2021-03-17 I finally received my CR-10 V2 today and assembly is becoming a joke. The unit is basically fully-assembled except for the gantry and the stabilizing "push" rods. The Z-Axis limit switch mount screws into a static location on the left side. The hotebed springs are also not the usual weak springs but the "upgraded" springs. They appear to be the same yellow colored springs used on the Ender 3 V2.
Since my version of Cura did not have a profile for the Creality CR-10 V2 I simply cloned the CR-10 profile for now. I will revisit every setting to see if there is anything that needs to be changed. I have already sliced three or four items with no problem and am printing a larger project now to see how it turns out.
The fans are pretty loud like the CR-10 but the rest of the system is not. It is very quiet. It is louder than the Ender 3 V2 thanks to the fans but printing is as quiet as the Ender 3 V2 (of course.) The motherboard uses a full-sized SD card. I prefer micro sd cards. I guess I will finally have a use for all those micro sd to sd adapters I own.
The external control box is very similar to the CR-10 V1 wit some minor cosmetic changes. The econnectors going to the printer are th enew style with the exception of the hotend connector. As you can see I have left the protective film it doesn't look nice but it keeps the screen cleaner.
While I like the blue metal pieces I do not like the blue plastic pieces Creality has started to incorporate into their designs. So far the effect has been a cheapening effect. I may not hold the popular opinion about this but those are my impressions.
I wish the Z-Axis limit switch mount were adjustable. It is not as designed from Creality but I guess you could rework the mounting holes in the plate into slots and then work from there. I might see about using some design tool to make that part. It would seem to be a great idea if you wanted to use a hotbed sticket and fiberglass build plate as opposed to the included carborundum build surface.
As it is now, the design forces you to use the carborundum plate or maybe the plain glass plate as the metal clips are permanently attached to the aluminum bed plate.
As soon as I have a chance I will try to fit the glass plate instead of the carborundum plate. I have a feeling the glass plate and the carborundum plate are the same thickness.
The push rods are quite intrusive but I guess I will become used to them. There is no doubt that they can help but they have to be adjusted properly. It looks to me as if you could distort the vertical gantry by maladjustment of the push rods.
As I did with my CR-10 I also installed an Ender 3 spool holder so I could relocate the control box away from the printer.
I don't think I like the filament detector I had quite a time getting the filament through it and into the extruder feed assembly.
2021-03-18 I found an adjustable Z-Axis switch mounting plate on Thingiverse that is fully-adjustable. This will allow you to switch between the glass plate and thinner surfaces like the hotbed sticker and fiberglass plate combination. It would also allow you to use stronger hotbed springs that did not compress as tightly as the OEM springs. I will be making some pieces today in PETG. I am trying to decide what colors to print.
See Adjustable CR-10 Z endstop at Thingiverse by John Racus. It is Thing Number #2349068 … In case the design ever disappears, here is an archived copy as I obtained it from Thingiverse.
If you noticed the CR-10 V2 appears taller than the CR-10 V1. This is only because the feet on the CR-10 V2 are longer. Approximately twice as tall as the V1 rubber feet.
I printed a few of these plates in PETG and PLA. I attached a limit switch to one and will install it on my V2 shortly. Since I printed with 100% infill it should be a sturdy attachment.
2021-04-24 I really detest the filament sensor unit. I guess I have a lot of brittle filament that breaks often making a nightmare of a problem to feed the filament.
Although the filament seems to be too brittle to feed properly through the filament sensor (often jamming it so I have to remove the sensor and work on it for awhile to get the broken piece of filament out!
I discovered quickly that you can simply remove the bloody sensor (disconnect the connector,)
This is a clear case of poor design. I am looking at the sensor and I have decided to purchase a few extra because they seem to be a problem but only as a prerequisite to taking my usual simple engineering approach.
I am going to try and DRILL OUT the internal tube. I looked it is just a mechanical micro switch so as long as I can "make" the switch I am good. I don't see why Creality made that filament feed tube so small.
The size of the machine screws attaching the sensor are M3X18MM Flat Socket Head (stainless)
2021-05-15 Today I had the chance to test the filament detector during a print job the filament broke. I removed the piece stuck in the PTFE tubing and then replaced the broken filament. At the moment when the filament broke and the piece moved out of the detector it allowed the switch to actuate (open) and the printer paused.
There was a message on the front panel "Change Filament" … One thing I did not like but understand was that at that point the CR-10 V2 started cooling the bed and nozzle. If the printer had been unattended that is exactly the behaviour you might wish for.
I resumed the print job and it seemed to go well. I took some trouble to make sure the filament was pushed all the way through into the nozzle with some excess oozing out so that I could see it.
The print turned out fine, I was unable to discover where it had paused by loking for any anomalies in the print itself.
So it actually works, heh. How amazing!
2021-07-14 It has been awhile since I published anything. I have been having some health issues again.
Meanwhile today I was using the printer and noticed that the Z-Axis adjustment was off.
I have always warmed up the glass build plate (hotbed) first before checking the Z-Axis alignment as i have noticed with the glass build plates you really have to heat them first and then make the Z-Axis adjustment.
You probably already knew all this but perhaps it will help someone some day.
