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Topic: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

hello,
I purchased a used solidoodle 3 online from ebay "yea, I know, I was going to get one from solidoodle refurbished but they always sell out almost immediately"
I think ups messed it up because it does not seem to know where the extruder is at, I can move it around but it stops at odd points like it thinks it is out of bounds , the screen shows it is at 200mm for example but it is actually on say 110mm, it has ground it's motor a few times because it tries to home but it goes to far and keeps trying to move even though it is hitting the side of the carrier,  the person I bought it from has added after market parts like different rods and bearings, I have been looking to get into 3d printing for a while now and it is turning into a pain ,I think ups beat the living crap out of it and totally knocked it out of tune, I contacted solidoodle to see what they would charge me to fix it

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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

People here are very helpful and they will try and help you.

So far it seems like just some settings in firmware or software are messed up that sets the bounds of the printer. Are you using Repetier-Host, and if so is it the one from Solidoodle site or the one from Repetier-Host's site?

Tammy
Solidoodle 2
E3Dv6 Hotend, MK5 v6 version, Glass Bed, Anti Z backlash slop nut, SureStepr SD8825 1/32 Extruder Driver, makeshift breakaway plexiglass case; . L-Cheapo 3.8 Watt Laser Attachment w/Custom built enclosure
From Buffalo, NY, USA

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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

You will need to provide a little more detail to get good help here.  I would start by checking your printer shape in repetier and making sure it physically matches the printer.  Make sure everything is homing in the right direction, too.  If you think a rod is bent, take it out and roll it along a known flat surface like a piece of glass to see if you can see any bend in it.  I think it is unlikely UPS handled it rough enough to bend a steel rod but it is easy to knock something out of calibration.

SD4 w/ RUMBA, E3D Volcano, all bearings, glass bed

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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

i am using the Repetier-Host that i downloaded directly from solidoodle's website
at this point i am thinking of just returning it to the seller for a refund, it has not worked at all since i got it and has just been one problem after another
the axis that carries the extruder forward and backwards was knocked out of square when i got it and i followed solidoodle's directions to reset it and re-align the belts and it is just one thing after a nother that keeps messing up on it

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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

and sorry, i don't know how it managed to double post

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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

and sorry, i don't know how it managed to double post

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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

What rods and bearings did the person add to it?  Pro tip: don't ever buy a printer off ebay without seeing a youtube video of the actual machine running.  Picture's don't tell the whole story.  Today's printers, and especially the cheaper ones like the solidoodle, will require a lot of tuning, calibration, and cursing and frustration.  Many of us have found that the real hobby is maintaining the machine, not printing with it!  Really, if you are not interested in this then 3D printing might not be for you.  Nothing wrong with that.  Check back in a few years and there is likely to be a new generation of machines that are, hopefully, not as frustrating. 

Anyway, rods, bearings and belts have to be just right.  If they are too loose, too tight, or in any way unevenly spaced, you are going to have a bad time.  Is it the X or Y axis that is giving you trouble?  Y belt tension is a very common issue, check out the posts on that here.  X is a little more forgiving.

SD4 w/ RUMBA, E3D Volcano, all bearings, glass bed

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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

mdrVB6 wrote:

What rods and bearings did the person add to it?  Pro tip: don't ever buy a printer off ebay without seeing a youtube video of the actual machine running.  Picture's don't tell the whole story.  Today's printers, and especially the cheaper ones like the solidoodle, will require a lot of tuning, calibration, and cursing and frustration.  Many of us have found that the real hobby is maintaining the machine, not printing with it!  Really, if you are not interested in this then 3D printing might not be for you.  Nothing wrong with that.  Check back in a few years and there is likely to be a new generation of machines that are, hopefully, not as frustrating. 

Anyway, rods, bearings and belts have to be just right.  If they are too loose, too tight, or in any way unevenly spaced, you are going to have a bad time.  Is it the X or Y axis that is giving you trouble?  Y belt tension is a very common issue, check out the posts on that here.  X is a little more forgiving.

