PhillipM
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RC race series trying to squeeze out every last horsepower - I think I did about 30-40 of them.
The stuff does get that lovely satin silky surface like you said though, I love it when it prints right:
- Thread starter Screwdriver
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RC race series trying to squeeze out every last horsepower - I think I did about 30-40 of them.
The stuff does get that lovely satin silky surface like you said though, I love it when it prints right:
Absolutely stunning
PhillipM
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For bed levelling I find it best just to do it close the first time and then level by eye on the first layer after that - it's way more accurate as it accounts for any running deflections in the machine - you've basically got a perfect bit of plastigauge going down so long as you print the first layer wide enough.
Now you mention that very likely.
This is why an ender is so good as you can use baby stepping to get the correct squish easily.
You can do the same by adjusting the bed whilst printing a bed test print.just adjust all whelks the same it works well when it's squished but no clicking of the extruder.
Can you video the first layer going down..
EddyP
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My any cubic printed well for a little while but then it started playing up, couldn't get the print to stick to the bed and it kept warping. Tried all sorts. In the end I did a firmware flash to a version that allowed me to mesh level the bed, then did proper calibrations and now it's ok again.
Onoff
In the land of the unfinished project I am King!
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Maybe...just started printing a test cube after I levelled it with feeler gauges to 0.2mm. As I say, before he used paper.
Its probably going to be happier at less than 0.2. Its a visual thing. I will see if I can find a video.
found one that should highlight that he sets the bed BUT then dials it in...
Bladevane
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I changed the Z limit switch support on my printer so needed to re-calibrate the setting and also checked the bed level. I used a 3 thou feeler as the datum. One reason being that my set has 3.5 and 2.5 thou feelers so could get quite a tight tolerance on the settings. I just feel time spent on these details reaps benefits in print quality.
brewdexta
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I've had the printer working for a week and I'm already swapping some bits out 
I screwed up one of the nozels when I first tried to the level the bed with the z axis limit switch too low. When I fitted the new one I think I either didn't refit the bowden cable deep enough and/or didn't tighten the nozzle tight enough. Molten filament has been escaping somewhere covering the heat block and nozzle. It's probably salvagable, it finished the last print OK but I have noticed additional "stringiness" which I think is a byproduct of the problem, or could be the filament taking up moisture from the air. The nozzle is locked solid into the heat block, I'm guessig the thermister etc. will be too. I think theyi will probably come out if I take the hot end off the printer and shove it in the vice.
I'm half way through printing some stuff off with the kids so decided to play safe and bought an upgraded extruder kit. It's nothing major, basically a replacement hot end, upgraded heat block and bowden tubing and an all metal filament feeder. I can use the others as spares if I salvage them.
Cheers
Andy
I screwed up one of the nozels when I first tried to the level the bed with the z axis limit switch too low. When I fitted the new one I think I either didn't refit the bowden cable deep enough and/or didn't tighten the nozzle tight enough. Molten filament has been escaping somewhere covering the heat block and nozzle. It's probably salvagable, it finished the last print OK but I have noticed additional "stringiness" which I think is a byproduct of the problem, or could be the filament taking up moisture from the air. The nozzle is locked solid into the heat block, I'm guessig the thermister etc. will be too. I think theyi will probably come out if I take the hot end off the printer and shove it in the vice.
I'm half way through printing some stuff off with the kids so decided to play safe and bought an upgraded extruder kit. It's nothing major, basically a replacement hot end, upgraded heat block and bowden tubing and an all metal filament feeder. I can use the others as spares if I salvage them.
Cheers
Andy
Screwdriver
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I did exactly the same the very first time I switched mine on! Bed way too high, nozzle scored a right angle mark into my brand new top. Probably ground the tip to be perfectly parallel to the bed but that's just me trying to make the best of a bad idea. I see that score every time I look at the machine, it's clearly visible in my pics...
brewdexta
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After looking at a couple of videos, I'm glad I stayed with the stock replacement "hot end" rather than buy a bling titanium micro swiss one for nearly 60 quid. I now realise where I went wrong, your supposed to give the nozzle an extra tweak with the spanner after it heats up to 200c.
