ABS won't stick to bed when using Slic3r

The only difference changing to Slic3r should make is the Z offset.  Depending on settings, Skeinforge might be printing from wherever the nozzle homed, plus a small adjustment.  Slic3r would home, then raise to the first layer height to start printing.  You would need to set the bed to home closer to the nozzle for Slic3r.

rdavidian, were you trying Z offsets via the setting in Slic3r, or the screw?  If you were using the Z offset setting, any positive value would just make the nozzle higher, and the problem worse.  It's better to leave the Z offset at 0, and use the screw to adjust the first layer.  This is easier too, because you just have to stop and restart the print between adjustments, rather than reslicing every time.

The only other thing I can suggest is cleaning the kapton, or replacing it.  I don't know what it is about the surface of the Kapton that makes ABS stick to it, but it can wear to the point where it doesn't hold very well.  However I would have thought the hairspray would have corrected for that, since it adds texture for the ABS to grip to.

If you have other filament, you can try that, and see if there is a difference between plastics.

I am using Repetier and Slicer and ABS.  One thing that really helped me was running the first layer at 25% of the normal print head speed.

It was frustrating.  If you stuck a print too hard, it was really hard to scrape off of the acrylic, to the point I would have to pour acetone over the leftover bits and let it soak.  Otherwise a print was guaranteed to warp if it was bigger than about 80mm.  I resorted to putting foamcore panels on the sides so I could cut a hole to blow a heat gun in.   This worked, but it meant running a heat gun for 3 hours sometimes, at who knows what cost.

Sam eventually sent me a prototype heated bed which was a huge improvement.  I think it is pointless to order a printer without one.

I might still consider doing something like that to raise the ambient temps for problematic prints.  I'm sure there is a better source for hot air than a cheap heat gun.  You could use the hole on the door as an access when using the metal case, or design your own acrylic case with a port of some kind.

I have a case I will put on thingiverse soon with a hole for an 80mm fan on the right side.  It could be used to vent out fumes or blow warm air from a duct of some kind.  Maybe a silicone heating pad could be used as a heat source, either to warm air, or placed in the bottom of the case.

Warping and peeling up is caused by the ABS shrinking as it cools.  The heat reduces the shrinking, at least for the lower layers.  Upper layers would be subject to more stress, which might be enough to pull up the bottom anyway, or cause splitting partway up.   Warming the air around the print would help the whole thing stay at the same temp so it isn't cooling at different rates, causing uneven stresses.

Look into using unscented hairspray. I read somewhere that it helps. I can only confirm that today I have had lots of success with that, but I also simultaneously replaced the kapton tape (confounding variable.)

Another thing I noticed is that I can't get the temp much above 100celsius, so I set it to 115 celsius and place a layer of cardboard on the bed. Then once it's at temp I start the print and pull the cardboard off.  This way the first layer is quite firmly attached.

One other thing I fixed was that I originally measured my filament to be ~1.71, but I noticed smearing on the print pattern. Today I remeasured and set it to 1.75, because that seems much more accurate.

Day 1 of real printing today though (yesterday everything was failing.)

thats pretty cool, yeah please post the stl

I might just get that for me.  The garage is 50f in the morning now which is too cold for me.  Also the bed struggles to maintain 80c at that ambient temperature.   Maybe there would be a way to run a dryer duct from the heater to the case.

We are always impressed with your work station - looks great!