Geeetech i3X

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I thought I'd share my experience with the Geeetech i3x, Geetech support/community with hopes it may help others.

My experiecve with 3D printing started out on "easy mode" with a Flashforge Dreamer. No skill required really, aside from the usual bed leveling and getting prints to stick.

When I bought the i3X I bought it as a Christmas present for myself. This would be my first kit printer and I was hoping to learn as much as I could from the experience. I'm an LAE amputee, so kits represent a marker for my skills are improving since losing the arm.

Assembling the kit was quite easy, the instructions seemed fine to me and the videos were a fantastic help. Those M3 square nuts were tricky with one hand, but I got there in the end. I had to drill holes in the acrylic for the Z-axis plates, but this was easy to do. Also, FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS, I thought I would assemble the heated bed differently - fastening the aluminium plate to the PCB - which is not how it is shown in the instructions. Turns out, the instructions were right.

The board/wiring/LCD all went together fine as per the instructions and operated correctly first go. Again, follow those instructions.

I did have to modify the G-code so the X-axis was operating in the correct direction, but this was easy.

The software is okay, though I used Cura for the ABS parts I printed. Then I found an updated version of Repetier and its good enough.

Key points for anybody looking at buying the i3X;
- Buy a proper punch tool before you start assembling the kit. The 2.5mm hole on the drive belts needs to be punched. I used a wad punch, but a leather punch tool would have been much easier.
- Keep the printer on a level surface. I use a large ceramic floor tile (450mm x 450mm). Otherwise you'll struggle to level the bed. I positioned the printer on the tile, loosened off the four main M10 nuts and let the printer "settle" for a few minutes then slowly tighten the M10 nuts back up. Leveling the bed is MUCH easier now.
- Print/get access to the X-axis leveling tool available on Thingiverse . If Geeetech could supply these leveling tools in the kit it would greatly help new users.
- Do not over tighten the belts! I read a lot of forum posts about the Y-axis drift and everybody was saying to tighten the belts. I found too tight and it made the issue worse. To check the belt tension, I found it best to move the printer bed back and forth along the Y-axis - as soon as I could feel the bed starting to bind up as I was moving it back n' forth I knew the belts were getting too tight. The bed needs to operate smoothly and with a very light action. You may develop you're own technique, this is just what worked well for me.
- Do not let the belts get too loose.
- Use BOTH grub screws for the Y-axis drive gear. Critical. This was the cause of my Y-axis drift. Check the grub screws before you start a long print job.
- The extruder motor will not operate until it is at temperature. Again, lots of forum posts about this, and I got confused by it also. Just let things warm up and it works.
- Unblocking the extruder can be a challenge. I've only had to do it once and it took some time, again I only have one hand so this may be easier for everybody else.

Mods;
- I printed a control board cover/box and added an 80mm fan directed at the MOSFETS/stepper boards. I'm in Australia (its hot here) so extra cooling was a must.
- Y-axis stop and X-axis stop; to bring the print job into the center of the print bed. I did read this could be done in the firmware, but I could not find the setting, so printing parts to change when the limit switches were activated was easier.
- Heated bed corners; these do away with the wing nuts and instead locate an M3 hex nut at each corner. This means leveling the bed is done using a 1.5mm allen key, but I find this easier having only one (not so small) hand.

I am genuinely impressed by this affordable little printer. Sure, it takes some tweaking to get it there and you have to treat it gently, but it prints really well. I'd say it prints as well as my Flashforge printer. I'd recommend buying the printer direct from Geeetech, so you have better access to after sales service.

[bang]

Hey,man
Nice work and thanks for your sharing