eldrick

Each 3D printer has a set of layer heights which, determined by the lead-screw pitch and number of "starts", along with the steps/rotation of the stepper motor and its micro-stepping settings, determines what layer heights come out exactly "even", i.e. don't require a "catch-up" step every N layers. These are the "magic" layer heights that should always be used; if non-"even" layer heights are used, you may see regular banding in the finished prints, where the slicer/printer has to add a layer to make the piece height come out correct. On my last 3D printer, the "magic" layer heights were divisible by .05mm, i.e. .10mm, .15mm, .20, .25, etc. Can anyone tell me the magic divisor for layer heights on the UM2? What are the layer heights that exactly match what the z-axis leadscrew can do, so that the layers are exactly matched to what the UM2 can physically print?

You do need some infill to support the surface while printing and brace the piece against warping, even if it is not needed for strength. Try 15%, and experiment. You should definitely experiment with lower extruder temps - 260C is at the limit of the ptfe liner in the extruder, and most ABS prints fine in the 230-235C range. It varies quite a bit by manufacturer: with protoparadigm ABS, I print at 227C for best quality on my parts, and 225C for Ultimachine, although others might prefer higher for a smoother finish. However, you can smooth the surface with acetone - search for "ABS smoothing acetone vapor" for better techniques than a paintbrush.

Thanks - I'm an old car guy - still got a set of feeler gauges for "spark plugs". .004" (.1mm) is what I had come to by trial and error. I'd bet that if you measured 100 brands of "standard" printer paper, the median thickness would be close to .075mm, and with quite a spread of values. Paper manufacture isn't that closely controlled a process.

This is sort of a metaphysical question, but how thick IS a piece of paper? I get a bit annoyed at 3D printer instructions that tell you to set the extruder height by using an undefined piece of paper as a feeler gauge, because the thickness of a piece of paper varies from .002" (.05mm) to .006" (.15mm). I've had some prints that didn't adhere, and some that were knocked over in mid-print, and I'm pretty sure that the extruder height is the critical factor. So I want to use a steel feeler gauge for reproducibility and durability: which steel leaf do I use? Just how exactly much height should one set for the the extruder-to-plate gap, expressed in international measurement units, rather than in pieces of arbitrary paper?

I'd strongly prefer the borosilicate glass with the rounded edges and corners. Willing to pay for the OEM glass.

Got my UM2 yesterday, and the prints are amazingly good. A half-hour out of the box, and it's working better than its predecessor did after a year of tinkering. What a delight! Here's the piece I'll be manufacturing on it - a product for sport fencers.

Thanks, I just need to buy a glass printbed plate. Waiting for cool down and heat up takes a significant amount of machine time unless a second plate is available. And, of course, they occasionally break, and I don't want to be blown out of the water with no backup if I drop one and break it.

I need a printbed for my Ultimaker 2, but when I inquired by opening a ticket, what I got back was "Unfortunately the printbed is at this moment not available in our shop." While I understand that Ultimaker needs to use their parts for new machine manufacture, you can't just ignore the needs of existing customers, especially new ones. Is this just an issue that there are No printbeds in the shop and waiting for a manufacturer, or has the firm just not stepped up to the parts supply issue? How and when can I expect to be able to order a replacement printbed?

Got a TEST2 for the Mac?

For releasing parts from the build=plate, if they don't come off easily when the plate cools, stick it in the freezer for a while, and they should come off easily.

If any filament is over 2.87mm, return it.

It's commonly known as 3mm filament, and you can buy it from any 3D supplier.

Try starting at 65C for the first layer or two, then turn it down to 55C. At 65C, the PLS is softened, and sticks best. At 55C it hardens - a better base for subsequent layers, and which can stiffen the structure against warpage.

Hard to tell whether printbl.com is still in business.

I've had one on a TrinityLabs Aluminatus for a year with 3mm filament - it doesn't skip or chew up filament, although it works better in one direction than the other.

In the US, Elmer's All-Purpose Glue Stick is widely available and works very well.

Here's a US source for a hobbed pulley that works quite well with 3mm: http://trinitylabs.com/products/hobbed-pulley One could probably use two in opposition to get excellent control of the filament.

Yes - in the US, makershed has a batch of Ultimaker 2's in stock for immediate shipping. http://www.makershed.com/Ultimaker_2_3D_Printer_p/mkum3.htm I ordered one wednesday night, and got the shipping notice 18 hours later.

Makershed is certainly covering the import duties, and avoiding an 8-10 week wait is worth something. I'd say it's a modest premium for buying and stocking the printers, taking the financial risk, and processing the forwarding shipment.

Makershed is accepting orders for a batch of UM2's (75 of them), which are to be shipped to customers the week of April 7. Get your order in for (almost) immediate delivery: http://www.makershed.com/Ultimaker_2_3D_Printer_p/mkum3.htm

In this case, I'm pretty sure that the Shell Thickness controls, as the interior is open to the outside thru the 8mm hole into which the threaded insert fits.

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OK - thanks. My questions were whether this interacts with the Top/Bottom thickness, but careful observation while printing reveals that the internal upper surface (at the bottom of the bulb) is treated as an external periphery, and gets the thickness set as Shell Thickness.

What exactly does Solid Infill Top and Bottom in the Expert settings do? The Help says "Creates a solid top surface" but that leaves a lot out. How many layers? And how does this interact with the thickness of the bottom of the piece? Does it create a solid top surface on infill if the infill is contained within the piece, but open to a hollow area above it?

Also, I noticed that on the Basic panel, one sees the label: Bottom / Top Thickness, so I tried entering 1.25/.5 and it at least stayed there in the entry box. Does anyone know if this actually works to give independent thickness?