The importance of spare parts
Well over a year ago, I decided to order a load of spares - heater cartridge, hotend and bed thermistors, nozzles, socks and fan. I figured I would only ever need them urgently if I didn't have them on hand and would end up using them one way or another and I have been proven right! With days until Christmas and the printer working flat out on last minute gifts, I get a Bed Mintemp error! Found the break in the cable after some wiggling and got the bed thermistor changed out pretty damm quick.
Am I in the minority, or do many of you also like to keep spares "In Stock" just in case?
RE: The importance of spare parts
Oh heck yeah. I keep most of a hot end, several thermistors and nozzles and other parts around. It came in handy when I was able to keep another Prusa owner printing during the PPE push.
RE: The importance of spare parts
I now wish I had. With Christmas gift production in full swing I had a very impressive gunk up when a model came loose, and broke the thermistor cable in the clean-up. Now I have to wait for the replacement to arrive... 😭
RE: The importance of spare parts
LOL I have enough spare parts to build almost a whole new MK3 I even have an older MK3 rambo board still in the package new LED panel, loads of bearings, new PSU all Mk3 compatible, extra fully assembled hot ends, multiples both kinds of fan, and more : )
I'd say your in good comapny.
The Filament Whisperer
RE: The importance of spare parts
LOL I have enough spare parts to build almost a whole new MK3 I even have an older MK3 rambo board still in the package new LED panel, loads of bearings, new PSU all Mk3 compatible, extra fully assembled hot ends, multiples both kinds of fan, and more : )
I'd say your in good comapny.
Ha ha, that's great. Maybe one day you will build yourself a clone or something.
To the OP, I don't have many spares yet, but now that I have both a Mk3S and Mk2.5S, I am ordering some.
RE: The importance of spare parts
I do keep a 'crash kit' of various items. Things such as spare belts, nozzles and such.
I printed out spare extruder parts in black ABS and a spare fan shroud in PC Blend, so if I have the Blob Of Doom I should be able to recover.
I thought of keeping a spare power supply, but it looks like I can get a replacement within a couple of days if it should fail hard.
RE: The importance of spare parts
@hiro-protagonist
It wouldn't be a clone, it would be a genuine Original Pruse MK3 : )
The Filament Whisperer
RE: The importance of spare parts
I thought the PitStop guy had good advice: when doing an upgrade, print-off two of everything. That way if you break something during the upgrade you won't have to go into full reverse and put it all back together the way it was just so you can print a new copy of the part that broke.
Of course, that advice was intended for people who have one and only one printer.
RE: The importance of spare parts
I am closing in on purchasing an MK3S+, and being a beginner, I think a "crash kit" is an excellent idea. I hope to order something like it when I place an order for the printer kit.
What are people's thoughts on the contents of said kit? I don't have the resources necessarily to just "add to cart" every available spare part, but I want to keep some on hand in the inevitable instance that I screw something up. I do not plan at this time to run a business off it at this time, but the convenience would be great. I suppose a decent question would be what would I most likely break/cause to fail as a beginner? I am technologically inclined, just never ventured into 3d printing before.
Thanks!
RE: The importance of spare parts
Well a thermistor for the print bed is a must IMO (that's what failed on mine after a couple of years good use).
If you live in the UK and don't mind waiting just a day or so, you can order replacement hot end components from E3D directly to save keeping those bits to hand yourself. If you want to "keep in stock" some bits, the hot end thermistor, hot end heater cartridge, spare PTFE tube cut to length that feeds the hotend and spare 0.4mm nozzles are wise. Maybe a spare heatbreak too just in case you are too heavy handed changing out nozzles. I would also fit the E3D sock to keep the hot end clean, to reduce radiant heat on small prints and to aid cleanup if you do get a major print fail that covers the hot end in molten plastic. https://e3d-online.com/products/v6-silicone-socks-pack-of-3
The Noctua hot end cooling fan on my printer has been very reliable so far but the part cooling centrifugal fan is starting to develop some noise after 2 years so a spare one of those might be wise to keep to hand. I think the Noctua fan cable is more likely to go before the fan itself.
RE: The importance of spare parts
Currently Brexit has the UK cut off, but even if your in the US you should only order the printer, reason being if your order exceeds $800 (with shipping) you may be charged with customs duties, and at this time it may also delay your orders entry to the US.
however once that's out of the way you can do smaller orders to get the things you need or want, I generally try to optimize the shipping charges by getting as much weight as I can for the charge (but that's just me). things you will want and need probably within the first year or just after if you print a lot will be, Print bed thermistors, new cables for the power to the print bed, extra print fan, extra PINDA probe, and I keep an extra noctua hot end fan, I haven't needed the PINDA or the Noctua yet <--. it's usually a good idea to have some extra PTFE tube around as well, mind you don't have to get all this at once, I have purchased these over time, for example when I needed a new thermistor for the print bed I didn't just buy one, and when I'm feeling rich I may throw a roll of some kind of Prusament on top of the order.
Also I should mention I'm not in a position to allow my printers to be out of commission long, your situation may be different then mine.
Enjoy your printer they are wonderful tools.
The Filament Whisperer