Author: Norman

Redmi AirDots

With wireless tech headphones are getting better and better and smaller and smaller. Someday they will be small stick on patches for you temple. Any smaller and you will lose them in your ears. I find ear buds make my ears hurt but the included small nubs were surprisingly comfortable. I was fine using them for a couple of hours. They will not fall out if inserted properly. Although be careful not to drop one in the grass. 🙂

Type	In-Ear
Material	ABS
Features	Portable
Main Functions	Bluetooth
Application	Running, Sport, Working
Compatible with	Computer, Mobile Phone
Connectivity	Wireless
Bluetooth	Yes
Bluetooth protocol	A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Version	V5.0
WIFI	No
Product weight	4 Grams
Package Contents	1 x Pair of Earphones, 1 x Charging Dock, 2 x Pair of Ear Caps, 1 x Chinese User Manual

Unboxing

The box is all in Chines so I can’t say much on it. Although the quality does reflect the cheap price. The instructions are in Chines.

Build Quality

The build quality is pretty good. They don’t feel cheap and the case feels well formed with a solid hinge. It’s made from ABS which I know from my 3D printing is a tough plastic. How long they last remains to be seen. I’ve only had them for a couple of weeks with them but the hinge still feels strong.

It has tiny pins inside the mold of the case which make contact with the charge pads. It keeps a good connection through magnets which in turn keeps them from falling out of the case. The dots come with the clingy plastic to protect it from scratches. They also cover the charge pads so you need to remove them before they will charge.

Connectivity

The AirDots has Bluetooth 5.0 which is great for a sub $30 pair of wireless Earbuds. Being 2 times faster Bluetooth 5 gives faster transfer and makes it clear and crisp for music and voice. 5.0 also give almost 2 times the range of 4.2 but my phone is not far from me at any point so I’m ot concerned there. Just removing them from the case will cause them to connect to you phone. Pressing the button once will play the last media played. Pressing one while the phone is ringing will cause it to answer the call. Press and hold to send the call to voicemail or skip to the next sung. Pressing twice will activate whichever voice assistance you use. (Siri on iphone)

Audio Quality

Surprisingly the AirDots have good sound quality for such tiny speakers. I’m amazed at how well the base sounds. They have noise cancellation that seems to work well although I’m not sure how much of this is from them being so snug in my ears. Like wearing earplugs. Although the sound quality is good the volume seems lacking. My phone seems ok but not as loud as I would like. Great for kids if you are concerned for their hearing though. Haha. When connected to my laptop it seems much louder although less crisp. I’m no audio expert so I don’t know why.

Pros

Build quality
Good sound with Base
Battery life
Case holds 2 extra charges
Bluetooth 5.0
Noise cancellation

Cons

No charge cable
Volume depends on device connected
No Charge cable

Conclusion

The AirDots are a great deal for the money. They are under $30 Canadian. So much so I don’t see how companies like Apple can justify the prices. Apple didn’t invent Bluetooth 5 so they have no justification for their prices in my eyes. There is a lot of wireless earbuds on the market today thanks to the Chines market and the internet. Competition is great for the consumer and you can’t go wrong with these earbuds. Being cheap is a good thing because they are so small I know my kids will lose one eventually. I downloaded the App from Google Play store but it didn’t seem to do anything except annoy me with popup ads. I have heard people lose connection between the earbuds but holding down the button for about 20 seconds will reset them and they should reconnect. They are waterproof but the charge case isn’t so be careful not to jump in the pool with them in your pocket.

March 20, 2025

Hey+ B1800 Smart Bracelet International Edition

Since the famous Fit-bit band smart bracelet arrived there have been a lot of competition, especially in china. And thankfully the power of the internet gives us access to these products. The Hey+ B1800 is much better than the Q13 which I wouldn’t recommend. The smart bracelet has some great features such as a heart rate monitor, alarms and my favorite the ability to customize your watch face with your own photos. The included ones are nice, but a smart bracelet needs to be customizable for my liking. The AMOLED touch screen is clear and responsive. Not too responsive like others I have tried. It’s a nice watch which is comfortable on my wrist with an ok accompanying android app (iOS Untested). I say ok because it isn’t fully translated but the parts that are can easily be understood.

Smart Bracelet: Specifications

Model	B8100
Manufacture	Hey+
Display	AMOLED
Operatingmode	Touch Screen
Waterproof level	50m
System requirement	IOS 8.0 and above, Android 4.4 and above
Battery capacity	120mAh
Charging time	2 hours
Standby time	18 days
Bluetooth version	4.2
Usage temperature	0°-45°C
APP	Hey Plus

Unboxing the Smart Bracelet

The B1800 comes in a nice looking box that you can tell was designed with care. It has a simplistic design with a nice presentation of the band when you open it. Lifting the top layer with the little tab shows a small box with the charge cable.

Design and Build quality

The smart bracelet B1800 band has a soft rubbery feel. The band is made TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane) and not the plastic that cracks from constant bends. The display pops out so you can place it into a different color band which you can buy on ebay.

The band has plenty of holes to fit a range of different size wrists. Mine being pretty thin. The pin that fits into the hole fits very snug and does not feel like it will come undone while you sleep and during exercise.

