1 Topic by poulan

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Topic: What did I just adjust on SD4?

The extruder was sometimes rocking backwards and forwards independently of anything it was attached to and I traced this to a loose adjustment at the backside of the extruder where there are two hex screws with a white plastic block. There rocking was being caused by the lower one being loose, so I pushed the block up and tightened the screw which has massively secured the extruder. However when I then went to do a Z calibration the extruder is ramming hard into the bed and no adjustment via the Z knob will stop that.

What have I adjusted and how can I correct this? Putting the adjustments I made back doesn't seem intuitive because then the head will rock and doing so also puts the head of the extruder even close to the bed as it tends to pivot towards the front of the printer.

2 Reply by accusedmonk

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Re: What did I just adjust on SD4?

Get a good starting point with the bed height.  It sounds that since you fixed the extruder slop it now needs a much lower point than before.  That's a good thing, much better than a bouncy extruder.

Lower the bed a few millimeters below the nozzle.
Move the nozzle over the bed a bit so you can see the clearance.
Raise the bed incrementally until you have just a small gap.
Bring down your z screw to meet the stop until you hear it click.
Then try homing your z, it should have room now.

That will get a start point back, from there make sure the bed is level.  Then you can make the very small adjustments on the z height screw to get the right amount of first later squish!

Bowden SD3, Rumba, E3D hotend, Mk5 with RtRyder changes, Direct drive Y axis and bearings, GT2 pulleys and braided fishing line, Lawsy linear bearing conversion, M3 Z screw.

3 Reply by poulan

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Re: What did I just adjust on SD4?

Thanks for your help.

Am I lowering the bed using the three screws attached to it because I don't understand the difference between using this method and the z axis method - doesn't it do exactly the same thing?

Also, as I'm using Repetier - how do I get the nozzle into the firing level to start basing my adjustments on? The only way I've worked out how to get it there is in a live printing scenario which when it's way off as it is currently, causes panic as the nozzle rams and rips up the Kapton.

4 Reply by accusedmonk

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Re: What did I just adjust on SD4?

The three screws in the bed are used to level the bed.  From what you described the bed height/home position is set too high.  So the first thing you want to do is get the z home lower than the nozzle.

Use Repetier and bring the bed down below the nozzle with the controls in manual mode.
Use the controls again to move the nozzle over the bed just a little bit so you can see the clearance between the two.
Then bring up the bed in small increments until you have the smallest gap you are comfortable with.
Now you can adjust the z stop thumb screw in the back until you hear the switch click.  That gives you your starting point.

Have you leveled your bed before?

Bowden SD3, Rumba, E3D hotend, Mk5 with RtRyder changes, Direct drive Y axis and bearings, GT2 pulleys and braided fishing line, Lawsy linear bearing conversion, M3 Z screw.

5 Reply by poulan

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Re: What did I just adjust on SD4?

This is the first time I'm levelling it.

I've set the x, y and z at 0 in manual controls of repetier (this is what I interpret home to be) and it has left me with around 4.5mm of space between bed and nozzle. Moving the Z dial at the back lowers the pin but it never reaches the microswitch which is why I'm getting stuck.

6 Reply by accusedmonk

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Re: What did I just adjust on SD4?

You should be able to bring the bed up to almost touch the nozzle with repetier, then adjust the thumb screw to trigger the end stop.
Don't move the bed with the z home button yet though.

Bowden SD3, Rumba, E3D hotend, Mk5 with RtRyder changes, Direct drive Y axis and bearings, GT2 pulleys and braided fishing line, Lawsy linear bearing conversion, M3 Z screw.

7 Reply by poulan (edited by poulan 2014-04-29 23:39:35)

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Re: What did I just adjust on SD4?

Thanks for your patience with a novice.

So I've put the bed up as high as it can go and assumed this is the home position which is Z = - 7.16 and set the Z to top out at that level. Good so far or should I be having repetier at Z = 0.00 and tune to that?

From there I plan to level the bed.

8 Reply by wardjr

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Re: What did I just adjust on SD4?

If what your saying is.... There is no way to get the z-screw to touch the switch then you need a longer screw.  Repetier uses that switch as a basis for home position.

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9 Reply by accusedmonk

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Re: What did I just adjust on SD4?

He said he had the bed about 4.5 mm from the nozzle, so he should be able to close that gap with the manual controls.  Then set the z screw there for a start point.  I hope with nothing changed on the printer the stock z screw would reach with room to spare.

I wouldn't worry about what the numbers repetier is giving you.  Those are only based on where the end stop was last triggered.

