elmoret wrote:

Rochey wrote:

I agree, but I can't do jack sh*t without documentation.

I'm ready to do the work. Just need the pdf's

What do you do at your job when you encounter a problem for which there is no preexisting documentation? Call it a day and head home?

As a fellow engineer, we are trained to solve problems...!

/soapbox

Call the applications engineer! (Kidding) or pull original schems.

The difficulty here is that it was sold as a working black box. With little 3d printer knowledge, and uncertainty whether it's the HW or SW, I'm struggling to work out what my first steps are. Too many variables and a machine that is hard to take apart to get access to pins on switches with a multimeter. Little or zero debugging tools, although RH may be good.

Trying not to whine here. Already told folks not to disassemble the extruder just to tighten the pinch nut. (That spring went flying, and was reinstalled eventually)

Once I get the fix done, I will document and share - happily.

/R

My advice to you, for learning to repair and modify the printer at a basic-advanced level:
1) Do read the forum.
2) Do read the information that SD has published.
3) Do keep in contact with the support folks.
4) Expect delays.
5) Be self sufficient. Reverse Engineer a lot.
6) Examine other 3D printers and their documentation
7) Be prepared to spend some money on tools and parts.

Most 3D printers use very similar principles.

As for determining between a software and hardware problem:
1) Use Repetier Host and watch the console. If the printer is being asked to do something funky, you will see it.
2) Read up on common slicing related issues.
3) Learn how the firmware works if you can grok C.
4) Learn the common mechanical issues.
5) Profit

I used to work at Solidoodle (as support, then for an equal amount of time as a software engineer.) I stopped about the beginning of the press era (that is, selling it - not shipping it.) I'd be happy to answer any questions about the machine that are a) classy and b) don't violate my NDA c) I remember the answers to.

But I will say, the real experts on the printer are these guys. Folks like lawsy, azerate, or wardjr, have stuck around a long time, and made the printers work.

They are the real MVP.

Haha. You're definitely new to Solidoodle.

1.) These are not official forums, there are no official forums.
2.) I can pretty much guarantee there is no "official test program".
3.) If they had it, they wouldn't give it to you.
4.) There's not so much as a user manual, and you're asking for a teardown guide?
5.) You can edit your posts with the edit button.

Let me save you a lot of grief:

If you're frustrated already, it sounds like you had expectations out of touch with reality. Box it up and send it back.
Every printer at this price point requires some knowledge and troubleshooting/modding.
If you don't like that, <$1000 3D printing isn't ready for you yet. Try back in 3-5 years. I saw you're a semiconductor EE. <$1k 3D printers are where <$3k computers were in the mid 80s. "Plug and play" is at least 5 years away, maybe 10.

What elmoret said.  Yes, they sold it to us on the promise of cheap, out of the box, 3D printing.  They lied.  Not your fault.  If you don't need another expensive hobby, get your money back now.

I've got way over $1K into my SD4.  If there was a 3D printer under $2500 that worked flawlessly out of the box I'd probably buy it, but it doesn't exist.  On a recent college tour with my son we saw a $20K 3D printer, but that's UV-set resin and a whole nother ballgame.

And I've rebuilt and calibrated and am laboriously trying to print the parts I need to make my SD4 stable enough that I can print the parts I need to upgrade my printer so I can actually use it for making cheap plastic trinkets.  8*|  Not that I needed another expensive hobby, but I got sucked into one.

Been there done that with computers, we're in the S-100 phase of 3D printing right now.  Give it 5-10 years before it's ready for high-end consumer use, and 25 before it's something you buy at Costco.  We need a bunch of better engineering, and probably several paradigm shifts before today's advertizing copy comes true.

People ask me what it costs to make "that cool thing", like http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:201097 and I answer "somewhere between $2 worth of plastic and $200 amortized across all the stuff I've bought, and that's if my time is worth nothing".

Check it out here - rinstruct.com/products/lulzbot-taz-5 we upload documentation and support videos to help you set up and troubleshoot your machine

he doesnt have a lulzbot, so that isnt helpful...

You dont have any documentation for any of the Solidoodle printers... hmm...maybe cause none really exists?
(even a former SD employee says so...)

I agree, but I can't do jack sh*t without documentation.