The other thing I noticed today is that the "stock" hotbed springs that Creality ships with the CR-10 V2 are sort of an upgraded spring but are a lot smaller than the springs I sell for Ender 3/CR-10 systems.
The original CR-10 and Ender 3 springs were the bright silver finish however the springs that ship with the CR-10 V2 are the darker gold colored springs but are not as large as the aftermarket upgrade springs.
That means they will be much weaker than the upgraded springs I have been selling. Upgraded Hotbed Leveling Spring 4-PCS Set of (4) Hotbed Leveling Springs Creality 3D Ender 3 / Ender 3 Pro CR-10, CR-20
I have not upgraded the original hotbed springs as I am still trying to prove they do not need replacement.
There is also the heat transference from the hotbed plate to the hotbed springs. I am trying to see if the stock CR-10 V2 hotbed springs are too weak and when they are hot become even less strong over time? I am probably wasting my time and should just replace them with the "good" springs that I just happen to sell at Hardware for Hackers which of course is a shameless plug.
So far I have had to adjust them too often bu I am not yet certain.
They are one of the CR-10 V2 special features and should be better than the old silver finished springs.
If I let everything heat up I really don't like having to adjust the Z-Axis every time I use the printer.
but if I follow an exact methodology I should be able to produce the same results every time.
Recommended for glass build plate machines
Execute a "pre=heat" for PLA. This also heats up the hotbed which will cause the glass build plate to expand to it's normal operating dimensions. The glass material should be heated to at least 50c during this prelude to leveling using the standard leveling utility.
Recommended for glass build plate machines
Once the hotbed has reached it's normal operating temperature, make sure that the glass plate has had time to heat before you continue. Only then should you proceed adjust the Z-Axis on the CR-10 V2.
2021-07-16 I really like the Linux version of Cura though I seem to have my share of it freezing occasionally. I have 2 display cards and 4 monitors on my desktop and I have seen many display related bugs on Ubuntu so I am sure there are issues with the Linux X-Windows environment as well as I have reported a few in the past that were fixed quickly!
So I was having problems with creating some objects that were too fragile. A bit of rough handling or dropping on the floor and it would break. I made modified versions of the object on Tinkercad (yeah it is lame compared to real cad software.) I was really trying to solve the issue the wrong way though.
The problems with the objects were the outer parts of the part kept breaking during handling the material was very thiin at those places they kept breaking. It would break even if I used 100-percent infill. So, it came to me that all I really wanted was to make those parts thicker. Well the reason why I mentioned Cura was I was able to change the setting for inner wall thicknerss and of course that resolved my problem.
So Hurray for Cura (on Linux.) Note to self: Find time to obtain learn real design software, Tinkercad is not it.
2021-09-24 I am still having serious health issues and have not been doing much writing anywhere. Anyway I thought I
would add a few notes today.
1. I noticed that the CR-10 v2 extruder feed mechanism is using a PC4-M10 fitting and NOT the normal PC4-M6. This means I do not have that model extruder (it looks like the upgraded gray metal extruder with the Creality logo BUT uses a PC4-M10.) How curious that I did not notice it until recently but it was because I had to replace the fitting it had worn out
2. I have heard anecdotes about how people are shorting out their hotbed heater elements because the hotbed spring has scraped off the insulation above and the metal spring is contacting the voltage runs. I thought about this and then went to Thingiverse and obtained a pretty decent version of the hotbed insulating spacer.
The hotbed that springs I am selling are larger than the stock springs so I had to scale up the model to fit my springs
I have decided to include a set of spacer insulators with every set of upgraded hotbed springs I sell at Hardware For Hackers! Upgraded Hotbed Leveling Spring 4-PCS Set of (4) Hotbed Leveling Springs with insulating spacers for Creality 3D Ender 3 / Ender 3 Pro CR-10, CR-20
They are made from ABS plastic to be strong and to withstand high temperatures.
An added feature the spacer / insulators can also help with weakened springs as they add some additional length which aids in tensioning.
I have continued to make more use of the CR-10 v2 than my CR-10 v1. I guess it it is because the filament sensor and the ability this offers me in using up an entire roll of filament down to the last centimeter easily and safely.
Anyway I am not really able to update things regularly but you can bet that I am using this printer regularly. I only print things I really need for projects and I continue to rely on my CR-10v2.
2022-01-07
I finished this Sherman Tank M4A1E6 a few days ago. I printed the hull in 4 pieces so I glued those parts together and then sanded and used filler putty and then did some more sanding. I can't glue the rest of it together yet because I am having a hard time getting the olive drab paint that I ordered.
I have a few shipments trapped in limbo too using USPS. There is something going on with USPS but several shipments even one as close as Las Vegas are taking an unusual amount of time. So far it is 7-days so far ib the package from Las Vegas and 6-days from a package from North Carolina.
Perhaps the new CoVid-19 strain (Omicron) is causing havoc with USPS. I live in New Mexico (currently part of the USA) in case you did not know.
Oh the reason why I posted it here is that it was printed entirely on the CR10-v2.
2022-01-20 I finally got the OD Green paint but it was not flat. I am learning about how to resolve that and make it into a flatter finish. The tank is almost finished, I will add some pictures soon.
I know, this has very little to do with the CR-10 v2.
2022-01-30 I have been very sick but finally had a chance to take a shot of the Sherman.