complete newbie that wants to do decent prints

[steve010495 0]

Hello everyone

 

i have recently brought a ctc prusa i3 reprap mk8 DIY kit mk2a and built everything, I'm completely new to 3d printing and ran into a few problems on my 1st layer print (not sticking to the bed, getting knocked off by the nozzle and scraping the bed with the nozzle..you know the normal 1st timer mistakes)

 

well i sorted some problems like adjusting the screw that hits the z end stopper and adjusting the bed (which i think is still not level) and managing to print something at least. but this is proving to be difficult for my brain. im not good with words so ill try to describe it the best i can and hopefully attach pictures and my project to.

 

but it looks like little hairs from one raised layer to another, the layers look zigzag and a few cracks in the print too. also some how i cant seem to print a circle for some reason it comes deformed and not round  

 

the stl is the file i downloaded

the 3mf file is the saved project and i showed pictures of the print itself. (sorry if poor quality on pic)

 

i don't normally come on hear so i may get back in a few days or so for any advise given (please dumb it down for me)

 

i have looked everywhere else for solutions however its like the infomation is alien to me

 

additional info:

extruder 200*c

heated bed 80*c

gantry height 0.6

 

hopefully it shows my settings on the file

 

thank u in advance for looking at this all i want is a decent build lol

 

Filament_guide.stl PI3MK2_Filament_guide.3mf

Edited January 14, 2021 by steve010495

[geert_2 557]

I don't know your printer, but it looks like it still needs calibrating steps, and maybe correcting slack and tolerances. You may need to find manuals and tutorials on that for your printer, or ask the manufacturer.

 

After that, for finding the best settings for general printing: just stay with the printer and watch it closely, while printing small test models. Do lots of test models, one by one. Change speed on the fly, and see how that affects the print quality. Change temperature on the fly, and see what happens. Change cooling on the fly, change flow-rate, etc... Print the same thing in different layer-heights and try what settings each require: thicker layers (=more material) generally require higher temperatures and/or lower speeds to melt enough material. Change parameters in small steps up and down, so you find the window where quality is optimal. This will also be different for each material.

 

[steve010495 0]

thank you i will be looking into it more, but come apon closer looking i have found thet altho my floor is abou 2 degrees out from being straight the work bench im using is at an angle and could be causing the printer frame to also tilt forward i bit. i have tighened the belt on x&y axis and used a digital measurement gauge to get the z axis strait so ,im guessing this tilt problem could be the main issue for right now? software and settings are so confusing when im not exactly sure of the terminology of the printer yet, i just learned what the zyx axis are lol

on the cura program itself i will be looking at tweeking it a little but for now i think my main consern is this tilt the leveling is almost spot on each time from the bed its 0.5mm from bed to nozzle in all corners however between the right hand side of the bed between top and bottom screws its touching the bed in the middle ( same on the left side too) but i thought as long as the bed was level to the corners the middle between the screws would be the same as the corners even on a slight tilt 

[GregValiant 1,143]

Don't let Geert scare you off.  It's not as simple as he makes out.

#1.  It's a machine.  To work correctly the frame parts need to be either parallel or at 90° to each other.  If the X beam (that the print head moves left and right on) isn't at 90° to the uprights, parts will be angled and leveling will be almost impossible.

The Y build table is on a beam and that beam has to be parallel to the side beams that the rubber feet are on.  If the Y table is running up and down hill you can level it (because it moves past the nozzle at the same distance), but again, the parts will be tilted.

So get a carpenter tri-square and start measuring stuff for square and parallel.  You can loosen screws and make the little adjustments necessary so the machine has it's best shot at getting things right.

Grab the print head and see if it wiggles or rotates.  Do the same with the Y table.  They should move smoothly in their tracks with no wobble, twisting, or other motion.  Just back and forth on their beams.  The belts should twang like bass guitar strings.

 

If you are leveling with a piece of paper use a store receipt or parchment paper.  Something thin gives a better feel and your consistency will go up.

