A Lulzbot TAZ 6 Review: What to Expect
A 3D printer is a fascinating machine to own. However, picking the right one for your needs can be a daunting task. This review of the TAZ 6 will give you the nuts, bolts, ins, and outs of this printer to help you make a decision.
Lulzbot TAZ 6 Technical Specifications
- File type: File type: .stl, .obj, .x3d, .3mf, .png, .jpg
- Build volume: Build volume: 280 mm x 280 mm x 250 mm (11.02 x 11.02 x 9.80 inches)
- Build speed: Build speed: 200 mm per second at the maximum. The recommended speed is 50 mm per second.
- Heatbed type: Heatbed type: Heated Borosilicate glass with PEI surface.
- Filament diameter: Filament diameter: 2.85 mm
- Supported filaments: Supported filaments: PLA, natural and metal PLA blends, TPU, ABS, PETG, nGen, NOVA-1800, HIPS, HT, t-glase, Alloy 910, Polyamide Nylon 645, Polycarbonate PC-Max, PC+PBT, PC-ABS Alloy, PCTPE
- Nozzle: Nozzle: Hexagon hot end
- Extruder: Extruder: TAZ Single Extruder Tool Head
- Extruder diameter: Extruder diameter: .50mm
- Input/Output: Input/Output: 110V-240V, 50Hz-60Hz, 3.2A max
- Software: Software: Cura LulzBot Edition Version 3.2 or newer
Lulzbot TAZ 6 Designed for Longevity
From the unboxing to running the TAZ 6 printer, it’s been found to take at least 30 minutes or more, depending on the user’s experience and knowledge of the slicer software. This sturdy 3d printer is built with black powder-coated metal, with steel rods, and self-lubricating linear bushings. There are also a lot of 3D printed parts on it, which for the luxury price tag, some find that taking away from the overall design.
The bonus to having 3D printed parts on the machine is that all of the designs can be found in the books that come with the packaging. Real books accompany the printer including:
- Start Guide
- Operation Guide
- Full User Manual
- SD card provides the software and manuals that come with beginners, advanced and super-advanced Cura editions.
An important note to add is that the Cura software isn’t the latest edition, but LulzBot equips the printer with open-source hardware and software that make it mod-friendly. Along the same lines of modifications, the hot end can be swapped. If you choose to pursue this mod, all you have to do is take out an Allen screw and replace the entire extruder. You can swap in other assemblies or a dual extruder, but it’s not recommended as it could adversely affect the auto-leveling features.
The auto-leveling surface uses four contact points that will level the surface prior to every print. It works hand-in-hand with a wiper to remove leftover filament bits from the nozzle before your print job starts. The wiper is a thick felt-like strip with extras provided in the packaging, with each strip lasting a few months.
Another long-lasting feature is the large heated glass print bed with the PEI surface. The print surface area allows for large jobs to be printed in one shot. The Pei is more like a protective film coating the Borosilicate glass rather than tape. It’s a great aspect of the printer, especially with many users who need the jobs to stick to the print bed while using harder materials.
Printing
Even though the build speed can be pushed to 200 mm/sec, 50 mm is recommended, but some users report quality print jobs when pushing to 90 mm/sec. Granted, the larger extruder diameter of .50 mm causes larger beading and can choose different layer heights than the average defaults, it still does a great job printing.
Even if you have to stop to change extruders or filaments, not easily done when printing untethered, the printer picks up from where it left off very well.
You can test the quality of the print with the tugboat benchy, or even the Rock-topus, which has found the larger hot end not as cumbersome as it would seem. The arches, curves, blank spaces, and overhangs aren’t messy. Ramping up the build speed may cause some vibrations which can cause a rivet that will echo across the layers of the job. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it is noticeable to the discerning eye.
Unboxing the TAZ 6 3D Printer
Something else that’s noticeable is the number of items that come with the pre-assembled printer. It’s mostly assembled; a few parts are collapsed down for shipping, but they can be snapped into place easily and allow for printing fairly quickly out of the box. Here’s what comes inside:
- LulzBot Taz 6 3D printer
- 30-day money back guarantee
- One-year warranty and support
- LulzBot Hexagon hot end tool head with .50 mm nozzle
- Quick Setup guide
- 8 Gb SD card
- Filament feed tube
- Toolkit bag
- 15-piece Metric hexagon key set
- Needle Nose pliers
- Tweezers
- Standard precision knife
- Dental pick
- Part removal knife
- Metric ruler
- Detailed manual and operation guide
LulzBot Support is Here For You
With all of these parts and accessories that come with the printer, there’s bound to be a few people who run into some problems. LulzBot provides an extensive network of support and troubleshooting options to ensure the successful use of your Lulzbot TAZ 6 printer.
Right out of the box, the printer comes with the 30-day money-back guarantee and a one-year warranty. Extended warranties to be purchased at an additional cost that provides tech support and an easy way to get replacement parts are offered for one year, two years, and three years.
If you find yourself outside of the warranty period, this is the LulzBot support process available to you to get your printer fixed and restored to like-new condition:
- Submit a ticket and evaluation fee that allows Lulzbot experts to examine, diagnose, and fix whatever’s ailing your printer. The fee also includes state-of-the-art foam shipping to protect the return of the printer to your doorstep.
- There’s a ground shipping fee where U.S. based customers can mail in their printer. There are no return shipping costs for local customers who can pick up their fixed printer from the repair facility.
- All repairs performed by the LulzBot experts are warrantied to 90 days.
Not only are customers provided with these warranty options, but there is a call center available from 8 a.m. to Midnight on weekdays, Monday to Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekends. Customer support can also be contacted via email.
The website hosts customer forums and tutorials for people to troubleshoot and read through source files on their own. All in all, customer support has been deemed as extremely patient and flexible in troubleshooting and providing as many solutions as problems to issues that may arise.
Lulzbot TAZ 6 Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Open source software and hardware allow for easy modification
- Large print bed lets large projects, like a Storm Trooper helmet, be printed in one job
- The printer works untethered to a computer.
- Auto-leveling allows print jobs to get going faster and with a less hands-on approach
- There is an abundance of customer support and warranties
Cons:
- The part removal knife can scrape and gauge the PEI print surface
- There’s an unpolished and clunky appeal to the 3D printed parts used in the assembly of a luxury printer
- The interface and LCD screen is clunky without a Change Filament option which almost forces the machine to be connected to the computer and software.
Verdict
For the luxury price, the Lulzbot TAZ 6 3D printer is a sturdy piece of machinery that comes print ready with a few snaps out of the box. There are more than enough file sources and setup guides provided to help you get started and printing in less than an hour. Due to the machine’s larger size, it might be better suited for classrooms, cos-players, or anyone with a healthy budget, larger print demand, and volume expectations.
Last update on 2024-05-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
