I like how you drop the spiral notebook right at the start. I have those things all over my house, garage, and lab at work, just for taking measurements, doing sketches, etc. probably the only time I don’t go paperless.
You could also create a spacer that goes between the lid and the body to have the same effect but letting you go back to stock (not cutting holes) if it didn't work out or you wanted to sell it?
The original design was incredibly stupid. Only utilizing a small circular portion of a large rectangular filter is such a scam. I'm surprised anyone approved that design.
0.6 works fine with the Prusa XL; I have 3x 5T XL’s all with 0.6 nozzle and they print super clean. I think you didnt export your model with enough quality as you can see all the triangles on the long sloping sides. What firmware and slicer version are you running, because scarf seams work pretty well for hiding seams.
How do you "turn on" scarf seams?, I cannot find anything about it in 2.7.4?, wonder if it have other name in Prusaslicer? It's only in Orca slicer yet?, which doesn't support XL still? (I see there are things happening now though)
As i mentioned in a reply. 100% change from arachne to classic permiter generation on any nozzles 0.6 and up. It fixed gaps in seams on my mk3s. No idea how prusa hasnt changed the .6 defualt to avoid this. Its worse on some models but classic just works.
Something I didn't see you mention in the great filleting of 4:00 is that fillets make your prints faster. Especially on high speed printers running good firmware they won't have to slow down (as much). One thing however that would REALLY speed up this print is to make the part so thin that there won't be any infill. It won't lose (that much) structural integrity, but rather than having the little gap between the inside and outside that gets filled with tiny wiggles you just get a solid wall of plastic. It might even be stronger. On a part like this you might save half the time.
@@woodwaker1 yeah and in this case the part could just be made thinner too. But indeed for existing designs there's sometimes even time to gain by adding walls.
Angled prints like that, especially if in 2 directions never look great imo. I think the lofted surfaces make for strange print geometry as well. Have you upgraded to the 6.0.0 firmware? It makes it print much quieter and has improved print quality as it uses resonance compensation now. Make sure you run it after the upgrade. Overall i looks good.
Man, that seam really does look awful... Have you tried out Orca slicer's scarf seams yet? They actually work really well, especially on a print like this. I'd be curious to see if just changing from prusa slicer to orca slicer if your print quality would improve or not.
Resistance is futile... Embrace the reality! Look at the faults and learn their pattern, use this pattern for inspiration and add decorative (even structural) ribs to those flat surfaces. The faults are your call to a higher craft. Do not look back. 😉
I would have printed a collar to stand off between your lid and filter by 1 inch first or designed it to replace the lid completely instead of cutting into the original lid. That's my 2 cents from the peanut gallery.
Lasers that can cut metal aren't practical for home shops. They're usually several hundred watts, require gas, and are quite large. Everything found in a home shop is just going to be for cutting plastics and wood. I can cut VERY thin aluminum (0.5mm or so), but that's even tricky.
Hey Robert, great vid as usual. I saw a video recently where someone swapped out the heat block (and nozzle) for a Volcano block and printed an updated fan shroud to account for it. Pretty low impact change with pretty huge upside potential, might be something to consider. I have an original series XL as well and have been quite disappointed. This is a mod I am considering for mine.
Sometimes I import my solidworks models into blender so I can view the polygons making up my mesh. There is also a 3d printing add-on that shows the normals of all the planes. It really helps ensure there are no weird artifacts that can cause oddities in the print.
Great mod design. For a perfect seal, should you need one, butyl tape. Removeable and never dries out. What I like about your channel - you put your actual name on it.
Instead of laser cutting out a template, why not laser directly onto the lid? Even the cheapest and low power lasers would've been able to easily burn the template marks into the paint or some tape on it.
The result? Like, run exhaust into it for several months and show it spread out more evenly? This isn't rocket science, it's not going to be concentrated to the middle.
It could etch the outline, but there's no way it could cut it. For metal cutting you need a completely different type of machine and they're not at all practical for a home shop.
