Cura 3.4.1 adding large bottom plane

[GES 0]

Beginning yesterday, when I import a file into Cura 3.4.1, a large plane is being shown underneath the drawing, causing the drawing to be too large for the printer. I tried raising the piece up from the bottom surface of Sketchup (17.2.2555) but it didn't help.  I removed a line in the drawing so that the bottom surface was erased, and then redrew it.  That worked & allowed a normal import into Cura. However, I made a modification to the drawing today, & I'm unable to prevent that bottom plane from appearing. I attached pics of the drawing in Skype (showing it raised above the bottom surface of Skype), and then showing it in Cura. When the drawing is on the bottom Skype surface, the bottom plane is connected to the drawing in Cura. Any ideas? Thanks.

[GES 0]

Hmmm. I just thought to look for an online STL file viewer, and that showed the bottom plane as well. It seems my Skype STL export extension is the problem. When I started Skype yesterday it told me there were extension updates, and that must have broken it. Thanks anyway. ?

[GES 0]

For anyone else having the same problem, I solved it in Sketchup by having the piece selected (which it should be anyway when making the group), checking the "Export only current selection" box in the STL export dialog. I never did that before, and never had any problem until yesterday -- but that took care of the problem.

[eldrick 64]

Your problem is using Sketchup, which is ill-suited for 3D printing.

 

 

 

[rowiac 53]

On 9/27/2018 at 10:02 AM, eldrick said:

Your problem is using Sketchup, which is ill-suited for 3D printing.

 

 

 

 

In general that is true, but I have found that Sketchup is good for editing some STL files that have problems or are otherwise unprintable.  You need to know what you are doing, however, and use plugins that check for watertightness.  Also Meshmixer is good for fixing more complex STL files.  That extraneous plane could have been easily removed using Meshmixer.