Ender 3 V2 for beginners

SSgt Duramax

Junior Member
Alright, with 3D printing there is a ton of heresay on the internet, poorly written articles penned by fresh journalism majors with 6 figures of government debt and zero clue about 3D printing, and just general internet/reddit d-baggery that there is an excess of information and not all of it is correct.

Thing is, I am still a beginner, I am no pro, but now i am getting consistent quality prints after trial and error and more money than I needed to spend being spent. While this printer is good out of the box, I want to share what things i did that helped me along and things you can do to ensure success.

The point of this post is so that you dont have to go join some other forum, deal with the malarkey there, and still have to weed through the junk, and hopefully make this less intimidating for those who want to give this whole printing thing a shot.

I am not going to cover what G code is, and how you eventually end up with it since that is pretty specific to the individual.

Jyers Firmware - Cost 0$


This helped the machine run immensely better, quieter, enabled the ability to pid tune. This should be the top of the list before you even print really.


Make sure all bolts are tightened - $0

Seems stupid, i know. But the stuff that is preassembled when you get kit may not be all that tight. Turns out the gantry wheel was a little loose on mine causing all sorts of havoc. Check ALL the nuts and bolts, and not just the ones you assemble.

Learn your slicing software $0


Seriously, you can do the learn as you go thing if you want and cling to using other peoples G codes and the defaults as long as you want. This way when your print does something you didn't want, you can fix it.

Calibrate esteps. $0

This takes less than 5 minutes. The instruction manual neglects this. It basically ensures that your extruder moves the amount of filament you tell it to. Turns out over the course of 100mm, mine was extruding 94mm. Doh... It looks like they all come from the factory like this.


PID tune $0

Ensures your temps on the hot end and build plate are accurate. You did get the jyers firmware, right?

This next section might cost you a few pennies, but not a whole lot. Who wants to spend a hundred bucks on a printer they just paid $250 for right?

Metal Extruder - $15

Worth every penny. The stock unit is flimsy, and the ones you 3d print are no better. Just make sure that you put the washers back in the right place on the idler pulley or you will be chasing your tail looking for a problem you created! This is the one I used.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WHYBVJ5/?tag=lstir-20

Spring Upgrade for build plate $10

The springs that come with the stock printer are junk. The bed becomes "unlevel" very quickly with them. These are much sturdier and your bed holds level longer. You get enough to do enough to do like 4 printers.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KFBK8FC/?tag=lstir-20

Bowden Tube Upgrade- $15


The tolerances in your bowden tube arent very good, this can allow the filament to flop around in the tube leading to feed problems. Especially printing your more flexible stuff.

Alternatively you can buy a direct drive kit for about the same price. This kit relocates your extruder to the hot end and then your tube is only about an inch long.

https://www.matterhackers.com/store/l/capricorn-xs-175/sk/ME7M2FX9?rcode=GAT9HR

https://www.ebay.com/itm/132825359443

Ball Bearing spool holder. About $5

This is the only thing on this list i condone printing yourself. It takes standard 608 bearings and a 4 inch 5/16 bolt and nut. Tons of my underextrusion issues were solved by this one simple part, incidentally it was the last one i tried.

Your spool holder is basically a rod your spool hangs from. Everytime your little extruder needs more filament, it has to tug on your roll, and if it is just hanging on a solid rod, there is tons of friction to overcome. This can lead to underextrusion and your filament slipping in your extruder worst case. I actually saw plastic powder on my rod that had rubbed off from the spool!

I used this one, but there are other designs.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3551666


That is about it. If the pros can think of anything I missed, or something I should add, let me know! Ill add pics and links later.
 
Last edited:

The Fopster

Master member
Alright, with 3D printing there is a ton of heresay on the internet, poorly written articles penned by fresh journalism majors with 6 figures of government debt and zero clue about 3D printing, and just general internet/reddit d-baggery that there is an excess of information and not all of it is correct.

Thing is, I am still a beginner, I am no pro, but now i am getting consistent quality prints after trial and error and more money than I needed to spend being spent. While this printer is good out of the box, I want to share what things i did that helped me along and things you can do to ensure success.

The point of this post is so that you dont have to go join some other forum, deal with the malarkey there, and still have to weed through the junk, and hopefully make this less intimidating for those who want to give this whole printing thing a shot.

I am not going to cover what G code is, and how you eventually end up with it since that is pretty specific to the individual.

Jyers Firmware - Cost 0$

This helped the machine run immensely better, quieter, enabled the ability to pid tune. This should be the top of the list before you even peint really.

Make sure all bolts are tightened - $0

Seems stupid, i know. But the stuff that is preassembled when you get kit may not be all that tight. Turns out the gantry wheel was a little loose on mine causing all sorts of havoc. Check ALL the nuts and bolts, and not just the ones you assemble.

