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Beginner would like to build the 8 day clock

I have no experience with 3d printing and would like to know how difficult it will be for me to identify the correct printer to buy and how steep the learning curve is? would you have a recommendation for a printer under $1,000.00 and exactly what filament to order? are there any videos that would be helpful to learn the "tricks" to printing good parts? I see some people with experience seem to struggle to build the clock so it runs smoothly and i don't know how much trouble i will have in getting good results as a beginner.

Thank you for your time.

5 comments

5 Comments

raylan

Feb 28

Thank you very much for such a detailed answer. Much appreciated. I will go to Youtube and educate myself. If you have any recommended videos to cover the basics of the "Prusa" or one of the other recommended printers that would be great. I don't think you have anything like this on your website. Your clocks are so nice that maybe there are a lot of people like me that would like to get started but have little knowledge. Maybe an area on your website that would show a neophyte how to to go from A to Z with a clock build would create a bigger group for building more clocks. Thanks again.

Steve

Feb 28

Replying to

Great idea about adding a section to my web site about getting started. There are so many great YouTube creators that do a way better job of explaining than I would do, so I would rather link to them instead of making my own video.

My latest soon to be released clock has an expanded section in the manual with pre-assembly and debug steps. The plan is to make it more generic so it could be a standalone guide. It would warrant a video as well.

btw: I am curious if you have ever made a clock before. Traditional brass clocks need specialized machinery. Wooden clocks using a scroll saw, CNC router, or laser cutter have made it easier for many people to make their own clocks. 3D printers have made it even easier, since there is basically just one machine to buy, and even a low cost machine can print with enough quality to make a fully functional clock.

raylan

Feb 28

Replying to

around 15 years ago i built a wooden clock called the "Thomas Wooden Clock". it was about the only clock then that i could find. i bought the laser cut parts from a man who got the rights to the clock plans and had a great time building it. I have always wanted to see if i could 3d print the same clock. my son has an engineering degree and he reproduced some replacement parts for the clock using some "cad" program after the man who sold the laser kits died and i could no longer order them.

i am a retired lawyer who loves math and engineering and has no talent for the latter. just trying to figure out what i can do without getting my son too involved. i really like pendulum clocks. i have since i was a kid.

i hope i can get started on this and learn what i need to learn. if you are interested in the thomas clock plans i have a copy. it was the basic wooden clock that was popular years ago.

thanks again for your time. you are my kind of guy and with talent i wish i had....

raymond

Steve

Feb 29

Replying to

I also had a laser cut set of gears about 15 years ago. I never finished the clock, but it was one step on the journey. Laser cutters are becoming much more common now, but 3D printers are much more accessible for most people.

My methodology is to design for the material being used. A wooden gear can be ported directly to a 3D printed gear but can be much better if it is optimized for the 3D printer.

Steve

Feb 27

Hi raylan,

All of my clocks are designed using PLA which is one of the easiest filament types to print. Just about any modern 3D printer can handle it.

A few years ago, the most popular printers would have been the Creality Ender 3 ($200-300) or the Prusa MK3S ($800). A Prusa Mini ($400) can also print all but the largest of my clocks. The Ender 3 was extremely popular because of the low price point, but it supposedly requires a fair amount of tinkering. I own two MK3S printers and they have been extremely reliable.

About two years ago, Bambu Lab entered the market with some very fast printers at very compelling price points. The P1S ($700) and A1 ($400) seem like they are both great machines. The A1 is good enough for PLA. The P1S could be a better choice if you think you might want to print more exotic filaments like ABS or nylon.

All3DP publishes a 3D printer review at The Best 3D Printers in 2024 – Buyer's Guide | All3DP

Prusa and Creality used to take the top honors in the under $1000 and under $200 categories. Now, Bambu Lab seems to be winning the under $1000 and under $500 categories.

Any of these printers would be great choices.

Prusa has recently upgraded the MK3S with a much faster MK4 at a similar price point. It is also a good choice. Supposedly, some people are selling their MK3S printers and getting an MK4. If you can find a used MK3S in the $300 price range, it would be an excellent choice.

I don't know of any specific learning resources. YouTube is loaded with videos. My clocks are relatively easy to print. The default orientation is usually already optimum. A few parts need a pause at a specific layer height to change colors. Otherwise, you only need to load the parts into the slicer, change a few parameters, and print them.

Steve