I got my A250 around 5 Aug, signed up here 7 Aug, 2020. I think I print pretty often, many parts for a computer build, some dishwasher repair, odds and ends for the printer station itself of course (spool hub supports, rollers, filament guides, filter box, and a bunch of things for my wife’s epoxy cup crafting (‘cuptiserrie’ holders, bases for decorative lid toppers, some bas relief kind of sculpty things, blah blah blah.)
All PLA - one try with some old ABS I had lying around really had a hard time sticking to the bed, so I went back to the PLA.
Anyway, finally had my first real nozzle clog up and figured it was time so went ahead and swapped out with the spare hot end (I have 3 total, added a couple back on initial purchase). Took the time to add a little thermal paste into the thermister hole which I never did back in the day, despite reading about it here. Easy peasy, back in action…
Given how much I’ve actually used this compared to my past printer (I’ve been thru 3 entire 1kg spools (two black one clear), and have used about 1kg combined from three more (black, clear, silk-gray)) I’m a little impressed. I might take the time to try and bake out and unclog the nozzle in the removed hot-end, swap only the nozzle on it to put it into storage as a backup, but no rush.
I don’t post as much anymore but still using with success 95% of the time. VAST majority of my reprints are my own design flaws (or upgrades), not printing issues. My Y axis has only occasionally made a noise I think might be associated with a rail mismatch…so far so good.
Probably will now that I’m basically out of warranty break open the PSU one of these days and put in a quieter fan. That has been the one resounding pet peeve so far…it’s so loud it’s tiring to be near it, working on the computer when the machine is on.
Shameless gallery of a computer build with about 12 different 3D printed parts assisting it:
3D prints in this build:
- “Pod bay door” circular embellishment, case rear (3)
- “Pod bay door” and greeble plating, interior front face
- Gfx card support
- Reservoir bottom plate (doesn’t really show in pics)
- Reservoir mounting skirt
- Rear radiator position shifter
- Rear radiator external “pull” fan grill (not pictured)
- LED strip brackets between the top panel and the top radiator (not visible)
- Cable combs (not my printing, but gotta shout out to the 3D printing regardless)
- Drain port leg support
- External rear audio and USB cable combs (not pictured)
- Misc small cable routing guides behind mobo or on backside near the passthru channel (not pictured)
- Lower small half-height GT710 graphics card (feeds the internal monitors) was originally 3D printed but I later upgraded to a laser cut and engraved one of white-over-black acrylic for a little more finished look.
…second to this project as a benefactor of this printer has been my Cadillac space sim cockpit chair project with aluminum extrusion cover plates, feet, wire guides and combs, knobs, etc.
I wish the Firmware offered a “total uptime” kind of metric, but having the machine on, idle would probably pollute that. Maybe just a hotend uptime, or heated bed uptime…idle thought, just curious how much total print time I really have. I’m sure compared to many of you I’m a piker, but I’m pretty happy and wanted to post FWIW.