The Sunlu S8 3D printer has a HUGE build volume: 310mm x 310mm x 400mm. I know there are bigger printers out there, but this is the biggest one I have personally used. What should I print to show off how big you can print things? *REPLY TO THIS COMMENT* with your family-friendly suggestion. After a week or so, I'll pick the one I like best, and print it. Thanks!
I don't know much about printing that's why I started whatching your videos, however maby you could print a miniature 3d printer model (print seption) or a small house
Probably one of the best damn review videos I have ever watched. I watched the whole thing which is quite rare for me. Your video was the deciding factor in upgrading from my MP select mini. Thank you sir. I look forward to upcoming videos regarding any upgrades and\or community groups that may come along for this rig. Again, thank you for your time.
Same. I've actually watched it about 3 or 4 times from start to end. And now I have the Sunlu S8 3 feet away from me. It's on its 25th hour printing a really dope-looking desktop organizer. Not a single flaw. I've had the S8 for about 5 days and this organizer is my 5th print. Every one of those prints came out far better than I was anticipating. I think it's an amazing printer - especially for the price. However, I don't have a basis of comparison since this is my first 3D printer. With that said, Bryan's video was the final straw that sold me on getting this printer. I'm glad I did. I really needed the larger print bed. Goes without saying that it was either the Sunlu S8 or the Creality Ender 3. One final note: I think I'm going to go down a rabbit hole and watch most of his videos. He's awesome at conveying information and staying neutral when it comes to bias.
Thanks for this review. my friend got a bunch of amazon returns bulk and sold one to me at cost, this is useful. The First upgrade that I usually make is replacing fans with blowers and the shroud/brackets appropriate for mounting. Then I replace the heat brake and nozzle, and mount the spool holder.
I'm brand new to 3D printing... still seeking my first unit. Needless to say, the price on Amazon and features grabbed my eye. Your video was most helpful. Your pointers were easy to understand and visually friendly. In fact, though you don't recommend this one for newbies, I'm inclined to throw in with your advice. I can see where some of the issues you presented should be fairly easy to beat with printable mods. Great job... please keep it up.
That was a very thorough walk through/first impression. I'm looking forward to see what large projects you end up printing with it. Thanks for sharing Bryan!
Thank you, Thierry! I'm kind of thinking that I want to put at least a 0.8mm nozzle on it for a really big print. I put one on my Sovol SV01 and printed a huge trash can on it over the weekend, in a gradient filament. It's big, so putting the trash can on the S8 will be even bigger! 😄
@@BV3D thats a smart idea. I can print small bins for my mom and dad. Cause they like to put wrappers and loose papers in a bin and take it full out to the recycling bin in the kitchen to save trips. So making some custom ones would save time and money for parents.
Your videos are so smooth and awesome, and almost appear effortless. Great review...I have an S8 Plus to assemble and so I'm glad to see your take on the S8 to help me along. Also 'stern glare....'.....nicely slipped in there, but I caught it! :D Keep up the great work!
Our sd card was virus-infected, we have been getting by with the CR-10 printer profile with the bed size updated, do you have a good printer profile for it, and have you by any chance tried to get octoprint working with it?
Hi, I gave the printer to a friend a few months ago, but my retraction settings were using a retraction length of 5mm, with a retraction speed of 25mm/s. I also had *Retract on layer change* enabled, *Wipe while retracting* enabled, and set *Retract amount before wipe* to 75% (these are settings in PrusaSlicer; I think Cura has a similar feature called "Coasting").
Wow. This was an incredibly informative and detailed review. You've helped me make the decision on buying one of these. Thank you so much for taking the time to make such a great video.
I literally took one of these out of the box last night and the same thing with the X axis limit switch metal trigger. Same result: clipped it back in and assembled and printed.
Great review. You make some excellent points at the end. Even though this printer has it's problems, for the price, it's a good value for someone with some experience. As for the glass print bed - there's a reason for it, it allows Sunlu to go cheap on the aluminum print bed underneath it. The aluminum bed can be warped (and it is) because the glass bed will more or less make up for it.
Excellent video, Bryan! Very comprehensive overview and also some great tips for debugging printing issues for these types of machines! One other thing that I would love to start to see as a “standard feature” is the inclusion of a steel extruder gear out of the box. I just recently had to replace a brass gear on one of my machines after a few hundred hours of printing, and it is likely that those numbers would be hit soon into this machine’s life given its large print volume. Great review!
Thanks Alex! That's a good idea about steel versus brass extruder gears. I haven't had a brass one die yet, but I *have* seen filament wear through the hole in the plastic filament loading lever on the extruder. When that happened I replaced the extruder with an aluminum one, and the aluminum extruder came with a new brass gear. 😉
BV3D: Bryan Vines I also recently had to replace a lever arm on the same machine! 😂 I’ve printed a replacement, but now also have an aluminum extruder kit on order “just in case.” That being said, it’s great that all of these parts are standardized and are “open source” enough that replacement components are easy (and cheap) to come by!
I ordered one of these from Amazon a few hours ago and it should be here tomorrow. This video will be extremely helpful in guiding me on what to check when I build it. My existing Flashforge Creator PRO, which I've had for several years is great but I've found myself restricted by the 230mm x 160mm bed a couple of times lately and had to design the print as two parts glued together. So, a second larger printer will be useful. I had originally considered getting a Creality 10-S Pro but found the cost difficult to justify, then I discovered the Sunlu via RUclips videos. It seems to be very good value so I ordered one. The only thing I would disagree with in your video is the glass bed. To me that is a positive feature. My Creator Pro came with a Buildtak bed and it was a nightmare to use. Prints stuck too well and I kept damaging the surface when removing the prints. I upgraded to a Borosilicate glass bed and that works perfectly. All it needs is a light spray of either 3DLAC or an approriate hairspray every so often and I get perfect adhesion when printing and easy removal after waiting a few minutes for the bed to cool, If I bought a printer that didn't have a glass bed, it is the first modification I would consider making.
