Please help with Extruder and Bed (Page 1 of 2)

I am using TRESemme extra strength hairspray with no luck, it doesn't even seem to be attempting to stick.  I should mention that this is my first printer also.

Try 3.3 to 3.6. (Not sure how much variance there is beween machines.) I you are too close to the bed, the filament squirts sideways as it comes out, preventing it from adhering. Also the limited clearance tends to stall the extruder.

The old fashioned way of setting z offset is to measure the thickness of something, command the nozzle to that height, are see if the object barely fits. The calibration routine will set is a bit lower than that to get a little extra squish.

I am getting this same problem during the first few layers. It extrudes smoothly except for the first few layers. I'm still trying to get the z offset right.

Awesome thanks

That seems to be the way to go then, I have obviously been trying to adjust the wring way, will give it a shot.

Thanks. I've been trying to figure out what coordinates the off used.

+1 on Hairspray as mentioned!  If your plastic is not sticking at all, gap is irrelevant...get it to stick and then dial in the 1st layer gap.

Gap may be irrelevant but the complete absence of a gap is not irrelevant...  when I had my z-offset screwed up the ABS curled up as it was extruding in the exact same way.  It's actually scraping against the glass in constant contact, gouging it's way through any hairspray coating or purple glue stick you may have used.  Additionally, back-pressure will build up and you'll eventually get a clog you need to clear.

1.  Reduce the Z offset til you get something reasonable, or heck just set it to 0 so it's trying to print up in the air.  But having it force the nozzle into the glass then drag itself across it while it attempts to print isn't doing you any favors.

2.  Apply your hairspray or glue stick or whatever.

3.  Fine-tune your Z-offset.

What can I do if it is not sticking at all, my bed is set at the default 90 degrees in soliprint 1.1.1 and I am using hairspray.

So long as I have a gap between nozzle and bed it should stick?, I can extrude 100mm with no problems with x and y homed but even when that eventually makes contact with the bed it doesn't stick?

I tried up to 95 but I am convinced now that it is the hairspray I am using because it doesn't feel tacky or sticky what so ever, I cant get out to get any different hairspray as yet because I work at sea, I need to wait until we hit port next, which will be the 26th.  So I will get some aquanet and also get a glue stick and try both, I'm pretty sure that is the problem.  If either of these dont work then I have no idea what to do.

BTW....Once I adjusted my offset significantly to lower the bed height my extruda never skipped/jammed so I think becuase the filament was just piling up at the bottom of the nozzle it was creating a bit of a blockage.  Hopefully the glue or aquanet will resolve this also.

Was that a nautical pun? Robny's at sea. (And here I was going to suggest Kapton...)

@Robny

So you are at sea and you have a printer...this is totally cool...please elaborate!!