c-ernst

Hey Bill... yeah Anita isn't with the company anymore... I found that out the hardway. Sounds like a COM port conflct to me.... Kreativ is right.... Pull the Arduino. Connect to USB (make sure you are not connecting to a USB hub but the port on the computer, sometimes HUBs are under powered) Use the Build me Marlin from Daid and use the executable tool. www.daid.eu/~daid/marlin_build/ to debug the connection issue... so you're not messing with the Arduino tools. Try each COM port individually. Starting with COM3, COM4, COM5. Sometimes windows will decide to allocate the Arduino a new COM port... for what reason I have no idea. Once you can connect re-attach the UM board and check to see if it is still connecting. (re-upload the firmware again... it's the easiest test) Proceed to a printrun test (simple, bullet proof software controller) Good luck man... Chuck

Swing by a big box hardware store and ask if you can have one of their empty electrical spools... they throw them away. I save $6 from Ultimachine if I order without a spool... so far I am up $18. Chuck

I use silicone oil also... the kind they use for RC cars.

Had some of these same issues... depending on where you got the Kapton you might need to clean it really well with acetone. Mine (from Ultimachine) had coating or something on it. Was driving me nuts, could not get ABS to print worth a darn, and definitely could not get support to print at all (fell off the Kapton almost right away) I only print with the fan on for very small parts (under 20mm) Chuck

It also happens from the belts riding up the pulleys and "snapping" back down into place. This is caused by the belts not being perfectly aligned with the carriage. Chuck

Is the height correct? It looks like it's over extruding or the z is half what it should be. What slicer are you using? Have you had any other successful prints? Chuck

nice!... It never fails to amaze me the objects that this machine will print. Sometimes I look at a file and spend a while trying to figure out how to cut it up so it will print, then I say... what the heck send it over and see what happens. 8 out of 10 times a file I think that there is no way will print will print. I have even managed to get 3 inch holes to bridge. Chuck

also tighten up the aluminum long thumb screws while everything is hot. I found there was some expansion on long print jobs and I ended up with a gap between the bowen and the peek. Chuck

Hey Tristan, The parts i just received a couple weeks ago will still work with this new design? I haven't had a chance to make my new extruders. If not will the old design still be avail for download? Chuck

Speaking of Iron Man... just saw this today http://www.3ders.org/articles/20120422- ... -suit.html

The helmet is PLA. I ran out so until I get my latest shipment it will have to remain 1/2 helmet. Chuck

Wait... so they are printed one at a time on the platform but far enough apart where the head doesn't hit each other?

Half of a Cybersubzero (Mortal Kombat) helmet... life size! this is the character in the game: http://www.giantbomb.com/sub-zero/94-2/ ... 1-1745837/ This was printed before I got my temps in order.. some warping and rough lines here and there but still didn't do a bad job. No fill, 7.75" tall per half. Each half took 5 hours at .2mm height. Basically the head will b printed in four pieces and puttied together. Chuck

You might want to dial back the fan too. I had to run at crazy high temps until the fan was turned down. In some cases I run the fan at 25%. Chuck

Check through the other posts on this and the google groups. Your problems are not uncommon. The only issues you are having that concern me are your temps.... which I suspect is a replicator g issue. Don't use replciator G like destroyer said. I assume you upgraded to the the Marlin firmware.. If not go here to build a custom marlin, Daid made an awesome tool to build you own custom marlin firmware and installer http://daid.eu/~daid/marlin_build/ Pull down SkeinPyPy beta 4 from Daid also.. this is the easiest way to get up and running.. the beta4 package has printrun built in and the Skenpypy slicer with all the settings set up for the Ultimaker https://github.com/daid/Cura/wiki You need to fix the goo issue for sure. You will just have clogging issues in the future if you don't. Take the head apart, heat it up with a lighter or propane torch (be gentle with it you can melt the brass with a propane torch) and cook out the plastic. It will turn to powder and you can blow it out. Use permatex high temp engine thread sealer instead of the teflon. It's hard to get the teflon to seal if the brass has any flaws in it. You can get is at any automotive shop. http://www.permatex.com/products/automo ... ealant.htm Best thing you can do is be patient. Initially the ultimaker can be a pain because there are so many variables from communications issues, extruder issues to mechanical issues. Baby steps! One issue at a time! Like destroyer said start at a higher temp, like 230-240. Some Ultimakers (like mine) actually were pretty off on temps. Mine was something like 20 degrees off. So I didn't get PLA to come out till almost 250. I am getting some prints now that are better than the ones I got from quickparts.com from $25k machines. The guys on this board (and google groups) check in almost daily so you will get answers here way faster than through emailing the ultimaker guys (they are up to their necks in orders) Chuck

Congrads! Not bad for a first print, my first print didn't look nearly that good and I had a real kit.

