New printer, new software, one new workflow

Two big changes: new software and a new printer

If you have not been following along, two things changed that reshape the rest of this series. First, I switched the software I use to make 3D models. I used the desktop version of Trimble's SketchUp for over a decade, but recent changes pushed me to move everything 3D to Blender. If you have never used Blender, and especially if you are coming from SketchUp, I have an ongoing beginner series on exactly that transition: the habits to unlearn and how the two tools differ.

The second change is the namesake of the series itself. I still have and use the Maker Select V2, but through a series of events I picked up a newer printer, the Monoprice MP10 Mini. It is still a Monoprice machine, just a few steps ahead of the V2, and it is now my go-to. If you missed it, I covered my first impressions and the full assembly in the MP10 Mini review, part 1. This episode picks up right after the two-years-later retrospective from episode 8.

Exporting an STL straight out of Blender

The switch to Blender makes the very first step of the workflow easier. Saving a model for printing means exporting it to STL, the most common 3D print file format, and that export is built right into Blender. No extension or plugin required, which is exactly what SketchUp lost when its free version went web-only. That alone is a strong reason to move.

Here is a simple model I made: a set of end caps for some shelving units I bought. I had a couple of vertical supports left over, and these caps secure the top shelves in place. To export it, go to File, then Export, and choose STL from the list. In the export window, give it a name and click export. That is the whole process.

There are a few things to keep in mind when you model in Blender specifically for 3D printing, and I will cover those details in the next episode, so subscribe if you do not want to miss it.

Adding the MP10 Mini to Cura

With the model saved as an STL, we bring it into the slicer. I still use Cura to slice models and save them as GCODE for printing, and since episode 7 I updated to Cura 4.10, which has a cleaner interface and quality-of-life improvements all around. One Cura setting I now consider essential for flat-topped prints is the ironing feature, which smooths top layers dramatically.

I did hit one snag: there is no built-in profile for the MP10 Mini. Oddly, only Cura 4.0 ever shipped one, and it was never carried into later versions. I have no idea why. Luckily, adding the printer yourself is quick. Here is the fastest way to add any new printer:

1. Click the current printer name next to the Open file icon, then choose Add Printer.
2. Under Add a non-networked printer, scroll down to the list item called Custom and select it.
3. Choose Custom FFF Printer.
4. In the right column, give the printer a name and click Add.

My MP10 Mini machine settings and G-code

The Machine Settings screen appears next. Most of these values you can read straight off the spec sheet, but the Start and End G-code fields need a bit more explanation, so I have the full, copy-ready code below. This is the profile I promised in the video, all in one place.

These two blocks run before and after every print. The start code homes the axes, lifts the platform, and primes the extruder. The end code retracts the filament, lifts and parks the head, then shuts off the fan, hotend, bed, and motors. You can leave the printhead clearance and gantry-height fields at their defaults for normal single-object prints.

G28 ;Home
G1 Z15.0 F6000 ;Move the platform down 15mm
;Prime the extruder
G92 E0
G1 F200 E3
G92 E0

G91
G1 F1800 E-3
G1 F3000 Z10
G90
G28 X0 Y0 ;Home X and Y axis
M106 S0 ;Turn off cooling fan
M104 S0 ;Turn off extruder
M140 S0 ;Turn off bed
M84 ;Disable motors

Slicing and the finished piece

From here the rest is the same as before. Click Slice, review the result, and if you like, play back the exact path the print head will take on each layer. It is a genuinely cool feature, and I lose an inordinate amount of time watching it. When you are happy, save the print-ready GCODE file.

After a short print, the end cap came out and slotted perfectly into the shelf support. I doubt I will ever get tired of printing my own components, especially when they are this useful. That, in a nutshell, is the workflow I have been running for the last few months.

Where this workflow goes next

That is the full loop I follow now: model in Blender, export an STL, add the MP10 Mini to Cura once, slice, and print. If you have suggestions or questions, drop a comment or reach out through my site. Next up, I put this whole workflow to the test with a design that is trickier to print than it looks, four cubes nested inside each other, in episode 10.