My prints suck... So I emailed tech support... (Page 2 of 3)

In RH? Forgive my lack of knowledge. It's funny, I can write a program in G code, (Fanuc II) for a large VMC and machine a complex part, yet I feel helpless as a babe when I'm messing with this. I suppose it has a lot to do with familiarity and practice.

Z-tab is the screw in the back of the solidoodle that contacts the z-endstop switch. Basically back it out a turn or so, so there's less gap between the nozzle and bed.

Wow, thanks for the explanation & the linked video. That helped adhesion %100. Let's see if this print sticks the whole time. Will post later.

Ok, I just read through this thread again and got one question... have you cleaned the kapton surface? and if so what did you use? If your print is getting knocked off that easy I think the kapton may be contaminated with body oils, grease, etc... the best thing to clean it with is acetone if you don't have that try isopropyl alcohol if that is not on hand try any good dishwashing liquid soap that cuts grease.

I came to this conclusion from the last pic you show a great looking first layer(whats left of it)...although it is a little thin... probably need to lower the bed just a tad but besides that unless your extrusion multiplier is set way high and causing massive buildup for the printhead to try and push around an object like the bearing should have stuck really good and actually hard to remove... unless your gcode is turning off the bed heater after the first layer??? sorry about the rambling just kinda thinking out loud

I had cleaned the bed a few times with an LCD alcohol wipe, but hadn't considered using acetone on the Kapton, I will do that later. I will also (hopefully) finish putting my acrylic case on. Tanks, will post back with results.

I wouldn't suggest hand sanding the platform, I think what you may have read is that people were lapping the bed flat, which is laying the fine grit paper down on a known flat surface and running the plate over that paper. 

I haven't read of people just scuffing up the aluminum bed and using it bare.

I'm telling you and everyone else, go to glass and hairspray.  There's a reason why most of the seasoned users are doing it already.  I only wish I would have done it sooner so my earlier prints didn't look so bad sitting around the house.

Sorry, I meant lightly sanding the kapton tape so it's not so slick.  After my kapton got scuffed up, I stopped needing to add brims to most of my prints and now even have a little difficulty removing prints when they are done.

Wait. I'm not sposed to sand the aluminum? Um. K.
:-p
Just kidding. Thanks for the help, will post pics after I finish my enclosure. I'm using 1/4" thick door and window foam insulation, cut to fit the various obstacles in the path around the openings. I also just received my party tray from Amazon.

My emails were with John and I don't know yet. Still working on case mod.

Edit: Case is done.

http://www.soliforum.com/post/15984/#p15984

At this point, I'd point at the lead screw for the z-axis.  If you can get a video of the top of the screw as you raise and lower the bed 50-60mm, check to see what the top of it looks like.  I can almost guarantee that thing will be waving.  You don't see it in small increments, but at gross movement it should be relatively stable.  If not, that sucker is bent.

If it shows this, contact support and supply the image you posted and the video of the screw movement.  If that ain't enough proof that your screw is bent... they're bent

No, but those settings are fine tunes for wobble compensation, this isn't in need of a fine tune yet, it needs fixed first.