anet a8 lcd screen free sample
a $10 pi zero W will eliminate the need for a screen. you can often find the pi zero W on sale for $5 at microcenter, especially if they are having a DIY sale.
Only one way to find out! I gladly accepted the challenge and awaited my A8 kit in the mail … Read on to find out what it is like in reality ….Breaking! Get the A8 for the discount price of $155.99 at Gearbest for a limited time!
Anet’s recommended retail price for the Anet A8 is around the $200 mark – impressive in itself – but, with regular discounts that appear, you can shave off more dollars bringing it lower. At the time of writing you can buy the Anet A8 at Gearbest for around $155.99! That means even in Canada you can get it for around $200 CAD shipped – that just blows me away.
Despite causing more than its fair share of house fires, the Anet A8 remains one of the most popular budget 3D printers to date. Between the large build volume, rock bottom prices and effective marketing tactics, this plastic oozing fire hazard has been placed into thousands of homes worldwide. Certain retailers hand out the machine to any Youtuber with a face, in exchange for an “unbiased” review of the product. In doing so, a brief Google search for “Anet A8 review” makes this $150 3D Printer look like the best thing since Cura sliced bread.
The Anet A8 package contains 3 Styrofoam trays filled with all of the necessary parts to assemble a working 3D Printer. While the included tools are sufficient in most cases, it is preferable to have a sturdy Phillips head screwdriver on hand. It will be used often and the one provided is quite small and uncomfortable to grip.
While there is no instruction manual included with the package, there are several official Anet videos on Youtube that cover the assembly process. Although the videos are well produced and easy to follow, they have released several revisions that don’t exactly fit together well. Between part one and part two, I found myself jumping back and fourth, trying to determine where it resumed the steps I was currently on.
The acrylic frame is designed like a puzzle that simply snaps together, locked into place using M3 nuts and bolts. This is certainly not the most rigid construction, however it does manage to at least hold everything together. Once the frame is done, installing the electric components such as motors, endstops and boards is almost fool proof. Everything has been labeled well, mounts to the frame and is nothing more than a game of plug and play. If you don’t mind a mess of wires, you can shave several hours off the build time. Proper cable management on the Anet A8 is somewhat complex given the lack of places to hide wires from plain view. I picked up some $2.00 split wire loom from Home Depot (personal preference) but they do include spiral loom, zip ties and plastic clips to aid in the organization process.
The materials used in the Anet A8 construction are nothing short of abysmal. A rigid frame is an absolute necessity in 3D Printing, where unexpected movement will create obvious defects. Any machine worth consideration will have a metal frame, often made from aluminum or steel. The choice to use acrylic (plastic) pieces was nothing more than a cost savings gimmick at the sacrifice of considerable product quality.
I purchased the Anet A8 3D Printer for two specific reasons. I wanted to (A) offer an honest review in a market that has been saturated with paid feedback and (B) take the opportunity to write a series of guides that cover how to make it safe and reliable. This is one of the most popular 3D Printers sold online, yet the most urgent mods and necessary upgrades are not nearly as accessible as they need to be.
Are you looking for a quality 3D printer that doesn’t break the bank? If so, the Anet A8 is perfect for you! It is one of the most affordable on the market, but it still offers high-quality prints. In this review, we will take a closer look at this 3D printer and discuss its features and benefits. We will also check on the lifehacks as well as reviews from the users to help you decide if it is the right choice for you.
The Anet A8 is a great machine for those who are looking to get into the world of additive manufacturing without spending a lot of money. It offers a great build volume, and it comes with everything you need to get started printing. The only downside is that it doesn’t have some of the bells and whistles that more expensive printers have, but it is still a great machine for the price.
It has a large build volume. The A800 has a build area of 220 x 220 x 240 mm (or about 11,000 cubic centimeters). That’s big enough to print most things you’ll want to make. It comes with everything you need to get started.