I'm ready to do the work. Just need the pdf's

Actually, you can with a bit of searching the forums, and just digging into it... get up close and personal with it. A lot of the information that is on this forum can be useful to you - it may not be specific to your model, but a lot of it will cross over with just a little care & thought.

a set of metric hex drivers, a philips screwdriver, a multimeter and some solid research can go a long ways in achieving your desired goals. Dont be afraid of just digging into it - it wont bite you.

we bought a used SD4 just over a month ago - basically knew nothing about it, and trying to find info on the Solidoodle website for it was an exercise in frustration (TONS of broken links!). Found more information here than anywhere else, so joined up and started asking questions when we couldnt find answers to a specific issue thru the search function.

We knew that buying used would be a challenge, but hey, we like a challenge!

Went from putting out so-so prints (in the beginning we thought they were pretty good) to pretty will tuned/refined prints basically just by reading and trying suggested things in just a couple of weeks...

Now the USB connection is dysfunctional on the printerboard - tried fixing it (hardwiring the cable directly to the board) and was semi-succesful, but it continues to be an issue, so will be upgrading the board probably this weekend to something much more robust - and all with just the help from the good people here.

So, Welcome to the world of sub-$1000 3D printers! get ready to get your feet wet, your hands dirty, and expand your mind - cause it is a journey!

oh, and it doesnt really matter how much they tout it as being "plug & play" - there is ALWAYS room for improvement! (especially so at this price point)

Rochey wrote:

I agree, but I can't do jack sh*t without documentation.

I'm ready to do the work. Just need the pdf's

What do you do at your job when you encounter a problem for which there is no preexisting documentation? Call it a day and head home?

As a fellow engineer, we are trained to solve problems...!

/soapbox

Call the applications engineer! (Kidding) or pull original schems.

The difficulty here is that it was sold as a working black box. With little 3d printer knowledge, and uncertainty whether it's the HW or SW, I'm struggling to work out what my first steps are. Too many variables and a machine that is hard to take apart to get access to pins on switches with a multimeter. Little or zero debugging tools, although RH may be good.

Trying not to whine here. Already told folks not to disassemble the extruder just to tighten the pinch nut. (That spring went flying, and was reinstalled eventually)

Once I get the fix done, I will document and share - happily.

/R

Nope.

Probably would have helped if SD would have had the foresight to send a beta Press to Ian, or wardjr, or Ironman, but alas...

Just imagine the frustration that could have been avoided.

Nope.

Probably would have helped if SD would have had the foresight to send a beta Press to Ian, or wardjr, or Ironman, but alas...

+1,000

Probably would have helped if SD would have had the foresight to send a beta Press to Ian, or wardjr, or Ironman, but alas...

solijohn wrote:

Your best bet is to ask around on the forum. There isn't a comprehensive set of tear down instructions for any printer. Read both wikis, and search the forum.

Guess you haven't heard of LulzBot?

http://download.lulzbot.com/TAZ/documen … -ebook.pdf

115 page manual. Printrbot's not bad either. Solidoodle is arguably worst in class (~$5M in sales/year) for documentation.

How is "read both wikis" going to help him when this printer's been out 3 days?

How's that signature you promised coming along?

For any Solidoodle printer I meant. No one's put any press info on the forum or wikis?

....as for testing the endstops. Multimeter is your best bet. IIRC you can boot RH and just tap the endstop and it will say "end stop hit" or something of that nature in the console.

Okay! Will try this afternoon! Thanks!

R

I agree, but I can't do jack sh*t without documentation.

I'm ready to do the work. Just need the pdf's

What do you do at your job when you encounter a problem for which there is no preexisting documentation? Call it a day and head home?

As a fellow engineer, we are trained to solve problems...!

/soapbox

Your best bet is to ask around on the forum. There isn't a comprehensive set of tear down instructions for any printer. Read both wikis, and search the forum.

Guess you haven't heard of LulzBot?

http://download.lulzbot.com/TAZ/documen … -ebook.pdf

115 page manual. Printrbot's not bad either. Solidoodle is arguably worst in class (~$5M in sales/year) for documentation.

How is "read both wikis" going to help him when this printer's been out 3 days?

How's that signature you promised coming along?