Thank you for the video. I am wondering, would a coat of paint on the finished print give a better finish? Not that you need the added step(s) of painting, and I fully realize your ultimate goal is a highly refined design/print process. But I do see prints and find myself wondering if a coat of paint would work well on them.
River, i have an xl also and have some trouble. I am relatively new at 3d printing though and have a tough time even making sense of the failure. If i print a small cube on a larger cube with one edge aligned we get really bad elephants foot on that transition of geometry. Between that and the ringing/z wobble we are having a tough time printing functional prints in abs or really any tougher filament.
In my opinion the print and design turned out great for what it is. Will be looking forward to an update on how the performance turns out. Any thought on designing a swirl diffuser for the intake as a way to force the air towards the outside of the box?
Dear Robert, how is your "relationship" to the XL today? I am thinking about to get one because of build volume and the tool changer, but after seeing the performance in this video I wonder if you got better prints out of it in the meantime? Thanks.
I've found that the XL doesn't seem to like the polymaker (or some cheaper) filament. When you stick with Prusa filament or make custom filament profiles for cheaper stuff, it works much better. It's not my favorite, but it does work well. It's picky about filament selection.
Thanks for your quick reply - coming from a stone age Ultimaker 2 Extended+ - I am used to fiddling 😂 . How satisfied are you with your HEPA filter mod? I got a similar filter system (bit smaller) for a Creality 40 W laser. It has the same issue regarding the design.
@@markusschicker8539 The filter has always worked well, but now with the mod I get more lift out of the pre-filter, so I'm quite happy. It's worth doing.
You should probably add a thin inside the thunal to allow full service area on the filter. You can make a turbine effect and should evenly spread the entire area
Very interesting not the approach I would of took but seems to work well. Why didn't you duct the 3 inch pipe into a full width 1 inch high opening 70 / 90 degrees from the filter so you would get a lower profile and have some what even flow across the entire filter
10:33 I used to own a Prusa i3 MK3S ( still do, just stopped using it ) which served me well until I got into the whole VORON fad with a 350 sized and ERCF equipped V2.4 ( absolutely no regrets ) and yea... Prusa has since been essentially dead to me. Credit where credit is due for their contribution to the hobby with back then creating above average Consumer 3D Printers and their Prusa Slicer Software ( which I've since dropped for SuperSlicer and now OrcaSlicer ) but man have they lost it... Yea the XL is essentially the only Multi Tool Head 3D Printer out there but that isn't exactly saying much when every Tech RUclips with one keeps complaining about the same issues that plague this machine and it being loaded with proprietary AF components ( compared to the Voron Machines ) sure doesn't help with solving problems on your own by swapping things like the Extruder or the Hot End out - Really sad. 08:00 Just these days I had to cut 1-2mm thick Sheetmetal apart ( to place under my G·Weike Cloud 50W CO² Laser for it not to cut into the surface it is resting on when I have to cut oversized parts while the Tray is removed ) using a Bosch PST 18 Li Jigsaw and I was pleasantly surprised how effortless it went through the material - So yea... Bosch Green will do just as well I guess 🤔
I watched your review of when you first got this air filter. I wanted to comment but did not think you would see it. You are using three pre filters at the same time. You are only meant to use one at a time and the space above allows the air to spread out like your new modification in this video does. The pre filters just get clogged up super fast which is why you have three of them in the box. What I find weird is that you get three pre filters that are meant to last up to 3 months each, 1 HEPA filter lasting up to 6 months and one carbon filter that lasts up to 12 months. Since you cant buy the filters separately. You get clobbered with buying a set more often than you need as you cant get the HEPA filter on its own. Pre filter is easy to source on Amazon in huge rolls so you can replace those easily.
AH, interesting. Thanks for that, I didn't find that information anywhere. That makes a bit of sense. I still think this will help (at least that's what I'm telling myself).
