Okay message received loud and clear...DON'T STICK YOUR SAUSAGE IN A 3D PRINTER!

Forgot fumes, specially with styrene based plastics as ABS and ASA

rip frankenfurter

I had this playing on my phone while doing a cold-pull on my Ultimaker 2+ - yeah, it distracted me and I burned my finger. heh.

No mention of fume risks from hot filament ? I recall someone ( Sarah Petkus I think) reporting serious health effects of exposure to fumes from a 3D printer

Thermal runaway protection saved me just yesterday. The thermocouple came loose from my printer and I would have never noticed if marlin didn’t catch it.

“A sparky” must mean “an electrician.” Love it! Let’s hear more Australian slang! EEVBLOG hasn’t given anything new to me in a while. :)

Angus, I would include the removal of support material. It's sharp and can cut your hands very easily. Either using gloves or a machine with support material that dissolves is a way to reduce the risk. Great information as always.

Many thanks for all your efforts. You, Thom and Joel were the three Channel owners who inspired me and informed my decision to buy a printer. I have had one for just over a month and it has helped me to prove some product ideas and prompted me to dream up new ones as well. I am having the time of my life with this tech. Best wishes from the UK.

I am a car guy. I have scraped more than a few gaskets off hot car engines; the putty knife cuts are not a joke. PLEASE be careful. My Anet A8 blew a connector the other day, right where the 12V 20A power comes in to the main board. I never leave the printer running unattended, and so within a second or two I smelled that distinctive smell of burning electronics. Fortunately, all I had to do was resolder the connector, but that's a temporary fix. Weidmuller is not paying me to promote their products; I have ordered their connectors. People are making their own 3D printed enclosures for the power supply and main board - please don't. If anything catches fire, now it has the 3D printed fuel it takes to cause an inferno. I know Angus has informally tested a few different kinds of filament, but do you feel like betting your house on your filament supplier's QC? Make your enclosures of out metal. It's a lot more work than downloading and printing it, but it's a lot safer too. And GROUND THEM. Better to blow your motherboard than your heart. Printer enclosures scare the hell out of me from a fire safety standpoint. The critical thing is that they must be non-combustible! If your printer catches fire and ignites the Ikea table and cardboard shack you've built for your printer, it's gonna be bad. I haven't built an enclosure yet, I'm just looking for an old bar fridge that I can gut for its steel box. And the front window will be glass, not plexiglass. Any sort of steel box, like a filing cabinet, should do the trick. Take pictures to your local fire department, tell them the situation, and ask them for advice - they will be happy to help you. Remember that we want to make things, not burn them down. You get a second chance on the pinch-points on a 3D printer. It'll hurt like hell and maybe give you a blood blister, but it's unlikely to kill you. Stick your hand into the serpentine belt of a running car engine, or a million different places on a forklift truck or front-end loader, and you're permanently losing parts of your body. Index finger? What index finger? "Lawrence, is that an extruder burn on your hand?" Nope, it came from the exhaust of a 1979 Toro snowblower. "Did you get it running?" I was stupid and I burned myself on the muffler. That should answer your question. Machines have power, and must always be treated with a combination of love, awe, and respect.

Woo, 3/5! Haven't been shocked or flamed yet. Cheers for the video Angus :)

Hey angus. Thank you for this video. My dad is getting his and mine first 3D printer and well while I have been watching and researching 3D printers for years and saving to get my own. He got one for us to share and he knows nothing about it and I am sharing this video with him. Thank you again for taking the time to do this video

Man, I wish I had seen a video like this a few months back. Caught myself with my scraper and got myself good. Great video man.

Hi Angus. A few comments about 7:40 (electric shock): - What you feel is current, not voltage. That means the power supply in the faulty printer had excessive leakage current. - Most isolated power supplies on their own have floating outputs, even if there is a ground connection on the line side. - Measuring on the isolated side of the power supply with a multimeter in voltage mode will read a "ghost voltage" created by the leakage current flowing through the internal resistance of the multimeter (usually 10 Megaohms).

