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Topic: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

Hi, I was wondering how you guys calibrate your beds and for some reason, I have to recalibrate my after a print and is this normal? I it feels like the middle is always higher than the sides of the bed, is this also normal?, thanks

2 (edited by carl_m1968 2015-05-18 17:31:48)

Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

ArcticWolf_11 wrote:

Hi, I was wondering how you guys calibrate your beds and for some reason, I have to recalibrate my after a print and is this normal? I it feels like the middle is always higher than the sides of the bed, is this also normal?, thanks

Please direct your attention to the top of the Da Vinci Forum. That is the best only real calibration technique. It has been used since the days the 3d Printers came out and is still the only really accurate way to do it.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

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Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

oh okay, I was just wondering if there was an easier/faster way of doing it

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Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

ArcticWolf_11 wrote:

oh okay, I was just wondering if there was an easier/faster way of doing it


Thats 100 times easier and faster than the built in method. Only take about three minutes and once done should not have to be done again for a week or more or unless you some how mess it up.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

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Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

oh okay, ill try it. But why is it that when I put the nozzle to the sides its even and level, but when it goes to the middle it isn't level with the nozzle (nozzle scrapes on it while the edges/sides don't). Is there something wrong with my calibration or the bed?, thanks

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Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

I don't know much about the davinci, but it sounds to me like a warped bed if you're only hanging up on the middle. Do you have a glass bed or is it aluminum?

SD3 w/ RUMBA (8825s), merlin hot end (in pieces). Ender3 w/ silent board for PLA printing. Ender5 w/ silent board, e3d v6, new z lead screw, and glass bed. DiY Kossel w/ smoothieboard (in pieces). Vellman Vertex (in pieces)
Shapeoko2 router in process of being converted to laser engraver (in pieces)
Multicam 5000 series CNC Router w/ 11HP spindle, 5x10' table, and auto tool changer (in pieces)

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Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

On most of the Da Vinci printers the bed is warped to one extent or the other. The glass is very thin is warps easily. It is either high or low in the middle compared to the edges.

I would suggest going to your local glass shop and have them cut you one or two pieces of 1/4 or 3mm thick tempered glass to the same size as your current bed. Then mount it on top of the existing glass. The screws and clips have enough thread to still hold three more mm securely.  Then just add 3mm to your Z offset.

The other issue is that some of the printers have a warped Y axis rod. Yo can test this by moving the head over the bed to where is is very close on the right side and then on the left side. Once it is over the bed, turn the the axis rod by hand and watch the nozzle to be clearance if you see in changing then you will know your rod is warped. Do the same on the left side. I found mine had nearly a 1 mm bend in it. Luckily one of the users here had scrapped one of his and had to bars that where still straight.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

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Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

thanks carl, I'm pretty sure its the bed that's warped because I can see that it has a bit of an arch to it when I put a ruler on it. So if getting new glass will fix the problem, how would I replace it and do you think home depot will have the glass, thanks

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Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

ArcticWolf_11 wrote:

thanks carl, I'm pretty sure its the bed that's warped because I can see that it has a bit of an arch to it when I put a ruler on it. So if getting new glass will fix the problem, how would I replace it and do you think home depot will have the glass, thanks

Home depot only handles regular plate glass. You need tempered so you will need to go to a real glass shop.

You wont replace the glass, you will simply put the new glass on top of the stock glass. As I said the existing screws have more than enough thread to mount the new glass under the existing clips.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

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Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

Can I use an aluminum plate instead of tempered glass because I live in arizona and I cant find a glass shop anywhere near me, also do you know if they sell it online?, thanks

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Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

I found this on ebay, will this work?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Borosilicate-Gl … 20ebc213f5

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Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

Try your local hardware store.

Mac OSX ElCapitan
Prusa i3 (two built from kits), 1 hacked DaVinci
Solidworks for models, Netfabb to repair, Repetier/Slic3r and Simplify3D

13 (edited by carl_m1968 2015-05-18 21:06:23)

Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

ArcticWolf_11 wrote:

I found this on ebay, will this work?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Borosilicate-Gl … 20ebc213f5

It would but you will loose 10mm on one axis as the stock bed is 210 by 210. So you would loose 5mm on the right and left of the X axis. Are you sure there are no glass or mirror shops near you? I live in the Dallas area myself and a yellow pages search shows more than 10 within 20 miles. 3 are within 5 miles. Most of them will do business over the Internet and ship the glass to you once finished and paid for.

My old 3DStuffmaker had an aluminum bed and I had no issues. For abs you will still need glass or tape on it. ABS will not stick to bare aluminum.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

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Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

Okay, I just bought new glass, why cant I just take off the old glass and put in the new one to replace it instead of putting it on top of the old glass?

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Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

ArcticWolf_11 wrote:

Okay, I just bought new glass, why cant I just take off the old glass and put in the new one to replace it instead of putting it on top of the old glass?

The heater is an adhesive sheet that is glued to the stock glass. There is no way to remove it without destroying it. So unless you plan to replace the heater as well, you put the new glass on top of the old.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

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Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

oh okay, so when I receive the new glass on the 21st, I unscrew the screws and just place the glass on top of the old one and secure it in place so that should make my bed flat and solve my leveling problems right? Also will it affect how hot the glass gets?, like, will there be any temperature offset from the heater to the top of the glass since there is more glass for the heat to go through? Thanks

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Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

ArcticWolf_11 wrote:

oh okay, so when I receive the new glass on the 21st, I unscrew the screws and just place the glass on top of the old one and secure it in place so that should make my bed flat and solve my leveling problems right? Also will it affect how hot the glass gets?, like, will there be any temperature offset from the heater to the top of the glass since there is more glass for the heat to go through? Thanks


It will still reach the same temps as the old, it will just take a little bit longer. it takes mine about 7 minutes to reach 90. Glass has a very high thermal transfer coefficient so there will be no real offset.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

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Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

oh okay, will there be a possibility of the new glass warping due to the old warped glass? or will everything be alright for the remainder of its life?

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Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

ArcticWolf_11 wrote:

oh okay, will there be a possibility of the new glass warping due to the old warped glass? or will everything be alright for the remainder of its life?

The new glass is three time thicker than the old glass. The old glass will have very little to no impact on the new glass.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

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Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

oh okay thanks, hopefully this will fix my issues

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Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

Amazon has a DaVinci Calibration app that works very good actually. You run the calibration process and get three sets of numbers. Enter those into app and it tells you the number of turns to make on platform nuts.

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Re: Anyone Have Any Bed Calibration Techniques?

parentemv wrote:

Amazon has a DaVinci Calibration app that works very good actually. You run the calibration process and get three sets of numbers. Enter those into app and it tells you the number of turns to make on platform nuts.

It gets you in the ball park but the numbers that the Da Vince considers as pass are too high. Also it wont work for those ehom have flashed and I believe the OP has flashed.

The proper first layer height is supposed to be exactly half of your desired layer height. That is why one magic number like the Da vinci looks for does not work.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.