1 Topic by N00b

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Topic: Da Vinci Jr -- major problems

TL;DR:   Brand new Da Vinci Jr -- 20 prints attempts and all have failed.  Recommend buying the Jr from a place with a good return policy. 

Bought the Da Vinci Jr and got it yesterday in the mail from Best Buy.  I really wish I had read this forum before buying it (all the official reviews online were extremely positive...).   I am using the latest firmware and software.  I have not gotten a single print to go longer than 10 seconds without 1) the nozzle making PLA spaghetti or 2) the PLA print coming disconnected from the bed and getting dragged around.   

The manual says that the Jr was carefully calibrated at the factory, so I made note that it shipped with a Z-Offset of 1.45 before making any adjustments.  I've now tried Z-Offsets of 1.45, 1.55, 1.65, 1.75, 1.85, 1.95, 2.35, etc (printing with and without a raft).  I do get the loud banging noise and filament spool shake that others are getting when I print, although I think that subsided when I jacked up the Z-Offset to something ridiculous like 2.5mm.  Nothing works and it appears that the Jr doesn't have much more to tweak beyond changing the Z-Offset.  The bed itself seems fairly level and I haven't seen the nozzle impact the masking tape.

I have cleaned the nozzle several times with the thin wire pick that the Jr ships with and when doing a "Load Filament" operation, I can get filament to stream out of the nozzle. I've been using the square masking tape-like stuff that the Jr shipped with on top of the glass bed.  I also just tried putting blue 3M painter's tape on the print bed instead -- same result.

Unless there is something else I can try, the Jr is getting dropped off at Best Buy (I think I have 15 days to return it) and i'll either try another Jr or just splurge for a Robo3D or Printrbot Metal (which are almost twice the price of the Jr).

2 Reply by scobo

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Re: Da Vinci Jr -- major problems

Looks like we could do with a sub forum for Junior issues.
This printer sounded promising for the price but unfortunately it sounds like xyz have made an @rse of it.
I wouldn't give up entirely on xyz though, the 1.0 is a great printer even as stock and highly moddable to get even better results from it.

Davinci 1.0 with repetier firmware & E3D V6 Lite
Anycubic Photon DLP printer, Einscan-S 3D scanner
Simplify3d, 123D Design, Meshmixer
http://www.thingiverse.com/scobo/designs

3 Reply by tamas.simon

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Re: Da Vinci Jr -- major problems

Hi

No HW problems so far on my side.
The SW is a big crap.

XYZware so far couldn't slice anything I threw at it.
I'll try switching to Slic3r - following suggestions from hacks online it looks as it should work;
just haven't had time to try so may run into further surprises.

Based on my experience so far I wouldn't suggest replacing yours to another DaVinci Jr.

p.s.
I wanna know who writes those bullshit reviews... Have they printed anything?

4 Reply by gkuzyk

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Re: Da Vinci Jr -- major problems

You need to look at Lulzbot Mini 3D printer, self leveing bed heated no need for glue or tape on the bed. have been using it for 4 months flawless prints. check it out www.lulzbot.com excellent printer. I stopped dealing with and using my Davinci 1.0A several months ago. 

N00b wrote:

TL;DR:   Brand new Da Vinci Jr -- 20 prints attempts and all have failed.  Recommend buying the Jr from a place with a good return policy. 

Bought the Da Vinci Jr and got it yesterday in the mail from Best Buy.  I really wish I had read this forum before buying it (all the official reviews online were extremely positive...).   I am using the latest firmware and software.  I have not gotten a single print to go longer than 10 seconds without 1) the nozzle making PLA spaghetti or 2) the PLA print coming disconnected from the bed and getting dragged around.   

The manual says that the Jr was carefully calibrated at the factory, so I made note that it shipped with a Z-Offset of 1.45 before making any adjustments.  I've now tried Z-Offsets of 1.45, 1.55, 1.65, 1.75, 1.85, 1.95, 2.35, etc (printing with and without a raft).  I do get the loud banging noise and filament spool shake that others are getting when I print, although I think that subsided when I jacked up the Z-Offset to something ridiculous like 2.5mm.  Nothing works and it appears that the Jr doesn't have much more to tweak beyond changing the Z-Offset.  The bed itself seems fairly level and I haven't seen the nozzle impact the masking tape.

I have cleaned the nozzle several times with the thin wire pick that the Jr ships with and when doing a "Load Filament" operation, I can get filament to stream out of the nozzle. I've been using the square masking tape-like stuff that the Jr shipped with on top of the glass bed.  I also just tried putting blue 3M painter's tape on the print bed instead -- same result.