Too lazy to look down through 226 comments to see if someone else has already mentioned it, but for those of us with long hair, there is a significant TANGLE RISK. Lean in too close to that running print to examine a fine detail, and let your hair get pulled into a belt, pulley, or lead screw. It WON'T be pleasant. I think this is an especially important consideration when children are involved. Make sure your hair is kept well away from moving parts with the use of a ponytail holder, rubber band, etc.

Great video. Thanks for sharing. Going to check the thermal runaway settings now!

Scrappers are like chisels in woodworking, both hands behind the blade

Kudos for the tips as always Angus. Thanks!

Great video Angus! Thank you, especially for that last bit on thermal runaway false trigger. I am new to 3d printing, only a few months in with my cr10s. I have upgraded the firmware on the printer after I heard the protection is disabled from the factory. TH3D unified firmware got flashed. I recently upgraded to a fang cooling mod with a 5015 fan and was printing my first large print. About 8 hours into it the thermal runaway got triggered. I went through the entire printer trying to find an issue and I have not found one... Not on the hot end and not in the control box. Now I am 99% certain that it was the fang blowing into the infil cavities in the print and the infil rederecting the air flow back onto the hot and triggering a false thermal runaway fault. I will try to slow my fan down some (even though it was already at 60%) and I ordered a silicone sock for the heater block. Hope to get it resolved soon.

Congratulations Angus for the 300k subscribers..and thank you for this video that puts on mind several safety details that must be considered once you buy or make your 3d printer. And plus if you plan on making a business of this. You're the best Sir! 😉👍

These are all really great tips (especially the pinch points!)...thanks, Angus!

No mention of fumes? ABS or Nylon especially releasing known carcinogenic or nervous system afflicting chemicals. I know the nanoparticle concern is still a mixed bag as far as science goes thus far. But those toxic fumes, they're well tested! Bare minimum, know your materials and what they off-gas at print temperatures, print in good ventilation, and keep exposure time to a minimum.

Fantastic advice for everyone, especially newbies. Great work.

Love to see the surface computer!!!

I had a trip to the ER, when removing support material from PLA without safety glasses. I've also had cuts in my hands from sharp bits of plastic.

Excellent video - much needed - thanks!

Did that scrapper blade come in a Jay Car 3D printing kit?

Thanks for the tips Angus - much appreciated - love always a 3d printing newbie :)

Great tips matey. I researched loads before buying my first 3d printer, the amount of horror stories i read/watched!, either fires or bad shocks being the main injurys, i ended up spending double what intended to pay, as i wanted as near to plug and play as possible........and not burn my bungalow down!!, glad i did as my mate brought a cheaper part assembled kit, on a long print he had a bit of a fire!, lucky he was in the same room, he put it out before it did real damage. All the best.

Safety first! Always good to share best practices. Great video

Thanks for the video some great information there.

Well done Angus!

will any of the removable print surfaces work with the Zortrax m200?

Hello Angus, What can you say about exposure to carcinogens through filaments, or introduction of plastics into your environment? I have seen P65 warnings on filament rolls and this makes me nervous. I am also worried about the affect that the increased presence of plastic poses. Thanks, Justinas

Suggestion for video topic. I often run into problems doing boolean operations on mesh models for 3d printing and i have trouble understanding why it seems to hard to do. Could you do some research into how to work around problems of this nature and make some educational videos on this ?

What about the toxic fumes from some types of filaments?

since buying my tevo tornado (fast heating AC bed mentioned and pictured) i have added in cable strain prevention on the bed, replaced the original grounded power cord with one of better quality and it is on its own grounded cgfi outlet and disconnected both thermal sensors (one at a time) to test the run away protection because i was told that 3d printers burn down houses ...

Wait, so you're saying the exploding PSU on my Anet A8 wasn't safe!

I have watched so many of your videos. Im now a subscriber.

i do like how this is a just a basic risk assement that should be done for all tools in both a professional and hobbiest enviroment, and how some teachers and other people will be literally copying this down on to their standard form.