One thing I like about this band is the touch screen isn’t super sensitive. You wouldn’t think that should be a problem but I had one band that changed by the static in my shirts and blankets. I would wake to find the watch settings and face changed.

The lock screen has 6 built in background images with a time layout you can’t change. They all look ok but when it comes to a smart watch I expect to create my own.

The position of the time, date and data limits your custom dial options. Here are some of mine. I just wish I could save more than one custom face at a time so I don’t have to recreate them every time I wish to change it.

Functions of the smart Bracelet

Functions you expect from a smart bracelet are usually simple things like the pedometer, phone notification and now heart rate sensor. The Hey+ B1800 comes with that and many more cool features.

The watch has plenty of data you can view at a glance without having to go to your phone to see your steps, heart rate and more. In fact one of the main apps is called Data. It tells you your steps, calories, distance, heart rate and sedentary. Until now I had no idea what sedentary was. It means time sitting or inactive.

It also has features such as exercise monitoring and recording. Such as Running, Treadmill, Riding and even Free training (weight lifting). Because I’m disabled I can’t use many of those features. I can use the pedometer and a bit of riding but not much else.

When you start an exercise function such as running you get a 3 second countdown which I’m not sure is useful. It uses your phones GPS location to track speed and distance.

You get data as you exercise so you can see how far you have gone. That could be a bad thing for some. Haha. Here is a sample of the data it offers.

During your exercise it gives you the option to pause or finish. And when you are done it gives you a summary or it tells you your exercise was too short to record.

This smart bracelet band has many features which are great for people like me that should track this information and set goals for myself. With heart issues it is good to have the heart rate monitor to record and share with my doctor.

Being the “International” version though isn’t very internationally friendly if you wish to use the weather app. It does not support cities outside of China. And much of the help section is not translated.

I contacted the company through an email address I found in the app but I didn’t get much of a response. Here is their response when I asked them to update the weather to include more cities. “Ok, this part has not been updated yet, and it will need to be updated later. Thank you very much for your feedback and wish you a happy life.”

Alarms are very handy if you are one of the rare people like me that doesn’t keep their phone in their hand 24/7. It vibrates pretty well but doesn’t beep. You can set one time alarms as well as daily or weekly alarms. I just wish they would link it to my phones alarms which I have setup for reminders. As an application developer, I wish it was open source so I could add all the features I want. When you select the alarm app on the watch it tells you to add them through the phone application of there are no alarms set. When there are alarms it lets you flip through them and turn them on or off.

The Alipay app I’m assuming is a china pay service like Apple pay.

The last app is the setting which has the about info as well as brightness settings.

Two very cool features which I love is the NFC (near field communication)and the Passcard feature. This supposedly lets you scan your works door card to let you replace it with your watch. I’m not sure if it works because I don’t have one to try. Although you would think your work cards would be pretty secure and hard to copy.

The other feature which will be great for my kids is, find my phone. It sounds an alarm on your phone to help you find it.

The charge cable feels well built and holds the band firmly in place. It also has a guide to be sure the pins connect to the charge points. The sensor for measuring heart rates are located on the bottom with the charge points.

App

The smart bracelet watch connects to your phone with Bluetooth 4.2. And hanging the face is quick. The application is full of features but they are all over the place. For instance the top left brings a side menu with Account profile settings and about information. It also has setting in the top right which houses the watch information and in the bottom right it has an Assistance icon which is again info like frequently asked questions. They should be placed together in the left menu bar.

Translation makes many of the app functions questionable. What is Transport card for? It would help if the help section wasn’t in Chinese.

Door card I assume, the NFC part which is cool but I don’t know how the security part works.

The app is where you can view all your data with pretty charts and graphs. Which is missing the option to export the data. I would build in an option to export to CSV.

You use the app to also set alarms, exercise goals and notifications. Any app on your phone that has notifications can be used to send to the watch, which is a must have feature.

The custom dial interface is simple enough to use. Select a style and chose a background. That is it. You also have the option to share your watch face but that seems pointless. The efforts spent on that feature would have been better spent on something like exporting the data or saving multiple faces.

Smart Bracelet Final Summary:

The Hey+ B1800 is very smart band. In time, I’m sure it will be more advanced ranking in one of the top smart bracelets category. Not being a doctor I can’t say how accurate the sensor is. The other features alone are well worth the price. The Apple smartwatch came out with less and cost many times more.

March 19, 2025

Alfawise C10 Review

C10 Laser Engraver

A C10 CNC mill/engraver (Computer Numerical Control) is a great tool to compliment your 3D printer. A 3D printer takes plastic and builds an object from nothing. That is called additive manufacturing. A CNC mill builds and object by cutting away from a source material like a block or sheet of wood. That is called subtractive manufacturing. Most people think of big CNC milling machines that companies use in factories. They usually mill things from material like steel or aluminum.

Thanks to hobbyists, CNC milling can now be done from your home or garage. May build the larger 4X4 or 4X8 feet for their shops or garage called the mostly printed CNC (MPCNC). But now you can buy a small desktop one for your makerspace. The Alfawise C10 is a 300mm X 180mm X 40mm CNC. Do to the sawdust it creates you should build a box for it if you keep it in a room of your home. I built a box for mine, and because I have the laser engraving option it is also vented through my fireplace with a fan. It blows the smoke out of the box. Because I sealed it with silicone none of the smoke gets through into my makerspace.