Learn your slicing software $0

Seriously, you can do the learn as you go thing if you want and cling to using other peoples G codes and the defaults as long as you want. This way when your print does something you didnt want, you can fix it.

Calibrate esteps. $0

This takes less than 5 minutes. The instruction manual neglects this. It basically ensures that your extruder moves the amount of filament you tell it to. Turns out over the course of 100mm, mine was extruding 94mm. Doh... It looks like they all come from the factory like this.

PID tune $0

Ensures your temps on the hot end and build plate are accurate. You did get the jyers firmware, right?

This next section might cost you a few pennies, but not a whole lot. Who wants to spend a hundred bucks on a printer they just paid $250 for right?

Metal Extruder - $15

Worth every penny. The stock unit is flimsy, and the ones you 3d print are no better. Just make sure that you put the washers back in the right place on the idler pulley or you will be chasing your tail looking for a problem you created! This is the one I used.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WHYBVJ5/?tag=lstir-20

Spring Upgrade for build plate $10

The springs that come with the stock printer are junk. The bed becomes "unlevel" very quickly with them. These are much sturdier and your bed holds level longer. You get enough to do enough to do like 4 printers.

Bowden Tube Upgrade- $15


The tolerances in your bowden tube arent very good, this can allow the filament to flop around in the tube leading to feed problems. Especially printing your more flexible stuff.

Alternatively you can buy a direct drive kit for about the same price. This kit relocates your extruder to the hot end and then your tube is only about an inch long.

Ball Bearing spool holder. About $5

This is the only thing on this list i condone printing yourself. It takes standard 608 bearings and a 4 inch 5/16 bolt and nut. Tons of my underextrusion issues were solved by this one simple part, incidentally it was the last one i tried.

Your spool holder is basically a rod your spool hangs from. Everytime your little extruder needs more filament, it has to tug on your roll, and if it is just hanging on a solid rod, there is tons of friction to overcome. This can lead to underextrusion and your filament slipping in your extruder worst case. I actually saw plastic powder on my rod that had rubbed off from the spool!

I used this one, but there are other designs.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3551666


That is about it. If the pros can think of anything I missed, or something I should add, let me know! Ill add pics and links later.
Not tried all those. Thanks!
 

luvmy40

Elite member
My son and I bought a couple of the Ender 3 Pros a few years ago. I heavily modified mine with dual Z drive, direct drive, new hot end, roller bearing spool holder and all the neato blingy stuff like cable covers, tool drawers, over sized bed adjustment knobs, etc. About the only thing I didn't add is the bed leveling sensor. Now the Ender 3 S is almost the same machine as mine at 3 times the price.

BTW, aside from doing much better with TPU, my son says he doesn't see much difference between them. He has both of them and several other printers at his place as I don't have room anymore. He's much better at 3D printing than I am anyway.
 

Michael9865

Elite member
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WHYBVJ5/?tag=lstir-20

There you go, I'll add it to the list.

I also have some extra bearings and springs that I will let go for the cost of shipping.

Ah, I wasn’t sure what you meant. My mind was thinking hot end. like below.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0789V2D7C/?tag=lstir-20

I didn’t upgrade to a different software, I stayed with Creality. I did do the rest of your mods/updates Along with the hot end update. The spring update and the metal extruder body helped immensely.
 
Last edited:

SSgt Duramax

Junior Member
Ah, I wasn’t sure what you meant. My mind was thinking hot end. like below.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0789V2D7C/?tag=lstir-20

I didn’t upgrade to a different software, I stayed with Creality. I did do the rest of your mods/updates Along with the hot end update. The spring update and the metal extruder body helped immensely.
Oh, I am not to where I need the hot end yet.

Honestly, upgrading the firmware is one of the best things I did. You should try it , you will like it! The ease of bed leveling is in itself worth it.

My son and I bought a couple of the Ender 3 Pros a few years ago. I heavily modified mine with dual Z drive, direct drive, new hot end, roller bearing spool holder and all the neato blingy stuff like cable covers, tool drawers, over sized bed adjustment knobs, etc. About the only thing I didn't add is the bed leveling sensor. Now the Ender 3 S is almost the same machine as mine at 3 times the price.

BTW, aside from doing much better with TPU, my son says he doesn't see much difference between them. He has both of them and several other printers at his place as I don't have room anymore. He's much better at 3D printing than I am anyway.

I was trying not to go too far down the upgrade road, I may as well buy a new printer... I say that... I had a 350whp turbo miata, I should have just bought a hellcat.
 