Bryan - I just have to say: wonderful job with this video! I've watched it 4 or 5 times from start to end. Just know that the Sunlu S8 that's printing a few feet away from me is mine now because of this video. Thank you for that. Also, I see that you have quite a few electronics videos. This is seriously good news for me because I've been working on an electronics project and can use all the help I can get. Your videos are extremely informative, to the point, without bias, and with excellent delivery. As I said to someone in another comment for this video, I'm about to go down a rabbit hole with your other videos regarding electronic components. Subbed and liked. Keep up the good work, dude. Thanks again! -Erik
Hello I have a question about the print speed. When I slice my model in Ultimaker Cura and I'm displayed a print time, for example 1.5 hours, when I actually print the model it always ends up taking longer, more like 2 hours. I've tried adjusting the print speed settings in Cura but it seems to have no affect on how fast the printer actually prints. The only way I've been able to get it to print faster is by adjusting the physical knob on the printer during a print, and adjusting the "FR" value on the screen. By default it says 100%. What exactly is FR? And why would the printer not be responding to my inputs on print speed inside of Cura?? Thank you!
Hey, so i have a sunlu s8, and have been trying to fine tune it. The only real problem, is bumps inbetween travel, so for instance: Im printing 3 bolts next to each other, you can see where the printer head left one bolt and went to the next one. No webbing or anything, but just that. I was thinking maybe adjusting the travel speed, or z hop would help? Im not too sure but could use some advice! P.S. Btw if theres only one thing printing, there is no bumps(anymore lol), that i was able to do myself.
I just got this printer and decided to upgrade the hotend to the volcano so I can print nylon. And im having a hard time finding much information on this printer. I know I'm going to have to update the firmware so that the thermistor reads correctly. So my in wondering do you know does this have a bootloader installed or will I need the card flasher
I don't often watch these types of videos until the end, but the information you gave was extremely helpful, and quite thorough. I understand you don't recommend it for beginners, however - the price point is what is getting my attention, and I consider any challenges part of the learning curve, and a "rite of passage" of sorts. Very informative and helpful. Do you have a video on how to calibrate an extruder - whether the stock or after a dual gear extruder upgrade? Thank you kindly.
Hi there! I'm a total newbie to the hobby and I have this printer and can only seem to get a print out if I throttle the speed all the way down to 20%. What could I be doing wrong?
Nice review! I did end up buying one for it’s price/build volume and so far it’s looking pretty great. One thing to mention, there is a belt tension adjustment for the y axis. It’s that front bracket. You loosen the two nuts and then screw the two bolts down further. That said it’s fiddly and could definitely be better designed. The belts were also installed smooth to smooth so they certainly haven’t fixed that issue yet.
Hey Bryan I have been having trouble with the filament loading system. One of the loading gears, the none rigid one, is not rotating so the filament does not load. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi, so is the non-rotating one the brass gear (with the teeth) which is attached to the stepper motor shaft? Or the silver-colored one with a groove (which presses the filament against the brass one?
hi , i have a sunlu s8 . i have just started printing in dec. , in my short time I have put more smoother sin by the control box and put a mircoswiss all metal direct drive on It. hoping to get rid of glass bed soon thanks for a very good and true review
Bryan - This was very informative and I think I'll be purchasing one in the next 1-2 weeks. Do you think TL-smoothers and/or dampeners on the steppers will quiet it down? This will be my first printer and I think I can handle the mods and grow into the printer, but the noise will make it unwelcome around my wife. Another question is whether replacing the motherboard with something else that has the improved drivers would be a better solution, and if so, what board? Thanks in advance for your attention.
Just came across your video going on two years later. First, excellent review, I rarely watch these all the way through, and I did with your video. Thank you for your time and attention to detail. I am looking at the S8 mainly for the size. This will be my first printer. Are there any other printers you recommend with this larger capacity for a decent price. It appears they have a pro model now, which I am considering, though I haven't quite figured out what the big changes in it are just yet. Again, thank you. I am immediately subscribing. Can't wait to get into the 3D printing world, as I have spent the last few years just watching from the periphery.
Upgrades on the S8 Pro: 1. New hotend which is pretty much a simple Creality clone (heatbreak is now a smooth cylinder instead of a threaded rod). Bowden tube goes all the way to the nozzle, so all the tips and tricks of Creality printers should apply to this one. 2. Bright red metal extruder, installed pretty much identical extruders on my Ender 3 V2 printers. 3. Filament sensor seems to be upgraded from the base S8 model. 4. All the belts have tension adjustment screws so tightening them is fast and easy. 5. The bed is a nice flexible magnetized sheet. 6. Silent board, so the motors don't make any noise anymore. Also, you can use coupon ("S8P3") on the S8 Pro to get it for $180.
@@TuplaTTT Thanks for the detailed reply! Sounds like solid reactions to some of the issues the original had. Very cool. And thanks for the coupon code! Was still a little back and forth, but I think this does it for. I appreciate your input
how can I reach sunlu I have bought the s8 straight from sunlu and it has a bad hot end and I tried emailing and have waited over a week and no reply? It only made two small dice size test cubes and started putting out plastic in the center of the hot end.
13:31 Are you sure that the idler bracket can't be tightened? It looks like there's a lot of thread on those bolts exposed, and it looks like that L bracket is at least a centimeter away from the extrusion. Couldn't simply tightening those screws firm up the belt?
If Sunlu had drilled and tapped holes in the extrusion to accommodate those bolts, then it would be possible to tighten the idler bracket to tension the belt. But the ends of those bolts go into T-nuts, not into the extrusion itself. So there is only about 2mm of play with the bolts, between being fully tightened and bottomed out against the extrusion, and loosening them until they pop out of the T-nuts.
@@BV3D Ah, that's a pity. Seems like the "right" way would be to drill those holes, maybe flip the bolts so they are on the outside of the frame pointing in (plus some washers), and lose the Tnuts. Then you could tension it pretty easily. Still, a design oversight.
