Introduction: How to Assemble Very Cheap 3D Printer

By Visit My Site!
About: Hi, my name is Nikodem Bartnik. I'm 19 years old. I am into designing, making, programming and electronics. In the future, I want to start a company and make my own products. As for now, you can find my work o…

3D printing is great tool, you can print almost everything that you need. For example my lamp was broken since few weeks but now I design part that I needed to fix it and it works!

Cheap printer maybe mean for somebody bad printer. But I think that for this price ($235)it works great. It can print offline, has heated bed (without glass table but I will show you how to make it). Assembling it is very easy. I made it without instruction (I didn't check SD card, on it you can find some video tutorials). It took me 7 hours to build, calibrate and print first thing (small 1cmx1cmx1cm cube).

Step 1: What's in Kit?

You can find everything you need to build this printer in this kit including tools. This is link to gearbest where you can buy this printer.

This printer is no longer available to buy :(

But don't worry here I have few more that are even better:

Ender 3 (best quality for price)

CR10 (huge printer)

The kit is packed into solid cardboard box and separated for 3 layers. Everything in my pack wasn't damaged.

There is to many parts to write it all so if you like to see all the parts you can find it in this link. I only like to add something that I didn't find on product page this kit includes spool holder. Here is most important info about this printer:

Nozzle size: 0.4mm

Nuild area: 190 x 190 x 180mm

Print speed: 20 to 100mm/s

Software: Cura

Compatible materials: PLA and ABS

Posibilty of printing offline: yes

Step 2: Clear the Frame

Firstly remove the foil from frame parts. The best way to do it is to use your nails, you can also use some other tools but thay can't be sharp because you can scratch it.

Step 3: Z Axis Assembling

First thing is to build main frame. On included SD card you can find video tutorial about how to assemble the frame unfortunatly there is only how to assemble frame (nothing about connection e.t.c.).

Step 4: Y Axis Assembling

On the images above you can see how to assemble Y axis. You can also watch video from sd card. The most important things:

  • spacing between the longest screws must be good for bearings otherwise it wouldn't move smoothly.
  • toothed belt must be tight

Step 5: X Axis Assembling

So same as y axis photos above and videos on SD card. Most important things:

  • brace toothed belt after combined X asxis with Z axis
  • close back plate at the end

Step 6: Put It All Together

Now you can combine X, Y and Z axis with other parts. Before turning it on add two small piece of plastic on the top of Z axis to set bars in good position. Screw all thing very strong but be careful to not destroy anything.

Step 7: Bed

Heating bed is better because your prints hold better to surface and won't unstick while printing. On this bed you can find blue tape, with it you prints won't unstick but thay can be hard to remove so the best way is to make glass table (look at last step).

Screw heating bed to Y axis metal plate with screws and springs.

Step 8: Extruder

Screw the extruder with 3 screws to X axis. Make sure that it is fixed very strong. Also fix fan for cooling printed layers.

Step 9: Endstops

3D printer use endstops to find where it is. Before every print it goes to the 0 point on each axis and then start printing.

Endstops you need to place on every axis and add something to limit the movement. I glued pice of plastic with double sided tape. On phots you can find where I place it.

X axis: place endstop near to extruder

Y axis: place endstop near to motor, on the back of printer

Z axis: place endstop above one of Z axis motor (no matter which one)

Step 10: Connection

Every wire is described (in english and chienese) so you can't connect it incorrectly. But for sure I will write below things, that you might have problem with.

1. Bed

Wire with connector plug into TEMP_BED on controll board and two cables without any connectors plug into screw terminal described as BED (red to + and black to -). Other side of cable plug into heated bed there is only one possible way to connect it.

2.Extruder

Both fans to screw terminal (FAN). Stepper motor to MOTO_E0. Termistor to TEMP_E0 (again with connector). Head to screw terminal (E0).

Step 11: Power Suply

Connect all like on image WITH TURNED OFF POWER BE CAREFUL THIS IS HIGH VOLTAGE!!!

+V from power supply to VCC with white frame around screw terminal on control board.

-V from power supply to GND screw terminal on control board.

Step 12: Display and Controll Board

This is part of this printer that I like the most especially this rotary button :) This is best control type that I saw (same control panel we have in school). This is very nice to operate.

Step 13: Organizing Cables

Organize all cables with flexible cable wrap and zip-ties. This make it look better and it decrease possibility of cables snarl.

Step 14: Spool Holder

Very strong and decent spool holder. It's very usefull but it wouldn't unwrap itself so you need to unwrap it every some time or add plastic tube or something. I'm looking for something that can be good for it if I find it I will update this.

Step 15: Software

The best program for making gkods to this printer is cura. Cura is free and really good software made by ultimaker.

Best settings for this printer:

  1. layer height: I tested 0.2mm and 0.25mm but I heard that with this nozzle (0.4mm) you can print to 0.14 mm (not tested, yet).
  2. Shell thickness: 0.8mm (but can be more of course)
  3. Bottom and top thickness: 0.4 or 0.6 mm
  4. Fill density: your choice
  5. Print speed: 40mm/s
  6. printing temperature: depends on material that you use
  7. Bed temperature: depends on material that you use
  8. Diameter: 1.75mm
  9. Flow: 100%
  10. Nozzle size: 0.4 mm

Step 16: Calibration

Go to menu->prepare and select autohome then then go to menu->prepare-> move axis->1mm and move head over whole table (don't change Z position) and turn screws in bed to get same height in every place. Height must be big enough to fit between head and table sheet of paper.

Step 17: Printing

On the photos you can see prints, that I made on this printer. I will update it after I printed something new. I can say that prints are realy good, they aren't ideal but I think it's good.

If you didn't set temperatures in cura, you need to preheat bed and head before every print (prepare->preheat PLA->preheat pla1). And to print choose printing from SD card and find your gcode.

Step 18: Glass Table Upgrade!

Glass table helps removing your prints from table. You don't need any tape, glue and any other thing to print with PLA but printing on clear glass with ABS is almost imposible. So if you like to print with ABS you need to use painter tape, glue, or some special pad.

To make your own glass table you will need:

- piece of glass

- glass cutter

- measure tape

- 4 black paper clips

- something long and rigid to cut glass straight


1. Remove blue tape from table and clean it with alcohol or benzine

2.Cut glass with this size 21,5 x 20,5 cm

3.Sand it down a little bit

4.Attach it to heated bed with black paper clips

5.Calibrate it again

And now you can make good print without annoying tape. The next plus of printing on glass is that bottom side of your prints is perfectly smooth and after cool down you can remove your prints easier.

Thanks for reading!