cerberus-3d

So ive been hunting around and found different answers for my various woes with printing ABS -formfutura easyfil white- on my ultimaker 2. Im SORRY this is boring for a lot of people but I have been trudging through answers for hours and just want to ask the questions myself. Please bare in mind that im just starting out here... So ive tried abs with the usual stock settings in machine. im putting down a good thick 0.3 initial layer and printing gently at 30mm/s, 5 layers of brim, the print bed is VERY level and heated to... whatever it is on the stock setting, 90degs I think(?) Which the manufacturer says is within the advised temp... between 90 - 110. Print size is your usual iphone rookie adventure. Ive tried using hairspray and prittstick and so far im still getting peeling up at the edges. The fans are on really low, 16% and not coming on until about a mil up. I feel like I must be missing something obvious, because the printer all seems to be working perfectly fine and dandy. Obviously ive googled it like bonkers and stumbled upon a few mods... I was thinking I could list my new-year plans and if anyone thought I was about to try something really stupid they could let me know right ABS JUICE Get some of that stuff on there. Buy some acetone, chop up abs bits, leave until shampoo-juicy consistency, apply with woolbuds... Im alarmed that the glass might shatter? Some alarmist freaked me out. CLING FILM Because I could machine a door out of Perspex at work for fun but who can be bothered if it doesn't make any difference right? Will this upset ultimaker2? Will it cook its inside bits? There must be a reason the inventors didn't put a door on.... im told the extra heat will help stability and boost my chances of prints sticking. KAPTON TAPE Whatever this nonsense-marmalade is the makerbot smug parade (sorry to any lovely makerbot people out there, im encountering the wrong kind recently) seem to go on about it a lot. Id actually like this to be the last resort as I feel that if the UM2 NEEDED it, they would tell you that it was a "must". Also im lead to believe its not the cheapest stuff when you consistently need to buy it. FANS OFF Off?! What... "off" off?! Is this healthy, will I fry anything with no fans on at all? Coat the inside of my nozzle with evil burn-y mischief?! I guess not... maybe others can impart wisdom here. RAFT Lordy -.- It doesn't look fantastical though does it... But I will resort to it I suppose. TOASTY BED Its already at 90... i'll try 100... Does anyone have any great extra tips for ABS short of telling me to use a different material? Don't get me wrong I love PLA but its a bit soft and I have two reels of abs id like to use up You rock community, thanks for taking the time to get this far!!!

ps- that is doubly true for printing ABS too, im finding at least.

im with james HS what he is saying about bumping the base layer height is to add a thicker "initial layer". I was driving myself INSANE trying to get an absolutely perfect micron-thin (okay, well, 100microns) coating over the perimeter of the buildplate but YOU DONT NEED TO DO IT. Once you switch from 0.1mm to 0.3 you will find everything works SOO much easier. Youll also then realise, after all your hard work, that you are now actually a bit of a ninja with setting up the plate levelling and can pull off a 0.2mm layer. Im sure future UMs will have more tuning options but for now, don't drive yourself crazy; the 3D printing jedis on this forum (which sadly doesn't include me yet, im quite new) get amazing results from a .3 first layer. Best of luck and have fun!!!!

ah great to hear I shall stop being so precious with it. I just get freaked out because its currently my only one and I need it running as much as possible as I have a TINY little startup and ive run out of funds lol

ah thank you

wow that's some really great responses thanks guys! I think the idea of a timer on the power socket is a great solution and not something that I thought of. In truth, I am more paranoid about electronics frying than anything, but it sounds as if you are all finding the kit to be more mechanically reliable then I have given it credit for. Maybe I should consider taking it home with me now and then if you don't think some careful "lugging about" will destroy it (assuming I don't drop it down the stairs). I'm praying an Ultimaker3 (or 2"S" lol) will come out in the near future so I can have a home and office printer, as I have to transition between the two quite a lot. But sorry ive gone off topic... As for repairs, im assuming there's a big list of youtube videos someone has made on the interwebs somewhere; I found a fantastic one for changing the "hot end" which makes it appear pretty simple so long as I don't hurt the sensor/heating probe thingy. If such a video list does exist and someone is feeling super helpful, I don't suppose they could point me in the right direction? thanks again everyone I wish customer support were this fast ;-)

First off, hello world of clever people. Its splendid to meet you all! Im just starting off with what is probably a very rookie one but... I love my new(ish) UM2 and im having some cracking successes with it (as well as some hair wrenching fails), but I am TERRIFIED of it "going wrong". I treat it like its made of an incredibly rare and fragile butterfly wing and, accordingly, print at very low speeds, avoid transporting it at any cost and worry about it dying probably more then I strictly should. Here's the possibly laughable question. Is there a function that I can enable which will shut down the UM2 if I leave it to run in my office overnight? I'm currently printing off 200 little push-pull clips for a lighting company and im loving the quality, but its taking forever. It would be great to just set a batch of them going as I leave the office, safe in the knowledge that the fan(s?) wont be running all night causing any additional wear and tear. Ive never taken a 3D printer apart to replace the components before but im assuming its not the easiest thing in the world; also despite being a professional multi-axis machinist (not "engineer") im the sort of guy who takes his car to the garage to be fixed rather than risking doing it himself... im worried id do more harm than good. I realise i'll HAVE to fix the blighter eventually but id like to minimize that timeline. Thanks for any useful advice Or assurances that it wont somehow explode and kill itself.

lol Ive been a miller for the last decade and I would say its a touch harder then 3d printing, BUT, that being said, I am struggling like crazy haha absolutely dreading having to maintain my UM2 (im new) but apparently the nice folks at iMakr in London will give me lessons, they have been brilliant so far!