Pretty nice infos. I also got a S8. The first few models were amazing printed. At the moment i'm troubleshooting... The printer isn't able to purge enough filament to print. Perhaps the extruder is defect or something is wrong with the software. Sometimes one of the filament loading gears isn't rotating. Do you have an idea, how I can fix this?
Bryan, was wondering if you can help me get the printer hooked up to my pc to install firmware. I do not know what printer drivers to install on my pc so it recognizes the printer (COM port). Can you help me find a way to get the pc to recognize the printer? It is a Sunlu S8 so thats why I posted here. Thanks.
you really sold me on this machine but i have a question about printing with supports a lot of my prints have overhangs and arent vcompletly flat with the build plate does this machine offer a supports option for printing the stls i cant find this anywhereand i was hoping if you knew because im really excited to buy this printer but this is one thing this cant find any information on
The extruder is the usual kind mounted to the side of the X axis, feeding the hot end via a Bowden tube. I'm pretty sure it could be replaced with one of the aluminum aftermarket ones such as for the Creality Ender 3. As for the hot end, it bolts on like an Ender 3 hot end, so you'd need to print (or design & print) a way to mount a v6.
Haay I bought the sunlu S8 pro but still having challenge in design.is there a way u can help me out on Which software to use if am going to design my own image .plz
Bryan, great review, just purchased one of these units and learning how to use it. You didn’t mention build plate and nozzle temps that you used for your prints. Assuming 195 and 70? I’m having trouble with my unit skipping on filament feed, it’s brand new so not expecting clogged nozzle but thinking of raising the extruded temp to lessen the filament line pressure. Thoughts?
Hi Joey, printing temperatures depend on the filament you’re using. That said, for PLA, I almost always print around 210 - 220 degrees, and use a 60 degree bed. If the extruder is skipping, that means it’s having a hard time pushing filament into the hot end. Try printing at 210 and see if that helps.
Ended up at 210 with 75 degree plate and it’s doing ok ish. Not happy with print quality yet. Using PETG from Sunlu. At 220 I was getting a lot of spidering but I think I was too close to the bed. PETG seems like it likes to run hotter so not sure where to go next. Any suggestions?
Thanks for this video, as you said in it there isn’t a lot about this printer out there, certainly not this in depth! Decided to buy one based on what you’ve said, have previously had a cr-10 but sadly no more - this is roughly 75% the price in the U.K. of the cr-10 so hopefully should be able to do something with it :) thanks!
Thank you Bryan for this video I was tempted to jump into getting one of these for printing car parts - I have an older 200x200x300 sunhokey i3 that I invested quite a bit of time into but managed to get the quality up there with the best 3D printers 4-5 years ago but have taken a break. From your video it feels like the S8 is a jump forward but some similar fundamental issues that I'd need to upgrade my way out of, and tbh I really CBA with manual bed levelling. I also noticed there seemed to be fairly visible lines on your prints - it took me ages to get mine to be minimal but notice most printers out of the box have that sorted now, I think I have to really tune my micro steps so worry I would have a few weekends in getting this thing super honed. Again cheers for the video - going to weight up the costs of getting the printer then adding auto bed levelling, and a better bed/build plate solution.
I got one of these to test. It was also a customer return. After $90 worth of parts, it really prints well even with the stock bed and hairspray. But, I see why it was returned. Given they are about $225 now, I would pay it. I would not have paid over $300 for it.
I would be curious to see if your retraction works better with the run out sensor removed. since it's not parallel with the extruder or print a spacer to level them out. I am also curious how fast that large bed heats up.
Great review....I've been thinking about getting a larger printer, I saw this on amazon, then saw your review....how does it compare to the CR10? The price is really pulling me towards getting this printer.
Hey Bryan, Great in depth review. Personally I think it looks like a very good printer, especially since they have the Marlin TRP enabled and working, Kudos for that. Sure, it has a few niggles, but somehow I kinda like those too ... Of course I'm not exactly a newbie so I agree that they should be ironed out for newcomers to 3DP. I even like that they haven't included a flex bed, it keeps the price down and also makes it easier to fit one you choose, obviously a WhamBam for me. Keep up the great work my friend 👍
Hi Spike! It is a good printer, just one or two little things about it that shouldn't be too hard to take care of. Some of the issues, like the power switch location, come down to design choices. And some, like loud fans, are a result of "attention to value engineering." But yes, it keeps the cost down and these issues aren't difficult to overcome. (and yes, Wham Bam all the things!) 😄
Hey Bryan awesome video! I have an anycubic Chiron and the filament sensor is kind of similar but further away like you suggested but it bounces so much it has become noisy and faulty.. so it constantly starts putting the change 'filament mode' on. I have put tape and some plastic in place to keep the filament pushed up towards the sensor but it still clicks like crazy moving around ...so I can kind of see what they have it more attached on this machine...it just seems sturdier 🤷♀️
Does anyone know if the smooth-to-smooth belt set up was a one-off thing or if most are shipping with it like that instead of tooth-to-tooth? I want to get into 3d-printing, and I think this is a nice printer to get started with. Thanks
New versions of the printer come with a power supply that is thermostatically controlled. The fan on the chassis is on always, though. That should be controlled to I let be on when the drivers are.
Hi Nate! It does, and it does. The thermal runaway test starts at the 10:18 mark. And you can download the Marlin source for the Sunlu S8 here: forum.sunlu.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=55&sid=7dd59c3e270e2af8f029a41e19cbc610
Awesome video Bryan I just bought one be my 3rd printer I have two Ender 3 Pros one of them is getting the Ender Extender and I have the original Ender 3 Pro
I've been watching videos like crazy... This is the first video I watched from start to finish. I even went back to rewatch your comments about adjusting the Y-axis. I thought I was all set to buy the Creality CR-10, and then came across this Sunlu S8. It has the dual Z screws, run out sensor and power resume features standard. I also like the way the rails are spread apart on the Base rail. It seems like it would give better support. This Sunlu looks more inline with the CR-10S. Anyway... I wanted your opinion. My family LOVES playing Settlers of Catan, and I wanted to get a cheap printer to print personalized game pieces. Do you think this Sunlu would work for simple, personal prints? Or is it worth the additional $150 to pick up the CR-10S? Again. Thank you for a 30 minute video with zero filler, and great content from start to finish!