I LOL'd at the build time. I think I built mine backwards in 15 hours... then the an additional 3 hours putting it right. .... mechanically dyslexic. Chuck

I gotta keep an eye on this thread... you're either going to have a kick ass 3d printer when your done or you will be arrested for making weapons.... lol

Actually I have a correction I bought 298mxl belts also. So on my X axis I have 298 on my Y axis I have 297. Call me ocd but the tensioners really started bugging me so I did the tentioning (real word?) through swapping out the belts. They are absolutely perfect now in tension.

Hey all... I thought I would throw this up here (already posted on the google group) I cannot get the Deulinge lcd panel to work, more like I cannot get the Marlin code to compile. I have the Deulinge libraries installed correctly because I can compile and send sample code files over, scrolling texts and flashing demos etc. I cannot however get the marlin code from here to compile. (in either Arduino 1.0, 22, and 23) Here is the marlin I am pulling (from the wiki) http://wiki.ultimaker.com/Deuligne_LCD_interface Error I am getting: In file included from cardreader.cpp:1: Marlin.h:48: error: variable or field 'manage_inactivity' declared void Marlin.h:48: error: 'byte' was not declared in this scope Marlin.h:112: error: variable or field 'kill' declared void Marlin.h:112: error: 'byte' was not declared in this scope In file included from /stepper.h:24, from cardreader.cpp:4: planner.h:63: error: conflicting declaration 'typedef struct block_t block_t' Marlin.h:42: error: 'block_t' has a previous declaration as 'typedef struct block_t block_t' planner.h:104: error: 'BLOCK_BUFFER_SIZE' was not declared in this scope planner.h:109: error: expected constructor, destructor, or type conversion before 'void'

Interesting thing about the belts, the ones that came with my machine were marked 240mxl so I ordered 240mxl belts. WAY TOO SHORT, by like 2 inches. I don't know if there is such a thing as metric and imperial belts or what. I ended up ordering a set of 300mxl, 297mxl, and 295mxl from this company B7B manufacturing. 300s were too long and the 295s were just a tad too short. Ended up with the 297s Got them from here: http://www.bbman.com/ product page: http://catalog.bbman.com/db/service?dom ... 297MXL025G

top plate is 8mm thick in height heater is 12mm in height 16mm in width (short side) 25mm long side

Wow... you are the man! Good job improvising! Chuck

Jimbo, If you want a perfectly generic, calibrated machine with absolutely no way to customize it you should look into the BFB Touch 3d printer. Oh... it cost 2x the Ultimaker. If you want a machine that prints 3x the speed at 4x res you will need to get your machine working. First, pics of what you are up against would be huge. What does the filament look like? Is it chewed up? Are you getting any extrusion? Are you getting leaks? What sounds are you encountering? I would skip Netfabb for starters, it is a great piece of software but not for beginners. Use Daid's SkeinPYPY. https://github.com/daid/SkeinPyPy/zipball/master Even a moron like me can use it.... this will solve most software issues. Second You need to solve one thing at a time. It can get overwhelming when you don't understand the functionality of the machine. 1) temps (over crank the temps, start with 250 for PLA) later you can dial it in once things are working. 2) leaks (once you have filament pushing at 250c and no leaks you are in good shape. if you have leaks check these forums for solutions. Leaks lead to jams usually) 3) bed height and tape surface. Make sure you clean the tape surface with windex or alcohol. The painters tapes tend to have a wax coating. I couldn't get anything to stick to mine until it was cleaned. 4) always use a raft for starters. Think of it as training wheels for printing. Printing on the print bed directly can be difficult until you have worked out the bed heights etc. Curious, you didn't get your Ultimaker off of ebay did you? Those machines are Chinese knock offs. Chuck I don't think anyone here has had as many issues as I had but my machine now is well worth the effort. Prints fast as all get out and at crazy resolution. A big part of that is the feedback from the people on this board.

That's funny... I was just doing the same thing. Just laid in 12" tiles in the bathroom and thought the same thing about a heated ceramic platform. The tiles I put in where not flat enough but the surface quality was perfect. Super hard and resistant to chipping and scratches.