Lukephos

I've not modified it, no. It is an Ultimaker 2+ as tagged. I think I was having issues yesterday because I hadn't taken out the bowden tube so it was going into the nozzle, which might not have been hot enough to move as much as I was asking it to. I factory reset to E369 and ran G1 E100 F100 again and it overshoot pretty far. It's being a bit inconsistent about this honestly. I'm retracting and testing the same section repeatidly but it doesn't look like it's getting dug into from doing that so should be fine.

Ah, oops I seem to have asked in the wrong place. Generally the printer's not had the best time so I'm trying to tune it back into where it should be and following tutorials that meant calibrating the extruder. I know it had previously been messed with anyways.

I've been trying all afternoon to calibrate the extruder and I am getting nowhere with it. Skipping past a lot of setting wrong E values and it even retracting at seemingly random values, I found Extruder Calibration - Ultimaker 3D printers - Ultimaker Community of 3D Printing Experts in which someone mentions the default E value being E866. I tried that, and it more or less worked... but it also ground away HARD at the material. It was trying to push through more than it could feed, which makes me think easing tension isn't the right answer. At this point I have no idea what to do and others I've talked to aren't really sure what's happening either. Any help would be appriciated. Edit: To clarify, it seems like across the range of settings I either don't extrude enough or it grinds up the filament from trying to move more than it can. I tried E866 again and it didn't get close this time.

@tinkergnome Ok, that helps a little. Still leaves the other problems though. Sadly I'm worried how this'll end up since the home gcode didn't home it.

@tinkergnome Sorry for the delay, but nope. Tried that and it started doing weird things. I got the abort prompt ready as it was preparing to print then when I accepted the 'are you sure' window it kept going, but it would go back and forth between where it prepares and trying to print, except it tried to print with the bed lowered a little. I did a hard shutdown when the bed leveled but the print head tried to home to the right and this clunked against itself because it can't do that. It also was moving back to where it prepares after that, bed included, before I could shut it down. I don't know if that all happened because of aborting it so soon or having the window up early or what, but either way that didn't end so well. Attempt 2: It didn't home at all like before. Guess I just made it get confused with timing. Oh well Other observations: First time I tried I tried to use the controls to move the stuff before but they didn't do anything. On the second try after relaunching everything they'd work, but up was down and visa versa for the Z axis, meaning I rammed the bed into the floor more... I think it used to act a little weird too but I don't remember how. Overall somethings not right but I have no idea. Also, the firmware talks about when the current update I have comes out the comment thing being fixed, but it's not changed. I don't know if something going on with that or that's a nothing. Also, is reprap the normal gcode flavour? I don't know the differences between them or anything but I'm wondering why my ultimaker2+ isn't on the ultimaker2 flavour. Just an uniformed observation.

@tinkergnome I use Cura and the GCode flavour is RepRap. Don't know if I changed that at some point but ye. When I used to use SD it automaticly lowered when it ended in any way. I don't remember if it was still on the same GCode but ye. The script looks like: Start: G21 ;metric values G90 ;absolute positioning M82 ;set extruder to absolute mode M107 ;start with the fan off G28 Z0 ;move Z to bottom endstops G28 X0 Y0 ;move X/Y to endstops G1 X15 Y0 F4000 ;move X/Y to front of printer G1 Z15.0 F9000 ;move the platform to 15mm G92 E0 ;zero the extruded length G1 F200 E10 ;extrude 10 mm of feed stock G92 E0 ;zero the extruded length again G1 F9000 ;Put printing message on LCD screen M117 Printing... End: M104 S0 ;extruder heater off M140 S0 ;heated bed heater off (if you have it) G91 ;relative positioning G1 E-1 F300 ;retract the filament a bit before lifting the nozzle, to release some of the pressure G1 Z+0.5 E-5 X-20 Y-20 F9000 ;move Z up a bit and retract filament even more G28 X0 Y0 ;move X/Y to min endstops, so the head is out of the way M84 ;steppers off G90 ;absolute positioning ;Version _2.6 of the firmware can abort the print too early if the file ends ;too soon. However if the file hasn't ended yet because there are comments at ;the end of the file, it won't abort yet. Therefore we have to put at least 512 ;bytes at the end of the g-code so that the file is not yet finished by the ;time that the motion planner gets flushed. With firmware version _3.3 this ;should be fixed, so this comment wouldn't be necessary any more. Now we have ;to pad this text to make precisely 512 bytes. Thanks again.