Well... The S8 was only $315, and I found a 10% coupon. I was able to get it for $284 delivered! Thanks again for the great videos, and I look forward to my new 3d printing journey.
@@GabrielOliveira-ox4bg it has been amazing! Great prints out of the box... I ended up upgrading the board to an SKR1.4. And got a V6 got end. Now it's whisper quiet, and can print PETG with no issues.
@@jkemper96 I just ordered one on eBay, is upgrading the motherboard very difficult? I've been printing about a year now but not done any upgrades before.
@@JimHasArt replacing the hardware is really simple. Getting the software right was really difficult for me. After several months and hours and hours and hours of research. I have a nearly silent machine.
Great video ! Thanks for this extensive review. Would you shre your slicer setup, or config files please to get the retraction and other setting from a Pro like you. Once again thanks.
I'm going to have to disagree on the glass bed. The problem with these cheap printers is the aluminum bed is made from rolled sheets. That means you'll be really lucky if it's flat, and the bigger the bed the more likely it is to have problems. Glass isn't perfect, but it mitigates warpage well. If you put a flexy sheet on a warped bed you will probably still have problems. It's a low priced large printer, so I think glass is an excellent compromise and it's nice that it's included.
I get your point on the flatness of the glass versus the aluminum. For me, the aluminum beds are usually very slightly lower in the middle than the edges, so I can shim the center with a small square of paper between the magnet and the flex plate (on my printers so equipped). My success rate for printing on plain glass has been lower than with other build surfaces, but glue stick mostly fixes that issue. However, I’ve had had good success printing on the Ultrabase-style etched glass that came with my Sovol SV01; prints usually stick really well and then release when the bed cools completely. 👍🏻
Hi! That's an excellent suggestion. And to answer that question, I have this: Like a lot of Chinese 3D printers, the SD card included with the printer includes very old, Windows-only versions of Cura, Pronterface, and Slic3r. It baffles me why this is still so common. The manual includes some basic settings to get you going in Cura, so you can use that information to create a printer profile in a modern version of Cura, or any other slicer. I personally prefer using PrusaSlicer, so I put together a printer profile and a set of printing profiles in there. Anyway, it's running pretty much a standard Marlin build, so any general-purpose slicer will work. 👍
I'm getting them little bumpies like you showed on One of your Prince and having your heart time a getting rid of them I turn my heat up on the head and seen To help Any other suggestions
Get a faster SD card. The bumps come from the printer writing to the card so that it can remember where the print is--in case of power failure. But the card that comes with the printer is too slow on writes and causes the printer to starve for gcode--which pauses the print for a fraction of a second. That's enough to get bumps.
Also, I would really like you to do a follow-up on this printer soon. Has it held up so far? No big issues?
The Sunlu S8 3D printer has a HUGE build volume: 310mm x 310mm x 400mm. I know there are bigger printers out there, but this is the biggest one I have personally used. What should I print to show off how big you can print things?
*REPLY TO THIS COMMENT* with your family-friendly suggestion. After a week or so, I'll pick the one I like best, and print it. Thanks!
I definitely recommend a helmet by Rob Pauza for large prints. Also your garbage can!
I don't know much about printing that's why I started whatching your videos, however maby you could print a miniature 3d printer model (print seption) or a small house
Also I dont know if it would be safe to drink from but you could maby print a cup
It’s helmet time (or print out a large version of your logo to display all of your stickers 😄)!
print a HUGE HULK
Probably one of the best damn review videos I have ever watched. I watched the whole thing which is quite rare for me. Your video was the deciding factor in upgrading from my MP select mini. Thank you sir.
I look forward to upcoming videos regarding any upgrades and\or community groups that may come along for this rig.
Again, thank you for your time.
Same. I've actually watched it about 3 or 4 times from start to end.
And now I have the Sunlu S8 3 feet away from me. It's on its 25th hour printing a really dope-looking desktop organizer. Not a single flaw. I've had the S8 for about 5 days and this organizer is my 5th print. Every one of those prints came out far better than I was anticipating.
I think it's an amazing printer - especially for the price. However, I don't have a basis of comparison since this is my first 3D printer.
With that said, Bryan's video was the final straw that sold me on getting this printer. I'm glad I did. I really needed the larger print bed. Goes without saying that it was either the Sunlu S8 or the Creality Ender 3.
One final note: I think I'm going to go down a rabbit hole and watch most of his videos. He's awesome at conveying information and staying neutral when it comes to bias.
When I changed my filament, the printer just wasn’t print right. The New one doesn’t even come out. Please help.
Thanks for this review. my friend got a bunch of amazon returns bulk and sold one to me at cost, this is useful.
The First upgrade that I usually make is replacing fans with blowers and the shroud/brackets appropriate for mounting.
Then I replace the heat brake and nozzle, and mount the spool holder.
I'm brand new to 3D printing... still seeking my first unit. Needless to say, the price on Amazon and features grabbed my eye. Your video was most helpful. Your pointers were easy to understand and visually friendly. In fact, though you don't recommend this one for newbies, I'm inclined to throw in with your advice. I can see where some of the issues you presented should be fairly easy to beat with printable mods. Great job... please keep it up.
how polite of you Elmo..
That was a very thorough walk through/first impression. I'm looking forward to see what large projects you end up printing with it. Thanks for sharing Bryan!