It’s easy to upgrade. As mentioned before, because the A800 is based on an open-source design, it’s easy to find and install upgrades for it. The community is great. There are lots of people online who are happy to help with any problems you might have.
So if you’re looking for a great value desktop printer, then it’s definitely worth considering. With its relatively medium-sized build volume, heated bed, and easy-to-use controls once assembled, this Anet A8 offers everything you need to get started
Positive Reviews On Anet A8Makers’ Muse, a Youtube channel with more than 900k subscribers in his review says that “Anet A8 is big, cheap, and won’t catch fire.
A user called Supersailor who bought the 3D printer on Amazon says that “Anet A8 is a good entry 3D printer and the updates are very helpful too. He continued to say that the version that he received was updated, unlike the one he had seen online. The frame was redesigned and it was more sturdy and didn’t require any strengthening. Though he had to modify a few things like the X and Y linear bearings. The filament holder also required a little modification in order to hold onto the filament.
Liz Miller, Founder of Learnrobotics.org in her article “Before you buy Anet A8 read this!” says that the machine is a great starting point for those who are tight on budget and they would like to learn how a 3D printer works generally.
Amstudio with more than 215k subscribers says that Anet A8 is cheap, has many safety upgrades and there is a large community and support for many users. They say also that it’s a great 3D printer for those who like Diy, tinkering, and building. You can check out their video review (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeeQp-Cc5Yc)
Negative Reviews of Anet A8One of the most popular complaints is that the printer isn’t very durable. The frame is known to warp and crack over time, which can cause all sorts of problems down the line. A user on Facebook, for example, complained that his frame was flimsy and he was considering doing upgrades.
This means that if you want your Anet A8 to last, you’ll need to be extra careful with it – and that’s not always easy when you’re dealing with delicate electronics.Another common complaint is that the software can be a bit finicky. Getting everything set up just right can take some trial and error, and even then things might not work as smoothly as you’d like. This can be frustrating for users who are used to more user-friendly interfaces. For example, a user on Reddit complained that he was having trouble getting Anet A8 work well with Cura Slicer. And someone recommended upgrading the firmware from the Standard version to Malin. Also, another user complained that he was having challenges updating to Cura 3.5 and the printer kept scratching over the previous layers he was forced to cancel the print and it only worked when he downgraded to Cura 3.2.
Another major drawback of Anet A8 is the time taken to assemble. It’s a complex 3D printer that takes really a lot of time to get everything working well and running. Almost everyone who has reviewed this machine has at one point mentioned this issue. Machinerycritic also mentions that it takes around 10-12 hours to assemble the machine.
Heating issues – Many users have reported issues with the heating element in these printers, which can lead to prints being ruined or taking a long time to complete. This is a major problem for those who need to print quickly or consistently. Some users have reported that they see “def” on the screen and the bed and extruder temperatures don’t increase. To troubleshoot and solve this issue, you can check out Gearbest article.
Noisy operation – The Anet A8 printers are notoriously noisy, meaning that they can be a distraction in busy households or workplaces. For example, a user on Thingiverse said that he is very happy with his machine, but the only challenge is that it’s noisy. This can be a serious issue for those who need to concentrate while printing.
Finally, some users have had issues with customer service. While most Anet A8 owners seem to be happy with the company’s response time and willingness to help, there are a few reports of less-than-satisfactory experiences for example a user rated the printer one star on Trustpilot because he didn’t get any support. This is something to keep in mind if you run into any problems with your printer.
All in all, the Anet A8 seems to be a decent entry-level printer – but it’s not without its flaws. If you’re considering buying one, make sure you do your research and read as many reviews as possible before making a decision. That way, you can be sure you’re getting the best possible product for your needs.
Here are our top three Anet A lifehacks:The first lifehack is all about saving time when it comes to leveling your bed. Rather than fiddling around with those little knobs, try this method instead: take a sheet of paper and place it under your extruder nozzle. Slowly lower the nozzle until it just barely touches the paper, then mark where the nozzle is touching with a pencil. Now move the paper until it’s under one of the bed’s adjustment screws, and turn the screw until the mark you made is in the center of the adjusting screw. Repeat this process for all four corners of your bed and you’ll be done in no time!