Just recieved my first printer yesterday. Sadly the extruder was badly clogged and bowden coupling was broken. Then its got even worse when it homed into the build plate multiple times. Kind of expected from a used printer but come on, at least make sure it works before reselling it. I am returning this one and grabbing another, this time new. Somehow I've been very optimistic about it, weird.

Can you please release a video regards to emissions released by FDM printers printing ABS and PLA? There are several journals stating hazards caused by continuous exposure to those emissions. Personally I am using filters and enclosures for my printers.

LOL @ The sacrificial frank. Yeah I have been pinched fiddling with endstop. Great demonstration.

Hello there!!! Your videos are so inspiring!

This is a bit off topic, but I have a question. A friend and myself are having a discussion about drying filament (especially PLA). He seems to think desiccant is enough to pull all the moisture out of a roll of filament, and I think you actually need to put it into something with hot air (like the printdry filament dryer or an oven) to pull all of the moisture out. What is your experience with drying filament?

hey! are you planing on testing/reviewing the new raise3d pro2? we are thinking of buying a larger-scale 3d-printer than we currently have in our architecture-office. would be nice to hear your thoughts about the pro2 or other FDM printers in this size-category. greetings from austria!

The zap is from the EMI suppression caps (y capacitors) that are in all switch mode power supplies. Can create potential of 100v between DC ground and safety earth (taps, radiators) but if you look at the current flow it’s micro amps, tingles but no death.

does anyone know if cetus has thermal protection, fire is the only thing im worried about lol

What particulate issues are raised by FDM printers?

What printsurface is on that ender 3? It looks amazing!

Great video, thanks. To echo some of the other comments I would add nano particle concerns and cuts during finishing

First and foremost for anyone just starting out, Smoke Detector and Fire Extinguisher rated for Electrical Fire, they are cheap and easily available. You should have these on hand and setup before your printer arrives (you may be too excited to use the printer and forget to get these and set them up).

Safety tip #2 rings very true for me. I accidentally caught my hand in a CNC 3 axis router at work. Equipment definitely doesn't feel pain like we do. 6 weeks out of action with a broken hand is definitely a lesson learned the hard way. Don't put your hand near anything that's moving.

On scrappers, 3D Printing Nerd put me onto to chisels in one of his videos, game changer for me. More mass and can go dead flat on the bed, helps get a stubborn corner up and then the scrapper can be used without excessive force (if needed at all). Of course, all of the same safety considerations apply (if not greater care needed). I was sceptical, thinking I'd end up taking chunks out of my PEI but because you can get it perfectly planar on the bed it slides and doesn't dig in. Of course, removable bed is better still.

Overall a pleasant PSA that covers a lot of good to know safety stuff, honestly, 3D printers shouldn’t be scary, these are general rules for most machines from toasters, electric stoves, to computers and exploding phones. Not only 3D printers. Great that Angus made an official video to cover his thoughts.

scraper blade - most injuries were from the heatbed as the blade slipped with my hand. right now ive got a really sharp glass scrapper blade that just works

I use a mamorubot polypropylene build plate i purchased from amazon. No scraper required. Must be run hot (65c for pla, 90c for abs) for build to stick throughout print. Once print is complete let build plate cool and the part just slides right off without any issues. Also gives first layer glass finish. I havent required glue or build surface replacement in months. I just wipe it down every once in awhile with isopropal alcohol to clean it.

Nice video!

I have to use a scraper. One thing I do that I never see anyone else doing is to use electronics side cutters to safely lift the edge off the surface first. This works especially well for parts with corners.

I'm oddly satisfied to hear you call them sparky

My Tevo Little Monster caught on fire. I had a false sense of safety because thermal runaway was on, and the bed doesn’t move which were the big ones other people have mentioned. Apparently if the electronics lock up/crash it can be left in a state where the thermal runaway detection isn’t running and even if your thermistor, your wiring, etc are working the electronics turn on the heater and just doesn’t turn it off when it reaches temperature.

