i still need to level the bed

Glad you got it up and running!

i still need to level the bed

My experience indicates that this is a critical first step.  After that, you have to be sue that the first layer gets "smaxhed" into the platten.  Then it is all about controling the environemnt.  Wrap the whole thing i bubble wrap or towels or blankets.. you will see how imprtant this is by seeing some fantastic results afterwards.  Good luck.. happy printing!

solidoodlesupport wrote:

Parts *should* stick even on less than flat beds.

I don't see how this can possibly be true for a deviation of 2.5 mm, given that the layer heights are 0.3mm.  That  is a deviation of over 8 layers.  That is, you would be printing the first 8 layers into thin air.

I should have been more specific it's +/- 2.5 across the full width of 8 inches. It's not nearly as bad near the back of the bed on    the major distortion is on the front 2 inches or so. I think the major problem with things not sticking was coming from the hotend making contact with the print because I had the Z limit switch set too close after leveling the bed. It's been a learning experience for sure.

hey ian i looked at your vid on calibrating the print head hopefully i can figure out how not toscrew thigns up. but i was gonna say ask how long is that thumb when you were writtign you were gripping the pincil with the ring finger  and thumb

i have not leveled the bed it was pretty level to begin with but soemthign wierd is going on theextruder will reverse the filament out and it will pull it in then it just stopsbut it willstillextrude thefilamen  soi'm wondering if my tinkering losened soemthign up it shouldn'thave does anyone have an idea?

I have a similar issue with RH...  i abandoned it for the moment, but I will try again soon.

unless someone knows what's up...

Parts *should* stick even on less than flat beds.

I don't see how this can possibly be true for a deviation of 2.5 mm, given that the layer heights are 0.3mm.  That  is a deviation of over 8 layers.  That is, you would be printing the first 8 layers into thin air.

Manx how flat is your bed? I played with my bed level as well and printed the dial indicator holder. Looks like the center of my bed is + 2.5mm higher than the rest of my bed running along Y axis. Going to get glass cut tonight and level everything again in hope that I can overcome the warped bed.

Parts *should* stick even on less than flat beds.

cmetzel wrote:

That Miami dolphins thing isn't going to print well if you're using the one I modelled.  I just whipped it up to see if I could do it, but some of the slots and details are too small to work well at the printer resolution we have.  That said, I'd love to see a picture of the attempt.

Is that a challenge?

It is now. 

That Miami dolphins thing isn't going to print well if you're using the one I modelled.  I just whipped it up to see if I could do it, but some of the slots and details are too small to work well at the printer resolution we have.  That said, I'd love to see a picture of the attempt.

Is that a challenge?

well i got ambitious last night for a large print. and then went to bed i woke up this morning to a ball of cotton candy it looked likeit did pretty well for the first few hours but after that shrug i wish i knew

Sounds like the part is not staying stuck to the bed.  I adjust my Z level using a piece of paper, and then make the bed about 1/4 turn (of the Z screw, on the back wall) tighter to the print head.  I print a brim and also print the first layer at 1/4 speed.  I'm using glass and hairspray, but the kapton worked very well (until I noticed that the bed was warped).  Tall and thin parts do not print as easily as wider parts: you need a reasonable base to allow the part to stay stuck to the bed.