The build plate doesn't have any switches or locators on it to tell the printer where it is.  It's up to you to get it level and at the right distance from the nozzle so when the printer spits plastic it gets squished to the plate.

 

A fella named Chep makes youtube videos that he calls Filament Fridays.  He's pretty good.  Take time to go through a couple of them.  He's kind of Creality specific but all these machines have a lot in common.

 

 

[steve010495 0]

thank you. also i know my work bench aint level right now however once thats fixed i will be looking at my printer, im itching with pure excitement but i cant do much about the work station right now as i need to a new on... hopefully level, however i have been looking over my setting im sure theirs room for adjustment too. i just wish i understood what they was and what they do in simple terms lol. its amazing because i learned how to understand a commuter and fix them and manage to do things  by myself however when it comes to this 3d printer its leaving me scratch my head. ill give what u said a go and see where that takes me but for now im not able to do anything due to a injury so im keeping notes. if there is any more advise that you could give me o hear it be much appreciated and ill defo look into filament fridays from chep and see if that takes me anywhere  

[GregValiant 1,143]

The printer doesn't really need to be level to the world.  It just needs to rest on a solid, flat surface.  You don't want the workbench/tabletop moving in time to the printer.  If it's dancing, it ain't good.

For your viewing pleasure - That star of stage and screen - Moderator @gr5 has made a video on leveling and first layer adhesion.  Here he is starring as Mr. Hands in THE_VIDEO.  It's a long one but it covers a lot of material.

I'm more of a reader so I'll stick you with the Marlin Gcode list.  You certainly don't need to memorize it, but some codes (G28, G92, G1, G0, M104, M106, etc.) you will see all the time and having at least a passing knowledge of what they do is a good thing.

 

One of the functions of the printer processor is to calculate how many "steps" to send to each motor to make it move.  The steps/mm need to be calibrated so that (for example) if you tell the printer to move the "X" 100mm it does indeed go 100mm.  If the X and/or Y aren't calibrated correctly, you get oval holes.  If the "Z" isn't calibrated correctly you get parts that end up the wrong height.  If the "E" isn't calibrated correctly you get over or under extrusion.  Calibrating the steppers (for most printers) is the next step after insuring that the frame is square and level.

[steve010495 0]

thank you for the reply but how would i know what the right calibrations are for the stepper motors all i know its 200x200x180mm but its settings are back on "restore failsafe settings" if that makes any sence at all? the frame seems straight on the 90 degre angle so im not sure what the problem is right now, the table its on is wobbly and moves when the printer is printing but i have a solution for that ill see how it goes and ill be back if i have no joy 

[GregValiant 1,143]

Among the menu options on your printer there may be one for steps/mm for the steppers.  Unfortunately I don't know that it will be there and I'm not sure what it would be called.  Each stepper would have it's own steps/mm and it is usually shown as X=80 Y=80 Z=400 E=93 (those are the original numbers for my Ender).

A fellow named Chep makes U-Tube videos that he calls Filament Fridays.  He is pretty Creality centric, but you may find something there to help.  There is another guy that makes Teaching Tech videos as well.  Since your printer appears to be a Prusa clone, maybe Prusa forums could offer more help.  You can understand that if the printer is told to move 100 in the X and 100 in the Y, but the Y is calibrated wrong and only moves 80, that any hole will be a horizontal oval 80% as tall as it is wide.  It would end up looking like the one you printed.  If you rotate that model 90° in Cura and print it in that orientation and the hole is still wider than it is tall, then it's a calibration issue.

 

I made some adjustments to the Cura settings in the 3mf file and then sliced it.  Here are my versions of the 3mf and gcode.  Your "Initial Layer Height" was .16 and is now 0.2.  I lowered the bed temp from 80 to 60 and there were a few other changes (.slower print speed, lower Accel and Jerk settings, etc.).

 

 

GV_Filament_guide.gcode GV_Filament_guide.3mf

Edited January 25, 2021 by GregValiant