Here's a good vid of the stock Ender 3 hot end against the micro swiss. Looks like the benefits are that it removes the issue of melting or badly fitting bowden tube as it doesn't go as far down towards the heating element, and you can go to higher temps for different materials. Other than that the test prints came out similar.
Here's a good vid of the stock Ender 3 hot end against the micro swiss. Looks like the benefits are that it removes the issue of melting or badly fitting bowden tube as it doesn't go as far down towards the heating element, and you can go to higher temps for different materials. Other than that the test prints came out similar.
brewdexta
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Printer fixed and printing a polar bear for an automaton that the eldest daughter wanted.
I was going to add a bootloader to the existing main board so I could upgrade firmware easier but the stock main board is struggling memory wise. Ender left out a bootloader as they would have struggled with other features because of memory constraints. So I've ordered a replacement board based on a 32 bit Arm chip for the princely sum of 35 quid. Its the BIGTREETECH SKR MINI E3 V2.0 32Bit Control Board With TMC2209 UART For Ender 3. It's a direct replacement physically and cabling wise for the existing 8 bit mainboard. I'll probably have to compile the Marlin firmware but others have done it before so could probably download it, either way I don't mind.
Apart from a bootloader and no memory constraints it supposedly has better stepper motors drivers that are quieter which will be useful when I'm working and on a call. There's a bunch of other features but won't bore you with them now.
So I'll add the bed levelling sensor and octoprint raspberry pi after the board has arrived.
Cheers
Andy
I was going to add a bootloader to the existing main board so I could upgrade firmware easier but the stock main board is struggling memory wise. Ender left out a bootloader as they would have struggled with other features because of memory constraints. So I've ordered a replacement board based on a 32 bit Arm chip for the princely sum of 35 quid. Its the BIGTREETECH SKR MINI E3 V2.0 32Bit Control Board With TMC2209 UART For Ender 3. It's a direct replacement physically and cabling wise for the existing 8 bit mainboard. I'll probably have to compile the Marlin firmware but others have done it before so could probably download it, either way I don't mind.
Apart from a bootloader and no memory constraints it supposedly has better stepper motors drivers that are quieter which will be useful when I'm working and on a call. There's a bunch of other features but won't bore you with them now.
So I'll add the bed levelling sensor and octoprint raspberry pi after the board has arrived.
Cheers
Andy
SKR Mini E3 is a great upgrade, I've got one in mine. Amazing how much of a difference the TMC2209's make reducing the noise of the printer. There's a decent guide here on changes required if you're compiling Marlin yourself: https://reddit.com/r/ender3/comments/hymv70/marlin_20x_guide_skr_mini_e3_v12_ender_3/
I used one of these when I installed my silent board. Creality claim to have a bootloader in the latest board mine did not. Lol
Onoff
In the land of the unfinished project I am King!
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I tried levelling at the 4 corners with feeler gauges. Got it pretty good but feel the gap gets less in between on the. X. Warped bed?
Interesting that video about bent rails on that chap's i3 Mega. If designing from scratch I'd want solid, machined rails and a solid as opposed to pressed metal deck for them to sit on.
Screwdriver
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I think that's why people go for a glass top. Me I'm just happy to be able to afford a decent functional machine built down to a price. I think my bed is "bent" but a mild warp (I haven't measured) doesn't appear to interfere with the performance. I do the corners, twice just using loose paper fit (probably a couple of inches in from each corner) then double check the middle which is also usually ok despite the perceived warp (which probably doesn't actually translate to the actual fibre surface).
As often as not though, I watch the first layer like a hawk and if that needs a tweak, I'll go round and tweak all adjusters by the same amount. There are so many variables, I'm still finding my feet to get consistent results. Chances are I've picked up "a good one" and have been lucky so far with the results. Then again, typically only people with problems seem to post them. When you're trying to filter out the vast online resources on this subject, you do seem to run into a lot of problems.
Quite possibly. This is why a lot of people use a BL Touch. It actually compensates for warped beds.
Onoff
In the land of the unfinished project I am King!
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I just found a conversion to linear rails for the Anycubic on Thingiverse that looks interesting. Dare say there's other designs but this was the first I came across.
Damn clever these Chinese, make something that's nearly there, at a price that could be considered cheap then squeeze more money out of you for the tweaks! THEN sell all our waste plastic back to us as filament!
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3615482