It sounds like you're getting it figured out, at least in the right direction.

Bowden SD3, Rumba, E3D hotend, Mk5 with RtRyder changes, Direct drive Y axis and bearings, GT2 pulleys and braided fishing line, Lawsy linear bearing conversion, M3 Z screw.

10 Reply by wardjr

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Re: What did I just adjust on SD4?

poulan wrote:

This is the first time I'm levelling it.

I've set the x, y and z at 0 in manual controls of repetier (this is what I interpret home to be) and it has left me with around 4.5mm of space between bed and nozzle. Moving the Z dial at the back lowers the pin but it never reaches the microswitch which is why I'm getting stuck.

But this is what he said.

Printit Industries Model 8.10 fully enclosed CoreXY, Chamber heat
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Thanks to all for your contributions

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11 Reply by poulan

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Re: What did I just adjust on SD4?

I took the bed up as far as it would go and then set the Z to that position which worked once I put sorted out the levelling screws and then levelled from there. It seems to be OK even if the Z adjustment is at the very high range of adjustment. Can't see that it is a problem. I'll do some more test prints.

12 Reply by wardjr

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Re: What did I just adjust on SD4?

Is it actually hitting the switch when you hit z-home?

Printit Industries Model 8.10 fully enclosed CoreXY, Chamber heat
3-SD3's & a Workbench all fully enclosed, RH-Slic3r Win7pro, E3D V6, Volcano & Cyclops Hot End
SSR/500W AC Heated Glass Bed, Linear bearings on SS rods. Direct Drive Y-axis, BulldogXL
Thanks to all for your contributions

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13 Reply by accusedmonk

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Re: What did I just adjust on SD4?

As long as it works and you still have range in the screw for adjusting the squish of your first layer, you should be good then.

It does seem a bit odd ward, since it was crashing after snugging up the carriage.
Would you be able to post a couple pictures poulan?  A shot of the z screw, then clearance when you home it of the bed and nozzle?

Bowden SD3, Rumba, E3D hotend, Mk5 with RtRyder changes, Direct drive Y axis and bearings, GT2 pulleys and braided fishing line, Lawsy linear bearing conversion, M3 Z screw.

14 Reply by wardjr

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Re: What did I just adjust on SD4?

accusedmonk wrote:

As long as it works and you still have range in the screw for adjusting the squish of your first layer, you should be good then.

It does seem a bit odd ward, since it was crashing after snugging up the carriage.
Would you be able to post a couple pictures poulan?  A shot of the z screw, then clearance when you home it of the bed and nozzle?

+1 that's all I was saying is something seems off.  It always hard to trouble shoot from written description.  A picture is worth a thousand words.

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15 Reply by ronsii

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Re: What did I just adjust on SD4?

If your three leveling screws are too far loosened/unscrewed then you could run out of z tab adjustment screw... it is best to have the leveling screws pretty far down/tightened as an added bonus this will also give you more usable room in the z axis for printing things that are tall.

16 Reply by poulan

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Re: What did I just adjust on SD4?

OK thanks I will bare this in mind. Appreciate everyone's quick replies here getting a newbie up and running.

17 Reply by wardjr

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Re: What did I just adjust on SD4?

poulan wrote:

OK thanks I will bare this in mind. Appreciate everyone's quick replies here getting a newbie up and running.

What your looking for is each time you hit z-home.  You want the end switch hitting that screw.  It should then bounce back 5mm's before returning to home.  Repetier will then know where home is.  You then tweak the z-screw till your nozzle height is where you want it hitting home button each time you adjust the screw.

Printit Industries Model 8.10 fully enclosed CoreXY, Chamber heat
3-SD3's & a Workbench all fully enclosed, RH-Slic3r Win7pro, E3D V6, Volcano & Cyclops Hot End
SSR/500W AC Heated Glass Bed, Linear bearings on SS rods. Direct Drive Y-axis, BulldogXL
Thanks to all for your contributions

wardjr's Website

18 Reply by accusedmonk

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Re: What did I just adjust on SD4?

What would help quite a bit I imagine is with each version of Solidoodle they still sell, tutorial videos should be made going through the common processes for getting the printers off the ground.  I personally learn much much quicker with visual aid of someone showing me, then trying myself after.  Walls of text can be hard to follow.

Thanks poulan for joining the community and all the fun we've all been having!  If you need more help we're here!

Bowden SD3, Rumba, E3D hotend, Mk5 with RtRyder changes, Direct drive Y axis and bearings, GT2 pulleys and braided fishing line, Lawsy linear bearing conversion, M3 Z screw.