The best way to 3D print enormous fashions for cosplay and recreation rooms with the Neptune 4 Max
Our 3D printing journey to date has had us utilizing the Bambu Lab A1 to print out cool, distinctive fashions for our excellent video games room however what if you would like one thing bigger than a typical 3D printer can deal with?
The Bambu Lab A1 is a good printer that requires little or no effort however generally you’re going to have to get your palms soiled with a extra conventional 3D printer, particularly in case you are seeking to make and even promote cosplay gadgets that look wonderful.
That’s the place the Neptune 4 Max from Elegoo is available in. The behemoth of a 3D printer wants a number of issues – first, it wants loads of area. It’s a giant, heavy unit. On prime of the particular area the unit itself wants you must 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.
Thus far, so apparent, however right here’s one other one that you could be not have apprehensive about fairly a lot when you’ve got 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 subsequently 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 fastened down, a lot the higher.
The Elegoo Neptune 4 Max is what’s often known as a ‘helmet-class’ printer. Which means it has a large enough print quantity to have the ability to print a full-size helmet, large enough 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 because of the big cooling fan strapped onto the gantry.
Even with a quick printer, these take some time so at the moment 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 go away it printing in a single day as I didn’t begin it till late within the day however wakened, checked the Fluidd interface through my telephone whereas nonetheless in mattress, and was delighted to see it had printed completely. The one helps right here have been on the hooks for the ears they usually have 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 difficult help 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 showcase the 4 Max, the extent of element is insane even with the 0.4mm normal nozzle (will anyone please let me purchase different-sized nozzles). This is able to look nice on any shelf in your video games room. I feel 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 function.
What’s the Neptune 4 Max like?
My time with the 4 Max has been a little bit of a combined bag, however happily, all of it appears to have turned out alright ultimately. From the off it printed nice, placing out actually high-quality prints. After every week or so all of a sudden nothing would keep on with the plate, the Z-offset was everywhere and no quantity of leveling appeared to assist. Then I had an enormous downside 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 could trigger Klipper to crash mid-print.
With some wonderful assist from Elegoo Help, we established there was a dodgy connection within the cable from the primary board to the print head in order that they organized to interchange that. As all this was occurring although the Neptune 4 Max suffered an enormous clog that destroyed all the hotend and warmth block. Luckily, Elegoo changed all the 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 way in which that if a clog begins and also you don’t discover it, it gathers velocity and runs away to self-destruction underneath 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 may’t simply get them on Amazon and have to undergo Help, which is irritating if you simply wish to print stuff.
I need to emphasize although that Elegoo Help is among the many finest there may be within the 3D printer world, it’s simply that publish from China, even UPS isn’t all the time the quickest.
Now nonetheless, 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 you must have some 3D printer expertise to get probably the most out of it and get it dialed in completely. I used to be undoubtedly unfortunate, however massive printers aren’t essentially very best as your first little bit of 3D printing equipment. Now it’s working advantageous would I like to recommend the Elegoo Neptune 4 Max for this type of venture?
Completely, for the value 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 may’t do significantly better for the associated fee. Additionally, the nice buyer help is reassuring, there may be an energetic discord, and hopefully, spares might be obtainable in Amazon warehouses quickly which is able to take the ache out of the nozzle problem.
Ending our printed fashions
We used a glittery filament for the masks and in the primary 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 can be for a easy 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 loads.
Neptune 4 Max slicer settings
We didn’t use something aside from a primary 0.2mm later peak in both mannequin. You could possibly, in case you 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.