I have years of experience on 3D printers and a printer is basically a CNC that builds up instead of down. They both use G-Code as instructions for the firmware to interpret. With 3D printing there are 3 main steps:

CAD (Computer Aided Design) or download a 3D object often of .stl file type.
Slice using software that builds the G-Code to lay down the plastic layer by layer.
You print the object you want from the G-Code on the printers controller or streamed through USB

CNC milling also uses 3 steps.

CAD or download objects.
CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) which creates the G-Code only different from slicing software.
You run the G-Code from software on a PC or controller.

So What can you do with the Alfawise C10 CNC/Laser Engraver? Let’s find out!

Alfawise C10 CNC/Laser Engraver Technical Specifications

Brand:	Alfawise
Model:	C10
Frame material:	aluminum
Laser module:	2500mW
Working area:	30cm x 18cm x 4cm
Machine size:	33cm x 40cm x 24cm
Control software:	Benbox / GRBL
Support OS:	Windows XP / Win 7 / Win 8 / Win10 / Linux
Power supply:	DC 24V 5.6A

C10 Unboxing

Unboxing is uneventful as always. This is a Kit that comes completely unassembled except the Z axis. The parts come in three layers of parts with the bed on the very bottom. This engraver is what is known as the 3018 which is a reference to it’s X (30) and Y(18) size in centimeters. Unpacking is easy just keep a vacuum or garbage can close by. When they cut the aluminum extrusions and bed it leaves lots of shards that cling to the plastic wrap that protects from scratches. Probably not good if you have a carpet.

C10 Assembly

This kit brings me back to the start of the 3D printer kit days when you have to assemble all of it. I like to assemble kits like this except the instructions are lacking. Being mostly in Chinese, I don’t understand why someone in China doesn’t create a translation service because what little is in English doesn’t translate well. But what is important is the measurements in the instructions which are clear so you can get through it. Important points I learned from building 3D printers is that you can’t just use the measurements and be done with it. Any slightest bend or misalignment can bind an axis. So what I do is before you install the belts (or lead screw in this case) you keep the screws loose on the smooth rods and move the bed all the way forward then tighten the front screws. Then move the bed all the way back and tighten the screws. Then slide the bed to ensure you get a smooth motion. Then you can install the leadscrew. You can do it with the leadscrew installed but it is cumbersome. The same should be done for the X and Z axis. Also be careful where you plug in the spindle and the laser. I didn’t get the laser in the images on the site and the instructions has entirely different controller board. The laser is the middle 3 pin one and the spindle is the one beside it.

C10 Software

This is where I really struggled. This machine comes with a mini CD that contains the instructions, the software and a copy of the firmware (which is outdated). There are no real instructions for the software but with the internet it’s not hard to find videos to watch. So why did I struggle? Well no matter what I tried I couldn’t get the included software to work. So I was on the hunt to find out why or software that works. So I tried updating the firmware but it didn’t want to update. I tried a few different ways and was finally able to update it without errors.

The CD comes with an older version of GRBL Controller which now called Candle. I gave it a try and couldn’t get the spindle to turn. After updating to the newest version I had issues with it returning to home. Not sure if it was the config of the firmware but I eventually added physical endstops.

When you power the machine it sets your home point as the current location. So what you need to do is move the tip of your tool to the bottom left corner of your work area. Then set your home position to that spot in the software.

My first couple attempts with the included software simply gouged the wood and also printed much larger than expected. I’m sure it was something I was doing wrong.

So I loaded the iPhone cnc sample file that came with the CD. It carved out very tiny word iphone. That and I used a bit from my dremel which didn’t help. I then set the steps per mm in the firmware.

I managed to create a usable g-code file of superman. I first tried it with the 3mm bit that I used on the iphone. It didn’t look to well.

So I ran it again with the V shaped bits that came with the Alfawise C10. This time it came out okay. Although engraving on this type of wood chipped away in the fine detail of the superman logo. I’m okay with it. I still need to clean out grooves where sawdust seemed to get stuck in there. Running it twice didn’t seem to help.

I then went to the Dollar store and picked up some pieces of craft plywood. I used Inkscape to trace out a nice image of a lion to try with the V bit. If you ask me it looks ok but again to much detail.

So now let’s talk more about the software. After giving up on Candle (GRBL Controller) I turned to Google and Facebook groups. I found inscape is the goto to software to turn your images into vector graphics (.svg files). You use the trace tools in the Path menu. I’m not going to make this a tutorial, just point you in the right direction.

The next step (and this is engraving only) is to import them into a cam program. The one I found to work is called Easel from inventables.com. It’s easy to use and free. There is a pro version but the free one seems to be ok. You bring in an svg files or use the shapes in the app to make images. All the items in the project can be set to cut at different depths. Easel was made for Carvey brand machines and can connect and run on them directly I think. But you can also export the g-code and run it from other controller software.

And that brings me to the last bit of software the controller for the C10. I found a program called Universal G-Code Sender. It’s what worked for me and is also free to use. There is too much to get into how it works. It’s open source and there are other applications like estlcam you can try.

Here are a couple of pics from my Easel carvings.

