Ultimaker does not sit flat - help!

[jleichne 0]

Hello everybody!

Quick question - I've finished assembling my frame and tightening all of the screws (albeit with some minor scares due to random creaks and other noises).

It won't sit perfectly flat.

It rocks very slightly back and forth. Enough that a heavy moving printer head would probably shake it.

That can't be correct...right? Is the next step unfastening the whole thing and putting it back together more snugly?

Do I need to sand the tabs better? How do I know which ones?

Does anybody else have these same problems? I want to wait to proceed until this is fixed - I should wait, right?

(also one of my Limit switches was prestripped but I already contacted the Ultimaker support group)

Jared

[snowygrouch 1]

Hi Jared,

I would first ask what your point of reference is.

What surface are you putting it on, to know that its not flat?

I assembled my frame on a plate glass coffee table, which unless you have a granite obelisk at home, is

about as good as it gets. Its made of wood, after all so it cannot ever be flat. But I would say that you should be

able to get it good enough so that one sliver of writing paper under one corner will stop it rocking.

But as I say, unless you have something perfectly flat to put it on, its not going to be simple to line everything up.

C.

[Daid 306]

For the print itself, it's no problem that it shakes. The printer keeps printing fine, even if you shake it or hold it upside down. (Yes, that was tested by Joris)

I haven't seen a machine that wasn't standing stable on a flat surface, but yours could be slightly skewed. Shouldn't be a problem really, if everything moves smoothly then go and print!

[jleichne 0]

Thanks for the quick replies!

I guess I'll just keep building for now, and maybe soon find four height-adjustable peg-legs to drill into the corners in order to make sure the structure is level.

Jared

[jleichne 0]

@snowygrouch

This is more of an 8-pages of paper gap than a 1-piece of paper gap.

Would adjustable-height legs be a reasonable long-term solution to ensure stability?

[Daid 306]

I recommend adding some soft padding to the feed, so you also have less noise.

[snowygrouch 1]

@snowygrouch

This is more of an 8-pages of paper gap than a 1-piece of paper gap.

Would adjustable-height legs be a reasonable long-term solution to ensure stability?

Hmmm thats quite alot !

Are you sure that one of the black fabric cable tidies isnt wedged improperly between the side panels?

[jleichne 0]

I took apart the box and carefully reassembled it and it is sitting much more flat now.

Thanks for the tips - I suspect it was the black cable guides.

Time to put in the motors and axes!

Jared

[snowygrouch 1]

Be very careful with the motors, the "standard" bolts are too short (ok they "work" but are not ideal as only

about 2 threads engage). Recommend using longer bolts, I used m3x20s with some washers to get the right

length. Also take the shard edges off your pulleys (there are two flat washers on each pulley to keep the belt on and the egdes are really sharp, these will slowly chew on your belt edges. This can be done with the edge of a flatblade screwdriver or extremely carefully with a stanley knife. Sorry gone a little off topic there but...