We hope you enjoyed these lifehacks and that they help you get the most out of your printer. Do you have any favorite Anet A8 hacks of your own? Share them with us in the comments section!
This printer is called Anet A8, produced by an Anet company based in China. A8 picked up amazing reviews on the web. When given the opportunity to review it, I never had second thoughts.
No products found.Anet A8 is a completely DIY 3D printer that you have to assemble yourself. According to communities online, when calibrated and upgraded properly it can print like those expensive printers. Moreover, it is said, that the assembly can be done by a total newbie.
If you’re a complete newbie reading this review I am quite sure you have similar fears. Do not panic. I will guide you through my journey with Anet A8. Step by step. Be aware that before I assembled and started using A8, I had zero experience in 3D printing.
What is Anet A8? Anet A8 is completely do it yourself 3D printer, priced at around 170-200$. When fully assembled it enables you to print 3D objects from different kind of materials and create 3D objects of any shape. It can use different types of materials to print, though it works best with PLA and ABS.
Is it noisy? – You can certainly hear A8 while it prints. There are improvements you can do like making an enclosure to reduce the noise and adding something to prevent vibrations below the printer.
Can I print with other materials? – Even though I have yet to test this, users of Anet A8 recommend that you upgrade to a new extruder before you begin experimenting with other materials besides PLA and ABS.
Before my Anet A8 printer arrived, I wanted to prepare myself. I did not want to burn my house or something since those are some of the stories I read which can happen with any 3D printer from time to time.
The first thing I did is joining two popular groups of Anet A8 owners. Once in a while, I would read things owners of printers post there. Problems they encounter, solutions, upgrades, pretty much anything that can ever happen to your printer, can be found in one of those groups on Facebook.
Once my 3D printer arrived, besides horrific custom fee I had to pay for it (I live in the non-EU country) I was over the moon. Anet A8 arrives in a huge box which weights around 10kg. Prior to opening the box, make sure to open it on the front side to avoid parts falling out.
I would like to mention that besides things included in the “List” I also received a 10m white PLA filament, a material used for printing. It was not listed, so I really do not know if it comes in every Anet A8 box or not. Either way, you will also have to buy filament separately, since officially it’s not included. More about materials later.
It took me 3 days to assemble Anet A8. Yes, 3 days. On the first day, I did the parts checklist. It took me another hour to remove acrylic protectors from parts that will be a printer’s frame once assembled. Then, I began slowly completing the frame.
Onto a memory card, there are some files you can print. I recommend that you start small with Box-1.75mm PLA-A8 or something. I made a mistake and started with a bigger figure, which means more material (filament) and more time to print.
Update 01/11/2019 Thanks to L.Woodington and D. Wilding who discovered an interesting error in the instruction video of the Anet A8 Assembly 1. The metal H frame is mounted wrongly in the video, which causes the cables of the hotbed to be curved. After mounting the H frame the opposite way, so that the middle line which sticks is facing the ground, my belts got aligned perfectly which reduced some noise in my experience. A photo says thousands of words, so take a look at the image below.
I was unable to remove it from the hotbed. I had no idea what went wrong, so I asked on one of the Facebook groups dedicated to Anet A8 printer. In the meanwhile, I stopped the printing and turned the printer off.
I was on fire! I was ready to conquer the 3D world. The humble community of Anet A8 owners advised me to start printing upgrades for the printer itself. Can you believe it? Printing the parts for the 3D printer to improve its performance.
So here I am nearly two months after my first Anet A8 print. During that period I learned tons of stuff about my printer and 3d printing in general. While I am far being done yet, there are upgrades that I did which improved my 3D prints beyond my wildest dreams.
There are lots of other things I intend to do with Anet A8, so make sure to check back or follow Pevly on social media for updates. (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube)
So I proudly present to you my 3D printed objects. All printed on Anet A8 with some minor improvements and 3d printed upgrades. Compare them to the first ones I made. The difference is huge.
