EVERYONE is a Novice at Some Level With a New 3D Printer

I often hear people apologize as they ask a question with something like "I'm new to 3D printing and this is my first 3D printer."

Little do they know that no matter how many 3D printers one might have used in the past, they are still novices at some level when faced with a new 3D printer.  While past experience helps, it is no guarantee that we can instantly get the best prints out of our latest purchase.

I was recently reminded of this when one of the teachers to whom we had provided a Micro 3D printer, called to report that it was "broken" and wouldn't work.  Picking up the printer to find out what was wrong and possibly return it for repair, I found that the printer was working perfectly.

Yet, this was a person who had used the Cube 3D printers for several years!

The Cube 3D printers, with which they were familiar used a magnet to hold the print table in place.  And, it also required the application of a liquid glue on the glass print table.

The Micro, on the other hand, secures the table by sliding the back of the table into a full-length slot and then moving it forward to lock two tabs in the front of the plate into place.  And, the plate is covered with a sheet of BuildTak.  No glue is required.

I didn't have time to check the printer over when I picked it up and dropped off a replacement.  Now that I have had the time to check the "broken" printer out, I'm surprised I haven't gotten a call to report that the replacement is broken!

The first thing I noticed was that the plate was backwards.  It wasn't fully inserted and locked.  The second thing I found was that the build plate was covered in glue!  Apparently, having experience with the Cube needing glue, when an object didn't stick due to a too large gap, they thought the problem could be fixed by a liberal application of glue!

I have no idea whether they actually tried to print on a backwards plate; but, that isn't what is important in this situation.  They did what they knew to do based on their past experience. 

It was not all their fault that past experience that led they astray. A larger share of the fault was mine, as the training director, in not being better at communicating the differences between the two 3D printers.

Fortunately, our guiding principle in our 3D design and printing program is "Your Failures Are Not Final".  This turns out to be a great learning opportunity for both me and our teachers.  We were so excited by our new program for our teachers that we focused on providing them with a printer without focusing enough on every facet of its operation.  That won't happen in the future.

Even though I am considered an "expert" when it comes to the Cube series of printers, there was much to learn with my first Micro printer.  But, every stumble, came new understanding about how to make the most of everything the Micro offered.

And, it won't be any different for me when I finally get take delivery of the M3D Pro.  I will be a Pro novice... just like everybody else  That's just the nature of 3D printers.  Just as I had to learn how to use all of my other 3D printers and work within their realm, so too, I expect to have to go through a learning curve to get the most out of the Pro.

So, what does this mean for you?

I understand what it feels like to be a novice with a new 3D printer.  I've shared the bewilderment that every new 3D printer owner feels.  And, I don't want to ever lose that perspective as I gain more and more experience with both the Micro and the Pro.

By helping out our teacher I gained valuable insight about my own responsibilities to ALL of our teachers.  Over the past 4-5 years of my Cube focused blog, I've received hundreds of help requests.  And, while I've been able to help the majority of them, I learned from every one of them as I sought for answers that I didn't immediately know.

The novice experience is immensely valuable to the growth of those who desire to be experts.  Sometime we know what NOT to do to the point that we miss out on some very cool potential. 

When I say that I am committed to helping new users of both Micro and Pro it is based on the fact that I need to learn and grow and I have found that so-called newbies have a lot to contribute to that growth.

Series: Colorizing 3D Prints #5 - Darker Skin Tones

While I do not believe that I have the proper colors to produce all the skin tones to match the facial characteristics of the cadets that I teach, I do have a wide enough range to at least experiment with slightly darker skin tones.  And that is a logical progression from lesson #4.

Here is the result using the pens available in the Spectrum Noir"Pale Hues" color pack.  The newly colored print is on the right.

Facial Tinting Compared

As you can see, using the exact same colors that were used for face #1, by changing the relative mix we can come up with a strikingly different and pleasant result.  It is also important to note that the face on the right was printed in M3D's ABS-R, not to be confused with regular ABS.  So, we now have at least two surfaces that take the Spectrum Noir markers used in the eBrush airbrush system!

As always, there were new lessons to be learned in the process of colorizing our 2nd face.

Mistakes Are Not Fatal

The first is one that we repeat over and over to our 3D printing students... "Your failures are not final!" 

While it can be difficult to simply touch up a piece if we spray too close or at too high an air pressure that causes blemishes, it is very easy to clean off the color for a fresh start.  To do this simply use a simple alcohol pad.  I ended up having to start over twice.  But, cleaning the piece was very quick and the paint process, itself, is relatively quick.  So, I didn't feel frustrated by the restart.  It was simply a second (and third) chance to do better, learning from the reasons behind the blemishes.

I don't know how long after the marker dye is applied that cleanup can be done so easily.  I suspect that the longer it stays on the 3D printed part, the more likely is dyes the piece.  But, if the alcohol pad is used right after the color application it is very easy to remove it and start over.

Some Masking Techniques Are Better Than Others

One of my goals in this step of the process of learning was to assess different methods of masking.  Three different techniques were used.

• Liquid Masking
• Frisket Film
• Artist's Tape

Liquid Masking

The first product I tested is FineLine Masking Fluid Pen - Supernib Fine Tip.

FINELINE Masking Fluid

 It has a needle applicator and I used it to mask the hair, eyes and mouth while painting the face.  I worked quite well for those applications.  But, it takes quite a while to dry enough to be able to commence spraying.  Once the painting is done, it's very easy to remove.  I can see using it for masking very small depressed features; but, for most masking needs it isn't the best choice.

Frisket Film

I had high hopes for Frisket Film which is heavily used in the craft community for a wide variety of coloring techniques.  It's a very thin film with a light tack backing.

However, in practice, I found it less than impressive for this particular colorizing project.  The tacky back doesn't seem to stick as well to plastic as it does to paper.  And, while it should cut very easily and cleanly, that was not my experience thus time.  I may be that I need a new set of blades for my Exacto knife.  So, I'm not dismissing out of hand; but, the tape actually was a better choice this time around.

Artist Tape and/or Grafic Tape

This class of tape is available in a wide variety of colors and widths.  

Masking tape for artists start 1/8 wide abd can typically be found in widths between 1/4" to 1".  Chartpak's graphic tape is available in much thinner widths, such as 1/32".  Years ago eve art store carried these tapes; but, you may find that your local store doesn't carry the smaller widths.  However, they are available online.  For now, I have 1/8" and up.  But, I definitely want the smaller widths as well.

For me, the most reliable making technique continues to be artist tape.  While I have some blue masking tape in 1/8" and 1/4", I prefer tape specifically labeled "Artist Tape" or "Drafting Tape'.
 
Conclusion

I am thoroughly enjoying experimenting with the eBrush and especially enjoy using it with the Spectrum Noir markers.  While I certainly am still in the novice category, I am becoming more confident with each new experiment.  There is no question that the investment is worth the time and money that it takes to get started,  There is no comparison between a monochrome print and a colorized print when it comes to perceived value and aesthetics.  Even the slightest amount of coloring makes a difference.

My next project looks at creating custom designer buttons using M3D's ABS-R, the eBrush and Spectrum Noir markers.