on a Lulzbot Mini

I just wanted to share a few key settings that I’ve found produce very nice results when printing PetG on my Lulzbot mini… I’m sure most of these settings will work just fine on other printers too. If you would like to know what other settings I’m using just ask! If you want to see some results just look for jkingmedia on instagram and I’ve posted pics of my prints there.Software: Simplify 3DPrinting Temp: 255C Extruder 80C Bed (layers bond very well)Printing Speed: 55mm/sec (I’ve printed up to 90mm/sec with great results too but lost some fine detail)Layer height: 150 microns (I do not recommend any lower, 300 microns also produces great results but with less fine detail)Retraction distance: 1.20mm (This is very important to prevent stringing and blobs)Retraction speed: 40mm/sec (This is very important to prevent stringing and blobs) http://ift.tt/2g704L0