SOLVED The Clumsy Noob has a craptastic morning

[kmanstudios 1,120]

So, I get up this morning, change filaments and notice that it is not feeding correctly. No worries...happens sometimes. But, I decided to also take the feeder off and really clean the knurled wheel, blow out and dust and just make sure it is all spiffy.

BUT!!!! Ain't there always a but?

When I went to put the screws back into the back of the printer, the locking nut, whatever it is called..... popped out of its socket in the back. ACKKKKKKK!!!!!!!

This meant taking off an entire side, pulling all the pulleys off on that side and the axles coming out of their sockets and all sorts of other issues. Sounds like it may not be much.....but it is a real pain in the patootie to do that, fish out the missing pieces from somewhere in the machine and put them in. Although, once I got them in, I taped them down with Duct Tape.

An awful lot of trouble just for two nuts that could be better secured to begin with. About 2.5 hours lost on the disassembly, reassembly and then testing, correcting and diagnosting just to print a test to see if I got it back together again. It is still printing my little box and we shall see if I performed surgery successfully.

BUT!! (This one is for Team Ultimaker)....maybe find a way to secure these things a bit better in design. That was an awful lot of trouble for just two of those little thingies and I am still not sure how succesful I was.

sigh....fingers crossed....salt over the shoulder......ptooey, ptooey, ptooey......and finally a cross over the chest...........

[neotko 1,417]

Same happened to me. But why you had to disassemble the panels?? That’s the part I really don’t understand

[kmanstudios 1,120]

Same happened to me. But why you had to disassemble the panels?? That’s the part I really don’t understand

On the UM3E the panels had to be removed as when those nuts fell, they fell inside one of the sideguards and I could not get them shaken out.

But, the happy thing is that the print of the box went smoothly, active leveling and now on a 6 day print. First layer PVA Brim and support look great and waiting for the PLA to start. It is transparent, so it may take a few layers to actually see it though.

But is appears I did not destroy anything The problem with being self taught is that you have no language to convey what the parts are or where things went. For me, at this point, it is all doohickeys or thingamabobs.........

[neotko 1,417]

Well amif works works. I just pulled out the panels to pick the nut. And some shaking ofc

[kmanstudios 1,120]

It is actually working quite well. I took the time to do a bit of cleaning and re-lubed a few things. Seems ok and sounds ok too

[gr5 2,167]

Yikes. Neo is right - I dont' think you had to take the panel off.

In the back of your UM3 there are two L shaped thin plastic panels that cover the stepper motors for x,y and both feeders. Those L shaped thin plastic things pop off. Once off I think you have access to everything you need access to.

[kmanstudios 1,120]

I still could not get to the nuts that had fallen down into the side guard on the inside though. I tried to shake those puppies out. But, I will investigate once this print is done....6 days and 4 hours counting.........

[kmanstudios 1,120]

And...the upside is that I learned a lot more about my printer

[kmanstudios 1,120]

Well, the good news is that almost 24 hours later, the printer is working pretty darned nicely. However, had to stop the print because the PVA was too moist and am currently cleaning the printcore.

But, that is out of my control (other than trying to control humidity in the apartment) and is not a printer error.

I am going to count this as a win

[gr5 2,167]

You need a box that the filament spool fits into that has some desiccant and a very small hole in it to let the filament out. Cardboard will work.

[kmanstudios 1,120]

Well, I had been meaning to make a dry box. There are tons of files out there and some nifty designs too. But I had to make a choice between what I could print and what I have to print.

So I decided my giant time prints take precedent over the I could make the other. So, I am completing a big job and have a few extra shekels in me pocket. So I got this instead.

http://www.printdry.com/

and

http://www.polymaker.com/shop/polybox/

The built in hygrometer sold me on the polybox. The print dry is so that I do not have to take time on my buildplate to dry out filament. So, other than not being a purist....yes, I could make one, it isn't rocket science to follow the files and directions, I balanced out the time and materials against the speed of having it in hand and already operational.

So, I hang my head in maker shame....but endeavor to persevere in my long term prints of which I really wanna focus on.