1 Topic by Schieggster (edited by Schieggster 2013-03-19 05:33:12)

  • Schieggster
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2013-02-19
  • Posts: 214

Topic: Creaking and groaning

I've been one a print for about 2.5 hours now and My solidoodle has been creaking and groaning since the 1hr mark, I've had this happen before. I'm just trying to determine if this is bad AKA end the print, or it's normal-ish...

Maybe my build area is too warm. Do y'all turn down the bed temp during long prints?

2 Reply by ronsii

  • ronsii
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: PNW
  • Registered: 2012-10-28
  • Posts: 1,723

Re: Creaking and groaning

Have you added grease to the rods and idler pulley shafts(x and y) recently?

3 Reply by Schieggster

  • Schieggster
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2013-02-19
  • Posts: 214

Re: Creaking and groaning

Not recently, it's been 7 days since it got here... But I did Re allocate some grease from the top of the Z screw, I need to apply it to the X Idler pulley, I'm pretty sure that's the culprit

4 Reply by ronsii

  • ronsii
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: PNW
  • Registered: 2012-10-28
  • Posts: 1,723

Re: Creaking and groaning

Yeah, the pulleys and rods don't really need much just a smudge here and there should last for weeks but I haven't ran mine with a heated enclosure so not sure how that affects grease requirements.

5 Reply by Schieggster

  • Schieggster
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2013-02-19
  • Posts: 214

Re: Creaking and groaning

ronsii wrote:

Yeah, the pulleys and rods don't really need much just a smudge here and there should last for weeks but I haven't ran mine with a heated enclosure so not sure how that affects grease requirements.

I removed the top, and it seems to be helping, it's still there just not as loud.

6 Reply by Skyblue

  • Skyblue
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Keller, Texas
  • Registered: 2013-01-04
  • Posts: 201

Re: Creaking and groaning

I feel stupid, but what kind of grease do we use?

7 Reply by jefferysanders (edited by jefferysanders 2013-03-19 13:35:02)

  • jefferysanders
  • Banned
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2012-09-04
  • Posts: 309

Re: Creaking and groaning

white lithium (auto store) 3$ for a lifetime supply (probably not your life...but def the printer's)

8 Reply by iowajames (edited by iowajames 2013-03-20 05:21:07)

  • iowajames
  • iowajames
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Iowa
  • Registered: 2013-01-22
  • Posts: 237

Re: Creaking and groaning

Just try to keep from smearing grease on the belts. o.O

Edit: and yes, I had this happen recently, a touch of lithium grease on all the friction parts (smooth rods, threaded rods, etc.) will ease the groaning of your sliding parts.

No trees were harmed in the creation of this email, though some electrons were horribly inconvenienced.

9 Reply by Schieggster

  • Schieggster
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2013-02-19
  • Posts: 214

Re: Creaking and groaning

I'll go ahead and pick some grease up on the way home today, thanks for the help y'all!

10 Reply by iowajames

  • iowajames
  • iowajames
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Iowa
  • Registered: 2013-01-22
  • Posts: 237

Re: Creaking and groaning

No problem, you can find it rather cheap at Harbor Freight if you have one in Houston. (Otherwise any auto store should have it, but HF is cheap)

No trees were harmed in the creation of this email, though some electrons were horribly inconvenienced.

11 Reply by Schieggster

  • Schieggster
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2013-02-19
  • Posts: 214

Re: Creaking and groaning

iowajames wrote:

No problem, you can find it rather cheap at Harbor Freight if you have one in Houston. (Otherwise any auto store should have it, but HF is cheap)

Excellent, I love having excuses to go to Harbor Freight, it's like candy land...