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Whilst not printed on the ALDI printer but the Wanhao i3+ which is near identical this shows what the ALDI printer could do with a few simple modifications.

 

A gauge 3 BR 08 body

 

attachicon.gif2017-11-29 18.58.26.jpg

That is very impressive, After a few years of creating 3D prints on commercial and lab research machines, I'm thinking of investing in my own printer to make 7mm scale loco bodies and rolling stock, and wondered how large this 08 body is. The build volume for the Wanhao i3+ is quoted as 200 X 200 X 180mm (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LX8KNV3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ZNcgAbWQTEYTW) but I would have thought the 08 body is a lot bigger than that. Was this aspect something you had to modify on your machine, and if so how did you do it? Are there other modifications you have done that you would recommend to optimise performance on large loco bodies like this? Many thanks,

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That is very impressive, After a few years of creating 3D prints on commercial and lab research machines, I'm thinking of investing in my own printer to make 7mm scale loco bodies and rolling stock, and wondered how large this 08 body is. The build volume for the Wanhao i3+ is quoted as 200 X 200 X 180mm (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LX8KNV3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ZNcgAbWQTEYTW) but I would have thought the 08 body is a lot bigger than that. Was this aspect something you had to modify on your machine, and if so how did you do it? Are there other modifications you have done that you would recommend to optimise performance on large loco bodies like this? Many thanks,

 

The body is around 350mm long and printed in 5 parts to fit on the bed

 

post-13823-0-71093000-1512990099_thumb.jpg

 

I have 2 printers one is near stock with a glass bed and a dii cooler as the only mods.

 

The other is more heavily modified with a glass bed, dii cooler, microswiss hotend and z braces.

 

Both seem to print about the same quality so am not planning upgrade any further.  Printing something that large takes hours!   just the Cab alone is 44 hours. but the quality is great.

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The body is around 350mm long and printed in 5 parts to fit on the bed

 

attachicon.gif2017-11-29 19.39.43.jpg

 

I have 2 printers one is near stock with a glass bed and a dii cooler as the only mods.

 

The other is more heavily modified with a glass bed, dii cooler, microswiss hotend and z braces.

 

Both seem to print about the same quality so am not planning upgrade any further.  Printing something that large takes hours!   just the Cab alone is 44 hours. but the quality is great.

Ah, thanks for the extra photo which explains how it prints in parts that fit on the bed size. Ingenious, I didn't spot the joins!

 

Mark

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The body is around 350mm long and printed in 5 parts to fit on the bed

 

attachicon.gif2017-11-29 19.39.43.jpg

 

I have 2 printers one is near stock with a glass bed and a dii cooler as the only mods.

 

The other is more heavily modified with a glass bed, dii cooler, microswiss hotend and z braces.

 

Both seem to print about the same quality so am not planning upgrade any further.  Printing something that large takes hours!   just the Cab alone is 44 hours. but the quality is great.

Did you make the files for that, it looks great!

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  • 1 month later...

Interested to know how people are getting on with the aldi printer.  I had some disastrous attempts to begin with.  Despite all the levelling in the world, the print quality was poor - not sticking to the table, stringy, poorly filled in.    I ended up using Simplify3d rather than the bundled Cura and the change was instant.  Clean fast prints with none of the stringiness that plagued the earlier versions.  Anyone else had this?

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I’ve barely looked at mine, been busy in work etc but I’ve had some good results and some bad (thankfully mostly good) I’ve been experimenting with a class 323 cab someone sent me using different settings and orientations to print with startling differences in finish

 

I’ve had no problems with the software but I may have a look at the one you have used to see how it compares

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It was the interior for an APT coach that i was doing.  Too big to fit into one print, so split into two.  The first was a mess, but the second one is going well.  It seems to be an issue with the slicing that plagued the first attempt.  For the life of me i can't see what the difference between Cura and Simplify3d was, other than £100.

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Just out of curiosity (because I can't figure it out from their website) is Simplify3D just a program to convert an STL file into Gcode or does it also include software to replace the original firmware within the 3D printer.

 

I must say I have had no problems with the free Slic3r program.

 

...R

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Just out of curiosity (because I can't figure it out from their website) is Simplify3D just a program to convert an STL file into Gcode or does it also include software to replace the original firmware within the 3D printer.

 

I must say I have had no problems with the free Slic3r program.

 

...R

 

To be quite honest, I don't know.  It seemed very similar to Cura although perhaps a bit more refined in how it printed - greater control over the first layers.   Looking under the bonnet with it, i can see that there does seem to be some ability to use it to update firmware through an import/export feature.   I'll have a look at Slic3r (thanks for the headsup) since simplify3d does allow you to try for 2 weeks and claim a refund if you're not happy with it.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 9 months later...

I see that the ALDI 3D Printer is back in stock (on-line only, not available in-store) from 22nd Nov 2018 for £299.99

 

https://www.aldi.co.uk/balco-3d-printer-/p/086887240233900

 

Wonder if this (the technology / software / firmware) is exactly the same as last year's offering or updated?

 

I very nearly bought this last year, but ended up buying the Wanhao printer off Amazon instead after guidance from this forum. The Wanhao had some calibration problems (unit I received was previously used, had marks on the unit and the plate couldn't be leveled, even though it was sold as new) but Amazon quickly gave me a refund. Maybe I'll look into 3D printing again as I'm sure the industry has moved on since this time last year.

 

Maybe the better bargain is the filament https://www.aldi.co.uk/balco-3d-printer-filament/p/087733240234100

 

 

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I see that the ALDI 3D Printer is back in stock (on-line only, not available in-store) from 22nd Nov 2018 for £299.99

 

https://www.aldi.co.uk/balco-3d-printer-/p/086887240233900

 

Wonder if this (the technology / software / firmware) is exactly the same as last year's offering or updated?

 

I very nearly bought this last year, but ended up buying the Wanhao printer off Amazon instead after guidance from this forum. The Wanhao had some calibration problems (unit I received was previously used, had marks on the unit and the plate couldn't be leveled, even though it was sold as new) but Amazon quickly gave me a refund. Maybe I'll look into 3D printing again as I'm sure the industry has moved on since this time last year.

 

Maybe the better bargain is the filament https://www.aldi.co.uk/balco-3d-printer-filament/p/087733240234100

Amazon Black Friday deal has it reduced to £229.68. Ends around midnight tonight.

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  • 1 year later...

I must admit the Aldi 3d printer I bought when first offered has been brilliant, I use it for all those niggling scenic items that are a pain to make scratch-built, and for making kits of parts for small buildings.  the only problem is compared to scratch building it is relatively easy to change your mind, so you end up printing a new item just because you want to see if something else might work better - if I was scratch building the "old fashioned way" I would be less inclined to change my mind!

If anyone is still wondering whether to go for the bargain Aldi printer go for it, especially at 150 sovs.  Once you've learned the skills needed to 3d design and how to manage your printing process you won't look back, the ability to produce custom designs has always been one of the more satisfying aspects of modelling, only now you can scratchbuild the 21st Century way.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 29/11/2019 at 14:45, wombatofludham said:

If anyone is still wondering whether to go for the bargain Aldi printer go for it, especially at 150 sovs.  Once you've learned the skills needed to 3d design and how to manage your printing process you won't look back, the ability to produce custom designs has always been one of the more satisfying aspects of modelling, only now you can scratchbuild the 21st Century way.

 

You can get good 3D printers for less than £150 on the internet anyway. Have you used the Aldi printer yet? I was wondering if there is any z wobble that creates lines on the surface of the print? 

I bought a cheapo 3D printer a few years ago and it had really bad banding issues. Luckily I managed to correct it by getting a precision leadscrew. The original leadscrew was slightly bent. 

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I've used it a lot for a number of things since I bought one of their first batch way back, for the layout I'm building.  The biggest, most complex thing I've produced so far is a platform café building and interior to match in style and size the old Playcraft-Pola "Bletchley" station buildings I'm using for the main building, which I designed as a kit of parts to enable nice crisp detail, together with a large lift tower and stairwell.  Occasionally there can be some lining, but to be honest as the majority of things I've been printing have been concrete architectural elements that isn't necessarily a bad thing for me.  I've used it to make parts to kitbash other buildings, make a large planter with 3d lettering for the town square, to make platform components, a disabled ramp, roof detailing, interior detailing, large concrete bridge supports, and have worked up a plan to print a "Sheringham" style wooden temporary platform for a branch terminus, although that is on hold for now.  I'm sure as I continue with the build other uses will come out of the woodwork.  In some respects having the printer has made it easier to change my mind on the layout plan as it only takes a few hours to design an item, and depending on size anything from a few hours to a couple of days to print out something.

I'm sure there are others out there but given the Aldi printer comes ready made and not in kit form and is straightforward to use, especially for those fiddling little details like disabled ramps, planter boxes and building components that are a pain to build from scratch the Aldi printer is a good starter machine.  I still use kits, and ready to plant items where appropriate but I do feel the Aldi 3d printer has been a really good investment and has enabled me to do a lot more individual design work than I would have been able to achieve without it.