Thank you, Thierry! I'm kind of thinking that I want to put at least a 0.8mm nozzle on it for a really big print. I put one on my Sovol SV01 and printed a huge trash can on it over the weekend, in a gradient filament. It's big, so putting the trash can on the S8 will be even bigger! 😄
@@BV3D thats a smart idea. I can print small bins for my mom and dad. Cause they like to put wrappers and loose papers in a bin and take it full out to the recycling bin in the kitchen to save trips. So making some custom ones would save time and money for parents.
glad i watched this before unpacking and using mine!
I told my son last night I was thinking of buying a new 3d printer. I just ordered a Sunlu S8 based on this video! Thanks!
After trying all the various build surfaces im back to printing on glass and hairspray. Its the most reliable by far.
Excellent comprehensive review. I always enjoy your videos. I usually print a tall vase when trying a new tall printer.
Thanks, Corey Mac! A tall vase is an option... 👍
Your videos are so smooth and awesome, and almost appear effortless. Great review...I have an S8 Plus to assemble and so I'm glad to see your take on the S8 to help me along. Also 'stern glare....'.....nicely slipped in there, but I caught it! :D
Keep up the great work!
Our sd card was virus-infected, we have been getting by with the CR-10 printer profile with the bed size updated, do you have a good printer profile for it, and have you by any chance tried to get octoprint working with it?
hi m8
can you share your rectraction settings ? as a noob here so i can adjust /correct mine many thx
Hi, I gave the printer to a friend a few months ago, but my retraction settings were using a retraction length of 5mm, with a retraction speed of 25mm/s. I also had *Retract on layer change* enabled, *Wipe while retracting* enabled, and set *Retract amount before wipe* to 75% (these are settings in PrusaSlicer; I think Cura has a similar feature called "Coasting").
Wow. This was an incredibly informative and detailed review. You've helped me make the decision on buying one of these. Thank you so much for taking the time to make such a great video.
I literally took one of these out of the box last night and the same thing with the X axis limit switch metal trigger. Same result: clipped it back in and assembled and printed.
Great review. You make some excellent points at the end. Even though this printer has it's problems, for the price, it's a good value for someone with some experience. As for the glass print bed - there's a reason for it, it allows Sunlu to go cheap on the aluminum print bed underneath it. The aluminum bed can be warped (and it is) because the glass bed will more or less make up for it.
Excellent video, Bryan! Very comprehensive overview and also some great tips for debugging printing issues for these types of machines! One other thing that I would love to start to see as a “standard feature” is the inclusion of a steel extruder gear out of the box. I just recently had to replace a brass gear on one of my machines after a few hundred hours of printing, and it is likely that those numbers would be hit soon into this machine’s life given its large print volume. Great review!
Thanks Alex! That's a good idea about steel versus brass extruder gears. I haven't had a brass one die yet, but I *have* seen filament wear through the hole in the plastic filament loading lever on the extruder. When that happened I replaced the extruder with an aluminum one, and the aluminum extruder came with a new brass gear. 😉
BV3D: Bryan Vines I also recently had to replace a lever arm on the same machine! 😂 I’ve printed a replacement, but now also have an aluminum extruder kit on order “just in case.” That being said, it’s great that all of these parts are standardized and are “open source” enough that replacement components are easy (and cheap) to come by!
BRYAN .. A GREAT REVIEW. YOU HIT ALL THE POINTS THAT INTEREST ME. YOU ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE POLISHED OVER TIME !
Thanks very much, Jimmy! 😄
They have a new version now. The "pro" it has the flexi plate, and filament holder is attached.
Cool! Thanks for the update! 👍🏻
I ordered one of these from Amazon a few hours ago and it should be here tomorrow. This video will be extremely helpful in guiding me on what to check when I build it. My existing Flashforge Creator PRO, which I've had for several years is great but I've found myself restricted by the 230mm x 160mm bed a couple of times lately and had to design the print as two parts glued together. So, a second larger printer will be useful. I had originally considered getting a Creality 10-S Pro but found the cost difficult to justify, then I discovered the Sunlu via RUclips videos. It seems to be very good value so I ordered one.
The only thing I would disagree with in your video is the glass bed. To me that is a positive feature. My Creator Pro came with a Buildtak bed and it was a nightmare to use. Prints stuck too well and I kept damaging the surface when removing the prints. I upgraded to a Borosilicate glass bed and that works perfectly. All it needs is a light spray of either 3DLAC or an approriate hairspray every so often and I get perfect adhesion when printing and easy removal after waiting a few minutes for the bed to cool, If I bought a printer that didn't have a glass bed, it is the first modification I would consider making.
Bryan - I just have to say: wonderful job with this video! I've watched it 4 or 5 times from start to end. Just know that the Sunlu S8 that's printing a few feet away from me is mine now because of this video. Thank you for that.
Also, I see that you have quite a few electronics videos. This is seriously good news for me because I've been working on an electronics project and can use all the help I can get. Your videos are extremely informative, to the point, without bias, and with excellent delivery.
As I said to someone in another comment for this video, I'm about to go down a rabbit hole with your other videos regarding electronic components.
Subbed and liked. Keep up the good work, dude. Thanks again!
-Erik
Hi Brian
do you think that a PrusaSlicer with your Ender3 basic settings will work, changing building dimensions etc?
Does the printer come with a US style power cord? How loud is the printer? Can you pause the print and then resume later?
Hello I have a question about the print speed. When I slice my model in Ultimaker Cura and I'm displayed a print time, for example 1.5 hours, when I actually print the model it always ends up taking longer, more like 2 hours. I've tried adjusting the print speed settings in Cura but it seems to have no affect on how fast the printer actually prints. The only way I've been able to get it to print faster is by adjusting the physical knob on the printer during a print, and adjusting the "FR" value on the screen. By default it says 100%. What exactly is FR? And why would the printer not be responding to my inputs on print speed inside of Cura?? Thank you!
Hey, so i have a sunlu s8, and have been trying to fine tune it. The only real problem, is bumps inbetween travel, so for instance: Im printing 3 bolts next to each other, you can see where the printer head left one bolt and went to the next one. No webbing or anything, but just that. I was thinking maybe adjusting the travel speed, or z hop would help? Im not too sure but could use some advice! P.S. Btw if theres only one thing printing, there is no bumps(anymore lol), that i was able to do myself.
