From Ender 3 Pro to Kobra S1: Sovereign 3D Printing with Rinkhals

I've been 3D printing on and off for a few years now, starting with an Ender 3 Pro and recently upgrading to an Anycubic Kobra S1. This article documents my journey from entry-level printing to a fully sovereign, cloud-free setup using Rinkhals and OrcaSlicer.

Why sovereignty? Cloud-based slicers and printer management services are convenient, but they come at a cost: data collection, forced updates, and platform dependency. Sovereign printing means everything happens locally using open-source tools you control.

In this guide, I'll cover:

• My experience with the Ender 3 Pro (what worked, what didn't)
• Why I chose the Kobra S1 for my upgrade
• Setting up OrcaSlicer for local control
• Installing and configuring Rinkhals for sovereign printing
• Calibration, networking, and practical setup details

The Ender 3 Pro Era

What Worked Well

The Ender 3 Pro is a fantastic entry-level printer:

• Reliability out of the box: Minimal assembly required, bed leveling with the paper method worked well after a few tries
• Huge community ecosystem: Tons of tutorials, troubleshooting guides, and third-party parts
• Parts availability: Anything I broke or wanted to upgrade was readily available

Limitations

Despite being a workhorse, the Ender 3 Pro has some drawbacks:

• Bed leveling is noisy: The automatic bed leveling probe made a racket every print
• Occasional print quality issues: Some models showed layer separation or inconsistent extrusion
• No cloud dependency (good): I never used cloud slicers - always printed via USB using open-source slicers

Why I Upgraded: The Kobra S1 Decision

After a few years with the Ender 3 Pro, I was ready for something more capable. The Anycubic Kobra S1 caught my eye for several reasons:

Native Klipper Support

The Kobra S1 ships with Klipper firmware out of the box. Klipper is an open-source firmware that offloads repetitive motion calculations to a more powerful host (like a Raspberry Pi). This means:

• Faster, quieter operation (motion planning on host, not microcontroller)
• Better performance with fewer microcontroller limitations
• Full compatibility with OrcaSlicer and Rinkhals

Build Quality and Noise

The Kobra S1 is significantly better built than the Ender 3 Pro:

• All-metal extruder and hotend
• Better frame rigidity
• Much quieter operation overall (even with fans)

Value Proposition

At ~€300, the Kobra S1 offers excellent value for native Klipper support and improved hardware. It's a clear upgrade path from entry-level printers without jumping to high-end kits.

OrcaSlicer Setup

OrcaSlicer is a fork of PrusaSlicer with additional features focused on Chinese 3D printers (like Anycubic). It's my go-to slicer for the Kobra S1.

Installation

OrcaSlicer runs on multiple platforms:

wget https://github.com/SoftFever/OrcaSlicer/releases/latest/download/OrcaSlicer_Linux_AppImage.AppImage
chmod +x OrcaSlicer_Linux_AppImage.AppImage
./OrcaSlicer_Linux_AppImage.AppImage

brew install --cask orcaslicer

Why OrcaSlicer vs PrusaSlicer/Cura

• Better Klipper support: OrcaSlicer has built-in profiles for Klipper-based printers
• Native profiles for Chinese printers: Anycubic, Creality, and others work out of the box
• Advanced features: Better calibration tools, pressure advance support, and G-code viewer

Printer Profile Import

For the Kobra S1:

1. Launch OrcaSlicer
2. Go to Preferences → Printer
3. Click Add Printer and search for "Kobra S1"
4. Select the Anycubic Kobra S1 profile
5. Set your bed dimensions (220x220mm) and hotend temperature (260°C)

Key Settings Adjustments

After importing the profile, I made these adjustments:

• Nozzle diameter: 0.4mm (standard)
• Layer height: 0.2mm for general printing, 0.16mm for better quality
• Initial layer height: 0.2mm (helps with bed adhesion)
• Print speed: 50mm/s for general prints (slower for quality)

Calibration Routines

Sovereign Printing with Rinkhals

Rinkhals is a Docker-based Klipper host with a modern web interface. It's fully open-source and gives you complete control over your printer.