@tinkergnome I found that, but the problem is I can't find what version the up to date firmware is to compare it to. The machine has _3.3.0, but I don't know what it should be. I also use USB to print, though I used to use SD cards because of a different room layout. I remember that trick of using the old cura, which I don't remember if it worked for me. I can try it again, but I still can't find the proper firmware to install for it. Either way I'd still really like to be able to fix this so I don't have to do that workaround. Thanks. EDIT: I didn't notice the part where you said you could look at the date and didn't know you could click the option. Looking on it, it seems up to date. Thanks. This does still leave the problem of the bed not dropping though.

Thanks. Though I'd still like the regular firmware because it means that it will match with the intended stuff, I'll give it a try to see if I like it. Or at least I would if I could... as soon as I try update it with the custom firmware the printer disconnects and the update continues but doesn't move forever. Didn't even give the usual clunk sound and restart from the machine. Cura just stopped recognizing it. There's definitely some problem there then.

Hello. For as long as I've had my printer it's had trouble updating firmware. Recently it seems to say it's updating fine, but I wouldn't know because there is no way to check the current version nor the installed version (I seriously don't understand why that's not available anywhere). Either way I'm pretty sure it's stuck on a very old version considering its history of failing to update. I think this has resulted in an issue, but I don't know. When a print finished by any means, the bed stays at the same level. This would be a small annoyance if it didn't mean when I stopped in on an early layer to improve the beginning of the print, when the nozzle homes it rams itself against the back left clip for the bed, which is nothing but destructive to do. Thankfully it's not damaged anything but there's a definite clunk sometimes when it does it. This could be some other issue, but I'm going to guess it's the firmware. Either way I want to be able to sort the firmware. P.S. Any tips on avoiding the nozzle pushing tall thin prints about as it prints on them? Thanks.

I've been trying hard t print colourfabb Ngen with a stainless steel nozzle on my UM2+ for a while now, and am mostly there. I've got the first layer working ok, but I can't get much further. The main problem is the walls and infill of the layers past the first layer. If you look on the right most circle mainly you can see how it also doesn't stick and bridges. There's also the problem of a little sticking up after a retraction. It isn't bad for parts but in parts like the inner brim for the triangle gaps (shown in pic two) it's pretty bad and has caused it to peel a few times. This print is really meant for a brim anyways since it's to test gap tolerance, but I have no idea how I would start a print without one. Even with a brim I have to be there to remove the excess at the start so it doesn't get in the way and ruin it, and it still makes a dodgy start when I do. I've been recommended to make a little thing that hooks around where it extrudes at the start to remove it but I don't feel like that'd work. This print was stopped mid layer by the way, which is why some layers don't have the messy fill and walls. I've also included my current print settings. Thanks.

I think I figured it out. Remember how I said I used the recommended temperatures for the filament? Well it turns out the build plate temperature was actually pretty low for said material. Upping it (all be it to its max recommended) has fixed it. So I guess the nozzle was unrelated then... huh. One thing I do have to ask, and though I am testing with it some advice would be great, how should I tune the temperature for the best stick? The print I'm trying to has some very thin unconnected rims, and there's always some that lift and ruin the first layer. I don't know if I have things too hot or cool, so any tips would be great. Also ways to keep the pre print extrude filament out the way, that's pretty annoying.

This somewhat continues from my last topic about trying to print with a stainless steel nozzle where it would immediately curl up around the tip and I couldn't finish a first layer. Now after looking about more for advice with similar things I figured I'd try the atomic method in case the tip was just gunked up and making it extrude funny. Every time I tried to pull it would snap the tip inside, so I took the tip out and looked inside the heatblock. It was full of filament, so I heated it up with the nozzle out and pushed the crap through. Going back to the regular atomic method it snapped at the tip (I really don't know if it's just me doing it wrong or what.) Either way it seems clean enough and it hasn't been used much anyway. I try printing, and almost nothing comes out. I can move the filament easily in the advanced options, but printing moves very little. I have no idea what it could be, other than mabye the feeder grinding the filament. I have no idea what to do about that though, please help.

Ok, if I really get stuck I'll switch back to the brass nozzle, but I do want to get this nozzle printing. Sure it doesn't conduct heat as well but it shouldn't be making it curl up around the nozzle like that. I can't find any videos or posts about printing with them, so I'm guessing this isn't a common issue. Also no, I'm not spending that much on a ruby nozzle, that's overkill.