Hi!! May you please send me the user manual and that stuff of this 3d printer. It isn't on the sunlu webpage anymore. Thank you
I just got this printer and decided to upgrade the hotend to the volcano so I can print nylon. And im having a hard time finding much information on this printer. I know I'm going to have to update the firmware so that the thermistor reads correctly. So my in wondering do you know does this have a bootloader installed or will I need the card flasher
great review! Thanks for being thorough.
Thanks! Glad it was helpful! 👍
Just got this unit. The noise is a bit of a situation. But build volume will likely outweigh that con. And finding a closet to stow it in.
I don't often watch these types of videos until the end, but the information you gave was extremely helpful, and quite thorough. I understand you don't recommend it for beginners, however - the price point is what is getting my attention, and I consider any challenges part of the learning curve, and a "rite of passage" of sorts. Very informative and helpful. Do you have a video on how to calibrate an extruder - whether the stock or after a dual gear extruder upgrade? Thank you kindly.
Very thorough review Bryan! Other reviews didn’t mention the filament runout issues.
Time spent well by watching this video. More detail. Thumbs up.
Hi there! I'm a total newbie to the hobby and I have this printer and can only seem to get a print out if I throttle the speed all the way down to 20%. What could I be doing wrong?
Nice review! I did end up buying one for it’s price/build volume and so far it’s looking pretty great. One thing to mention, there is a belt tension adjustment for the y axis. It’s that front bracket. You loosen the two nuts and then screw the two bolts down further. That said it’s fiddly and could definitely be better designed. The belts were also installed smooth to smooth so they certainly haven’t fixed that issue yet.
snug wheels can flaten when stored overtime. most manufacturers keep them loose not to damage the roller wheels
Hey Bryan I have been having trouble with the filament loading system. One of the loading gears, the none rigid one, is not rotating so the filament does not load. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi, so is the non-rotating one the brass gear (with the teeth) which is attached to the stepper motor shaft? Or the silver-colored one with a groove (which presses the filament against the brass one?
@@BV3D Hey Bryan, I am sorry but i have returned my sunlu and bought an ender 5 pro, sorry for the trouble.
hi , i have a sunlu s8 . i have just started printing in dec. , in my short time I have put more smoother sin by the control box and put a mircoswiss all metal direct drive on It. hoping to get rid of glass bed soon thanks for a very good and true review
Bryan - This was very informative and I think I'll be purchasing one in the next 1-2 weeks. Do you think TL-smoothers and/or dampeners on the steppers will quiet it down? This will be my first printer and I think I can handle the mods and grow into the printer, but the noise will make it unwelcome around my wife. Another question is whether replacing the motherboard with something else that has the improved drivers would be a better solution, and if so, what board? Thanks in advance for your attention.
Just came across your video going on two years later. First, excellent review, I rarely watch these all the way through, and I did with your video. Thank you for your time and attention to detail.
I am looking at the S8 mainly for the size. This will be my first printer. Are there any other printers you recommend with this larger capacity for a decent price. It appears they have a pro model now, which I am considering, though I haven't quite figured out what the big changes in it are just yet.
Again, thank you. I am immediately subscribing. Can't wait to get into the 3D printing world, as I have spent the last few years just watching from the periphery.
Upgrades on the S8 Pro:
1. New hotend which is pretty much a simple Creality clone (heatbreak is now a smooth cylinder instead of a threaded rod). Bowden tube goes all the way to the nozzle, so all the tips and tricks of Creality printers should apply to this one.
2. Bright red metal extruder, installed pretty much identical extruders on my Ender 3 V2 printers.
3. Filament sensor seems to be upgraded from the base S8 model.
4. All the belts have tension adjustment screws so tightening them is fast and easy.
5. The bed is a nice flexible magnetized sheet.
6. Silent board, so the motors don't make any noise anymore.
Also, you can use coupon ("S8P3") on the S8 Pro to get it for $180.
@@TuplaTTT Thanks for the detailed reply! Sounds like solid reactions to some of the issues the original had. Very cool. And thanks for the coupon code! Was still a little back and forth, but I think this does it for. I appreciate your input
how can I reach sunlu I have bought the s8 straight from sunlu and it has a bad hot end and I tried emailing and have waited over a week and no reply? It only made two small dice size test cubes and started putting out plastic in the center of the hot end.
Could you describe how you got the s8 setup in Cura or similar? I've had some issues....
im looking for the same thing.
@@GABO9462 I read that you should use the CR10 profile
great video , i install klipper on my new sunlu s8 and it´s amazing
13:31 Are you sure that the idler bracket can't be tightened? It looks like there's a lot of thread on those bolts exposed, and it looks like that L bracket is at least a centimeter away from the extrusion. Couldn't simply tightening those screws firm up the belt?
If Sunlu had drilled and tapped holes in the extrusion to accommodate those bolts, then it would be possible to tighten the idler bracket to tension the belt.
But the ends of those bolts go into T-nuts, not into the extrusion itself. So there is only about 2mm of play with the bolts, between being fully tightened and bottomed out against the extrusion, and loosening them until they pop out of the T-nuts.
@@BV3D Ah, that's a pity. Seems like the "right" way would be to drill those holes, maybe flip the bolts so they are on the outside of the frame pointing in (plus some washers), and lose the Tnuts. Then you could tension it pretty easily. Still, a design oversight.
Pretty nice infos. I also got a S8. The first few models were amazing printed. At the moment i'm troubleshooting... The printer isn't able to purge enough filament to print. Perhaps the extruder is defect or something is wrong with the software.
Sometimes one of the filament loading gears isn't rotating.
Do you have an idea, how I can fix this?