+1

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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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

let me post some pics of it, not really sure exactly what he used

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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

ok, here are some pictures
and it is both x and y giving me trouble, neither one is right
http://i57.tinypic.com/11in2uq.jpg
http://i59.tinypic.com/2dkg41u.jpg
http://i62.tinypic.com/11t4ktl.jpg
http://i60.tinypic.com/iojhw7.jpg

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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

That's a good set up so someone took the time to do some upgrades.  Just have to take it one problem at a time but you should end up with a very nice machine.

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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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

I would start at the connectors for the end stops.  Before you plug anything in move each axis by hand to its respective end stop switch.  Even the Z-axis by turning the screw till it hits the end stop.  I am betting most of your problems are software related.

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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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

ok, so I am seeing that when the x axis tries to home it goes to the left, problem is the end stop switch for the x axis is on the right so it does not stop going  and I have to hit the kill motor button, so how do I make x axis go right instead of left?
I tried to just move the switch but the plastic was wanting to split when I was putting a screw in so I will have to do it in the software

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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

mlpfan wrote:

ok, so I am seeing that when the x axis tries to home it goes to the left, problem is the end stop switch for the x axis is on the right so it does not stop going  and I have to hit the kill motor button, so how do I make x axis go right instead of left?
I tried to just move the switch but the plastic was wanting to split when I was putting a screw in so I will have to do it in the software

Is the Y axis also moving opposite?
The Z axis should be opposite how does it move?

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

15 (edited by mdrVB6 2014-07-10 18:34:40)

Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

It sounds like whoever put your Lawsy carriage together might have put the back piece on the front, reversing the movement, or put the belt on the wrong way.  Double check vs the sticky post over in hacks. 

There are also homing direction options in Repetier that you could change but if you try to fool the printer by telling it to go the opposite direction, it could end of mirroring your prints, or worse.

If it was working fine before, this would not be the first time someone has claimed a stepper motor has spontaneously changed directions.  It has to do with the way 2 of the 4 wires are hooked into the board... and magic.

Also, where is your filament feeding from?  That first pic looks wierd.

SD4 w/ RUMBA, E3D Volcano, all bearings, glass bed

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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

I don't see anything weird about that first picture other than way to much grease.
Most of that should be cleaned up.  As far as the belt being reversed it is hard to see in the photo but the belt should pass through the rear and be fastened towards the front of the carriage.

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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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

ok, x is backwards
y is right, forward click moves it forward back moves it back
and z is backwards,  up is down and down moves it up
my fan is super buzzy to, if I tap on it a few times it quites down and runs right

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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

So Y and Z axis are correct.  Did you look at the belt?  That is most likely the cause unless someone plugged it in backwards.

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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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

what I see is the the belt adjustment screws are on the back part of the carriage underneath the carriage between the rails, and the belt is to the front, I don't see any other way it could go being it is printed with the adjustment screw holes to the rear

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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

OK, your carriage is on backwards.  Don't worry this is an easy fix and probably why they sold it.
How's your ability to tinker?  It really is as simple as flipping it around but you have to take that carriage apart.  Meaning the motor has to come off.  That carriage is Lawsy's design and very easy to work with.  Start by taking the belt off and your filament out.  Then just take off the MK-5 (the part that holds the nozzle).

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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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

OK, your carriage is on backwards.  Don't worry this is an easy fix and probably why they sold it.
How's your ability to tinker?  It really is as simple as flipping it around but you have to take that carriage apart.  Meaning the motor has to come off.  That carriage is Lawsy's design and very easy to work with.  Start by taking the belt off and your filament out.  Then just take off the MK-5 (the part that holds the nozzle).

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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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

http://i59.tinypic.com/o58emq.jpgok, before I do all that I am going to show a side picture to make sure we are on the same page
see the adjustment screws under the extruder carriage?  those are facing the rear of the printer

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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

the pic came out upside down somehow,  LOL

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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

Yep it's backwards.  Even though its upside down.

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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Re: gaaah! she's all screwed up! HELP! solidoodle 3

Did you know that you have a dresser hanging from the ceiling big_smile

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