Howdy from New Hampshire!

[kharrisma]

Retired mechanic looking to hang onto the skills learned over 30+ years.  Always enjoyed the diagnostic part - - once you know *what* is wrong, fixing it becomes the easy part!  

3D printing is definitely exercising those skills!  I've had to learn several new ones as well, starting with CAD (using mainly FreeCAD), "programming" of sorts in learning how to flash new firmware, then dumping that as too troublesome and shifting to Klipper and an entirely different set of issues!  Like it a lot better than Marlin, though!    

Machine started as an Ender 3, quickly started changing things: quieter board (SKR mini E3 v 3, after toasting a v2), dumping all the noisy fans in favor of Noctua silent fans (and adding a dedicated 12V power supply to run them), adding a second Z stepper, trying various configurations of direct drive and hot end setups, most of which has issues with heat creep.  Last outing was a HeroME setup with dual 5015 print fans and a V6 hot end, which worked well enough but really didn't meet expectations.  

Had Voron envy almost from day one (I'll get there one day!), and got parts for the Voron Stealthburner print head, retaining the V6 hot end for now.  Added a linear rail to the X-gantry.  Added drag chains for the bed, the X/Z gantry, and eventually the X/printhead as well.  Didn't print them, just bought 'em from 'zon.  Did print the "anchors" for the chains, first thing I ever used CAD for.

Went for the "barf" LED lighting for it (beneath the Voron logo).  kept the V6 but added a PT1000 thermistor.  Not running YET but I'm knocking down issues as fast as I can find them (often with input from here!)

Finding good information isn't always easy, and I've found that this site is one I can count on for good, accurate, and *complete* information, which is more than I can say for many, and has become one of my top "goto" sites.

I appreciate your being here, and am happy to be a member!

[mvdveer]

Welcome - happy to have you join us. Let's troubleshoot

[PFarm]

Welcome to the forum, most of us have gone down the same route starting with a production printer. Like you, I've been in the service industry for 40 years, and knowing how to fix anything starts with knowing and understanding how it works. I've always loved the challenge of diagnostics, especially when it comes to something new!

[kharrisma]

I'm very much with you on that!  I'd stress to the new 'kids' that you'll struggle mightily to diagnose a machine or system if you don't really know how it works in the first place.  Healers used to work that way - - no idea what was *really* going on, so it was feathers and smoke, incantations and rattles and witch-hazel switches.  Come to think of it, I've used incantations on a couple of occasionsl...  Mostly anglo-saxon pejoratives uttered at high volume, with ritualistic slinging of tools. 

The diagnosis is the fun part, as far as I'm concerned; once you know what's wrong, the rest is just routine R&R.  

[TitusADuxass]

Welcome.

[claudermilk]

Welcome to the forum! Yes, figuring out what is wrong is the first, usually tough part. Also yes, there is often a blue cloud forming around the recalcitrant device. Sometimes with children crying & running away. 

[kharrisma]

In my case, the blue cloud is coming from both ears from the grinding gears and burning rubber in my head, trying to figure out what's wrong THIS time!   

[PFarm]

1 minute ago, kharrisma said:

grinding gears and burning rubber 

You're definitely my buddy!!!

[Penatr8tor]

Welcome!

Glad to have ya on board. 

[kharrisma]

Glad to be here!  Good to have found a place with such a concentration of expertise!