If you need to push that hard with a scraper, it *isn't sharp enough*. Any detachable surface is a huge improvement. Even glass is an excellent improvement as it can be chucked in a freezer if the part refuses to come off.

Thermal runaway isn't active on my Cocoon Create V2 because it runs Repetier V0.91, and that setting wasn't activated till 0.92. What annoys me is that you have to go looking for this yourself. I was just lucky Octoprint posted an alert in the new update because I wasn't aware of the issue. The companies putting out these printers don't let you know what thermal runaway protection isn't enabled. Now I have to figure out how to update firmware on it.

Yesterday I was tightening something on my cr-10 and my arm skin somehow got caught in my y axis belt and started pinching my skin and brining it with it . Luckily I got it out when the belt moved back. Now I know to keep my arm away from my printer when printing.

Some underengineered machines do have a risk of electric fire too. They cheap out on the power connectors running way too much current thru them. I've seen printer control boards where the connectors started to melt away already, and from melting connectors it's not a long way to start a fire.

this was used in my comp class

This video come less than one week after I was hospitalised while trying to remove a print from the bed. 25mm deep puncture to my stomach after a print slipped.

Who would dislike a video like this? As a youtuber I think it's disrespectful because of all the hard work put into the video. Keep up the GREAT work Angus!

Thank you Angus! thermal runaway is a scary thought.

I was thinking of getting a 3d printer to make masters for making molds to cast replicas into. Could you do a review of what the differences in printing types are and how they would effect such an option? And you're best, most affordable suggestions.

Best thing I can suggest for a scraper blade is to use a small deadblow hammer, or min-sized hammer. You aren't mining for coal, here, you're just driving the edge under the part. A small, sharp smack is usually all it takes unless you have a print with an especially large raft or overall footprint. I've also taken to use an Exacto knife to get under the edge/corner of the print without damaging it, and then get the scraper blade under that and slide out the Exacto to get some more leverage. Works fantastic and you have a much gentler touch to your finished part! I've found that I rarely damage prints now by using an Exacto with its very flexible and thin blade.

Angus, I think you made this video especially for me. I've been using 3D printers since 2014. No issues until yesterday, jammed a scraper into my hand getting a pretty nasty cut.

PRUSA does not have thermal runaway protection that works if the heated bed or extruder FET transistor fails closed--as is a common failure mode if exposed to static discharge. The Marlin firmware can try to turn off the heaters all it wants but if the transistor is failed closed there is nothing to stop the bed or hot end from glowing. Fuses don't work in this case because the maximum current is not exceeded. The best way to protect against this failure is to embed a thermal fuse in the heated device connected in series with the heater leads or power supply. My first printer came with this feature built in (SeeMeCNC). I do not see an easy way to fit a thermal fuse into the heat break of a E3D extruder, but the manufacturer should provide a means to protect against this very real failure mode.

What about fumes/gasses from melted plastics?

I have some easy peelzy on the way because my kiddo freaks out about me using the scrapers after seeing your earlier video on scraper safety. I on the other hand still can't quite get the hang of don't touch the hot bits while they are hot

I didn't listen to you about scraper blades... now I have a big scar. Also almost yad to get stiches

Angus did say shipped?

Somebody brought in a "reprap guru" i3 style printer yesterday. Among other wtfs was the power cord connected straight to the power supply without a switch. Safety first kids!

Is the jury still out on the dangers of fumes/nano particle inhalation? I was surprised to see it wasn’t mentioned. Thanks for a very helpful video.

Angus, you didn’t mention the two most common health risks: every fused-filament fabrication (FFF) 3-D printer generates particulate emissions and most are susceptible to Teflon tube pyrolysis, both of which I discussed with documentation in other KZfaq comments. The upshot of that offgassing is that FFF 3-D printing should never be done in occupied buildings without enclosures and engineered ventilation systems or engineered filtration. However, after watching countless KZfaq videos, I’ve seen only one 3-D printing influencer (one of the lesser-known newcomers) attempt filtration, and he unfortunately made fundamental errors decimating its efficacy. My guess is that the 3-D printing industry is intentionally ignoring these problems, especially particulate emissions, because acknowledging them would reduce sales and create an expectation that manufacturers should implement mitigation strategies. Instead, they are collectively turning a blind eye to this issue.