C10 Modifications

The small CNC mills benefits from a few modifications. First being a firmware upgrade. It’s best to update the GRBL and learn to configure it. It’s not to hard.

Next I added endstops so the machine won’t crash into the ends of each axis. You will need to enable them in the firmware.

I greased the lead screws to cut down on noise. Which allow my family is happy 🙂

Then if you plan to cut your stock all the way through you need to add a waste board. So it’s not cutting into the aluminum bed. Make it as thin as you can to save more of your Z work area. Mines too thick but I will change it soon.

Another great modification and one I made for my laser, is a box to vent the fumes but it works to keep the dust in on the CNC mill.

I created a little holder for the bits and uploaded it to thingiverse to share.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3552039

PROS

Value priced
Solid Frame
Very Moddable
Motor feels well torqued
Optimal Laser attachment
Small enough for hobbyist

CONS

Noisy
Not for matching metal
A lot to learn
Small work area

C10 Conclusion

If you like to make things from wood, plastic, plexiglass and other softer materials then this can save you time. Not only will you get much nicer cuts but you can work on other stuff while the CNC mill does the work. Do you like to make personal gifts to friends and family? This makes very nice engraving and outline cutting. With the laser attachment which I will be doing a write up on soon, you can mix cutting, cnc engraving and laser engraving in the same pieces. Below are some of the cool items you can make with this tool. You can even mix 3D printing and CNC in your projects using wood when you need strength. Or use 3D printing to make parts to complicated for the CNC.

For more articles around the C10 check this other recent article from Pevly.

So should you get this tool? If you like to make crafts or if you like 3D printing and small hobby electronics, then you would probably like the added support of a CNC mill. I’m having so much fun my next tool is going to be a C02 Laser cutter. Then I will have everything I need to make cool projects. You could even make a bit of money making and selling things like custom keychains and other type of trinkets.

Check out this very cool weather station that uses CNC and 3D printing.

If you Google CNC project art images then you will see the many cool things you can do with a CNC.

Check out more cool projects done using the C10 Engraver

Thanks for reading I hope you enjoyed my take on the Alfawise C10 CNC machine!

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March 15, 2025

Alfawise U30 Review

Is this the best 3D printer under $300?

The Alfawise U30 is another in a very long line of budget 3D printers. Little brother to the Alfawise U20 reviewed here. It seems more and more arrive every week. There are many brands with very similar models. With little to no copyright in China it’s no wonder. It’s unfair for the tech companies trying to compete but great for us end users. I here many lecture against buying from China but lets face it, no one can beat the prices. This may be the best 3d printer under 300. Although the down side is Safety seems to take a back burner when they are competing against themselves. Purchase and use the items with caution.

One of the biggest safety concerns when it comes to 3D printers is the safety checks disabled in the Firmware which many do.

So how do they compete in such a saturated market? Well in the case of the Alfawise U30 they have a nice touch screen with power failure recovery and filament run out detection.

Alfawise U30 Specifications

Brand:	Alfawise
Type:	DIY
Model:	U30
Engraving Area:	220 x 220 x 250mm
Frame material:	Aluminum Alloy
Nozzle quantity:	Single
Nozzle diameter:	0.4mm
Nozzle temperature:	Room temperature to 250 degree
Layer thickness:	0.1-0.4mm
Memory card offline print:	TF card
LCD Screen:	Yes
Print speed:	120mm/s (max.), 30 – 70mm/s ( recommended )
Platform temperature:	Room temperature to 100 degree
Supporting material:	ABS,PLA,Wood Filled
Material diameter:	1.75mm
File format:	G-code,OBJ,STL
XY-axis positioning accuracy:	0.0125mm
Z-axis positioning accuracy:	0.0025mm
Voltage:	24V
Host computer software:	Cura,Repetier-Host,Simplify3D
Packing Type:	unassembled packing
System support:	Windows / Mac / Linux
Connector Type:	TF card,USB

Unboxing

The U30 doesn’t comes as most Kit printers. Packed in white packing foam. The U30 comes with a set of allen keys, a flat cutout wrench and a Micro SD card. The printer also comes with the 3 meter roll of filament. I don’t typically use the small pieces of filament because they don’t usually include enough to print the test models on the SD card. I started to print with it and it tangled up and jammed the printer. So I tossed it and moved on. Keep reading to see if this is the best 3d printer under 300.

SD Card

As usual the included Micro SD comes with sample models and a soft copy manual pdf file. The included USB micro SD reader is junk and I had a similar one that corrupted every card I put in it. Therefore I don’t use them. I keep them in case I need one in a pinch but I have better ones to use and you should also. It also includes an older copy of the free slicer software Cura 15.

[amazon box=”B01D9JIUU0,B0749S1S15,B07HFQ658D”template=”table”]

Assembly

The U30 is considered a “DIY Kit” printer, aka best 3d printer under 300. But more like a 50% assembled kit. For me I love the assembly process and this one seems like a happy medium between a fully assembled printer and the 0% ones like the Anet A6 and A8.

The Base comes pre assembled with the power supply and mainboard wired up. That is a good thing as most users shouldn’t be wiring up mains voltage. The manual doesn’t have much text and uses images to show you the steps. Similar to Ikea furniture.

I won’t go over the steps but I’m including photos of my assembly and a link to the manual.