Last edited:

Musdang

Not Quite Legendary
Alright, with 3D printing there is a ton of heresay on the internet, poorly written articles penned by fresh journalism majors with 6 figures of government debt and zero clue about 3D printing, and just general internet/reddit d-baggery that there is an excess of information and not all of it is correct.

Thing is, I am still a beginner, I am no pro, but now i am getting consistent quality prints after trial and error and more money than I needed to spend being spent. While this printer is good out of the box, I want to share what things i did that helped me along and things you can do to ensure success.

The point of this post is so that you dont have to go join some other forum, deal with the malarkey there, and still have to weed through the junk, and hopefully make this less intimidating for those who want to give this whole printing thing a shot.

I am not going to cover what G code is, and how you eventually end up with it since that is pretty specific to the individual.

Jyers Firmware - Cost 0$


This helped the machine run immensely better, quieter, enabled the ability to pid tune. This should be the top of the list before you even print really.


Make sure all bolts are tightened - $0

Seems stupid, i know. But the stuff that is preassembled when you get kit may not be all that tight. Turns out the gantry wheel was a little loose on mine causing all sorts of havoc. Check ALL the nuts and bolts, and not just the ones you assemble.

Learn your slicing software $0


Seriously, you can do the learn as you go thing if you want and cling to using other peoples G codes and the defaults as long as you want. This way when your print does something you didn't want, you can fix it.

Calibrate esteps. $0

This takes less than 5 minutes. The instruction manual neglects this. It basically ensures that your extruder moves the amount of filament you tell it to. Turns out over the course of 100mm, mine was extruding 94mm. Doh... It looks like they all come from the factory like this.


PID tune $0

Ensures your temps on the hot end and build plate are accurate. You did get the jyers firmware, right?

This next section might cost you a few pennies, but not a whole lot. Who wants to spend a hundred bucks on a printer they just paid $250 for right?

Metal Extruder - $15

Worth every penny. The stock unit is flimsy, and the ones you 3d print are no better. Just make sure that you put the washers back in the right place on the idler pulley or you will be chasing your tail looking for a problem you created! This is the one I used.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WHYBVJ5/?tag=lstir-20

Spring Upgrade for build plate $10

The springs that come with the stock printer are junk. The bed becomes "unlevel" very quickly with them. These are much sturdier and your bed holds level longer. You get enough to do enough to do like 4 printers.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KFBK8FC/?tag=lstir-20

Bowden Tube Upgrade- $15


The tolerances in your bowden tube arent very good, this can allow the filament to flop around in the tube leading to feed problems. Especially printing your more flexible stuff.

Alternatively you can buy a direct drive kit for about the same price. This kit relocates your extruder to the hot end and then your tube is only about an inch long.

https://www.matterhackers.com/store/l/capricorn-xs-175/sk/ME7M2FX9?rcode=GAT9HR

https://www.ebay.com/itm/132825359443

Ball Bearing spool holder. About $5

This is the only thing on this list i condone printing yourself. It takes standard 608 bearings and a 4 inch 5/16 bolt and nut. Tons of my underextrusion issues were solved by this one simple part, incidentally it was the last one i tried.

Your spool holder is basically a rod your spool hangs from. Everytime your little extruder needs more filament, it has to tug on your roll, and if it is just hanging on a solid rod, there is tons of friction to overcome. This can lead to underextrusion and your filament slipping in your extruder worst case. I actually saw plastic powder on my rod that had rubbed off from the spool!

I used this one, but there are other designs.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3551666


That is about it. If the pros can think of anything I missed, or something I should add, let me know! Ill add pics and links later.
Hey look! Brian vines! He taut me how to use an arduino!
 

FlamingRCAirplanes

Elite member
I do arduino. First thing to learn. Do not buy a real arduino. Do you really want to pay 75% more for a name?? Buy Elegoo. They are identical, but cost 75% less
 

alan0043

Well-known member
Hi SSgt,

First off, Thank you for putting together a nice write up on your 3D printer upgrades. I have done some of the same upgrades. The spool holder with a bearing in it makes a lot of sense. I have a question for you. What filament did you use to print the spool holder and and how hard was the spool holder to print out ? Any special supports needed ? I am a rookie at this 3D printing stuff. I have upgraded my extruder to a dual gear set-up. Thank you for any input. Al

"Your spool holder is basically a rod your spool hangs from. Everytime your little extruder needs more filament, it has to tug on your roll, and if it is just hanging on a solid rod, there is tons of friction to overcome. This can lead to underextrusion and your filament slipping in your extruder worst case. I actually saw plastic powder on my rod that had rubbed off from the spool!

I used this one, but there are other designs."

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3551666
 

Robert S

Well-known member
20220206_182837.jpg

Vibration "can be" a killer so I cobbled together what I think is a pretty good base. Its base is a "very" heavy cabinet that my Father made when he was a cabinet maker for my Step-Mom's desk. Seriously, the thing weights like 100lbs. I had to bring it in on a dolly. I think my Dad might have hidden gold bars in it somewhere.