Good stuff. I keep waiting for my MP Select Mini to short out and do something horrible.

Can anyone help me to design a Italian WW2 dagger warn by officers for 3D printer. I am a reenact-or and can not afford the real item.

Best way to teach how burning hot a 3D printer can get is to just feel out the heated bed while it warms up to print PLA and use that as a reference to how hot the machine’s parts can get. Remember, curiosity should not be ignored, one must educate and the best way is through experience. Also, if you are touching a 3D printer when it gets to 100 degrees celsius then the machine could be broken or you need to pay a visit to the hospital If you don’t have a heated bed these days, why? I mean, power drain blah blah all that, you don’t have to use it just because you have it but it’s like a spatula or air conditioning on your car, fantastic to have when you need it.

What about fumes and microplastics?

Hi Angus can you please do a review on the Tevo Tornado that would be awesome Thanks

On the fire risk, it is also a very good idea to constrain the wires of the heater and thermistor in a way that keeps them in position, making it harder for them to fall out the block.

Very nice overview of the topic. Did I miss risk of printing certain materials like e.g. ABS? Perhaps a follow up video about risks to damage your machine would be nice, too. Like printing PETG on PEI;-)

I got tired of catching myself with the scraper. Usually on the doorway to the printer if it slips. I now use a pair of mechanics gloves whenever I have to use the scraper.

Good job. Stressing these points cannot be overdone. Noobs beware.

You can easily get some pinch point warning stickers on websites like amazon or ebay or simply print some out yourself if you want some extra warnings for people.

Angus, the blades are quite avoidable...I normally don´t use it on my CR-10S, i just wait the heatbed to cool down and print comes out super easy, even pop out itself...

2:09 when you’re a “kid” (people call me a child) operating and maintaining a 3D printer, changing nozzles, filament and fixing hotend issues, etc.

At "Burn Risks" you should have cut in a quiet audio clip of Nicholas Cage asking "how'd it get burned" from that movie with the bees. Wickerman? Bees no not the bees, aaahhh my eyes!! Thanks for the vid brah.

Of course, 3D printers can cause a fire, even if they're not malfunctioning in any way, if you have flammable material nearby. Sure, that's common sense, just like many other things on the list :-) Also, could have underlined "Don't leave running 3D printer unattended" more. Regarding the thermal runaway safety feature in Marlin, if you (like me) are have issues with it triggering too easily when there isn't anything wrong, it's a way better solution to adjust when / how it gets triggered, than turning it off, like way too many manufacturers apparently do.

well, for electronic stuff shouldn't you check any connections regularly? and ofc follow the rules for repair- turn off, secure against any possible reactivation (be it idiots or faulty tec) disconnect, check whether its really disconnected and has no current running through, ground if you have not and then do repairs.

Working on hot, pinchy stuff? You left out a human factor in this: injury reaction! Hand deep in a cabinet, hot-end brushes your hand, you react by instantly pulling your hand out of harms way. Of course you do. Along the way, your fingers, hand, wrist and forearm find every sharp edge and exposed screw in the cabinet! A tiny burn can become a big mess! Train yourself as to the location of the danger-bits, of course. But also look at how your hand is reaching into the cabinet: is your palm toward danger, or the back of your hand? Fun fact: electricians always make sure the back of the hand is toward the mains! In case of a jolt, the hand often closes reflexively. Better to make a fist away from the wire than to hang onto it for the rest of your life. BTW, your fingers have 100's times more nerve endings than the back of your hand, which burn is gonna hurt worse?

Well timed I just got my printer today (JGAURORA A5)

The kids will learn after the first time!! :-) I did!

I have a two inch scar on the underside of my wrist from a scraper trying to remove a print

1 hour earlyer and i wound have Stuck the scraper blade into my arm. XD yeah happens