Software

As I mentioned in the SD section the SD has Cura 15 included with it. I would say use that and if you can afford Simplify 3D then it’s worth the investment. You can keep Cura 15 on your PC and install the newest version at the same time. Give the newest version a try and if you get bad prints then try version 15.

Print Quality

After the awesome prints I got from Alfawise U20I was excited to see what the U30 could do. Being the same printer with a smaller build size my expectations were high. While it’s not the same quality it isn’t to far off. At the current $250USD price point is better then the Creality Ender 3 Pro at a regular price of $323USD. This is starting to look more and more like the best 3d printer under 300

PLA (Polylactic Acid) Filament

As usual I chose to print one of the files off the SD card. It came pre sliced. Unsure what settings or slicer was used but it printed very well. That’s the thing with test prints, if they print better then your own sliced objects it proves any issues your prints have are slicer and not printer problems. It’s harder to see with the black filament but this little fox is very well printed.

For a while now I have been wanting to print this cute cartoon gun from the my mini factory website. This image is from the site and I just wanted to show how cool it is painted up.

Mine isn’t glued together yet but will be sanded and painted also. I printed most in black but the black doesn’t show well in photos so I printed a white one to show you the details.

These little bullet guys are awesome! I can’t wait to paint mine up.

Next I printed a ghost face from thingivers.com. Again, sorry the black is hard to see. I just bought a bunch of filament and most of it is black the rest is white. I have plans to print my own RC BB8 from the BB8 Builders club. I also printed the big cartoon gun.

Here are a couple of photos with an American dime for size reference.

PETG (Polyethylene terephthalate) Filament

Because my PETG was grey and almost gone I printed this little Castle Grayskull from Thingiverse. It is supper tiny and even at 300% it was still super tiny and didn’t print any of the detail. So I printed it again at 400% https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2840544

I was a big He-Man fan growing up. I had all the toys and watched the show regularly.

I included an American dime for size reference. PETG is a mix of PLA and ABS(Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) to get some of the ABS strength and ease of PLA. Only problem is that you have to get the temperature and retraction settings just perfect or you get strings going from one pice to another as the tip travels from piece to piece. The reason for this is that the melted filament comes out while traveling. The retraction pulls back the filament whatever distance you set in the slicer. That reduces pressure that is created while the extruder pushes the filament through the tip during printing. Mastering the retraction settings is difficult. I find a retraction distance of 8mm and a speed of 40 mm per second works well on all of my printers with bowden tube extruders. The bowden tube guides the filament from the extruder motor to the hotend. This lets you keep the weight of the motor from the X axis allowing easier movements at higher speeds. This is looking to be one of my favorite best 3d printer under 300.

TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) Filament

TPU is an elastic type of filament that allows you to print cool things like RC Tires or flexible hinges. The flexibleness is determined by how much infill you fill the print with. So for RC tires you can print them almost empty for soft off road driving. If you add more infil you can print harder rubber tires for RC onroad driving. I printed these Mario question cube and tunnel toys with to much infill and it doesn’t flex as much as I hoped.

The popularity of 3D printing has paved the way for many types of filaments that I have yet to try. I want to order some ASA (Acrylonitrile styrene acrylate) filament as I heard it is very strong. Nylon (Polyamide) is also a strong filament that requires an all metal hotend and high temps for printing with the best 3d printer under 300.

Matterhackers has a nice comparison page for the filaments they make. https://www.matterhackers.com/3d-printer-filament-compare

Modifications

The only modification I did with this printer is flip the bed over. On the top they have a builtack surface stuck to glass. Glas and hairspray is all I use so simply flipping the glass over works well for me. The larger bed printers are usually 300mm or close to it therefore 1 foot square mirror tiles works perfectly.

Being fairly new there isn’t much for printable mods. You could print bigger bed level knobs but the ones on there aren’t to bad.

PROS

Good print quality
Nice design and color
Medium build volume
Touch screen interface

CONS

auto load is slow
firmware is closed
noisy
didn’t come with usb cable

Best 3d printer under 300: Final Judgement

This printer is the perfect mate to the bigger Alfawise U20 which is my current favorite printer.

They have the same look and feel. It’s a bit noisier then the U20. The U30 is a direct competitor of the Creality Ender 3. The U30 has a the same price as the ender 3 and $40 cheaper than the Ender 3 Pro. Aside from the closed source firmware and the ribbon wire for the display the U30 is a much better machine. They are both good little machines but the U30 would get my vote. I hope the Alfawise grows in popularity because they are great printers at great prices.

March 14, 2025

Cheap 3D Printer Alfawise U20 Review

Is this the best Cheap 3D Printer: Alfawise U20

The Alfawise U20 is a hidden gem in a sea of 3D printers, even more so as a cheap 3D printer. At least this has been my experience so far. Looking at it, it looks like another CR10 style printer. It is similar to the Creality CR10 and the Tevo Tornado. The Alfawise U20 is a cheap 3d printer that has a couple of other features that puts it ahead of those two though.

Is this the Best Cheap 3D printer?