When I was looking at videos about things like wood or metal filaments they kept saying you need a steel nozzle to handle the abrasive filament since it's made with small beads. I didn't even know there where ruby nozzles. Either way I'd rather get this nozzle working, unless there's somehow something wrong with it.

Since switching to a stainless steel nozzle on my UM2+ I've not had a successful print. No matter what setting I've tried the filament will immediately curl up around the tip of the nozzle, gliding over the plate without a care. I have been able to get it to stick a little with some attempts but It does lift quite a lot and more likely than not if it has to retract when it starts again it will curl up. I've not been able to get past the first layer. I really don't know what it could be, I've tried different build plate heights, different temperatures for it and the hothead. I got more success with much lower temperatures but the filaments is meant for 220 to 240 degrees c and the build plate 75 to 85. It doesn't help that this is my first time using the filament too. Before switching nozzle I was still using the ultimaker filament, I switched to colorfabb ngen. Please help, it'd bloody annoying. (Sorry this is a repost, just figured it'd be better here rather than where I put it before. When one gets answered I'll delete the other.)

Thanks, that helped a lot.

I didnt notice that the steel nozzle I bought was 0.5mm wide. It still works with my ultimaker 2+ fine but I cant find a way to set cura for that nozzle diamitor, only allowing presets. I know Simplify3D can do that but I cant afford it, and would still like to be able to do it in cura. It isnt that important since I found a set of the regular sizes (0.25, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8) that I will get for my birthday next month, but it still is good to know and I'd like to finally be able to use the wood filament I got.

I'm trying it and am having some issues that I'm not sure how to fix. First there is a small gap in parts between the wall and the infill. I cant really say if its in only happening on one axis or anything since its only little bits that do it, either way there are some gaps and I have no idea what to do for that. The walls layers also seem to have small gaps between them in bits as well. The main issue though that's making me have to abandon prints is that any infill grid wont print right, looking more like stringing than actual lines of filament. I'm not sure what to do for it but I'm guessing I need to increase the temperature to help with these issues since I've already upped flow rate when there where gaps between the lines of filament being laid down. Sorry that I've explained it so poorly but I hope the idea came across fine.

In my other post I was trying to sort out printing something that's connected to the bet by a point without it wobbling and falling or having a LOT of support. One thing that was suggested was using the new function in the beta release which is the support mesh function. I cant get it to show up when i select it. He shows it making a cage around the point which is what im after, so how do you use it? https://d3v5bfco3dani2.cloudfront.net/photo/image/700x0/585fd2a75c854/support_mesh_01.PNG

That, was... really in depth and well explained. I didnt even see that it didnt touch the plate since I had it set to print at 0.1mm. The solutions all make different compromises and theres enough solutions to fit most situations. The cage to hold it is what I was looking for when asking the question and I wasnt able to do it in Cura, I havent heard of S3D before and should look into it. Thanks for all the info. You know what sucks though? This was for a gift and so I was pressed for time. I printed it with 30 degree overhang. SO MUCH SUPPORT TO REMOVE. It was HORRIBLE. It had so many contact points it took forever to take off. And getting it from out between the legs, nightmare inducting. My finger looks like I rubbed it in metal filings, so painful..... I wish I saw the post first.

Let's say I was printing this model for example: https://www.myminifactory.com/object/pichu-figure-23653 It has a flat base but also has its tail only touching by its point, and when I print it, it wobbles then falls. I tried to use meshmixer to add some support but I cant put it that low on the tail and it always brakes horribly when I try add it, most times when I try drag it straight downwards it shoots off to the background and looks fine till I turn my view to see it. This makes it impossible to just ass a bit of support of the tail. Also doesn't it print stuck to it instead of coming off easy like a support? I've not seen how it prints but it looks quite aqward.

This is something that infuriates me since I cant even fix it in Meshmixer. How the hell are you meant to support a print that is printing from a point without it wobbling and eventually falling over? The last two prints have been unprintable because of this. The will have a part that only touches the print bed on its edge or corner and as the layers go up it wobbles more and more making it print worse then eventually it falls and ruins the print. This is especially impossible when that point is in the air since it has to rely on tiny support beams. Is there any way to give it support without coating everything in support material by turning the overhang angle really low? Also no rotating the print isn't a very viable solution in both of my cases. I would love this to be a feature, having an extra support radios around small connections to prevent wobbling and falling but who knows.