@@RobertCowanDIY It will help, The less sharp turns the air has to make the less energy is wasted making the air change direction. Now the only way to improve performance without changing the fan or filters would be a smooth non flexible pipe to the lasers exhaust with large corner pieces to avoid sharp turns and cutting out the grill that these lasers always have and replacing with a course wire mesh ( to catch any small items the air filter tries to hoover up). Also in regards to using 3 pre filters, now that you have modified the air filter it is probably better to keep using 3 as the HEPA is alot more expensive to replace and the cheap pre filter material will help stop more large particles clogging up the HEPA filter.
For the position of the seam (which is very noticeable in your print), there is a setting in the slicer in the Print Settings -> Layers and perimeters -> Advanced -> Seam Position (and it is possible to visualize in the render where it shows up). I think there are also modifiers where seams are acceptable. That of course would not change other issues you might see in the print.
Yeah, I'm aware of the seam settings, but there's some strange pressure advance stuff going on, there are large gaps at the seam. Then there's the pattern!
I like how you drop the spiral notebook right at the start. I have those things all over my house, garage, and lab at work, just for taking measurements, doing sketches, etc. probably the only time I don’t go paperless.
The notebook is always with me as soon as I start any project. The first step is to find the notebook.
Probably a good idea to offset the hose connector to the back. Free up some space above the filter.
Timing for this video couldn’t be more perfect as I just received my Gweike filter unit two days ago.
Oh nice! It's a decent little unit, but ALL of them have the same issue with a tiny inlet. It clogs that first pre-filter right away.
You could also create a spacer that goes between the lid and the body to have the same effect but letting you go back to stock (not cutting holes) if it didn't work out or you wanted to sell it?
Yeah, that could have worked, but it would have been beyond the build volume of my printers.
The original design was incredibly stupid. Only utilizing a small circular portion of a large rectangular filter is such a scam. I'm surprised anyone approved that design.
Prusa printers are garbage
How so? I’ve one and I love it!!!!
0.6 works fine with the Prusa XL; I have 3x 5T XL’s all with 0.6 nozzle and they print super clean. I think you didnt export your model with enough quality as you can see all the triangles on the long sloping sides. What firmware and slicer version are you running, because scarf seams work pretty well for hiding seams.
How do you "turn on" scarf seams?, I cannot find anything about it in 2.7.4?, wonder if it have other name in Prusaslicer? It's only in Orca slicer yet?, which doesn't support XL still? (I see there are things happening now though)
As i mentioned in a reply. 100% change from arachne to classic permiter generation on any nozzles 0.6 and up. It fixed gaps in seams on my mk3s. No idea how prusa hasnt changed the .6 defualt to avoid this. Its worse on some models but classic just works.
Something I didn't see you mention in the great filleting of 4:00 is that fillets make your prints faster. Especially on high speed printers running good firmware they won't have to slow down (as much).
One thing however that would REALLY speed up this print is to make the part so thin that there won't be any infill. It won't lose (that much) structural integrity, but rather than having the little gap between the inside and outside that gets filled with tiny wiggles you just get a solid wall of plastic. It might even be stronger. On a part like this you might save half the time.
I agree, I have found that increasing the wall count will often save time over having infill
@@woodwaker1 yeah and in this case the part could just be made thinner too. But indeed for existing designs there's sometimes even time to gain by adding walls.
A coat of epoxy will fix the print defects
Angled prints like that, especially if in 2 directions never look great imo. I think the lofted surfaces make for strange print geometry as well.
Have you upgraded to the 6.0.0 firmware? It makes it print much quieter and has improved print quality as it uses resonance compensation now. Make sure you run it after the upgrade.
Overall i looks good.
Man, that seam really does look awful... Have you tried out Orca slicer's scarf seams yet? They actually work really well, especially on a print like this. I'd be curious to see if just changing from prusa slicer to orca slicer if your print quality would improve or not.