3D printing has been a very distracting hobby. I like to tinker with them as much as I like to print with them. The Alfawise U20 doesn’t need tinkering though. I did add a filament cooling fan duct from thingiverse.com. It cools the filament from both the left and right side of the nozzle. This is typically the first modification done by hobbyists when they get a new printer. Which makes me wonder why the manufacturers don’t include them. The part cooling from the two sides can improve the prints in a big way on some printers. The Alfawise U20 didn’t seem to need it but I put one on anyway for this cheap 3D printer.

Alfawise U20 3D printer: Specifications

Brand:	Alfawise
Type	DIY
Model:	U20
Engraving Area	300 x 300 x 400mm
Frame material:	Aluminum Alloy
Nozzle quantity:	Single
Nozzle diameter:	0.4mm
Nozzle temperature:	Room temperature to 250 degree
Layer thickness:	0.1-0.4mm
Memory card offline print:	SD card
LCD Screen:	Yes
Print speed:	20 – 150mm / s
Supporting material:	ABS,Carbon Fiber,PLA,TPU
Material diameter:	1.75mm
Language:	English & Chinese
File format:	G-code,STL
XY-axis positioning accuracy:	0.012mm
Z-axis positioning accuracy:	0.004mm
Voltage:	24V
Host computer software:	Cura,Repetier-Host
Packing Type:	unassembled packing
System support:	Windows / Linux / MAC
Connector Type:	SD card,USB
Product weight	12.0000 kg
Package weight:	14.3200 kg
Product size:	61.20 x 57.50 x 39.50 cm / 24.09 x 22.64 x 15.55 inches
Package size:	66.00 x 56.00 x 30.00 cm / 25.98 x 22.05 x 11.81 inches

Unboxing the Alfawise U20

The Alfawise U20 is packed like most cheap 3D printer kits these days. They come in packaging foam in layers. The top layer is the base with the bed. Under that you have the upper frame with the control box and box of tools and parts. Included with the printer is a set of allen keys, cutters, putty knife, a nozzle cleaner and full color manual. Also, with the U20 you get a 250g roll of PLA filament. It’s nice to see companies including more than the useless 10m pieces you see with many printers.

SD Card

The SD card comes with the typical free models free software and the manual in pdf format. I have been saying for some time now that Cura went downhill after version 15. I think the manufacturers know this too as they all include version 14 or 15 in their SD cards and USB sticks.

Assembly

Assembling this style printer is quick and easy. The Alfawise U20 comes about 90% complete like the Tevo Tornado and Anet E12. I prefer kits to be 0-20% pre-built, like I said above I love to tinker. I understand why they don’t for customers who are not as good at building things. It would be good if they offered different levels of completion like the Tevo Flash. To assemble the cheap 3d printer, the Alfawise U20 you just need to bolt the upper frame to the base and connect the wiring.

There is one added feature to the Alfawise U20 that all printers mostly assembled should have. There are two bolts keeping the x gantry from moving during shipping. Be sure to remove them before you attempt to run this printer. The reason they need to be secure is that the Z motor get stretched and can break. The wiring is nicely marked with little plastic tags. You have to refer to the manual if you don’t know which is the x, y and z axis. I mixed up the X and Y on my first printer. The bed is the Y axis.

Also important when assembling the printer is that you set the power supply voltage before you turn it on. If it is set to 110 and you put 220 into it it’s going to kill the printer. Although if it is set to 220 and you put 110 into it you would be fine. It will not power on but it will not kill it either.

Here are some pictures of my printer and inside the control box but I would advise you not to open your control box unless there is a problem and you know what you are doing.

This cheap 3D printer comes with these little bed level knobs seen here on the left. The larger ones on the right are from the Ender 3. It would be nice to have the larger ones on all printers that have room for them.

Software

Cheap 3D Printer: Does it have Quality?

The print quality of the Alfawise U20 was an awesome surprise with it being a cheap 3D printer. I thought maybe it would print similar to the Tevo Tornado and the JGAurora A5. It was nice to see it prints better than those two. That is my experience anyway. I spoke to a few others who have also said they also had a nice prints from the U20. And with mine it printed awesomely with no modifications.

PLA Filament

PLA is my favorite filament and getting a nice 250g roll with the printer is where I started. And to my surprise the included filament printed very well.

Using the included roll, my first print was this little helix and this toolbox to hold the included tools.

This is the bottom of the tool holder. I started the print with the hotend to far from the bed. Well I guess that is inaccurate, as the way the printer works the bed is set to low from the hotend. That is because the hotend starts at the same height every time and the bed is adjusted higher and lower to level the bed. The bottom layer should be smooth and solid.

Being a batman fan and a Lego fan I printed a giant Lego Batman from thingiverse.com, the place to find almost anything you want to print. There are a few lego Batman’s there.

What is a review without a Benchy or two? The Benchy short for benchmark was made to test the printer’s ability to print different things like text, overhangs, bridges, circles, etc. and have something to display or give to a child after. Also there is a marvin keychain that does a similar thing. With the cheap 3D printer, the pictures don’t do these prints justice. They are very well printed compared to many other sub $500 printers. You can even see the super tiny 3D Benchy text on the back of the boat.

PETG Filament

PETG being an ABS alternative can be a pain to print because of it’s stringing. The two rolls I have, have not been nice to print. I thought it was the filament but after printing these I now know it was the printers. I printed the Benchy and Marvin to compare with the PLA. At first it started off under extruding so I bumped the heat by 10 degrees and it started printing very nice.