The recommended beginners software is Cura. Inside the manual, you’ll find how to configure Cura 14.07 with your Anet A8. I highly recommend that you do your first prints with that version of Cura. Mostly because you have the manual and explanation how to configure it with Anet A8.
Yes, you can upgrade to newer versions. I personally started with 14.07, but when I learned how to use Cura, I switched to 2.3.1 version with no issues. I only had to re-configure it all over again. Configuration Anet A8 with latest Cura is easy when someone already made the configuration file and instructions how to do it. You can find those files in the Official A8 group on Facebook.
If you’re a regular reader of Pevly blog, you know we’re a huge fan of user-friendly products. While Anet A8 is marketed as an affordable 3D printer, which beginners can use it’s not that user-friendly. Most of the things are not that intuitive and the user navigation is quite unclear. For instance even nearly 2 months of using it I am still unable to recognize all the functions that printer displays on the screen.
As for the third-party software which you use for slicing the 3D model are concerned, you can use basically any you want, but Anet recommends Cura 14.7 which you can find online or on a memory card. Since it’s a third-party software, there’s no point in reviewing its interface.
My journey with Anet A8 has been a love-hate game all the way. I hate that I love my Anet. There were times when I wanted to pull my hair out by trying to figure out what went wrong with the printer. Also, there was a period where I jumped around the house being amazed at the quality of my print.
Please understand that most of the problems I encountered with Anet A8 printer are because of my ignorance of 3D printing in general. This is my first 3D printer and like with any new technology you encounter, there is a huge learning curve.
One thing is sure, Anet managed to create a decent quality printer, which takes a bit of time to assemble and master. Would I recommend this to a person who is on a budget and wants to enter the 3D printing world? Absolutely, but once again, be aware that it will take time to get quality prints. It requires upgrades and getting to know the material you’re printing with.
What guys behind Anet managed to do is to remove the barriers so that you no longer need 700-2000$ for a 3D printer. The 3d printing industry is becoming more and more competitive and I’m ecstatic about that. Competition means better products, lower prices, and incremental innovations.
Perhaps the biggest advantage of A8 besides its cheap price is the wonderful and humble community of people behind it. There are tons of good people who like you and me once had problems with their printer and are willing to help you out.
There have been warnings of people ordering Anet A8 and receiving something completely different, though it looks the same. That’s why you should be careful and order only from officially licensed retailers, here are some.
For any other questions, feel free to drop me a comment. If you already own an Anet A8, feel free to let me know how it works for you, I’m sure your experience will help people who are still unsure if A8 is right for them.
Thanks for taking the time to read this whole review. I wish I could talk to you a bit more, but my Anet A8 just finished a new print, so I have to remove it and admire its beauty.
That is because the Anet A8 is simply yet another far east Prusa i3 “clone.” I hesitate to use the phrase “clone” because Josef Prusa made the Prusa design open source. Yet, at the same time, people DO get confused about what exactly they purchased when they buy one of these kits, or a competitor’s.
Well there is a reputation that has been slowly building. This is not solely reserved for Anet and their A8 machine, all Shenzhen produced hardware is getting tainted with it. The reason, I believe, that Anet and Tevo feel the worst of it is because these companies target the budget-conscious newbies with printer kits.
For support, yeah you are not going to get a lot of stellar support from Anet directly, but there is a huge, loyal, and active online community of enthusiasts. This vibrant community has supplied everything from excellent printer profiles, through to upgrades and community-built firmware.
One of the best upgrades, though an involved and time consuming one, is the “AM8” frame upgrade. This converts your plastic A8 into a metal framed monster. In the end it is built like a tank, capable of printing fast and accurately.
In my own Maker Hacks community there are a whole bunch of people who have successfully built their Anet A8 machines who would be happy to help, a couple of whom are teenagers. Talk about a STEM educational project!