New to Bambu Lab? This is What You Really Need to Know

[00:00] I'm making this video for those who have purchased a Bambu Lab printer. It's on its way to your doorstep and you're kind of curious about what you need to know to get started. I'm going to hit you with a bunch of different things I think you should know. Some of them I'm just going to touch on. I'm not going to really dive into it.

[00:15] These are all items I wish I knew before I started printing. I'm warning you, I'm going to go fast. Hit pause at any time or go back and re-watch it. Let's go. Make a hyperlapse video of most all your prints.

[00:27] Memory is cheap, and you can always save it off to somewhere else. You'll kick yourself for not turning that on when you go to present something or make a video about it. If you have an A1 or A1 Mini, consider getting a better webcam to do this.

[00:41] The cameras with those are pretty limited. You need to know what an AMS is if you don't already. It basically is the machine that allows people to do multicolor prints. Honestly, what I use it for the most is to have a backup of the same color so that when I'm printing a model, if that filament runs out, it just moves over to the leather roll without stopping the print.

[01:03] You'll want to get some great calipers and a measuring tape that's in metric. If you're in the United States, learn to work in metric. It's really ridiculous that we still haven't converted to the metric system.

[01:17] Marble runs are so fun to print, but they often use a lot of filament. Still, totally worth it. I have a couple packs of bearings. There's so many models that use bearings, and they're really fun to incorporate into your models.

[01:33] Learn how to refill a filament on the bamboo reusable spools. Do not skip step four. Everybody skip step four. You've got to explore GridSinity.

[01:46] It's one of the coolest open-source organizational systems. Everybody I know that has a 3D printer has lots of Gridfinity organizers. Use the Gridfinity generator. It'll save you a ton of time.

[02:01] Okay, let's talk about the software real quick. The app you'll use on your mobile device is called Bamboo Handy, and it's very limited. However, you can use it to find a model you like and send it to your printer. This is great when you want to start a print when you're out and about and have it finished when you get home.

[02:16] The desktop software is called Bamboo Studio. It's extremely powerful. This is the one you're going to use the most. This is a slicer software that takes a 3D model and creates G-code that's sent to your printer, and you'll understand why it's called slicing once you get into it.

[02:35] Bamboo Studio can do all kinds of things, but for now, just concentrate on a couple parameters. There's three main tabs you'll need to understand. The Device tab lets you select a printer you want to work with, if you have multiple printers.

[02:48] It gives you real-time updates on a print job and lets you see what filament you currently have loaded, and view your time-lapses. The Prepare tab is where you'll get the print ready, make adjustments, etc.

[03:00] You'll use the Preview tab to see what the printer will actually do once you've sliced the model. So a lot of this will make a lot more sense once you start doing it.

[03:12] Print phone and camera stands. They're really useful, especially if you have a YouTube video. This is a Benchy. This is a Boaty. They have a secret love affair.

[03:25] I strongly suggest having on hand some screws washers for different things you going to make I suggest starting with M2 M3 and M4 There are dozens of sites to download models from but Maker World is going to be your best friend

[03:41] And it's because it's owned and operated by Bamboo Lab. When you find a model you like on it, you can hit Open in Bamboo Studio. This will launch the Bamboo Lab Studio slicer with the print profile you selected so you can start printing immediately.

[03:56] A print profile is like a recipe for that model that goes into your 3D printer. It tells the printer how fast to go, how hot to get, and how thick each layer should be. There's lots of different settings in a print profile.

[04:09] On Make-A-World, people share print profiles for the same model that work well for specific materials or orientations. Check the ratings to find a good one. Once you get the hang of it, you can tweak print profiles to make your prints look better, be stronger, or finish faster.

[04:24] And if you find settings that work great, save them so that you can use them later. You can also upload your print profiles to other people's models and get points for it. Every filament has specific parameters associated with it that the printer needs to know about,

[04:39] such as the type of material, the temperature it melts at, the temperature it cools at, etc. So you need to tell the printer what filament you have. Fortunately, the printers understand all the BambuLab filament parameters and a lot of other companies' filament as well.

[04:52] so you'll just need to tell it which one you have. And if you have an AMS unit, there's a little chip on the side of each roll of Bandoolab filament that will tell the printer exactly what it is without you having to do anything.

[05:04] If you don't have an AMS, you'll have to select from a list of filaments that are already in a list on the printer's memory, but it's really pretty easy. There's a thing called fuzzy skin that you can turn off and on.

[05:16] It gives models a really cool texture. Learn how to adjust seam lines and make them less visible. When a model has steep overhangs, it will require supports for it to print, which is kind of like scaffolding.

[05:32] These supports can be removed after the model is finished, and usually quite easily. So when you hear the phrase, this model requires support, it's usually this concept and not some kind of customer support that you need.

[05:44] This is probably obvious to most people, but I'm a little slow and I was kind of confused by this. I strongly suggest building your profile on Maker World as soon as you get your printer.

[05:56] This will keep track of everything you download, all the models you bookmark through collections, your comments, your uploads, etc. The forum tab is your friend. It's a huge wealth of information and a place to get help.

[06:09] There's also a great community tab, which is kind of like a social media area. Be respectful here and concentrate on giving more than getting. You're going to want to start following people that inspire you.

[06:22] Just click the follow button on their profile, and you'll start seeing their print designs when they have new ones. Eventually, you're going to want to upload your own little designs. Hearing back from people's feedback and love for the designs you make is so rewarding.