So I then reprinted them at the higher temperature and to my surprise they printed very well. I know my past problems with the filament couldn’t have been just settings because I used those same settings here except the temp.

So after that, I printed what I purchased the grey filament for. The Millennium Falcon! And boy did I like the results. I’m not a big fan of the shininess of the grey but it looks better in person then it does on camera.

TPU Filament

The one disappointment of this printer is TPU and flexibility. Because they are so flexible they are hard to feed down the long bowden tube to the hotend without it bunching up. Also when there is too much space between the feeding gear and the extruder casing then the filament can get wound up around the gear and jam. But there are prints on thingiverse that lessons the gap for flexible filament. I printed one before I got the printer, but it doesn’t fit the way the extruder is designed. I’m sure if I play with the settings and slow it down even more then the 20mmps I could get it to print. I just didn’t have time.

The part I’m holding is supposed to fit where I put the other green box. But as you can see it will not fit.

Modifications

Like I said above the only mod I needed was this fan duct.

As you can see the Tool holder was printed without the fan duct and it still printed great.

PROS

Price and Quality
Touch Screen Display
Filament runout
Power recovery features
Well built construction

CONS

Touch screen is flat on control box
Auto load and unload is to slow
Firmware is closed source so I can’t change things like the load/unload speed
Sleeves on the wires are not good and noisy as they rub on the frame

PRINT QUALITY: 9.5/10

BUILD QUALITY: 7/10

USER INTERFACE & NAVIGATION: 8/10

VALUE FOR MONEY: 9/10

Final Judgement: Is this the best cheap 3D printer?

You can’t go wrong with this printer. In fact, I would choose the Alfawise U20 over the Tevo Tornado or the JGAurora A5. The touch screen is a nice feature with a ton of settings for both the printer and the print. The flat angle is annoying but a small price for such a good printer. I’m sure someone if not me will design something to put it at a better angle. Learning 3D CAD would be fun. I did have to loosen the eccentric nut on the right side of the X gantry to prevent a bit of z tension. The look is nice with just enough of color and branding. The bed is removable glass with build tack on the top. Being a fan of glass beds I simply turned it over. So at any point on glass with hairspray and I can simply turn it back over to be stock. Also, this bed is the flattest bed I have had to date. This cheap 3D printer has so much going for it, I wish it was around when I purchased my first printer. If you purchase this printer I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. I don’t see many people with issues on the Alfawise U20 Facebook group.

So Happy Printing and Welcome to the Hobby!

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March 11, 2025

Creality Ender 3: Review

Creality Ender 3

Creality 3d printer

[amazon fields=”B07BR3F9N6″ value=”button”]

Does the Creality Ender 3 live up to the hype? Just like all the other communities, the 3D printing has its share of hyped up products. As the community grew with budget kits one printer stood out for being the first under $500 and needing little to no modifications to get great prints. That of course is the Creality CR10. Although it wasn’t without flaws and the users were quick to release improvements. Creality soon released updates to the CR10 calling it the CR10S. All the other chinese printer companies like Tevo, Anet and Tronxy followed with their own “clones” of the CR10. I use quotes because Anet tried going cheap with crappy parts and failed. Tevo copied the frame completely. Which I really liked. The Tornado being my favorite printer.

Then Creality tried to cash in on the popularity of the CR10 with the CR10 Mini. For some reason the mini didn’t get hyped. Maybe it was timing maybe it was price. The Creality Ender 3 is super cheap and prints okay. It isn’t without issues though.

[amazon box=”B07BR3F9N6″ template=”table”]

creality 3d printer

Creality Ender 3: Specifications

Model	Ender-3
Modeling Technology	FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling）
Printing Size	220220250mm
Machine Size	510400190mm
Package weight	8.6kg
Max Traveling Speed	180mm/s
Filament	1.75mm PLA,TPU,ABS
Input	AC 100-265V 50-60Hz
Output	DC 24V 15A 360W
Layer Thickness	0.1-0.4mm
Nozzle diameter	0.4mm
Precision	±0.1mm
File Format	STL, OBJ, G-Code
Working Mode	Online or SD offline
Max Nozzle Temperature	255℃
Max Hot bed Temperature	110℃

Unboxing

The Creality Ender 3 comes well packed in foam and with the extrusions wrapped with plastic wrap. Included in the box are the standard tools that come with the cheap kits. Typically that includes alen keys to put the printer together, a spatula as well as side cutters for trimming your prints.

unboxing 3d printer unboxing parts

SD Card

The included 8Gig micro SD card has the standard assembly instructions and test files. I’m not good with pre sliced gcode files being included because the temp and settings chosen when sliced are specific to the filament and the users filament is likely different. And the included filament is usually too short to even print the test file. The SD card does include the driver and a copy of the free open source slicer software Cura. probably an out of date version as it’s update quite often now. Also included is a Troubleshootings pdf file.

It is nice to have the SD card included. The micro SD card reader on the other hand is a piece of junk. Mine corrupted every card I put into it. I had to reformat them. Luckily I had a few others laying around.