Second is a 20 x 20 inch concrete paver sitting on 4 anti-vibration pads. Lastly. I tried to get rid of anything that might cause vibration and/or exacerbate it. I removed the spool, added a Z screw bearing at the top and made sure the wires were secure. I had already upgraded the springs, extruder and tube in the past.

After alot of test prints. I think I've made some progress. The black spider was before and the red one was after. The red one is depicted just the way it came off the bed (except for removing the brim and a small string where the print ended)
20220206_184500.jpg 20220206_185238.jpg

Besides the physical changes. I deleted all of my material settings and started over. I've learned alot in the last year and I think some of my problems were settings I changed and could not remember why so I started over from scratch, would do a test print, change a single varriable and either keep it or go back and reexamine the priblem and try something ells. I tried alot. Lol.

20220206_185822.jpg
This is only some.
 

alan0043

Well-known member
Alright, with 3D printing there is a ton of heresay on the internet, poorly written articles penned by fresh journalism majors with 6 figures of government debt and zero clue about 3D printing, and just general internet/reddit d-baggery that there is an excess of information and not all of it is correct.

Thing is, I am still a beginner, I am no pro, but now i am getting consistent quality prints after trial and error and more money than I needed to spend being spent. While this printer is good out of the box, I want to share what things i did that helped me along and things you can do to ensure success.

The point of this post is so that you dont have to go join some other forum, deal with the malarkey there, and still have to weed through the junk, and hopefully make this less intimidating for those who want to give this whole printing thing a shot.

I am not going to cover what G code is, and how you eventually end up with it since that is pretty specific to the individual.

Jyers Firmware - Cost 0$


This helped the machine run immensely better, quieter, enabled the ability to pid tune. This should be the top of the list before you even print really.


Make sure all bolts are tightened - $0

Seems stupid, i know. But the stuff that is preassembled when you get kit may not be all that tight. Turns out the gantry wheel was a little loose on mine causing all sorts of havoc. Check ALL the nuts and bolts, and not just the ones you assemble.

Learn your slicing software $0


Seriously, you can do the learn as you go thing if you want and cling to using other peoples G codes and the defaults as long as you want. This way when your print does something you didn't want, you can fix it.

Calibrate esteps. $0

This takes less than 5 minutes. The instruction manual neglects this. It basically ensures that your extruder moves the amount of filament you tell it to. Turns out over the course of 100mm, mine was extruding 94mm. Doh... It looks like they all come from the factory like this.


PID tune $0

Ensures your temps on the hot end and build plate are accurate. You did get the jyers firmware, right?

This next section might cost you a few pennies, but not a whole lot. Who wants to spend a hundred bucks on a printer they just paid $250 for right?

Metal Extruder - $15

Worth every penny. The stock unit is flimsy, and the ones you 3d print are no better. Just make sure that you put the washers back in the right place on the idler pulley or you will be chasing your tail looking for a problem you created! This is the one I used.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WHYBVJ5/?tag=lstir-20

Spring Upgrade for build plate $10

The springs that come with the stock printer are junk. The bed becomes "unlevel" very quickly with them. These are much sturdier and your bed holds level longer. You get enough to do enough to do like 4 printers.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KFBK8FC/?tag=lstir-20

Bowden Tube Upgrade- $15


The tolerances in your bowden tube arent very good, this can allow the filament to flop around in the tube leading to feed problems. Especially printing your more flexible stuff.

Alternatively you can buy a direct drive kit for about the same price. This kit relocates your extruder to the hot end and then your tube is only about an inch long.

https://www.matterhackers.com/store/l/capricorn-xs-175/sk/ME7M2FX9?rcode=GAT9HR

https://www.ebay.com/itm/132825359443

Ball Bearing spool holder. About $5

This is the only thing on this list i condone printing yourself. It takes standard 608 bearings and a 4 inch 5/16 bolt and nut. Tons of my underextrusion issues were solved by this one simple part, incidentally it was the last one i tried.

Your spool holder is basically a rod your spool hangs from. Everytime your little extruder needs more filament, it has to tug on your roll, and if it is just hanging on a solid rod, there is tons of friction to overcome. This can lead to underextrusion and your filament slipping in your extruder worst case. I actually saw plastic powder on my rod that had rubbed off from the spool!

I used this one, but there are other designs.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3551666


That is about it. If the pros can think of anything I missed, or something I should add, let me know! Ill add pics and links later.

Hey SSgt,

Did you print out all the 7 files ? I see that some files could be modified. Can you please explain. I want to print out the file. Just need some help. Thanks. Al