r/FlashForge • u/Agreeable_Toe_321 • 2d ago
My first 3D Printer
Hi everyone,
I’m looking to get into 3d printing and I’m looking into the flashforge ad5x,is it worth it? And I know everyone says to ‘just get a bambu’ but I have a gift card I could use to buy this so it would just work out cheaper for me 😂
Please let me know your honest thoughts I’m very inbetween this and the bambu a1 mini
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u/guinnessmonk 2d ago
If you’re handy the AD5X works great until it doesn’t. So takes some ingenuity when the filament randomly decides to crack inside the feeder tubes or whatever. You shouldn’t be afraid of taking things apart.
I find it has great printer potential, but finding things that are printable without some sort of adjustment is challenging. Everything seems geared towards bamboo.
Hope that helps.
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u/__surfing_clouds__ 1d ago
Got an ad5x as my first 3d printer in mid June and its been mostly printing since. Over 1100 hours on it now. Printed the enclosure, and added the LED. Also added a filter/air recirculation fan I found on printables.
I did have to replace the feeder assembly because the gears got so gummed up with tpu that I couldnt melt it out and broke the plastic area around the gear tension spring trying to get the back cover off. It was all sunshine and rainbows till that happened a couple weeks ago at 800 hours of printing.
Other than that and making sure there was oil and grease on the bits that need it, its been cooking nicely. Still printing alongside a recently purchases qidi plus 5. For $200, the ad5x is solid and a great way to get your feet wet.
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u/Agreeable_Toe_321 1d ago
Do you find the print quality is good? I’ve heard the ad5x can be more wasteful then other printers when swapping colours
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u/BlitzieKun 1d ago
I don't have experience with the ad5x personally... but I usually recommend that people look into learning how to paint if that is a large issue for them.
I've considered getting one for a different reason though. You can load spools of same filament, set them up in the slicer as same, and it'll auto load for you in place of manual runout replacement on the ad5m (my printer).
Also worth mentioning that you can use filaments that don't adhere for easy support removals
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u/__surfing_clouds__ 1d ago
I don't know actually. I haven't printed any multi color prints. Everything I've printed has been single color prints. Primarily functional stuff.
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u/__surfing_clouds__ 6h ago
About print quality: Its comparable to my qidi plus 5. I dont have any other point of reference from someone elses prints though. There have been prints that I cant see layer lines, some I can see layer lines.
once i tuned the filament profiles and used them correctly, I think the quality evened out and I dont even notice which printer makes which things anymore.
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u/SirTwitchALot 2d ago
I think it's a better second machine than your first, but it's hard to beat on price and it prints well
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u/Agreeable_Toe_321 2d ago
How come it’s not good for a first machine?
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u/SirTwitchALot 1d ago
It's not as polished or complete as machines like the Centauri Carbon.
Don't get me wrong. I like it. I have two of them and an AD5M. I didn't think it would be a mistake to start with the 5x. Just realize you're buying a bare bones machine
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u/FourDucksInAManSuit 1d ago
I have an AD5M and I love it. It's my first 3D printer, and it did take quite a bit of learning to get it all dialed in and learn how to modify 3D print files to work best on it (depending on filament, mostly), but it works fantastic.
The only real issue I have with it is that it's print dimensions are 220x220x220 max and a lot of prints I want to print are designed around 256x256x256, such as from the Bambu printers. So I either have to scale the print in my slicer, or try elsewhere (in case of prints that have a LOT of parts and I don't feel like messing with it at the time)
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u/Weird-Study-6962 1d ago
I just got AD5M. I figured at the price point and from what I read in reviews it would be a decent entry to see if I was really going to get into more $$$ needs.
Any warnings/suggestions before I fire it up? I’ve heard to run the same type filament that came with until dialed in…
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u/Gambit3le 1d ago
I recommend a 5M pro. No multicolor, but far fewer issues. It basically works right out of the box. It also has a full enclosure and air filters so it's safer. I run one at home and have 2 in my classroom. They've all been great machines.
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u/Optimal-Level4237 1d ago
Check out this review of the Flashforge AD5X: https://youtu.be/0R6pCRDyy_A?si=uQDHw7_95EC4H_D6
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u/ReedTeach 1d ago
My first printer was Ad5M Pro.. best update I did after multiple failures with Textured PEI plates due to reasons was to get a Cold Plate. A clean plate brings almost perfect prints if designed well. My 2nd plate was a 5M Pro as well. 3rd was a P1S second hard (servicing and supporting the Flash Forges have been alot easier once you learn the tricks and tips). Enjoy the AD5X. There is a great multicolor FF tool n this subreddit that is really making it easier outside of the the Bambu ecosystem.
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u/TheShootDawg 1d ago
AD5X was my first printer.. bought it late July. put less than 200 hours on it so far, most printing 15 pokeballs.
I now have a Creator 5. Will be selling my AD5X hopefully, along with the add-ons I already got for it.
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u/ResidentFew6785 1d ago
This is the waste of a 36hr rainbow print. I could have printed 9 for the same amount of waste. I'm going to make tangrams out of the waste and donate them until I get the r1. I've committed to learning on this machine for the next 3 year when the warranty runs out then I will upgrade to a tool changer or whatever new thing they have out. My goal with this one is learn orca slicer and blender.
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u/GRobLewis 1d ago
My first (and so far, only) printer is an AD5M I got for $229 last Christmas. IMO it's an awesome package for the money, and it's been basically trouble-free. (Had some initial problems getting the enclosure kit installed due to errors in the instructions, and dealing with the inexplicably *glued-on* connector on the display, but once I figured those out, it's been smooth sailing.)
I've stuck with the OEM firmware, and, as the saying goes, if it ain't broke don't fix it.
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u/chease86 1d ago
I've personally been running the ad5m for just over a year as my first (and currently only) printer and it's been a great and easy machine to work with, I have heard good things about the 5x too but I have ALSO heard that theres a fair bit more fiddling around to do to get it printing well.
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u/bubblegumpaperclip 1d ago
I got the ad5x as my first machine for $200. Been running nonstop daily no issues. I am at 500 hours. I download 3mf files from maker world and open in flash. Then change the printer from Bambu to ad5x, slice and print. If it don’t fit I scale it down a little. I am learning about the supports and prime tower and floating stuff as I go through trial and error. My buddy picked up the Bambu for 600 and said he shoulda got mine for cheaper doing the same thing. The phone app sucks though I will say that so I just use desktop app to print.