UP Box+... Any Better or still Biggest waste of money (and Time) ever spent

So following on from my first UP Box post, I had left a review on the Tiertime forums, roll on a couple of weeks, Tiertime emailed me after I had posted my annoyance on their forums, to offer me the latest version of the Up Box, the UP Box+ which they promised has fixed all the issues I had seen. 

So after much thinking I gladly accepted this. This was back in March time and so this is an update for the UP Box+

So eventually I received the new printer, unboxed it, and started it printing. Two prints in, the printer stops working, little did I know that the printer now needs to be registered with UPBOX via the internet and the upbox software, meaning you need to sign into the software in order to register the UP Box.

Once we were back up and running, I decided to run an auto level, which ran ok after the third attempt (the biggest issue was the Height detect, which sometime didn't detect correctly - it requires a really clean nozzle and also appears to be the newest updated feature, before there was a small lever that the nozzle pushed down to detect the height I am guessing that this was removed as a weakness - although never had an issue with that one).. Anyway This now has failed completely after a few months use (this then means that you have to manually perform bed levelling).

Also now with the UPBox+ you receive the flex build platform which doesn't work all that great..

On the plus side, the issues that plagued the first UP Box appear to have been fixed, the cable to the print head is now secured with an injection moulded clamp as opposed to a 3D printed part, and the print head is now secured by a screw to the drive mount.

Finally it appears that the new UPBox+ is finicky with what manufacturer of filament it will print with, currently I can only use RigidInk to reliably print anything.

To summarise:-
Would I now recommend the UP Box to anyone else? NO... It still not a great printer.
Whilst the weak parts of the previous UP Box appear to have been fixed, that is the print head cable strain relief - which was the biggest problem for print failures.

New problems that are now seen:-

1. Doesn't correctly level all the time (Takes a few attempts to level correctly) - Even the technical support guy who delivered the printer said it takes a couple of attempts, and that he normally ends up manually levelling. After a month or two, the auto height detect no longer works (the operation of this has changed), therefore you can no longer level the print bed automatically, and are left to manually level.
2. Occasionally you get a motion error control notification on the software at the end of a print. This means you have to switch the printer off and on again to clear the error.
3. Now appears to be very fickle with filaments, really doesn't like using many different filaments and the only one that is 100% reliable is Rigid.Ink (But then this is really good stuff), but I would have expected formfurtura to work fine, but end up finding that the printer will start air printing part way through!

Rigid Ink PMMA and the UP! Box Printer

Well after trying the Rigid Ink ABS, I figured I would give their PMMA filament a try as it extrudes at around the same temperature as ABS specified for the UP! Box Printer (Note that the UP! Box has a fixed pre-programmed setting for ABS, Therefore you have to get the right spec material to match with the fixed temperature setting), Therefore suitable for use with the UP! Box printer.

PMMA is a Plexi Glass (Acrylic)  filament.

So printing out the Marvin robot gives me the following results based on 100 micon layer resolution

Looking at the printout, this is much more clearly defined than the ABS Printout, the Keyring loop comes out nice and clean

With the next print, a cog, just to see how accurate we can go.

Finally a nut and bolt, the thread here is almost perfect, this is exactly how it came off the printer.

All Prints come out really clean and defined, I think the natural translucent material would make a good filament for printing out some designs I have for Orchid pots, as this will allow light to the roots, as well as providing a decorative pot.

Yet again I am amazed at the quality of the filament from Rigid Ink, Absolutely top quality, You can find their filament either directly from Rigid Ink

https://rigid.ink/products/pmma-1-75-mm-0-03-mm-tolerance

or you can even buy from Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/rigid-ink-Filament-Printers-Tolerance-Translucent/dp/B01C8P46FY/ref=sr_1_1_det?ie=UTF8&qid=1462576152&sr=8-1#productPromotions

Rigid Ink and the UP! Box 3D printer

So Sometime ago I got a sample of Rigid Inks ABS Filament - Unfortunately you don't get to choose the colour, but at least you get to try out a different supplier.

Here are the results of printing on the UP! Box, Printing our a marvin robot keyring.

Here is the print smoothed with Acetone to see how the filament smooths out.

Looks pretty good doesn't it.. On the white tiertime filament that comes with the UP! Box printer, it struggled with the key ring loop at the top of the robot, however with the RigidInk filament not a single problem.. It really is amazing as I was expecting the tiertime filament to out perform the Rigid Ink filament considering that the Rigid Ink filament was extruded at the upper end of its temperature range. Also I have been finding the green ABS filament from UP! manufacturer struggles to get going in as much if you put in a reel after the printer has rested, the filament requires an extra bit of pushing to get it to start extruding properly. - Now this is filament that is meant to be compatible with the UP printer (This of course could just be the green filament being the problem, and that any other colour would be fine)..

From my initial Test I am definitely sold on the Rigid Ink Filament, it is a shame that the colours are limited, for instance would be great to have a glow in the dark filament.

I am definetely going to try and get some of their other filament to test - Looks like I should be able to print PMMA and Nylon12 with the standard UP! Box setup - so watch this space!

Oh the final plus of Rigid Ink Filament is the cost - For the filament for UP! Box I have been paying £27 for a 500g reel, Rigid Ink filament is the same price but for double - yes double 1kg reel! Bargain