Installation

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/jbatonnet/Rinkhals.git
cd Rinkhals

# Create a backup directory for your configuration
mkdir -p backups

# Run Rinkhals with Docker
docker-compose up -d

# Access the web interface at http://localhost:7125

# Back up configuration weekly (example cron job)
echo "0 0 * * 0 tar -czf backups/rinkhals-$(date +\%Y\%m\%d).tar.gz ./" | crontab -

Initial Setup Wizard

On first launch, Rinkhals walks you through:

1. Printer connection: Detect via USB (local) or network IP
2. Firmware version: Verify Klipper is up-to-date
3. Bed mesh and calibration: Run automated routines
4. Camera setup: Connect webcam for timelapse (optional but recommended)

Follow the wizard; it takes about 10-15 minutes.

Connecting Your Printer

USB Connection

Connect the Kobra S1 to your host via USB:

ls /dev/ttyUSB* /dev/ttyACM*  # one of these is your printer

ls /dev/tty.usbserial*  # use the path you find

In Rinkhals, enter the device path (e.g., /dev/ttyUSB0 or COM3) in the printer settings.

Network Connection

The Kobra S1 supports network connection via Wi-Fi:

1. Enter printer settings
2. Connect to your Wi-Fi network (printer's built-in interface)
3. Note the IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.100)
4. In Rinkhals, use IP:port format (typically 7130 for the Moonraker API on Klipper setups)

Configuring OrcaSlicer Remote Connection

Configure OrcaSlicer to print directly via Rinkhals:

1. Open OrcaSlicer → Preferences → Network
2. Enter your Rinkhals host address: http://localhost:7125 (or http://192.168.1.x:7125)
3. Enable Enable Moonraker support
4. Set API Key if required (Rinkhals uses Moonraker under the hood)

Now you can slice and print directly from OrcaSlicer without saving G-code files.

Camera Integration for Timelapse

Rinkhals supports webcam integration for timelapse recording:

1. Connect USB webcam to host
2. In Rinkhals → Printers → Camera, enable webcam
3. Set the device path (e.g., /dev/video0 on Linux)
4. Configure snapshot interval (every 10 layers is a good starting point)

Your timelapses will automatically sync with print progress.

Managing Print Jobs via Web Interface

The Rinkhals web UI provides full control:

• Upload G-code: Drag and drop sliced files from OrcaSlicer
• Print status: Real-time temperature, progress, and visual feedback
• Control: Pause, resume, cancel, and file management
• G-code viewer: Visual preview of uploaded files

This is where you'll do 90% of your print management once everything is set up.

Network Security Considerations

Since Rinkhals exposes printer controls over your network:

• Run on internal network: Expose via reverse proxy only if you understand the risks
• Use strong passwords: If you configure Moonraker API keys, make them long and random
• Firewall access: Port 7125 (Rinkhals) and 7130 (Moonraker) only need internal access
• Updates: Keep Rinkhals updated for security patches

Results and Reflection

Print Quality Improvements

After the upgrade, I noticed:

• Layer consistency: Much better - fewer visible layer lines
• First-layer reliability: Bed mesh calibration solved warping issues
• Faster prints: Klipper on host handles motion planning more efficiently
• Quieter operation: The Kobra S1's all-metal hotend and better frame make a difference

Reliability Gains

The combination of Rinkhals + OrcaSlicer + Kobra S1 has been rock-solid:

• No failed prints from firmware issues (Klipper is stable)
• No cloud outages (everything runs locally)
• Easy to revert configurations with backups
• Full visibility into what's happening (web UI, logs, camera)

What I'd Do Differently

• Start with Rinkhals earlier: I spent time with cloud slicers before going sovereign—wish I'd started with Rinkhals
• Calibration sooner: Ran prints for weeks before properly calibrating pressure advance—do this day one
• Camera from the start: Timelapses are fun and help troubleshoot; should have added webcam immediately

Next Steps

Future improvements I'm considering:

• Enclosure: For ABS printing and temperature stability
• Multi-material unit: Two-color printing opens up design options
• Self-hosted print farm: Multiple Rinkhals instances for multiple printers

Conclusion

Sovereignty isn't just for software—hardware matters too. By using Rinkhals, OrcaSlicer, and open-source firmware, you're in complete control of your printing workflow. No cloud dependencies, no forced updates, no data collection.

If you're new to 3D printing, start simple. The Ender 3 Pro or similar entry-level printers are fantastic for learning. When you're ready to upgrade, Klipper-based setups like the Kobra S1 with Rinkhals give you the next level of capability without sacrificing freedom.

Happy printing! 🖨️