Unless there is something else I can try, the Jr is getting dropped off at Best Buy (I think I have 15 days to return it) and i'll either try another Jr or just splurge for a Robo3D or Printrbot Metal (which are almost twice the price of the Jr).

5 Reply by scobo

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Re: Da Vinci Jr -- major problems

gkuzyk wrote:

You need to look at Lulzbot Mini 3D printer, self leveing bed heated no need for glue or tape on the bed. have been using it for 4 months flawless prints.

Except it's just a little bit more expensive. roll

Davinci 1.0 with repetier firmware & E3D V6 Lite
Anycubic Photon DLP printer, Einscan-S 3D scanner
Simplify3d, 123D Design, Meshmixer
http://www.thingiverse.com/scobo/designs

6 Reply by carl_m1968 (edited by carl_m1968 2015-05-29 21:13:04)

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Re: Da Vinci Jr -- major problems

scobo wrote:
gkuzyk wrote:

You need to look at Lulzbot Mini 3D printer, self leveing bed heated no need for glue or tape on the bed. have been using it for 4 months flawless prints.

Except it's just a little bit more expensive. roll

Isn't  lulzbot over a grand? Thats like three times the junior. Hardly an option if a budget was the reason you buy the junior in the first place.

Actually its 1200 to 1500. So I stand corrected.

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.

7 Reply by scobo

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Re: Da Vinci Jr -- major problems

carl_m1968 wrote:
scobo wrote:
gkuzyk wrote:

You need to look at Lulzbot Mini 3D printer, self leveing bed heated no need for glue or tape on the bed. have been using it for 4 months flawless prints.

Except it's just a little bit more expensive. roll

Isn't  lulzbot over a grand? Thats like three times the junior. Hardly an option if a budget was the reason you buy the junior in the first place.

Exactly !
In fact it's nearer 2 and a half grand.
You can hardly compare the two.

Davinci 1.0 with repetier firmware & E3D V6 Lite
Anycubic Photon DLP printer, Einscan-S 3D scanner
Simplify3d, 123D Design, Meshmixer
http://www.thingiverse.com/scobo/designs

8 Reply by paffran

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Re: Da Vinci Jr -- major problems

Just unpacked my da vinci Jr and made my first print which looks fine. First five attempts failed producing a sliding birds nest of fishing line!!!! Have solved problem by:

1. Adjusting Z axis nozzle height to 0.2mm (didn't work at the recommended 0.3mm) but make sure the gap is enough to slide 2 to 3 sheets easily between bed and nozzle having first pulled forward the bed and positioned printer head over it.

2. Still not sticking onto supplied printer's tape so have bought from Smiths some easy peel two-sided tape (made by Sellotape in a red packet, cost £4 something). I have used this to make a cross shape on top of the painter's tape. The cross does not go right into the corners rather just offset a bit from them. You need to press the tape firmly onto the printer's tape with your nail then gently ease off the backing paper to leave a thin transparent film of stickiness.

3. Proceed with the print if all is well and after removing the finished article you can simple roll off the sellotape with a finger leaving no damage or trace of the two sided tape on the painter's tape.

QED

9 Reply by BurningRingOfFire

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Re: Da Vinci Jr -- major problems

Don't use that tape they send.  Get some Kapton sheet or blue painters tape or some aquanet.

I use a combination of blue tape with Aquanet to hold parts down, works just fine.

My offset is .60 with this combination.

For the price, the machine has done some remarkable work.   If they ever open it up to use non-branded PLA it'll be a wonder-for-under $300.    Until then I can't recommend it because the material-lock scheme is batshit insane.

MonoPrice Mini Select,  Orion Delta, HeartlessTech I3 2020, TWO Taz-5,  8 Wanhao Clones
Filistruder (Operational)  (Scanners RMA'd Due To Missing Components)
Benchtop Molding Press,  Arburg All-Arounder IMM,   Bridgeport ProTrac, Monarch 10EE Lathe,  Light Machine CNC Mill & Lathe
(THIS IS JUST MY HALF OF THE WORKSHOP MUAHAHAHAHA)

10 Reply by timsenecal

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Re: Da Vinci Jr -- major problems

I have a junior that is now 4 months old, and has over 200 hours worth of objects printed on it.  I use sketchup to design my objects, and xyzware to slice it.  I bought this for 2 reasons:  1) price... i paid $250 for it, new, shipped to my door.  2) i dont want "3d printing" to be my hobby.  i want the 3d printer to be a tool, like a drill press, that is used to enhance my hobby.

having said all that, the thing has died.  It seems the extruder will no longer heat up.  I have dealt with both XYZprinting's customer service, and their online store in the past, and find them both to be horrifyingly bad.  I would like to know if there is any other way to get a replacement extruder.