Bryan, was wondering if you can help me get the printer hooked up to my pc to install firmware. I do not know what printer drivers to install on my pc so it recognizes the printer (COM port). Can you help me find a way to get the pc to recognize the printer? It is a Sunlu S8 so thats why I posted here. Thanks.
Bryan - do you have a link to the STL for those side-mounted spool holders you showed?
you really sold me on this machine but i have a question about printing with supports a lot of my prints have overhangs and arent vcompletly flat with the build plate does this machine offer a supports option for printing the stls i cant find this anywhereand i was hoping if you knew because im really excited to buy this printer but this is one thing this cant find any information on
Thanks for the Info Bryan, cool the config.h files were available for it. Keep up the great work Sir !
Thanks, Ron, I appreciate it! As big as the S8 is, I don't think it's as tall as your Ender 3. You gave it something like a 1000mm Z axis, right? 😉
@@BV3D yes Sir, all my builds seem stuck on 1 meter LoL....
i've found the same ghosting on my new S8. The Y belt is pretty loose, and i'm going to tight it, thanks for the advice
So I gotta question, are the extruder universal and is it compatible with genuine v6 hot head? I
The extruder is the usual kind mounted to the side of the X axis, feeding the hot end via a Bowden tube. I'm pretty sure it could be replaced with one of the aluminum aftermarket ones such as for the Creality Ender 3. As for the hot end, it bolts on like an Ender 3 hot end, so you'd need to print (or design & print) a way to mount a v6.
Haay I bought the sunlu S8 pro but still having challenge in design.is there a way u can help me out on Which software to use if am going to design my own image .plz
Do you by chance know what heat brake will fit this?
Another great video 3d printing friend. Keep them coming.
Thank you, Dan! Cheers! 👍
In your opinion what is the best Direct Drive 300 x 300 x 400 printer Cartesian and Core XY? THANKS
Bryan, great review, just purchased one of these units and learning how to use it. You didn’t mention build plate and nozzle temps that you used for your prints. Assuming 195 and 70? I’m having trouble with my unit skipping on filament feed, it’s brand new so not expecting clogged nozzle but thinking of raising the extruded temp to lessen the filament line pressure. Thoughts?
Hi Joey, printing temperatures depend on the filament you’re using. That said, for PLA, I almost always print around 210 - 220 degrees, and use a 60 degree bed. If the extruder is skipping, that means it’s having a hard time pushing filament into the hot end. Try printing at 210 and see if that helps.
Ended up at 210 with 75 degree plate and it’s doing ok ish. Not happy with print quality yet. Using PETG from Sunlu. At 220 I was getting a lot of spidering but I think I was too close to the bed. PETG seems like it likes to run hotter so not sure where to go next. Any suggestions?
Thanks for this video, as you said in it there isn’t a lot about this printer out there, certainly not this in depth! Decided to buy one based on what you’ve said, have previously had a cr-10 but sadly no more - this is roughly 75% the price in the U.K. of the cr-10 so hopefully should be able to do something with it :) thanks!
Thank you Bryan for this video I was tempted to jump into getting one of these for printing car parts - I have an older 200x200x300 sunhokey i3 that I invested quite a bit of time into but managed to get the quality up there with the best 3D printers 4-5 years ago but have taken a break.
From your video it feels like the S8 is a jump forward but some similar fundamental issues that I'd need to upgrade my way out of, and tbh I really CBA with manual bed levelling.
I also noticed there seemed to be fairly visible lines on your prints - it took me ages to get mine to be minimal but notice most printers out of the box have that sorted now, I think I have to really tune my micro steps so worry I would have a few weekends in getting this thing super honed.
Again cheers for the video - going to weight up the costs of getting the printer then adding auto bed levelling, and a better bed/build plate solution.
How is it going with autolevel?
Btw are there anymore how to guides with the arduino comming I realt enjoy following them! Thanks
If all goes well, the next one in the series will be out next week! I'm glad you're enjoying them! 👍
I got one of these to test. It was also a customer return. After $90 worth of parts, it really prints well even with the stock bed and hairspray. But, I see why it was returned. Given they are about $225 now, I would pay it. I would not have paid over $300 for it.
I would be curious to see if your retraction works better with the run out sensor removed. since it's not parallel with the extruder or print a spacer to level them out. I am also curious how fast that large bed heats up.
It's slow
Great review....I've been thinking about getting a larger printer, I saw this on amazon, then saw your review....how does it compare to the CR10? The price is really pulling me towards getting this printer.
As of today, 199.99 on amazon
Mr. Vines, have you ever used printbite bed surface?
Hey Bryan, Great in depth review. Personally I think it looks like a very good printer, especially since they have the Marlin TRP enabled and working, Kudos for that. Sure, it has a few niggles, but somehow I kinda like those too ... Of course I'm not exactly a newbie so I agree that they should be ironed out for newcomers to 3DP. I even like that they haven't included a flex bed, it keeps the price down and also makes it easier to fit one you choose, obviously a WhamBam for me.
Keep up the great work my friend 👍
Hi Spike! It is a good printer, just one or two little things about it that shouldn't be too hard to take care of. Some of the issues, like the power switch location, come down to design choices. And some, like loud fans, are a result of "attention to value engineering." But yes, it keeps the cost down and these issues aren't difficult to overcome. (and yes, Wham Bam all the things!) 😄
Hey Bryan awesome video! I have an anycubic Chiron and the filament sensor is kind of similar but further away like you suggested but it bounces so much it has become noisy and faulty.. so it constantly starts putting the change 'filament mode' on.
I have put tape and some plastic in place to keep the filament pushed up towards the sensor but it still clicks like crazy moving around ...so I can kind of see what they have it more attached on this machine...it just seems sturdier 🤷♀️
what i would like to know can i remove the board and install a btt skr mini e3 and the touch screen to go with it
Interesting printer
Thanks for sharing👍😀
Thanks, and thanks for watching! 😃
How well has it held up?
my Sunlu S8 is having an issue where the filament is having trouble feeding while it prints.