Until there's evidence of efficacy, I wouldn't call it a fix. Addressing a design flaw, perhaps.
Resistance is futile... Embrace the reality! Look at the faults and learn their pattern, use this pattern for inspiration and add decorative (even structural) ribs to those flat surfaces. The faults are your call to a higher craft. Do not look back. 😉
I would have printed a collar to stand off between your lid and filter by 1 inch first or designed it to replace the lid completely instead of cutting into the original lid. That's my 2 cents from the peanut gallery.
Question for us laser rookies, why couldn’t you cut the lid with one of your lasers instead of the jig saw?
Lasers that can cut metal aren't practical for home shops. They're usually several hundred watts, require gas, and are quite large. Everything found in a home shop is just going to be for cutting plastics and wood. I can cut VERY thin aluminum (0.5mm or so), but that's even tricky.
Hey Robert, great vid as usual. I saw a video recently where someone swapped out the heat block (and nozzle) for a Volcano block and printed an updated fan shroud to account for it. Pretty low impact change with pretty huge upside potential, might be something to consider. I have an original series XL as well and have been quite disappointed. This is a mod I am considering for mine.
Sometimes I import my solidworks models into blender so I can view the polygons making up my mesh. There is also a 3d printing add-on that shows the normals of all the planes. It really helps ensure there are no weird artifacts that can cause oddities in the print.
I thought you were going to laser cut the lid!
Great mod design. For a perfect seal, should you need one, butyl tape. Removeable and never dries out.
What I like about your channel - you put your actual name on it.
thanks!
Instead of laser cutting out a template, why not laser directly onto the lid? Even the cheapest and low power lasers would've been able to easily burn the template marks into the paint or some tape on it.
Sure, but lining that up would take more time.
That Prusa XL is just a piece of overpriced junk. Nothing else to it
Yep, you're absolutely right!
Bro, you could at least do us the favor of showing the result.
The result? Like, run exhaust into it for several months and show it spread out more evenly? This isn't rocket science, it's not going to be concentrated to the middle.
Another great mod. Could you use your Lazer to cut out the top. Or could you use the Lazer to etch the cut out line?
It could etch the outline, but there's no way it could cut it. For metal cutting you need a completely different type of machine and they're not at all practical for a home shop.
Thank you for the video.
I am wondering, would a coat of paint on the finished print give a better finish? Not that you need the added step(s) of painting, and I fully realize your ultimate goal is a highly refined design/print process. But I do see prints and find myself wondering if a coat of paint would work well on them.
You own a fiber laser why use a saber saw?
Fiber lasers can MAYBE cut 0.5mm thick and that's even tricky.
River, i have an xl also and have some trouble. I am relatively new at 3d printing though and have a tough time even making sense of the failure. If i print a small cube on a larger cube with one edge aligned we get really bad elephants foot on that transition of geometry. Between that and the ringing/z wobble we are having a tough time printing functional prints in abs or really any tougher filament.
In my opinion the print and design turned out great for what it is. Will be looking forward to an update on how the performance turns out. Any thought on designing a swirl diffuser for the intake as a way to force the air towards the outside of the box?
Dear Robert, how is your "relationship" to the XL today? I am thinking about to get one because of build volume and the tool changer, but after seeing the performance in this video I wonder if you got better prints out of it in the meantime? Thanks.
I've found that the XL doesn't seem to like the polymaker (or some cheaper) filament. When you stick with Prusa filament or make custom filament profiles for cheaper stuff, it works much better. It's not my favorite, but it does work well. It's picky about filament selection.
Thanks for your quick reply - coming from a stone age Ultimaker 2 Extended+ - I am used to fiddling 😂 . How satisfied are you with your HEPA filter mod? I got a similar filter system (bit smaller) for a Creality 40 W laser. It has the same issue regarding the design.
@@markusschicker8539 The filter has always worked well, but now with the mod I get more lift out of the pre-filter, so I'm quite happy. It's worth doing.
