Bed Leveling Screws

[jerry-blade 0]

This is how my Ultimaker Original is set "normally", and I adjust the screws from there. Is this too "loose"? How tight should they be? I don't want to compress the springs to the point where they lose their elasticity, but at the same time, i don't want them so loose that the bed is "spongy" when the hot-end applies pressure during extrusion.

Aside from getting occasional first layer issues (i.e. drags filament all over the place which then cakes on the nozzle forcing a restart), once the unit gets going, it does an excellent job of printing. Also, for successful prints, bed adhesion is excellent.

I am getting my printer really dialed in so I am focusing on the little things now

Thanks!

-Jerry

 

[jerry-blade 0]

Any thoughts? How tight does everyone else have these screwed down? The acrylic build platform, at the back of the printer, is roughly 6mm away from the z-stage base right now...

 

[gr5 2,094]

I haven't used my acrylic platform much - I built a heated bed a month after I got my UM Original.

I used it though last winter to print some stretchlets (made about 200 stretchlets).

The corner in your photograph - front right - that's very low on my platform so that corner has the tallest distance for the springs. I had to make the rear springs very tight. Spring steel is a special metal - I don't think the spring will loose any of it's springiness even if fully compressed.

However after Sep 18 I think you might want to buy, um, "something" and throw away your acrylic bed anyway. Bring your credit card when you come to NYC! And some cookies to bribe Sander with (or some beer - he likes cold beer!). He's also easily distracted by attractive women.

 

[jerry-blade 0]

Yeah I was guessing my springs aren't tight enough right now. 6mm at the back and probably 10-12mm at the front sounds loose based on your description. I'm going to push the back springs to maybe 1mm, and level from there. The good news, is I get an extra 5mm build height should I choose to print anything that high!

I started looking into building a heated glass bed with an aluminum z-stage, but once I started hearing the "rumors" about what is coming soon, I decided to wait... and am definitely planning on buying something that weekend. Whatever it is, I am sure I will *have* to have it, my preciousssss...

So, an attractive woman wearing a 3d-printed beer dispensing device at chest level and cookie-based jewelry would be the holy grail? :mrgreen:

 

[gr5 2,094]

Not sure about the cookies - that was a guess - but the rest will work well. Make sure she's american as everyone loves foreigners

 

[twistx 0]

You won't ruin the springs by compressing them. It only really needs to be tight enough for the springs to push up on the acrylic bed. I'm not sure you'll see any deflection of the bed surface from the nozzle pressure.

Test it for yourself though, print something 1mm in height around the bed perimeter, do it once with the springs loose and once with them tight. Measure the print height with your calipers. This is how I've been calibrating my bed surface.

 

[jerry-blade 0]

That's a great idea - I'm going to do that sometime after the Maker Faire this weekend since I am pretty sure I will have a new heated bed to install if the rumors prove true... :cool:

Thanks!

 

[twistx 0]

Awesome! I'm interested in seeing what you pick up. I have been looking for a heated bed for my original and nothing I've found is the right size.