SoliForum - 3D Printing Community — Solidoodle 3 (not printing properly)

Re: Solidoodle 3 (not printing properly)

2013-07-27T01:04:09Z

Fadilee,

I'm wanting to follow up to see how things are going? I'm going to buy a solidoodle soon and it seems like there's a lot of tinkering that needs to happen before it will print good?.. For the price though I guess you can't complain. How would you rate your printer so far, did you get it to print satisfactory?

Re: Solidoodle 3 (not printing properly)

2013-07-17T03:00:42Z

Thanks cod3r! I just leveled the bed again and the parts are sticking much easier now.

Re: Solidoodle 3 (not printing properly)

2013-07-16T21:16:35Z

Leveling the bed is an absolute must. I was having same issues where nothing would stick and etc.. After I went through the leveling haven't had a bad print yet.

Re: Solidoodle 3 (not printing properly)

2013-07-16T02:57:20Z

Thanks Adrian. Yes, I made the switch to Slic3r and now my prints are much better. Still not perfect but so much closer to the actual dimensions than with Skeinforge. The one thing Skeinforge does better is laying the first layer. Slic3r is very picky about the calibration of the Z-axis while Skeinforge doesn't seem to be that sensitive to the Z-axis calibration. Over all, I am much happier with Slic3r. Thanks a lot for your help.

Re: Solidoodle 3 (not printing properly)

2013-07-14T04:34:03Z

Next to no one is using skeinforge these days.. have you tried the recent version of Slic3r and Repetier-Host? Its not like they are inherently broken, because they seem to work fine for a few hundred other people... so maybe try again or share the model you are trying to slice.. Switching to an older slicer setup doesn't sound like a viable long-term solution here Just suggesting that it may be far more fruitful to see why you can't get Slic3r to work since thats the 'official' (cough) supported SD3 print/slicer setup and seems to work fine for 99% of other owners... and the problems you describe aren't in anyway possibly specific-printer-related ... so I really think you'd be better off getting onto the same software structure as everyone else, then they can probably help you more directly/immediately...

Re: Solidoodle 3 (not printing properly)

2013-07-14T04:28:44Z

Using Skeinforge, does anyone know how I can make the Z-axis moves faster? The extruder keep touching the top layers (ironing them), and pushing the walls to the outside.

Re: Solidoodle 3 (not printing properly)

2013-07-14T04:27:07Z

Usually it's because the extruder is partly empty from plastic oozing out while waiting. The skirt in Slic3r compensates for this by drawing a line around the part to get the plastic flowing before starting on the actual print.

Re: Solidoodle 3 (not printing properly)

2013-07-14T03:07:07Z

Yes, I am doing this right now. Thanks a lot for your help.

Do you know why when slicing with Skeinforge, the printing starts but the extrusion starts a couple of seconds later?

Re: Solidoodle 3 (not printing properly)

2013-07-14T02:59:16Z

Try adjusting the Z tab in the back, turn the screw counterclockwise 1/4 turn or so to get the bed to home closer to the nozzle. It looks like the plastic isn't sticking, and getting pulled into a line around the curves.

Skeinforge and Slic3r treat the 1st layer height a little differently, so the correct homing height for Skeinforge won't be right for Slic3r.

As for Skeinforge settings, Solidoodle never made a profile that works with the version that gets installed with Repetier. See this post to get started on some correct settings- http://solidoodletips.wordpress.com/201 … nforge-50/

Re: Solidoodle 3 (not printing properly)

2013-07-14T02:57:51Z

Here is the same round part from my last post being printed after it was sliced with Skeinforge. As you can see, it's much better than Slic3r but it still has many problems:

a) The extruder is hitting the part ironing the top layers.
b) The walls taper out as the part is build up.
c) The finish is very rough with oozing ABS running from between the layers.

Re: Solidoodle 3 (not printing properly)

2013-07-14T02:52:20Z

Well the first thing you have to do is adjust your Z axis height (first layer height) by means of the Z tab screw on the inside back of the printer, it need to go up just a bit so your first layer is slightly squished looking.

http://wiki.solidoodle.com/first-layers … e-z-offset

Re: Solidoodle 3 (not printing properly)

2013-07-14T02:51:17Z

As the printer "prints" it slowly shifts to one side.

Re: Solidoodle 3 (not printing properly)

2013-07-14T02:49:00Z

And this is the printer trying to print this simple round part!

Re: Solidoodle 3 (not printing properly)

2013-07-14T02:47:28Z

Hey Fidalee, You have enough posts to attach pictures now if you have a camera or cel phone capable of taking pics, Speaking for myself I know it is a lot easier to offer remedies for settings if I can see just what the 3d print looks like.

The x axis offset thing is a little strange... does it shift just once during a print?

EDIT: I see you beat me to the pics

Re: Solidoodle 3 (not printing properly)

2013-07-14T02:41:35Z

Here are some images: