I reckon I need to change 837 to 100 (just like it says right there)…now where did I put the USB cable I was using…
Remember that I used the ramps / MK8 starter from Ryan and compared it to the mRambo / Aero starter file (in case that give you a clue as to what else I might have mucked up in the firmware).
Yep, that’s it. 8x moar plastic! That explains it. You’re probably going to need to adjust your bed a little closer now too.
Keep that USB cable and computer handy… Some things are just easier with pronterface.
Before you go printing again, check:
That a move of 100mm in X, Y, or Z is actually 100mm. This isn’t a calibration step, the right number is something exact, like 80, 100, 200 steps/mm.
Move the nozzle up a bit, just so there’s a few inches under the nozzle. Set the nozzle temp to 205C. Mark (with a ruler) 120mm (or 5" if you only have a 'merican ruler) above where the filament goes into the MK8. Then extrude 100mm (4" is 25.4mm*4, so 101.6mm). You should have 20mm (or 1") left above the MK8. You should be able to dial this in pretty close, within the width of the sharpie. If it ate too much, then your steps are too high. If it didn’t eat enough, then they are too low. You can actually predict the exact number with this equation:
When you get the new esteps, you can change it in Configuration.h, and reflash, or you can use the LCD to change it (it’s in there somewhere, I swear) and save to eeprom. When you’re finally finished, put the number in your Configuration.h, so you don’t have to find it again. You can also do all of this on the command line, with M92, and M500.
Some people do this procedure whenever they change filaments, even colors of filaments, or nozzle temperatures.
Check your bed leveling again. You probably need to be closer now that you’re not extruding 8x.
I used the piece of paper trick, not the “how much is your PLA squashed trick” but yes - I think based on the first beads it could be a fraction closer now. I’ll adjust the bed after this.
Two days ago, you had CNC firmware on this guy, and now you’re making ugly kitty cats!
I think you’re still extruding too much. You can see when it’s making the infill on the first layer, it’s smooshing one row onto the last. The extra plastic is rising higher than the nozzle. On the first layer, this could be due to being too close to the plate or over extrusion, but I think the height looks pretty good. It’s like 10% over instead of 800%. You might also be a bit too hot, but I might just not be used to seeing things this closely.
I did the unthinkable and left the machine running unattended while I went and got the kids from school. I promise I won’t do it again. I let the dog out so she wasn’t stuck in the house and I set an iPad up to capture time lapse in case I needed to determine how the fire was started so I didn’t make the same wiring mistake on the next build. That little cat took 56 minutes to print!!
In true Halloween fashion the little fella was mummified a bit. I saw the edges (let’s call them jawbones?) build up much higher than the normal layer hieght and then slump over and finally get squashed down when the next layer went down. I don’t know what that means but that’s what it was doing. The bottom section - the vertical bits built nicely. Here’s the result of all I have absorbed - thanks to everyone’s help - in the past few days.
I can’t take much of the credit. Problem solving step #1 for me has been to post here and hope someone comes to my rescue. Only when I grew tired of hitting ‘Refresh’ do I start digging and rereading stuff on my own ; )
Thanks for the note about the temp and the print fan. That’s one thing I’ve noticed - no print fan. Is that an option that must be enabled in Slic3r or manually with gcode (M106?) or on the LCD?
I have to again confess…rather than follow the instructions that Jeffeb3 took the time to pen for me (I will, I PROMISE!) I loaded up the LCD case print and hit the go button…I’ve waited so long to put the Sapele end caps onto something I couldn’t resist. And I feel its disrespectful to the machines to leave them all naked like that! Even if it’s a crappy print. Little did I know I’d be entranced by the sing song of the steppers for about four hours…welcome to 3d printing?
As it turns out that fits my life pretty good. I’ll likely have it running behind me at my desk while I work. I just hope it’s not too much more productive than me - I might feel a job security threat.
Anyway - about the temps…When I saw this post the LCD case was about 2/3 of the way through so I tuned the nozzle temp down to 200 (it has been printing at 203). I’ll study the finished case closely and see if I can make out a difference. Pics coming in about 10 minutes I think.
I’m also thinking about starting a pool. How long before I build my next one? Any takers? $5 gets you in? hahaha
Here is the CPLCD (crudely printed LCD). I’ll run through the fine tuning tomorrow and give the cat another go (daughter #2 wants one and they said I need to make one for mommy too). Funny I never measured that cat. I should do that I bet as well…
Let me know about the print fan. I was curious why it wasn’t on and assumed it was an overtemp thing only or something. Like I would know. For all I know it only comes on if you’re drinking Pepsi instead of Coke while printing. (Hope I didn’t just open a can of worms there!)
One oddity. My wife was entranced by her first sight of the printer in action right when this (attached) dropped onto the print bed from the bottom of the extruder. I gather I ought to put that ack in? How tight - and what’s it’s function given that pretty much the entire LCD print ran without it in place?)
From what I see on the cat pictures the only real issue you seem to have is heat.
I wouldn’t recommend you to drop the extrusion temperature down, it shouldn’t be necessary, 203 Degree is fine, personnally I print at 209.
What seems to be your issue is that you probably forget to enable your part cooling fan. You should enable it in slic3r, there should be an option for that. You will need to find the sweet spot, too much cooling and your layers will not adhere, you will end up with a weak part. Not enough cooling and you’ll get poor results, just like that.
Try to keep the cooling consistent all over the print, don’t use a different cooling speed for infill/perimeters, since it generally affects the nozzle temp stability (unless your nozzle is very well insulated).
First, make sure your fan is connected properly. To do that, use the LCD screen and go to the menu: “Control”–> “Temperature”–>“Fan speed”. Set a value for your fan speed, click and then see if it works. Then you can try to enable it with slic3r and try a print.
Also, you can tweak the fan speed directly on the LCD screen during the print, for that, whenever the printer is doing a job, just go to the menu, “Tune”–> “Fan speed”.
Other than this the results seem just fine, no apparent stringing and pretty much precise look. I think you also over extrude a tiny bit, but it is hard to be 100% sure until you fix the cooling issue.
I usually like the calicat because it’s better at showing cooling issue, especially on the tail and small print areas, and I echo that it looks like it’s not turned on. For PLA you definitely need cooling, I have mine come on after the first layer. Also, to make it faster to print, you can turn off infill, it shouldn’t need it. It does look like it’s over extruding too, but I think you calibrated it already. I’d recommend a tiny bit of coasting or a short wipe to get rid of the blobs, at least until you dial in linear advance later.
This is the one that was inserted up from the bottom of the assembly. It looks like it’s just a keeper for the base of the spring. That site you referenced shows just a small pan head screw inserted from the top instead of this one inserted from the bottom. If I reinsert it and screw it all the way in tight it appears that it makes contact with the one nested in the top of the spring and the extruder stops. Back it off a turn or two and the extruder carries on.
Should I get a shorter one that I can screw in tight without touching the nested one above it maybe?
Okay. Like I promised. (I may have printed up an experimental Lithophane last night first though : )
Seems pretty bang on on both X and Y.
Right on the money here too.
I think I was actually too close? I used the Z Endstop screw to fine tune and then rechecked the bed leveling - this time using the thickness of two sheets of standard copy paper. For another confession - I was going to print some other stuff before doing this but was having adhesion troubles. I thought maybe the bed was too close so I came back to do all this first.
I didn’t mention I have a PEI sheet on the bed. I wondered if maybe the bed preheat wasn’t heating through the PEI right at startup so I’ve tried a good preheat and then ran Calicat #2. Looks like some adhesion troubles still but better than all morning for sure. Maybe a touch too high on the Z Axis now? I shouldn’t need to be doctoring the PEI should I? Just nice and clean always?
Forgot to mention - the print fan is now working too. I’m now down to only ONE of the Molex connections I made. Apparently I suck at creating Molex connectors…hahah
Funny story, I was working at a Dr client one day, and one of the drug reps came in to shmooze the doc. I was at the front desk and just called back to the doc that his drug dealer was here. I was given “the look”. :lol:
