MacEffects Appreciation Post

[caver01]

i don't know what else i would need to print

I used to think that same thing. I got my printer as a kit to learn and to print parts for an art installation idea I had. I have never use it to print knick-knacks (although people must because you see those models on the homepages constantly). In reality, some of the first things you print are minor upgrades to the printer itself—like a camera mount, or a case for the Raspberry Pi you setup for printing, or a better foot, or something to route cables, or attach tools. After just a few successes you begin to recognize the freedom to experiment, and then it happens: The 3D printer becomes the most important tool in the toolbox. Life proceeds normally, only now you start to see the world with an engineer’s mindset. Something breaks around the house and you fix it yourself. Inconveniences now make you wonder—could I print something to solve that? Am I the only one to run into this problem? Most of the time someone else has already solved your problem and uploaded their STL.

3D printing has become an incredible problem solver in my house. I have paid for the minor investment MANY MANY times over with the challenges I have solved. It has also become a fun hobby and an excuse to connect with people like in this thread. And like any tool, it crosses domains into all of your hobbies, thanks to beige filament, clear filament, and old computers with missing parts!

 

[Dave928]

Dave928 said:
PCBway did send other emails, mostly about parts being too thin in certain areas and they wanted to print them thicker or add support. so they do put each part under "engineer review" (for whatever that's worth in China).

Wow!
If PCBWay really will alter the STL in all the right places to make the excessively thin parts thicker, then that is a huge win for the customer! JLC won’t do that. JLC just tells you they either can’t print the part or you the buyer need to accept all risk of possible deformation!

so I should clarify my ealier statement. they sent another email. I misunderstood that they would print it thicker when what they really meant was for me to edit the file myself to make the parts thicker and re-submit the file. I have no way of doing that. but they do give you the option to accept the risk that it might not print correctly or break in the printing/shipping process. if some non-appearance part like a bluescsi bracket shows up with a crack in it, I can always glue it.

 

[JDW]

More bad news with JLC. This is the 2nd night in a row I've stayed up to 1:00am only to see they still are refusing to accept my payment, saying their printing capacity is maxed out.

 

[Dave928]

they can't be like a normal business: take your money and put you in the queue?

 

[JDW]

they can't be like a normal business: take your money and put you in the queue?

Apparently not. They email you to say you must wait until midnight China time and then try to make your payment as quickly as possible to ensure your order is then locked into the order queue. Crazy stuff.

So after waiting for the second time until 1 AM Japan time last night to do you just that, spending a good 15 minutes reloading the page and trying in vain to pay, I fired them off an email telling them that it’s getting ridiculous.

 

[JDW]

And here's another crazy thing about JLC...

Every single time I checkmark "Remember me." But guess what? It never does! I have to sign in multiple times per day, in the same browser (SafarI), on the same Mac. And yes, I've tried it on other Macs too.

Not only that, but that sign-in box ignores it's own "I agree to JLCPCB's Terms..." checkbox, allowing you to sign in with it unchecked. Which is fine by me. I hate all the legalese, but still... It speaks volumes about "things broken" which never seem to get fixed.

 

[jmacz]

Apparently not. They email you to say you must wait until midnight China time and then try to make your payment as quickly as possible to ensure your order is then locked into the order queue. Crazy stuff.

That almost sounds like what it takes to purchase a piece of Goro's jewelry

 

[JDW]

Well, Julia from JLC just emailed me, and I sent her yet another reply. Hopefully, I repeated myself enough times that they realize they need to accept payment from me and lock my order into their Queue!

 

[wottle]

Wow!
If PCBWay really will alter the STL in all the right places to make the excessively thin parts thicker, then that is a huge win for the customer! JLC won’t do that. JLC just tells you they either can’t print the part or you the buyer need to accept all risk of possible deformation!

I've found that JLCPCB actually does do somethings like that. When I was trying to print my Lisa mouse with the Lisa logo, I went back and forth with their engineers to get it in a printable state. I guess when I combined the parts in TinkerCad, the logo was floating above the mouse. They made changes and worked with me to ensure it was correct.

The acceptance or warping risk is the same between JLC and PCBWay. They just present it differently. And I think they need to do that because of the nature of printing with different materials and the need for different levels of tolerances. I've accepted many printing risks and have never had a print turn out bad.

 

[JDW]

My email worked. Julia wrote back just now to say they lifted the "payment restriction" that was in place, which allowed me to pay. My order is now locked into their queue.

So it's clear you do need to email them when they prevent you from paying.

 

[wottle]

Well, Julia from JLC just emailed me, and I sent her yet another reply. Hopefully, I repeated myself enough times that they realize they need to accept payment from me and lock my order into their Queue!

View attachment 22340

If I had to guess, they are having a shortage of that print material and it isn't that it is sold out. Likely their daily capacity is set to zero. That is what I ran into when they were trying to phase out JLC black resin. Unfortunately, I just had to keep trying to submit payment until they get capacity back to where it should be. Support basically told me they didn't know when it would be restocked, so if I needed it sooner, I should change materials.

 

[Dave928]

every* other online 3D printing service i looked at for US manufacturing, stated they print in the US, but drop ship from china in the fine print.

i wonder if one of these "makerspaces" (stand-alone businesses that are set up to do anything from CNC machining, 3D printing, sheet metal fab to web design and page layout) might be a better option to have the parts printed in the US, if not locally.

maybe the same thing exists in Japan?

*maybe not EVERY.

 

[Dave928]

Support basically told me they didn't know when it would be restocked, so if I needed it sooner, I should change materials.

like when i contacted MacEffects and enquired about the clear fan:
"These were created from the molds used by a PC manufacturer who discontinued it and we are trying to determine if they still have the mold to produce more. As of now there's not solid date."

 

[robin-fo]

Every single time I checkmark "Remember me." But guess what? It never does! I have to sign in multiple times per day, in the same browser (SafarI), on the same Mac. And yes, I've tried it on other Macs too.

Same with Mouser btw..

 

[JDW]

like when i contacted MacEffects and enquired about the clear fan:

Not to diminish in any way the extreme importance of having a CLEAR FAN inside a crystal clear SE Case, but I know from experience that clear fan is much louder than a Noctua 60mm. It's on part with the stock fan. I love the clearness and LED light, but my ears can't handle the sound levels, so I have no choice but to go back to my Noctua. Really wish there was a clear and quiet solution (with or without LEDs).

 

[Dave928]

good to know they're not quiet. I've searched for other clear fans, but they are hard to find. and while all my other Macs (and the Kensington on the //e) get Noctua's, I found a nice white fan that should look good in the clear case. if it sounds horrible I can always swap it for a Noctua.

 

[caver01]

My SE/30 has a Noctua fan installed a few years ago when I was restoring it after watching one of @JDW ’s. videos. Thanks for that BTW! I could post a comment, but nice to thank you in person so to speak.

In my case (pun intended), I think I will consider the fan one of the parts to look at through the clear case. It’s a rationalization perhaps, but now I will be able to peek through the clear case and see that beautiful beige (and quiet) Noctua in operation. . .