How much adjustments are needed to operate a Mk3?
I am the Original Prusa Novice. I am planning to buy a Mk3 in the beginning of March and I have read several posts that describe how the bed must be removed, springs installed, and adjustments made with various software in order to keep the printer level. Are these adjustments continuous or does the Factory Assembled machine remain stable and working within specifications? Your helpful comments are appreciated.
RE: How much adjustments are needed to operate a Mk3?
I've put the kit together and it's quite easy like Lego. You shouldn't be afraid to do so too, it's quite educational.
Have a look at https://help.prusa3d.com/en/category/original-prusa-i3-mk3s-kit-assembly_1128
No soldering involved !!!
That aside, the only maintenance I had to do was lubricate the rods.
I did however break a thermistor wire exchanging nozzles (not mandatory) and replaced the hotend with a Dragon Hotend because I could.
When you first start to use the printer you should dial in the Z offset, but again there is a lot of handholding from Prusa here.
Having problems with bed adhesion every morning...
RE: How much adjustments are needed to operate a Mk3?
People asking questions here have usually messed things up in some way.
Good news: I'd guess that 95% of new users never need to post; their printers just work.
Better news: Most of those with problems we can help if they're willing to follow advice; frequently about first layer calibration and cleaning.
Even better news: Most of those who make extensive modifications in the first couple of years ownership don't need to. Often they are ignoring advice and they are actually compounding their initial problem with added complexity.
If you encounter problems early on, come here, let us help you find a fix, DONT MEDDLE, get the printer working to spec and learn how to use it well with the basic filaments; just use PLA for the first few months. After a couple of years you might decide to make modifications in the light of experience but by then you will know what you are doing...
Yes there are regular maintenance tasks, cleaning, a little lubrication, occasional checks and perhaps once a year with basic filaments, replacing worn nozzles.
Welcome aboard, come and join the fun.
Cheerio,
RE: How much adjustments are needed to operate a Mk3?
I started with another brand of printer (CR10). I don't mind tinkering, but when I choose it. I was ALWAYS fixing something on that printer to get it to print nicely. I figured I was fixing more than printing... I started looking for a better printer. My oldest son said some of his friends were prototyping with the Matter Hackers printers. I stopped in there. They were nice but pricey. I thought I would like to try some of the more exotic filaments like Nylon, ABS, Carbon Fiber, and TPU. I put off my search for a while.
Later, I came across Prusa. I had not wanted to import from another country. It just seemed like too much of a pain. But, the more I looked at the MK3S, the more I liked it. It pretty much went down my list of required features. I finally decided on a MK3S Kit. After about a 4 week wait my printer was shipped. Actually, I was impressed with the shipping speed from Prusa to the east coast of the USA. I think it was 1-2 days. My printer showed up on the West Coast a few days later.
When I opened the box, I was really looking to building it. The included hardware was superb quality. This was definitely a step up. My only repairs have been mostly my fault. Not cleaning the bed often enough causes prints not to stick. Blob of death. Actually, nothing major. The filament changes are great. Everything just works. I've settled on PLA, PETG, PC-CF, and TPU as my 'normal' filament choices. So far, a great 1.5 years. My normal maintenance is lightly oiling the rods.
P.S. After his research, my son just ordered a MK3S+ kit.
RE: How much adjustments are needed to operate a Mk3?
I started with another brand of printer (CR10). I don't mind tinkering, but when I choose it. I was ALWAYS fixing something on that printer to get it to print nicely. I figured I was fixing more than printing... I started looking for a better printer. My oldest son said some of his friends were prototyping with the Matter Hackers printers. I stopped in there. They were nice but pricey. I thought I would like to try some of the more exotic filaments like Nylon, ABS, Carbon Fiber, and TPU. I put off my search for a while.
Later, I came across Prusa. I had not wanted to import from another country. It just seemed like too much of a pain. But, the more I looked at the MK3S, the more I liked it. It pretty much went down my list of required features. I finally decided on a MK3S Kit. After about a 4 week wait my printer was shipped. Actually, I was impressed with the shipping speed from Prusa to the east coast of the USA. I think it was 1-2 days. My printer showed up on the West Coast a few days later.
When I opened the box, I was really looking to building it. The included hardware was superb quality. This was definitely a step up. My only repairs have been mostly my fault. Not cleaning the bed often enough causes prints not to stick. Blob of death. Actually, nothing major. The filament changes are great. Everything just works. I've settled on PLA, PETG, PC-CF, and TPU as my 'normal' filament choices. So far, a great 1.5 years. My normal maintenance is lightly oiling the rods.
P.S. After his research, my son just ordered a MK3S+ kit.
I had a printer from the same manufacturer, spent more time adjusting and repairing than printing.
Came to the conclusion it was £164 for a reason, so sold it and bought a MK3s+ kit.
From my research before ordering they just run, and run and run.
Take your time with the build, read the manual carefully and the comments.
Build it methodically, Lube the bearings and apart from minor maintenance , leave it to do its thing 😉
Tank you very much!
RE: How much adjustments are needed to operate a Mk3?
@Miyagi:
You asked about “factory assembled machines”. From my experience (n = 2) they work flawlessly, without any need for anything but the usual occasional maintenance that is also needed when you assemble a kit. Of course I know that we will now hear from everyone who bought a pre-assembled machine and had an issue… Oh well, welcome to the internet.
The advantage of buying the kit is that you learn about about how the machine works. Which is great, if you’re new to the game. These days, I’d rather spend the extra $100 bucks and get a new machine I can use pretty much out of the box so I can focus on design and productivity.
I think you’re going to love the Mk3S+, whether you buy pre-assembled or as a kit. The issues you mentioned, especially bed leveling, is exactly why I bought my first Mk3S because I was TIRED to no end by constantly having to relevel the bed for my other printers. Due to the steel sheets and automatic bed leveling, this is one less thing to worry about. As long as you get Live Z (the distance between nozzle and sheet) right, it’s usually smooth sailing