Hello!
Turns out there are some fancy shenanigans you need to do (know) in order to print on that 3D printer:
Blurb of Discoveries
I didn’t have MakerBot Desktop downloaded already, so I went to download it from the official website. They, however, have apparently moved on from it and created MakerBot Print as its replacement. It’s more or less the same thing (from my brief time with it), except it looks fancier (like Google’s transformation after they did that huge update years ago)–and it really only services the newer 3D printer models.
3204 has a MakerBot Replicator–not a Replicator +, Replicator 2, Replicator 2X, etc. I knew something was off when I couldn’t find it in MakerBot Print’s drop-down (select printer) menu, but it took me a couple of back-and-forths with the printer after trying all of the available options and getting repeated “sliced for a different printer” errors to figure it out.
Solution
You’ll need to download the original MakerBot Desktop since the original Replicator is not serviced by MakerBot Print. Additionally, the 3204 printer has a SmartExtruder+, not just a regular SmartExtruder. Remember this because the printer will most definitely give you an error (and it gives all errors like 7 min into the process exactly when you think you’re in the clear lol).
On the MakerBot website, it says that older printers should have the .x3g file extension–but it seems to be the exact opposite in practice. When I tried out the different printer-selections on MakerBot Print, I sometimes ended up downloading .x3g files (which did not show up as readable on the Replicator). On Desktop, however, all of the files downloaded as .makerbot.
You’ll also need a USB to transfer files.
Recommendations
I recommend ‘changing’ the filament before every print. Not sure why, but it’s prone to breaking right above the extruder at the beginning if you don’t. I’ve never had this problem half-way through a print though. (To do this, navigate to “Filament” and follow the on-screen directions).
Along the same lines, I 10/10 recommend ‘scrolling’ through the spool in 3204 to check for knots/places where the filament gets stuck in the spool. I didn’t do this and two hours later came back to a halted print because the huge, wooden, spool-holding-thing had fallen onto the bed of the 3D printer and detached the extruder. I’m assuming the extruder wasn’t able to pull filament ‘through’ the knot and the whole thing just came tumbling down. Kind of glad it has a ‘smart’ extruder because otherwise I might’ve found the Replicator trying to print in between wooden blocks…
Wheel Test Print
Note about printing wheels: you need to do them standing up, and then round off the ‘side’ that was attached to the raft. I guess it depends on the specific model you’re printing, but printing this one on its side resulted in disconnected webs of PLA in a vaguely circular shape. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Here’s a pic!
(Yes, the print needs help, but I think this mostly has to do with the fact that I scaled it down to 28% of its original size so it would be useful in my application–ie. being the third/omni wheel so that the robot doesn’t rock back and forth when moving).
Note to self: maybe try this one next time.