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On 17/12/2019 at 15:49, wombatofludham said:

I've used it a lot for a number of things since I bought one of their first batch way back, for the layout I'm building.  The biggest, most complex thing I've produced so far is a platform café building and interior to match in style and size the old Playcraft-Pola "Bletchley" station buildings I'm using for the main building, which I designed as a kit of parts to enable nice crisp detail, together with a large lift tower and stairwell.  Occasionally there can be some lining, but to be honest as the majority of things I've been printing have been concrete architectural elements that isn't necessarily a bad thing for me.  I've used it to make parts to kitbash other buildings, make a large planter with 3d lettering for the town square, to make platform components, a disabled ramp, roof detailing, interior detailing, large concrete bridge supports, and have worked up a plan to print a "Sheringham" style wooden temporary platform for a branch terminus, although that is on hold for now.  I'm sure as I continue with the build other uses will come out of the woodwork.  In some respects having the printer has made it easier to change my mind on the layout plan as it only takes a few hours to design an item, and depending on size anything from a few hours to a couple of days to print out something.

I'm sure there are others out there but given the Aldi printer comes ready made and not in kit form and is straightforward to use, especially for those fiddling little details like disabled ramps, planter boxes and building components that are a pain to build from scratch the Aldi printer is a good starter machine.  I still use kits, and ready to plant items where appropriate but I do feel the Aldi 3d printer has been a really good investment and has enabled me to do a lot more individual design work than I would have been able to achieve without it.

 

I've just purchased the Aldi printer for £150 but haven't used it yet. I too was planning to make scenic parts for my layout. I've downloaded some models already and re scaled some in sketchup, but i have no idea where to start creating my own 3d models, or what software to use. Would be interested to know what you are using to create models and how easy it is to learn?

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I too bought an Aldi printer last week, and after one issue, when the provided SD card went faulty on first use, have managed a couple of successful prints.

The provided software, which I had to download, makes a perfectly good starting point. It will accept a range of file formats, including ,jpg, where it treats black as zero height and white as the maximum you want  for that print. This has meant that I have been able to do some test prints without getting into the complexity, (yet), of doing 3d cad. I have been an occasional user of Turbocad, so far only in 2d mode, and will delve deeper into that, but my next test will be to try to see how  a greyscale  .jpg translated into heights, as this seems to have a lot of potential for some of the things I want to do.

 

Dave

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I have a Balco printer and recently purchased another in the Black Friday sale.  I've used it for a lot of items in 4mm, 7mm and 1/32.  they seem to work well and are easy to strip down and fix.  The original memory card on mine also failed and only other issues have been worn/ damaged nozzle (when using 3rd party PLA) and heated bed not sticking anymore (replacement pads included with the printer).

 

The main parts printed have been 4mm and 7mm wagon bodies, there is layering visible and parts need finishing/ filling/sanding before painting.  A couple of examples below.  Larger parts need to be printed in parts and joined together and there are limitations to what can be printed the same as with other PLA printers.

 

7mm Polybulk being printed-

 

40724375083_6c7926f8f1_k.jpgE443 Polybulk test print by simon br blue, on Flickr

 

7mm Polybulk finished.

 

47690753541_fb2e892473_k.jpgE443 Polybulk wagon 7mm by simon br blue, on Flickr

 

4mm Polybulk painted.

 

48702156712_43a764c2be_k.jpg4mm Slab sided Polybulk by simon br blue, on Flickr

 

4mm Polybulk before painting.

 

47690692841_443c937238_k.jpgGrainflow wagon 4mm by simon br blue, on Flickr

 

4mm, 7mm and 1/32 Grinflow polybulk wagons all bodies printed on Balco printer.

 

48174310767_42e8e73bcc_k.jpgGrainflow Polybulks by simon br blue, on Flickr

 

A 7mm ICI PAA hopper with PLA printed hopper, before and after painting.  The hopper was printed at an angle as can be seen on the as printed hopper.

 

44003200075_0380e9e319_k.jpg7mm PAA urea hopper by simon br blue, on Flickr

 

48690740757_e5efe48936_k.jpg7mm PAA ICI Urea hopper by simon br blue, on Flickr

 

An example below of a test print of a 7mm GER coach with both the body and chassis printed in PLA, it worked out OK but required a lot of cleaning up where as a Shapeways versatile plastic (WSF) printed chassis would be more suitable.

 

41628186104_d956183a30_k.jpg7mm GER no.16 van by simon br blue, on Flickr

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9 hours ago, Andy1963 said:

 

I've just purchased the Aldi printer for £150 but haven't used it yet. I too was planning to make scenic parts for my layout. I've downloaded some models already and re scaled some in sketchup, but i have no idea where to start creating my own 3d models, or what software to use. Would be interested to know what you are using to create models and how easy it is to learn?

 

I use free SketchUp 2017 which took a little while to get used to and isn't the most intuitive 3d drawing package but it's accessible and free.  I had some limited experience of drawing 3d stuff for the first MS Train Simulator so it eventually came back to me.  It's worth having a play around with to see how you get on with it.

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