Assembly

Building the ender is quite simple and the assembly guide was pretty straight forward. The base comes pre assembled. That is an issue for me because, as I have seen so many times before they don’t take care when assembling. In the case of the Creality Ender 3 there is a lot of people with a twisted base. Mine included. Maybe it is one person at creality assembling them with a crooked table. Also there is always loose screws that sometimes show in your prints. You can check out my Tevo Michelangelo review to see what I mean.

With the base built and the electronics done for you assembly is quick and easy. Mine has hot glue on all the wire connections which is bad if you need to remove one for troubleshooting or modifications. For any printer you buy needs to have pre assembled parts double checked.

Software

The SD card comes with two versions of Cura slicer software. An older version which I think works better then the newest one, and a newer version which is already outdated. A slicer is a program that slices the 3D object into layers, then turns it into instructions the printer can understand. If you need a free program then I would recommend Slic3r or Cura, but if you can afford it I would recommend Simplify3D.

cura

Print Quality

The Ender 3 printer prints as well as the other sub $500 printers which is good because they can print as well as the expensive 3D printers. Not as consistently but most of the time. Although they need a bit of tinkering to get that level. Some even need you to spend extra money but not to much.

PLA Filament

PLA is my favorite filament. It prints very easily and prints well. I chose to stick with PLA for almost all prints. I have other filaments on hand for niche needs. HTPLA is a PLA that prints with higher temps. It allows you to anneal your prints for extra strength.

I printed the 2 puppy models that came on the SD card. The kids in my wifes daycare loved them because they are big fans of the paw patrol TV show.

puppy

One of the best reasons to own a 3D printer is Cosplay. Before Halloween my son asked me to print some parts for his Halloween costume. I printed some goggles and a cane for him. The cane ran out of filament in the middle of the night which is a bit crazy since a filament runout sensor for a cent or two. The sensor will pause the print until you change the filament.That is one feature I put on all my printers that don’t come with them and will do the same to the Ender 3. It’s a simple thing to add and makes the printer better.

googles googles googles cane

I printed the mask for my sons costume on a bigger printer and he put the goggles on and painted it. It turned out great.

mask

The rest of my PLA prints are mods for the printer to help functionality and looks. See more in the modification section.

TPU Filament

TPU is a flexible filament that is good when you need a rubber type surface for things like tires, phone cases and hinges. I printed poison bottles for my sons costume but they didn’t turn out so well. I reprinted in PLA on the JGAurora A5.

bottles

[amazon box=”B00TI3JUTM,B01M63ZVUJ,B07DPLV4PC” template=”table”]

Creality Ender 3: Modifications

mods

Modifications can serve a practical purpose or be just for looks. Some mods are a necessity though. For instance the Z alignment on the Ender 3 is so far off it needs something between the motor and the frame. If not it will bind when you try moving it. I used 2 of the cheap punched out wrenches that they send with printers for removing the nozzles. This seems to be a widespread problem because there are over 10 fixes for it on Thingiverse.com. I believe it has been corrected in the newer versions. I’m not sure how some of these things get past quality control.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2925230

After the Z alignment fix I was able to print items over 10cm. So next I printed the Muscle car Scoop to cover the oddly placed nainboard fan. The fan is below the bed and hotend bits of filament will get in and could break the blades. Also tools or screws could fall in and short out the board. Luckily someone made this awesome muscle car scoop to divert the flow and protect the fan and mainboard. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3150741

Next I printed a cool drawer to hold tools, screws and spare parts. It fits perfectly between the center bed rail and the right frame that the display is connected to. I chose to use multiple colors for my mods so the printer doesn’t look so plain. They put the dragon logo on the bed and display which is more than most of the cheaper printers do. Tevo being my favorite when it comes to style.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2989218

Another handy print is this little Yoda feeder guide. This helps you turn the extruder motor to feed the filament through the PTFE tube to the hot end. There are other style feeders but I like Yoda so I chose that one.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3141160

The last mod that should be done and does help your prints is the Bullseye filament cooling fan duct. There are plenty of fan ducts but this one works great and doesn’t take to much room on the extruder carriage.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2759439

Other mods that are more form then function are:

Filament guide to keep the filament off the threaded Z rod. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2920344

A Display cover. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2987100

Wire clips to keep the display wire from dangling. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2960375

Rubber TPU feet to help keep vibrations quieter. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3020865/files

A cable holder to keep the extruder and x carriage wires from snagging the bed.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2949858

Last and strictly for show, an X axis motor cover with the dragon logo on it.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2924288

Creality Ender 3: Pros and Cons

I’m not sure what this is and I haven’t seen this before but ½ way through all the prints I did the wheels had this odd dust on them. Both the X and Y axis.

PROS

Good Print Quality
Good Solid Frame
Slim and Stylish
Great Price
Big Bed leveling knobs

CONS

On board drivers
Mods needed shouldn’t be up to the user to add or figure out.

PRINT QUALITY: 8/10

BUILD QUALITY: 7/10

USER INTERFACE & NAVIGATION: 7/10

VALUE FOR MONEY: 9/10

Creality Ender 3: Final Summary

After all the hype and putting this printer together and having the Z bind up I wasn’t impressed. I went to the Creality facebook group for answers and found it was wide spread. After fixing it and cooling off for all the extra work, I printed a few things and was impressed. This little printer at its current price is pretty good and easy to recommend. Is it perfect? Not really, but better then anything in its price range.

March 9, 2025