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HicTop 3DP12 Newb aid needed!

Posted: April 22nd, 2018, 10:47 am
by Mr SNG
At long last I have finally opened the box and assembled my printer, not bad considering its been in its box since last November!!

Anyway had a play with it today leveling the heat bed and all seems to be ok. Only thing is to get the machine to print off a sample which I am having a bit of difficulty with. What I cant get my head round is that the machine has a USB port and came with a USB lead, but also it has a SD card slot.


So which do I use ? Can anyone here please guide me?

Many Thanks
Dave

Re: HicTop 3DP12 Newb aid needed!

Posted: April 22nd, 2018, 12:41 pm
by Roberts_Clif
I have used all the above

Started with SD card, find a print on the Web, open with Cura 15.04.6 Slice it, Move to the SD Card, Insert SD card into 3D Printer.
Then to USB, find what I wanted to print on the Web, open with Cura 15.04.6 Slice it, Print over USB to 3D Printer.

The USB connection seemed to have problems when plugging USB in hot to the computer by crashing the computer.
I believe this was the 3D Printers Controller hot swap-able connection not working correctly, But on all four of my Hictop Controllers.

Went with a Raspberry Pi flashed with OctoPrint connection with cameras, Still a USB connection but always connected from each other.
And Networked over my local area network and better still came operate over the WEB.
Now using Cura I Slice send to OctoPrint Print, Watch streaming video over the Network from OctoPrint to Cura or over a web browser to cell Phone.

Re: HicTop 3DP12 Newb aid needed!

Posted: April 22nd, 2018, 2:11 pm
by Mr SNG
Sorry M8 I'm a 63 year old dude ....Ok I'm also an engineer, please don't take offence but your going to have to put this down in braille for me, not sure what "Slice it means!"

If you could post me a "Dummies" guide it would be very appreciated.

Cheers
Dave

Re: HicTop 3DP12 Newb aid needed!

Posted: April 22nd, 2018, 2:34 pm
by Roberts_Clif
It is OK Myself I to An 63 will be 64 In October this year.

Ok lets start at the beginning.

We Find a Model We want to print. I choose Models from Thingiverse Most were to update my 3D Printer.
The first was a Smooth Rod Support as the Smooth rod support on the 3DP12 fails.
(Meaning it does not stay inside the original support being only 1/8inch thick so to print well you will need the supports)

So we download the STL file. We load it into Cura 15.04.6 the Slicing process in Cura is automaticly done.
We can save the G-Code By Clicking File from the "Menu " then Click on Save GCode. (This is machine code that tells 3D Printer what to do).
If you want to see this simply Click on the Upper Right Icon (looks like an HourGlass) and select layers.
On the right hang side of the screen is a vertical progress bar with all the separate layer of the Model. (This is what the 3d Printer will print.

Re: HicTop 3DP12 Newb aid needed!

Posted: April 22nd, 2018, 2:39 pm
by Roberts_Clif
2nd

You-Tube is your friend Search "3D Printing for dummings"
(https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... r+dummings)

I find that seeing is believing, watching a how to video is easier for me to get my mind wrapped around. And better yet it is FREE.
And there a more how to books on 3D Printing than anyone can afford.

Re: HicTop 3DP12 Newb aid needed!

Posted: April 22nd, 2018, 3:14 pm
by Mr SNG
Many thanx for your replies Cliffe your an absolute star M8. Yep been trolling youtube vids but still cannot find any that feature the US.

Re: HicTop 3DP12 Newb aid needed!

Posted: April 22nd, 2018, 3:15 pm
by Mr SNG
USB!

Re: HicTop 3DP12 Newb aid needed!

Posted: April 22nd, 2018, 3:19 pm
by Roberts_Clif
Modern day computers have a USB (Universal Serial Bus)
usb-jack.jpg
This is what is used to communicate with a lot of peripherals.

Do you Own a Computer.

Re: HicTop 3DP12 Newb aid needed!

Posted: April 22nd, 2018, 4:50 pm
by Roberts_Clif
Meet the twins!!!

3DP12 & 3DP11
Blu & Red
The Twins 2018-2.JPG

Re: HicTop 3DP12 Newb aid needed!

Posted: April 22nd, 2018, 7:37 pm
by Mr SNG
Roberts_Clif wrote: April 22nd, 2018, 3:19 pm Modern day computers have a USB (Universal Serial Bus)

Do you Own a Computer.
Yes three (very active) desktops and two lappys! I'm already involved with CAD, CAM, and CNC etc, so I understand all the G Code stuff. it was just that I couldn't understand why the printer came fitted with a USB port and supplied with a cable but without any clear instructions on how to to set it up with the software. (Cura 14.12)

However after browsing the web this evening It appears that printing via USB can be un-reliable as there can be some small disconnections that can create errors in printing. So I guess its probably best just to stick to using an SD card.

P.S Like the twins....Those cabinets are a great idea too. Did you purchase and fit the cable chains or did they come with the machines?

Re: HicTop 3DP12 Newb aid needed!

Posted: April 22nd, 2018, 7:44 pm
by LePaul
That's awesome you guys are close to the same age and learning this technology!

Re: HicTop 3DP12 Newb aid needed!

Posted: April 22nd, 2018, 8:09 pm
by Mr SNG
LePaul wrote: April 22nd, 2018, 7:44 pm That's awesome you guys are close to the same age and learning this technology!
LOL...thanks. For what its worth mentally I'm probably more active now than I have ever been. Back in 1971 when I started as an apprentice tool maker, we never had all this amazing technology that there is around today, I feel like a kid in a toy shop so to speak! :-D

Having said that I still enjoy manually operating my mill and Lathe, its supposed to be good for the grey matter!

Re: HicTop 3DP12 Newb aid needed!

Posted: April 22nd, 2018, 8:19 pm
by Roberts_Clif
Mr SNG wrote:
P.S Like the twins....Those cabinets are a great idea too. Did you purchase and fit the cable chains or did they come with the machines?
It is actually One Cabinet I built with room for both 3D Printers. With a speed controlled bathroom fan that I use to give the case a Negative air flow to vent fumes outside no faster no slower. I can easily maintain a constant 90F internal temp with no drafts.

Every thing was 3D Printed on my 3D Printer, I found models on many different web Sites that give them away Free.

I did however Design some myself with Fusion 360 Free and Thinker Cad

Snap Together Controller Case
Hictop Cover.stl
(429.77 KiB) Downloaded 514 times
Hictop BaseSD.stl
(205.19 KiB) Downloaded 490 times
Hictop Base Oval.stl
(63.17 KiB) Downloaded 499 times
Rear Filament Spool Holder
hictop spool holder 2018.stl
(66.78 KiB) Downloaded 495 times
Y-Axis end-stop Stepper rest ( the Y-Axis Switch blade contacts this rest on the Y-Axis Stepper.
y_endstop_mount.stl
(72.49 KiB) Downloaded 486 times

Re: HicTop 3DP12 Newb aid needed!

Posted: April 30th, 2018, 9:39 am
by Orson
Hi We have just bought a HICTOP CR10 and need to know if it will work with AutoCAD or inventor

Hictop CR10

Posted: April 30th, 2018, 9:40 am
by Orson
Hi does anyone know if this will work with AutoCAD or Inventor.
many ~Thanks