To answer some of your questions wirlybird:
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“Bed leveling seems to be an issue when you get to larger prints. A common thread is that it is ok for “normal” prints in the middle but as you get to larger prints it is not so good and needs adjusting which appears to be a pain. This printer seems to be a perfect candidate for auto leveling similar to what the Prusa MK2 uses.”
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It’s actually dependent on the bed material, not so much the actual bed level. The bed arrives (in my opinion) extremely level and works on day 1 without issue. The bed glass is very uniform but nothing is absolutely perfect so its often recommended the raft function be used. I used to hate rafts but now I found them to be the best security on larger prints. They remove extremely easily too. I made a life size Lincoln death mask and at 0:44 you can see me remove it with ease: - YouTube
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_"_Also, I assume the buildtac can be replaced with a PEI sheet? I am not a fan of buildtac."
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Yup.
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“It seems that the part cooling fan is also the extruder cooling fan and is on all the time. This is an issue for sure. I guess you can put a parts cooling fan on another port on the board and gain full, variable speed control - yes, no?! A controllable, variable speed parts fan is a big plus.”
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This is a bit of a misconception. The single extruder version adds a large adjustable fan but the dual extruder version instead relies solely on fan covers to adjust the amount of air on the print. It works but would like to see this tweaked in a later version.
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_"_First word on the extruders seems to be “replace them”. Disappointing on a $3k machine! Maybe they are not so bad?
It also seems the gantry is heavy and not well supported with the single rod setup. Very likely contributing to ringing!"
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I personally would attribute it more to this being a well-budgeted 3D printer. The carriage is heavy as is but that’s only true on the dual extruder version. Even the bondtech dual mod for this puts the secondary extruder as a bowden, which is a neat compromise but not ideal for everyone. You really don’t need a dual extruder if your goal is big prints done fast. The Bondtech recommendation is just so you can get the most out of such a large printer. The stock .4mm nozzles are high quality but we’re talking about beefing the machine up even beyond the quality it comes in, not necessarily that it’s strictly a negative. Hope that makes sense.
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"Not trying to beat up this printer but I am ready to buy and have it down to 2-3 and need to make a choice.
I run six different printers and have built a couple so tinkering is not a big deal but I don’t want to have to tune it constantly!!"
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I also run a print service, five Raise3D N2/N2+s and various kits like a delta, bukobot, etc. These are easily the most reliable machines I have, the tinkering is almost entirely optional aside from user error.
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_"_I read that if you buy through a re-seller then you must go to them for support and if parts are needed you go through the re-seller adding additional wait time. Maybe not a big deal but sometimes this can leave the user with little to no support."
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This I can answer! The person who you buy from does call in your warranty if needed or otherwise provides casual support. You can order replacement parts on whatever website you choose, it’s the same price regardless but I’ve never heard of a client being turned away with a legitimate warranty dispute.
Hope that helps!