Two Trees 3D printer review: I got hands-on with the affordable SK1, and it’s a mixed bag
BEFORE we get stuck into this Two Trees SK1 review, I should probably let you know that I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to 3D printers.
What started as a keen interest in the mechanics and functionality of 3D printers quickly became an obsession and now I’ve reviewed several. You can find the bulk of them in our roundup of the best 3D printers for beginners.
SK1 CoreXY 3D Printer, $620 $349 (£269) from Two Trees
However, , which is the brand's latest FDM model. It boasts an impressive list of features including super-fast print speeds and open-source firmware.
Pros
- Automatic levelling build plate
- Minimal assembly required
- Klipper firmware
- Smaller footprint compared to other types of printer
- Solid all-metal chassis
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Cons
- Fans are loud
- Smaller build volume compared to other types of printer
- The user manual could use some more detail in areas
Key specs
| Build volume | 256 x 256 x 256 mm |
| Print speed | Up to 700mm/s |
| Acceleration | 20,000mm/s2 |
| Bed levelling | Automatic |
| Firmware | Klipper |
| Remote printing/monitoring | Yes |
| Hot bed construction | PEI |
| Hot bed max temp | 100°C |
| UI touch screen | 4.3in Capacitive touch screen |
| Printing material | PLA/PETG/ABS/ASA/TPU/PC/UltraPA |
| Hot end construction | All metal |
| Nozzle max temp | 300°C |
| Software language options | English/Chinese/German/French/Italian |
| Connectivity | Ethernet, USB, WiFi |
| Axis positioning accuracy | 0.0025mm |
| Printer dimensions | 400 x 400 x 530 mm |
| Weight | 14.3kg |
Rating: 3/5
First impressions
SK1 CoreXY 3D Printer, $620 $349 (£269) from Two Trees
Two Trees has included everything you need to get started on your 3D printing journey, and it is all well packaged within the box.
The accessories box is cleverly packed within the main chassis of the printer and contains some tools as well as an instruction manual, USB flash drive, touch screen and spool holder.
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The great thing about this CoreXY printer is that it comes pretty much fully assembled.
You just have to attach the touch screen mount, filament spool arm and ‘Tetrafluorotube’ (filament guide) to the printer chassis using the provided screws and tools.
The last bit of the physical setup was to remove the XY rail fasteners, screw in the WiFi antenna and plug the power lead into the power adapter.
I did immediately hit a little bump in the road with the power adapter, though; it can be set to either 115V or 230V depending on the local power grid and as I’m located in the UK, I set it to 230V.
I mention this as there is a selector switch on the side of the printer which displays the selected voltage, however, there is also a counterintuitive sticker above it which was confusing and resulted in a blown power pack.
SK1 CoreXY 3D Printer, $620 $349 (£269) from Two Trees
Luckily for me, Two Trees dispatched a replacement which was fitted fairly easily.
However, it’s an easy mistake to make and could potentially be an annoying one to fix so it’s one to watch out for — just remember the correct voltage is shown on the selector switch.
The printer chassis is a fully metal construction which feels extremely solid and gives the impression of good build quality.
The metal guide rails for the X, Y and Z are all sturdy, too, and are described as high-precision guide rails with no adjustment required.
The Z axis has three independent motors — two at the front and one to the rear — which along with the inbuilt sensors and automatic 36-point levelling calibration, mean you don’t have to worry about manually levelling the bed.
The only setup required is to adjust the height of the Z ‘home’ using a piece of paper. However, the printer runs you through this process during the initial setup.
Two Trees also sent me its and which fully seals off the build volume of the printer.
The enclosure kit closes off the sides and the rear with steel plates, while the top and the front are closed off with tempered glass.
The enclosure kit does make the printer look much sleeker thanks to its black matte finish, though there were A LOT of screws in this kit and it took the best part of an hour to finish building.
One benefit I found is that the enclosure noticeably reduced the noise of the printing process, which is great if you are using it inside your home or when you have those all-nighter prints going.
The AI camera mounts in the top-right of the enclosure and monitors the printing process, looking for any failures such as the dreaded ‘spaghetti’. It will stop the print if it detects problems.
This is a great feature as it reduces the chances of wasting a lot of material if you are running long prints and are not able to constantly monitor the printer.
