Our 3D printing journey to date has had us utilizing the Bambu Lab A1 to print out cool, distinctive fashions for our good video games room however what in order for you one thing bigger than a typical 3D printer can deal with?
The Bambu Lab A1 is a superb printer that requires little or no effort however generally you’re going to must get your arms soiled with a extra conventional 3D printer, particularly in case you are seeking to make and even promote cosplay gadgets that look superb.
That’s the place the Neptune 4 Max from Elegoo is available in. The behemoth of a 3D printer wants a couple of issues – first, it wants lots of area. It’s an enormous, heavy unit. On prime of the particular area the unit itself wants it’s good to think about area in entrance and behind it as a result of, as it’s a mattress slinger, that construct plate goes to fireplace forwards and backward.
To date, so apparent, however right here’s one other one that you could be not have anxious about fairly a lot if in case you have solely had a smaller printer till now – a sturdy desk.
The Neptune 4 Max runs on Klipper and meaning it’s quick and can throw the construct plate round at breakneck velocity.
The primary floor I put it on was a standing desk, so due to this fact the legs have motion in them because it must go up and down, and I genuinely thought it would fly off the desk. You want one thing sturdy right here. And if it’s mounted down, a lot the higher.
The Elegoo Neptune 4 Max is what’s also called a ‘helmet-class’ printer. Which means it has a sufficiently big print quantity to have the ability to print a full-size helmet, sufficiently big for a human head for cosplay functions. It has a construct quantity of 420 x 420 x 480 mm, which is barely lower than the Max 3, however that is as a result of large cooling fan strapped onto the gantry.
Even with a quick printer, these take some time so in the present day we’re simply going to print a full-size cosplay masks, after which print one thing bigger out for our recreation room – a big bust of Walter White from Breaking Dangerous so as to add a bit Heisenberg to the place.
Beginning with the masks we selected this low-poly full face masks as a result of it appears each sinister and funky. This was my first massive print try and watching the 4 Max do its factor was a pleasure to behold. I needed to depart it printing in a single day as I didn’t begin it till late within the day however wakened, checked the Fluidd interface by way of my cellphone whereas nonetheless in mattress, and was delighted to see it had printed completely. The one helps right here had been on the hooks for the ears they usually had been eliminated simply.
Subsequent up is our second piece, the Walter White bust from Sid Naique. I wished to print this a lot bigger however plumped for a smaller than I wished measurement just because I used to be postpone by the two-day print time to make it a lifesize head. Sooner or later although when deadlines aren’t as urgent.
Once more the bust printed flawlessly and even with the marginally tough assist across the beard, this all got here away simply and the Elegoo PLA+ in gray labored a deal with.
That is one in every of my go-to prints after I wish to exhibit the 4 Max, the extent of element is insane even with the 0.4mm commonplace nozzle (will someone please let me purchase different-sized nozzles). This may look nice on any shelf in your video games room. I believe I’m in the end going to print him once more with a marble PLA to make him look that bit extra, er museum!
So let’s take a look on the print expertise as we did with the Bambu Lab A1 in our final 3D mannequin characteristic.
What’s the Neptune 4 Max like?
My time with the 4 Max has been a little bit of a blended bag, however luckily, all of it appears to have turned out alright in the long run. From the off it printed nice, placing out actually high-quality prints. After per week or so instantly nothing would follow the plate, the Z-offset was everywhere and no quantity of leveling appeared to assist. Then I had an enormous drawback with the extruder as when the print reached a sure a part of the axis the temperature studying would drop from round 180C to 0. Clearly, this was a false studying however it might trigger Klipper to crash mid-print.
With some glorious assist from Elegoo Assist, we established there was a dodgy connection within the cable from the principle board to the print head in order that they organized to switch that. As all this was taking place although the Neptune 4 Max suffered an enormous clog that destroyed the whole hotend and warmth block. Thankfully, Elegoo changed the whole print head for me, however I did have to attend for that to reach from China which delayed this web page. It appears to me as if there could also be a slight design flaw in the best way that if a clog begins and also you don’t discover it, it gathers velocity and runs away to self-destruction beneath the silicon sock and that’s just about the tip of that, you want a spare half because the thermistor and different wires are encased like Han Solo in Carbonite. The issue is in the intervening time, with it being a brand new mannequin and utilizing a proprietary nozzle, you’ll be able to’t simply get them on Amazon and must undergo Assist, which is irritating once you simply wish to print stuff.
I have to emphasize although that Elegoo Assist is among the many finest there’s within the 3D printer world, it’s simply that submit from China, even UPS isn’t at all times the quickest.
Now nevertheless, after a few firmware upgrades and a change of the cable and hotend (which was a ache within the rear), the Neptune 4 Max is working flawlessly like a appeal and I can belief it to do what I would like. It’s a extra hobbyist printer although than say a Bambu Lab, so it’s good to have some 3D printer expertise to get essentially the most out of it and get it dialed in completely. I used to be undoubtedly unfortunate, however massive printers usually are not essentially very best as your first little bit of 3D printing package. Now it’s working superb would I like to recommend the Elegoo Neptune 4 Max for this sort of mission?
Completely, for the worth the velocity and construct measurement are nice, and in case you are seeking to get into printing props, cosplay, and enormous gadgets in your recreation room, you’ll be able to’t do significantly better for the price. Additionally, the good buyer assist is reassuring, there’s an energetic discord, and hopefully, spares might be accessible in Amazon warehouses quickly which can take the ache out of the nozzle difficulty.
Ending our printed fashions
We used a glittery filament for the masks and in the principle it genuinely doesn’t want a lot sanding down, such is the standard of the print. We did a bit work the place the helps on the eyes and mouth however usually that was it. Once more, with Walker White issues got here off fairly clear however we’ll sand down the areas the place the arms could be for a clean end earlier than priming for portray. As a result of the element on the mannequin is so good, Walter’s beard, stubble, and shaved head don’t want sanding as a result of they’re stubbly, which cuts down post-work lots.
Neptune 4 Max slicer settings
We didn’t use something apart from a primary 0.2mm later peak in both mannequin. You can, if you happen to had the time cut back that for the bust however the masks definitely doesn’t want it. We sliced and printed the fashions in Orcaslicer, which is the present go-to slicer for the 3D printing recreation in the intervening time.