@@RobertCowanDIY So now I just the the Prusa XL first ;-)
You should probably add a thin inside the thunal to allow full service area on the filter. You can make a turbine effect and should evenly spread the entire area
We def gonna need un update after a month or so of use and see if it's any better!
Good to see solidworks.
It's almost always open on my computer.
Very interesting not the approach I would of took but seems to work well. Why didn't you duct the 3 inch pipe into a full width 1 inch high opening 70 / 90 degrees from the filter so you would get a lower profile and have some what even flow across the entire filter
Eh, this is just how I approached it. I'm sure there are many ways to accomplish the same thing.
This is a great video!
Thanks!
10:33 I used to own a Prusa i3 MK3S ( still do, just stopped using it ) which served me well until I got into the whole VORON fad with a 350 sized and ERCF equipped V2.4 ( absolutely no regrets ) and yea... Prusa has since been essentially dead to me. Credit where credit is due for their contribution to the hobby with back then creating above average Consumer 3D Printers and their Prusa Slicer Software ( which I've since dropped for SuperSlicer and now OrcaSlicer ) but man have they lost it... Yea the XL is essentially the only Multi Tool Head 3D Printer out there but that isn't exactly saying much when every Tech RUclips with one keeps complaining about the same issues that plague this machine and it being loaded with proprietary AF components ( compared to the Voron Machines ) sure doesn't help with solving problems on your own by swapping things like the Extruder or the Hot End out - Really sad.
08:00 Just these days I had to cut 1-2mm thick Sheetmetal apart ( to place under my G·Weike Cloud 50W CO² Laser for it not to cut into the surface it is resting on when I have to cut oversized parts while the Tray is removed ) using a Bosch PST 18 Li Jigsaw and I was pleasantly surprised how effortless it went through the material - So yea... Bosch Green will do just as well I guess 🤔
Yep, Prusa is in their own little world.
I watched your review of when you first got this air filter. I wanted to comment but did not think you would see it. You are using three pre filters at the same time. You are only meant to use one at a time and the space above allows the air to spread out like your new modification in this video does. The pre filters just get clogged up super fast which is why you have three of them in the box.
What I find weird is that you get three pre filters that are meant to last up to 3 months each, 1 HEPA filter lasting up to 6 months and one carbon filter that lasts up to 12 months. Since you cant buy the filters separately. You get clobbered with buying a set more often than you need as you cant get the HEPA filter on its own. Pre filter is easy to source on Amazon in huge rolls so you can replace those easily.
AH, interesting. Thanks for that, I didn't find that information anywhere. That makes a bit of sense. I still think this will help (at least that's what I'm telling myself).
@@RobertCowanDIY It will help, The less sharp turns the air has to make the less energy is wasted making the air change direction. Now the only way to improve performance without changing the fan or filters would be a smooth non flexible pipe to the lasers exhaust with large corner pieces to avoid sharp turns and cutting out the grill that these lasers always have and replacing with a course wire mesh ( to catch any small items the air filter tries to hoover up).
Also in regards to using 3 pre filters, now that you have modified the air filter it is probably better to keep using 3 as the HEPA is alot more expensive to replace and the cheap pre filter material will help stop more large particles clogging up the HEPA filter.
For the position of the seam (which is very noticeable in your print), there is a setting in the slicer in the Print Settings -> Layers and perimeters -> Advanced -> Seam Position (and it is possible to visualize in the render where it shows up). I think there are also modifiers where seams are acceptable. That of course would not change other issues you might see in the print.
Yeah, I'm aware of the seam settings, but there's some strange pressure advance stuff going on, there are large gaps at the seam. Then there's the pattern!
@@RobertCowanDIYive noticed this on my mk3s+ when i use revo .8 and above nozzles. Going from archane to classic generation fixed it
It seems like a common issue with this setting
@@cory-sr4ei Gotcha, I'll try that next time. This was a simple print eith 0.4mm...