Nov.2, 2013

Pirate3D unveiled a detailed technical specification for the Buccaneer on Friday, announced preorders of the printer will start on Friday, November 1 on the company's website. Preorder units, priced at US$497, will be shipped in April 2014.

The Buccaneer features a specially designed unibody extruder and surface-treated nozzle which reduces the incidence of jamming and ensures a smooth flow of the printing material. The Buccaneer is able to print at a resolution of up to 85 microns per layer and an average top speed of 100 mm/sec.

  • Build Volume: 145 mm L x 125 mm W x 155 mm H
  • Layer Resolution: 85 Microns (0.085 mm)
  • Positioning Precision: 15.9 Microns XY (0.0159 mm), 11.25 Microns Z (0.01125 mm)
  • Filament Diameter: 1.75mm
  • Nozzle Diameter: 0.4mm
  • Cartridge capacity: 400g

This morning 3ders users Yai and Mark Strahm tipped us that Pirate3d also revealed to the backers they are not going to include the tech specs mentioned in their stretch goals for their Kickstarter campaign, such as the option of using ABS plastic, heated printbed, auto-calibration and auto-feeding in the final machine.

Watch below the picture of the Buccaneer available for pre-order. As stated on the website, the build platform is Magnetically Attached Clear Polycarbonate Panel, no heated bed.

Images credit: Pirate3D

This announcement disappointed backers. The responses on Kickstarter page to the Pirate3D's letter to the backers ranges from "get a refund" to actual legal action, with many angry comments in between.

Pirate3D's Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign closed on June 29 amassing US$1.439 million in pledges from 3,520 backers. On their Kickstarter page Pirate3D states that they are working on an automatic print bed calibration system, and it also promised,

Pirate3D will be offering official acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) support at the $1,000,000 mark! We will be providing software settings for ABS plastic as well as offering the material itself in our cartridges.

This stretch goal was based on feedback from you guys calling for ABS support. Rather than stop at providing a heated bed and unofficial hacks to use ABS, we've decided to incorporate ABS as an official material. After rigorous testing with our current system, we have found that we can offer ABS support without compromising the usability of the Buccaneer.

According to backer Eric Ochoa, "they are offering refunds through paypal" now. But Pirate3D's latest announcement to Kickstarter backers has put themselves in a difficult situation. The worst part is a damage to their reputation. What makes a brand valuable is the promises it makes and keeps. When it find a promise is not kept, it will do everything it knows about to make the promise true.

The good part is, there will also be another updates on Sunday, hopefully Pirate3D could state clearly what their problems are and come up with a better solution for backers.

 

Posted in 3D Printers

 

 

Maybe you also like:


 


Mike wrote at 11/5/2013 4:22:38 AM:

I cannot recall seeing a complete working machine printing from start till end. Most of the pic / video only show part of the machine in action. It does gives me an idea that a lot of things are not concrete at the time of KS. All the best backers.

Chris Elsworthy wrote at 11/4/2013 11:37:39 AM:

@Bryan - That's because we don't have a normal Z screw - we have a 0.5mm pitch M5 screw which is machined onto the motor shaft (no coupler used) - (0.5mm / 200 steps per revolution / 16 microsteps = 0.00015625mm/0.156µm) theoretical Z resolution) - Therefore 50 microns is the equivalent of 320 microsteps or 20 full steps - easy! As for the 'renders' - please visit our website at www.cel-robox.com to see photos of the real thing!

Bryan wrote at 11/4/2013 5:51:54 AM:

LaserGnomes - how you measure thiq 50 microns resolution on the printing model? Or you just put the setting in the software and you think this is real :] ?

one who backed other projects but not this one wrote at 11/4/2013 2:42:57 AM:

Pirate, looks like they got the name right at least :)

LaserGnomes wrote at 11/3/2013 8:32:23 PM:

@ Bryan We use a Series 1 from Type A Machine. Although not officially listed.. it is capable of 0.05mm. We have printed many items in this res and they look great! This is a "z screw" style printer. Check it out! It's not $500.. but it also works, is available now, and is proven. -LG

KnightFire wrote at 11/3/2013 8:00:10 PM:

I'm a batch #2, Feb'14, backer of the Buccaneer, and am still holding out hope that they don't totally screw themselves (and me) over all this "excitement". I've written them to say a shipping delay is acceptable, but they had better come clean and spell out exactly what they are delivering and when. Note (update #21 says) that Dec'13 and Feb'14 batches (aka the "basic model") will not ship with heated beds but that Apr'14 batches would. Some sort of "Opt-in" will be offered to those wanting to delay until the Apr.14 batch. Have you noticed their "real" price for the 3D printer is some $800us.

Bryan wrote at 11/3/2013 4:08:58 PM:

@Chris Elsworthy nice renders, and nice lies, 50 microns? I think this is cheap marketing cheat :) I dont know printer with normal screw on Z which can have resolution less than 100 microns :)

Chris Elsworthy wrote at 11/2/2013 10:09:10 PM:

I know this comes a little late for the buccaneer supporters, but CEL are about to launch information about their 3D printer robox, which looks like its set to shake things up a bit.. Www.cel-robox.com

alidan wrote at 11/2/2013 10:02:47 PM:

@Pinkasso take a look at the kickstarter page, they show the cartridge, to me it looks like its just where the material is stored, not a "you have to buy out cartridges, no matter what. when you complain about something, at least understand that something.

jd90 wrote at 11/2/2013 9:53:52 PM:

I can't say I'm totally surprised. Their promotions had plenty of red flags that they barely addressed. I think everyone all around were a little bit naive, and it's possible the Pirate3D people just didn't have a decent clue of what they were doing and got too excited.

Pinkasso wrote at 11/2/2013 7:12:31 PM:

If its giving refund Id urge everyone to get a refund. Anything that locks you into cartridges can blow me.

Wes wrote at 11/2/2013 5:19:06 PM:

For many of the kickstarter programs, seemed like "stretch" goals got out of hand and too demanding from contributors. With this printer, it was pretty cheap at the time and everyone still wanted more bells and whistles for a cheap price. While I didn't contribute, I do feel for those who did on the promises made. My big turn off to them, was seeing photoshopped prints on their print bed, and the eye patch for the pirate was quite clearly not in the proper location for it. Best of luck to those who did pledge on either getting what you pledge for or receiving a refund.

Sas wrote at 11/2/2013 4:09:16 PM:

Very sad news that they cannot fulfill the rewards, what is more shocking it the response to the setback by the backers on the kickstarter comment section.... some quite hateful comments...



Leave a comment:

Your Name:

 


Subscribe us to

3ders.org Feeds 3ders.org twitter 3ders.org facebook   

About 3Ders.org

3Ders.org provides the latest news about 3D printing technology and 3D printers. We are now seven years old and have around 1.5 million unique visitors per month.

News Archive