[06:36] There's a point system on Maker World, and you'll start accumulating points when you rate print profiles you download, when you upload new highly rated designs, when you get boosts for your designs.

[06:48] There's all kinds of different ways to get points. Points can then be cashed in for gift cards, for parts, for filament, etc. I telling you the point system makes it so fun You should explore the Maker Lab area This is basically an area with quick tools to help you make custom items

[07:06] Even if you don't know anything about modeling yourself, they have stuff like building a statue, a vase, a sign, a lithophane, a desk organizer. Tools that make it really easy to design your own stuff.

[07:18] These tools are really powerful. There will come a day when you're going to want to start designing your own 3D models. I'm no expert on this, but here's a few things I've learned. First of all, Bamboo Studio can do a lot, actually.

[07:32] And some people actually use it to make basic models. But it's most commonly used for adding text to a model or adding and subtracting little elements to an existing model, like I did with this cell phone case here. But most model designers are going to use something like Tinkercad, Fusion, Blender, stuff like that.

[07:51] Last year, I decided to teach myself Fusion. and I took the advice from others and used a tutorial series on YouTube called Learn Fusion in 30 Days. It's fantastic. There is a sharp learning curve when you get started and I've heard that there's a lot of other 3D programs that are a little bit easier to use.

[08:06] Let me know what you end up using. Once you've modeled something, let's say in Fusion, you want to export it as a step file, not an STL. This will give way more detail to your model when you go to print it.

[08:19] Pay attention to how much filament you use on a certain model, and you can adjust how much infill or how dense the 3D model is when it's printed.

[08:33] Play with ironing. This is often overlooked, but it'll make surfaces really, really smooth if your printer is calibrated correctly. It's a good idea to always Google your question or look in the forums before you ask it.

[08:47] This will save you and a lot of other people a lot of time. Use ChatGPT and other AI solutions when you're stuck. I do this all the time.

[08:59] Give credit whenever you take an idea or remix someone else's stuff and include a link to their model or product. Make a sign using MakerLabs. Put it in the bathroom.

[09:11] Help the community by creating custom print profiles for other people's models that don't yet have one. You can filter in the search for models that don't have a print profile yet, and you'll get points for it.

[09:24] Learn how to add text to your designs using the software's built-in tools. Use modifiers in Bambi Studio to fine-tune specific parts of your prints.

[09:36] Try fixing broken things in under house, like knobs, latches, or supports. It'll save you time and money, and it's a lot of fun. Pay attention to how layer lines stack and how overhangs affect your prints.

[09:50] Oftentimes you can print with PLA right out of the box, but sometimes you're going to want to dry your PLA, especially if you're in a damp environment. I strongly suggest getting a filament dryer, but if you don't have one,

[10:02] you can actually dry your filament at the right temperature in a toaster oven or your oven. Experiment with PLA wood. It has a really nice matte finish and it's personally my favorite filament.

[10:15] Before buying from Amazon for parts and pieces and springs and things, check out Bamboo Lab Store. They're more tailored to 3D models and they're often more affordable. I strongly suggest having an extra nozzle on hand for when yours dies And that goes for print beds as well Print some articulating models It really fun and a lot of people enjoy them especially kids

[10:38] Learn what print-in-place models are, like this box with the hinges. Don't just print toys. Print decor. I think some of the most beautiful objects right now are things printed with 3D printers. Anytime a holiday is coming up, I start thinking about

[10:53] what objects I can print to decorate my house. Don't forget to make personalized gifts by putting people's names on the models that you might print. Find and print lamps. They are so much fun.

[11:08] Create kitchen tools and accessories that are useful in everyday life. Clean your print beds regularly. There's lots of different advice on it for different types of print beds, but it's extremely important.

[11:22] Don't freak out when a print fails or you get a clog. There's usually really easy fixes for these types of problems. Go to YouTube, find the solution. Find and print clocks. You can't ever have enough clocks.

[11:36] Organize your ideas by making collections of models to print writer and maker world. Don't forget to look outside of maker world for other ideas. There are lots of designers that only work on other websites like printables.

[11:51] I suggest you have different size magnets on hand in your tool chest. because a lot of designs utilize magnets. Learn how to embed bearings, magnets, weights, and other things into prints using the pause feature.

[12:06] I utilize this cool trick in the design of my rolling pin and the handles because I wanted to put bearings inside of them. Print a wobble reducer if your monitor wobbles a little bit.

[12:19] Try using heat set inserts. They're a fantastic way to connect parts. If you don't have a dedicated heat set insert press, you can use an old soldering iron to melt the insert into one piece of the model.

[12:32] This method creates a strong bond between the screw and the handle, as demonstrated in this nut dish I designed. For some reason, this process is incredibly satisfying. Print by object instead of layer whenever possible. It'll save you a huge amount of time and filament.

[12:49] Good ventilation is so important, especially when you're printing with ABS or ASA or PC. You need to be ventilating your area. Don't breathe this stuff in.

[13:03] Learn about base mode and when you should use it. Print extra spools whenever you need them. There's lots of great designs.

[13:15] I strongly suggest printing lots of filament clips. You'll save a little bit of filament, you'll save a little time. Lastly, stop and stare at the amazing technology that you have.

[13:29] It can be super hypnotic and very relaxing just watching a print go down.

[13:41] If you got anything out of this video that you didn't know already, I'd love to hear about it in the comments and if you like this video check out this video over here it's kind of in the same vein and I think you'll like it I'll see you next time