Does anyone know if the smooth-to-smooth belt set up was a one-off thing or if most are shipping with it like that instead of tooth-to-tooth?
I want to get into 3d-printing, and I think this is a nice printer to get started with. Thanks
Just bought one and they were smooth to smooth.
I tensioned the Y by adjusting the belt holder at the front of the printer. I cant do the X as one of the bolts have rounded off !
New versions of the printer come with a power supply that is thermostatically controlled. The fan on the chassis is on always, though. That should be controlled to I let be on when the drivers are.
Another great video, Bryan.
Thank you, Ben! 😃
Nice video man
Appreciate it 😀
In a year or so these machines once they have been updated to come with a bltouch installed and a decent motherboard they will be a great value
This video is wery informative.
Nice again Bryan! Hope you are being safe!
Thanks! You too!
Does this printer use malin or have thermal runaway protection?
Hi Nate! It does, and it does.
The thermal runaway test starts at the 10:18 mark.
And you can download the Marlin source for the Sunlu S8 here: forum.sunlu.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=55&sid=7dd59c3e270e2af8f029a41e19cbc610
@@BV3D you are a gentleman, a scholar and now a hero.
Thanks for the review!
Does this printer have thermal runaway protection?
Awesome video Bryan I just bought one be my 3rd printer I have two Ender 3 Pros one of them is getting the Ender Extender and I have the original Ender 3 Pro
Hey after 7 months.... how is the s8??? Is it just as good as the enders?
HI is it possible to install a bl touch on this model?
I've been watching videos like crazy... This is the first video I watched from start to finish. I even went back to rewatch your comments about adjusting the Y-axis. I thought I was all set to buy the Creality CR-10, and then came across this Sunlu S8. It has the dual Z screws, run out sensor and power resume features standard. I also like the way the rails are spread apart on the Base rail. It seems like it would give better support. This Sunlu looks more inline with the CR-10S. Anyway... I wanted your opinion. My family LOVES playing Settlers of Catan, and I wanted to get a cheap printer to print personalized game pieces. Do you think this Sunlu would work for simple, personal prints? Or is it worth the additional $150 to pick up the CR-10S?
Again. Thank you for a 30 minute video with zero filler, and great content from start to finish!
Well... The S8 was only $315, and I found a 10% coupon. I was able to get it for $284 delivered! Thanks again for the great videos, and I look forward to my new 3d printing journey.
@@jkemper96 hello, how is the experience with s8?
@@GabrielOliveira-ox4bg it has been amazing! Great prints out of the box...
I ended up upgrading the board to an SKR1.4. And got a V6 got end.
Now it's whisper quiet, and can print PETG with no issues.
@@jkemper96 I just ordered one on eBay, is upgrading the motherboard very difficult? I've been printing about a year now but not done any upgrades before.
@@JimHasArt replacing the hardware is really simple. Getting the software right was really difficult for me. After several months and hours and hours and hours of research. I have a nearly silent machine.
Great video ! Thanks for this extensive review.
Would you shre your slicer setup, or config files please to get the retraction and other setting from a Pro like you.
Once again thanks.
I'm going to have to disagree on the glass bed. The problem with these cheap printers is the aluminum bed is made from rolled sheets. That means you'll be really lucky if it's flat, and the bigger the bed the more likely it is to have problems. Glass isn't perfect, but it mitigates warpage well. If you put a flexy sheet on a warped bed you will probably still have problems. It's a low priced large printer, so I think glass is an excellent compromise and it's nice that it's included.
I get your point on the flatness of the glass versus the aluminum. For me, the aluminum beds are usually very slightly lower in the middle than the edges, so I can shim the center with a small square of paper between the magnet and the flex plate (on my printers so equipped). My success rate for printing on plain glass has been lower than with other build surfaces, but glue stick mostly fixes that issue. However, I’ve had had good success printing on the Ultrabase-style etched glass that came with my Sovol SV01; prints usually stick really well and then release when the bed cools completely. 👍🏻
Nice review but could you do next time also a little bit about the software like with wich slicer do it work or if some not work
Hi! That's an excellent suggestion. And to answer that question, I have this:
Like a lot of Chinese 3D printers, the SD card included with the printer includes very old, Windows-only versions of Cura, Pronterface, and Slic3r. It baffles me why this is still so common. The manual includes some basic settings to get you going in Cura, so you can use that information to create a printer profile in a modern version of Cura, or any other slicer.
I personally prefer using PrusaSlicer, so I put together a printer profile and a set of printing profiles in there.
Anyway, it's running pretty much a standard Marlin build, so any general-purpose slicer will work. 👍
Print a huge gray Bender Robot Head from Futurama... then we can bit his shiny metal head... lol
Stern look at the barnacles! LOL
Amazing review. Any chance you can post your full slicer settings? :D
Is this better than the CR10?
Good job mr BVD!!
Thanks, Jordon! 🐵
cool video, Bryan!
Hi id! Glad you enjoyed it 😃
Anybody have a link to that bridge test model. Like it’s simplicity and built in stringing test.
Hi! That would be this model: www.thingiverse.com/thing:2938231
@@BV3D Thanks, always so helpful!
Ever going to do a follow up?
Does somebody has a link to the spool holder of Bryan at 18:20 ?
I have been looking forward to the review of this printer :)
Hi Ben! Thanks for watching! 👍
What should you print? for you probably a bucket sized coffee cup, regards RobUK
bryan just turn it off from the outside right and not inside between the heated bed
I'm getting them little bumpies like you showed on One of your Prince and having your heart time a getting rid of them I turn my heat up on the head and seen To help Any other suggestions
Get a faster SD card. The bumps come from the printer writing to the card so that it can remember where the print is--in case of power failure. But the card that comes with the printer is too slow on writes and causes the printer to starve for gcode--which pauses the print for a fraction of a second. That's enough to get bumps.
Does anyone know the settings details default machine printhead x y min and max
man, nice to get free stuff. I had to pay for mine. Hoping it works well