Five years ago I wrote a blog on testing the Z Offset on my Lulzbot Mini, Testing Your 3D Printer’s First Layer Height Calibration. Now that I’ve recently recalibrated my Prusa i3 MK3, I’m using a quicker method to set the Z Offset.
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Why I Buy Open Source Printers
I recently replaced the belts on my Lulzbot Mini. What started off as a simple bit of work ballooned into somewhat more serious work because of a few mistakes I made. The Lulzbot Mini being open source – along with Lulzbot’s excellent documenation – made the repairs possible.
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Printing replacement parts for your Prusa 3D printer
I recently bought and assembled a Prusa i3 MK3 kit, and decided to prepare for printing emergencies by printing a full set of replacement parts as soon as the printer was working well.
I’d found, in using my other printer, that even high-quality printed parts do eventually delaminate under stress: after two years, that printer’s X and Y idler supports developed fractures. Because I couldn’t print the replacement parts (and because doing the replacement seemed daunting at the time), I wound up sending that printer to the factory for repairs.
I’ve also seen notes and videos from people recommending a set of replacement parts as a backup, in case you break a part while adjusting or doing maintenance on your printer. Having replacement parts on hand is also a good preparation for helping a 3D printing friend when their printer breaks.
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