1 Topic by Ecarots

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Topic: Leveling the bed, how often?

I am using an SD2 Pro. My main question is: How often do you need to relevel the bed? I have only had it for 3 weeks but this is getting a little frustrating. for a day or two I have prints with little or no warping and then the next day or two I am fighting the battle again.I am planing to print the thumbscrews but (catch 22 here) cannot do it until i get it to cooperate. This has been a frustrating day all I am just thankful I have no rush orders on hold at the present. Perhaps my difficulty is today at least is due to fighting a cold but I had everything dialed in yesterday but today it waslift off city on the prints. I do not have a gage to use as yet but am using the paper method with the bed hot.

2 Reply by jefferysanders

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Re: Leveling the bed, how often?

Make sure the springs are as pre-loaded as possible and the bed is still even...you won't have to do it very often at all.  If you don't pre-load it enough it will change every time you forcibly remove a print.

3 Reply by Ecarots

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Re: Leveling the bed, how often?

jefferysanders wrote:

Make sure the springs are as pre-loaded as possible and the bed is still even...you won't have to do it very often at all.  If you don't pre-load it enough it will change every time you forcibly remove a print.


Thank you , that makes sense.

Another issue is my circles are printing as ovals...any suggestions?

4 Reply by jefferysanders

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Re: Leveling the bed, how often?

That's more tricky, but mostly has to do with the tension of the small belt on the Y axis.  Loosen the motor and re-tighten it with just enough tension that it catch always, but does impede very smooth movements w the printer motors off (that can be done when it's off, hit disconnect, or the power button on the manual page.  If that does not work you will need to unscrew the bolts holding the belts and try to even up the tension so it glides effortlessly.  Same as before as tight as possible w/o taking away from smooth movements.

5 Reply by DePartedPrinter

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Re: Leveling the bed, how often?

Ecarots wrote:

Thank you , that makes sense.

Another issue is my circles are printing as ovals...any suggestions?


watch this video 

http://vimeo.com/55031028

SD2 with E3D, SD Press, Form 1+
Filastruder
NYLON (taulman): http://www.soliforum.com/topic/466/nylon/

6 Reply by Ecarots

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Re: Leveling the bed, how often?

DePartedPrinter wrote:
Ecarots wrote:

Thank you , that makes sense.

Another issue is my circles are printing as ovals...any suggestions?


watch this video 

http://vimeo.com/55031028

I'll try it, yhanks.

7 Reply by Ecarots

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Re: Leveling the bed, how often?

Thank you all for your assistance. It is now printing circlesand is holding level. Now I just need to learn the ins and outs of slicer and cooling the print so it doesn't lift.

8 Reply by AgentOrange

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Re: Leveling the bed, how often?

Ecarots wrote:

Thank you all for your assistance. It is now printing circlesand is holding level. Now I just need to learn the ins and outs of slicer and cooling the print so it doesn't lift.

I think it's the other way around. If you cool it too much like by running without cover, the print tends to lift. Keeping your bed well heated (and very clean) will make it stick better.

9 Reply by Ecarots (edited by Ecarots 2013-04-02 19:53:28)

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Re: Leveling the bed, how often?

I have the SD 2 Pro and use the enclosure resting on topof the screws in the frame. (to give room for the filament to feed into the head), The bed is set to 100 and  I allow it to reach it as shown on the Pronterface monitor . I've read in numerous spots about using a fan to cool the print to prevent warping and lift off. It was this to what I was referring when I mentioned cooling. (perhaps I should have said between layers.)

10 Reply by Ecarots (edited by Ecarots 2013-04-05 13:26:10)

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Re: Leveling the bed, how often?

I am still having liftoff problems(on just about every print). I went back through the log book I keep on my printing and realized the problem accellerated after I had to replace my Kapton tape due to ripping.

   So my question is what do you use to clean the tape? ( I have been using window cleaner). Do I need to "bake" the tape in to improve stickability? (In other words let it sit on the heated bed for a few hours without printing?)

   I have also noticed that the  Raft plastic gets little irrigularitiies that look like bubbles in it, this also started at the same time.

11 Reply by ronsii (edited by ronsii 2013-04-05 14:08:04)

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Re: Leveling the bed, how often?

Hi Ecarots, I have tried lots of different cleaners...windex, dish soap, bar soap, rubbing alcohol, paint thinner, acetone... just to name a few and from my observations acetone worked the best. The procedure I follow is to turn on the bed heater then just as it starts to warm up(about 30-40C) grab a half sheet paper towel and get some acetone on it, now using circular motion swipe the bed for about 10 seconds next flip the paper towel to use the other(clean) side of the acetone moistened part and repeat you may have to apply more acetone to the towel as it should be wetting the kapton easy enough to see for a few seconds before it evaporates off.

Sometimes I clean it hotter at 90-95C but be careful as the wet towel will transfer the heat quickly and can possibly burn you!!! So be careful smile

12 Reply by Ecarots

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Re: Leveling the bed, how often?

ronsii wrote:

Hi Ecarots, I have tried lots of different cleaners...windex, dish soap, bar soap, rubbing alcohol, paint thinner, acetone... just to name a few and from my observations acetone worked the best. The procedure I follow is to turn on the bed heater then just as it starts to warm up(about 30-40C) grab a half sheet paper towel and get some acetone on it, now using circular motion swipe the bed for about 10 seconds next flip the paper towel to use the other(clean) side of the acetone moistened part and repeat you may have to apply more acetone to the towel as it should be wetting the kapton easy enough to see for a few seconds before it evaporates off.

Sometimes I clean it hotter at 90-95C but be careful as the wet towel will transfer the heat quickly and can possibly burn you!!! So be careful smile

Thank you