3D Printer
A few weeks ago I received a 3D printer, this is something I had been planning to get for a while so when I saw a decent looking device for sale in Maplin last month I jumped at the chance. The printer is a K8200 from Velleman which is actualy a 3Drag, it uses a very solid construction and has a 20x20x20cm build area so it can produce some large prints.
When I bought it I expected a complete printer but instead it came in kit form delivered in a large box containing hundreds of parts.
The build process took about 12 hours as I carefully worked through the various stages. It was a fun build and apart from one washer everything was there, considering how many parts were in the box it was impressive.
The printer worked perfectly first time, other than calibrating the x,y and z axis by adjusting the endstops it didn't require any other setup.
The only annoyance is that the print bed isn't level, it bulges in the middle so for larger prints the head starts out 2-3mm from the base which means it sometimes has trouble putting down the first layer. A common solution to this is using a piece of glass as this will be perfectly level, unfortunately the heating element in the print bed is quite weak so I don't think it will fully heat the glass.
I am on the lookout for an improved bed but in the meantime it is still usable but I do have to turn up the flow rate on the first layer to ensure it adheres properly.