However, unfortunately for me, I found that the screws included in the mounting kit were interfering with one of the linear rails, causing problems with printing, meaning I had to temporarily remove it.
Software setup
The SK1 comes accompanied by a USB flash drive pre-loaded with copies of Prusaslicer, OrcaSlicer and Cura.
The printer is also compatible with other slicer software so you have plenty of options to choose from.
Also on the flash drive is a PDF copy of the user manual and the classic ‘Benchy’ test file.
I went with Cura as I had some experience using it when I reviewed the Elegoo Saturn Ultra and found the UI quite intuitive.
I installed it and followed the instructions to set up an account. Once the slicer was installed, I selected my printer and created the printing profiles.
This is where the lack of detail in the instructions became rather apparent; it took a bit of Googling and some YouTube videos to get through.
In the end, it wasn’t overly difficult, but I feel the process could have been made easier with clearer instructions.
The Klipper firmware used by the SK1 gives it the ability to use fluidd which is a web browser-based interface enabling the remote monitoring and control of your printer.
All you need to do is ensure your printer is connected to your local network and with internet access; simply enter its IP address into your web browser and you’re good to go.
Test print
SK1 CoreXY 3D Printer, $620 $349 (£269) from Two Trees
With the software set up, I was ready to print.
I decided to use a matte black PLA filament and loading it into the printer was a simple matter of placing the spool onto the holder and navigating to the right menu on the touch screen.
The filament is fed into the tube and pushed until it reaches the printing head, at which point the filament detector gives an audible beep and a flash of the LED lights.
Pressing the ‘Load’ button starts the heating process and once at the selected temperature (which for our PLA was 220°C) the printer will then take in the filament through the dual-geared direct extruder.
For the first print, I went with the classic ‘Benchy’ file which is the go-to test print for most users of FDM 3D printers.
Printing straight out of the box with the default 0.2 layer height slicer settings, the Benchy took just under 18 minutes to complete.
The quality was impressive considering that no additional calibration had been performed.
Detailed print
I wanted to see the level of detail that the Two Trees SK1 could produce so I found an ornamental model in the form of an Oni Skull.
For this print, I wanted something a bit brighter than the matte black PLA I used before.
I picked out a vibrant tri-coloured PLA, set the layer height to .08mm, started the print and waited for the results.
Once complete, I removed the model from the PEI magnetic bed and clipped away the supports which came off easily and left hardly any sign of their presence.
I was impressed at the amount of detail the printer produced, especially considering the high speed at which it works; I'm looking forward to printing some larger decorative pieces.
Functional prints
SK1 CoreXY 3D Printer, $620 $349 (£269) from Two Trees
Being a bit of a hobbying geek, the most appealing aspect of FDM printing to me is the possibility of creating useful tools from the comfort of your home.
I used the SK1 to print off some storage solutions that are compatible with a common peg board, including a paper towel holder and various sizes of pot holders for paints and varnishes, along with a dry-brushing texture palette.
Two Trees SK1 review: downsides
As much as I've enjoyed using the Two Trees SK1, I have encountered some issues while testing.
As I alluded to earlier, I had issues with the printing head crashing into the sides of the printer.
After reaching out to the Two Trees support team, they said I needed to adjust the belts, which would move the print head around and prevent the collision.
I also encountered an issue where the filament became trapped within the extruder, which required me to take it apart and remove the blockage.
That being said, the support team at Two Trees were great and responded to my issues promptly, and the brand has a pretty extensive FAQ and support Wiki on its website.
One last thing to mention is that the fans always seem to be active, even when the printer is sitting idle, so it would be nice if there could be an update released to only activate the fans when a certain temperature is reached to reduce background noise.
Two Trees SK1 review: the verdict
SK1 CoreXY 3D Printer, $620 $349 (£269) from Two Trees
The Two trees SK1 is a good quality printer that is more than capable of producing quality, detailed prints at high speeds.
The advertised 700mm/s printing speed advertised by Two Trees is a tad misleading, though — while it can reach those speeds, in my experience it is most likely to be printing around 300 - 400mm/s, depending on the file.
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The rather lacklustre instructional documentation and noisy fans could also use some improvements, however these can be improved by the use of the online support and enclosure kit respectively.
That being said, if you’re experienced in the use of FDM printers or are someone who is happy and capable at tinkering with machines, you will find this printer as a great alternative to some of the more expensive Core XY printers currently on the market.