Buy a printer they said it will be fun they said.....

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FatCatRC

FatCat Team Racing
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Arrma RC's
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Well it is fun but also very fustrating. That mythical first layer, to the speed and off set settings this thing has been "fun" to set up. I have an ender 3 pro with the new 4.2.7 board a bl touch and new glass bed. Getting my offset set was fun, I still don't think its just right. Then learning how to set how much the extruder is pushing. Clogs have been an issue too, it's a used unit minus the new board etc. The guy said it only been used 5 times but now that I've had it I hardly believe that. I have some more goodies ordered for it so we shall see if they help some of my issue's. New hot end and nozzles on the way so I can start fresh, and a dryer and some new filament to try as well.
 
I've found the first layer is the hardest thing to get right. I had good luck w/ the factory glass the ender sends now on the v2 - got some kind of grit coating on it. When I went to the ender extender kit I went to plain glass and that's been tougher. Found my best on that as just straight up blue painters tape, no bed heat.

Interested in other people piping in on this. It's def a learning curve, and I'm not there yet.
 
Well it is fun but also very fustrating. That mythical first layer, to the speed and off set settings this thing has been "fun" to set up. I have an ender 3 pro with the new 4.2.7 board a bl touch and new glass bed. Getting my offset set was fun, I still don't think its just right. Then learning how to set how much the extruder is pushing. Clogs have been an issue too, it's a used unit minus the new board etc. The guy said it only been used 5 times but now that I've had it I hardly believe that. I have some more goodies ordered for it so we shall see if they help some of my issue's. New hot end and nozzles on the way so I can start fresh, and a dryer and some new filament to try as well.

Love the title.. 😂..

So the clogging is going to happen.. it's typically in the throat.. what happens is the Bowden tube is butted up against the face of the nozzle.. hence the importance of having the cut at the end a perfect square cut..

Even still you will get these failures.. when the plastic melts it has an interesting byproduct, especially pla.. that oozes into the throat around the Bowden.. eventually it back up and starts working its way up the inside of the Bowden. And boom issues...

It can all be cleaned out.. use alcohol and a .17hmr bore brush.. if your into guns you might already have one.. once you get the big chunks out of the throat use alcohol on q tips and swab the throat clean.. do all of this while the hot end is 220c..don't burn yourself..👍

Make sure your new ptfe wether factory or Capricorn is cut perfectly.. with the nozzle installed and tight leave your top coupler 1 turn loose.. install the ptfe until it bottoms out, then tighten the coupler.. this ensures a good mating surface..👍

First layer is crucial on all of them for sure.. that's why I honestly prefer the older stuff that was all manual.. you set it once and off you go..

The perfect first layer is one with walls that just start to melt together.. I will typically start high and bring it down until the extrusion paths mate.. And it's good for pretty much ever.. A .2 initial layer is very helpful as well..

Hope any of this helps..
 
I will try all of that. My last print the layers did not sick together. .2mm res and I set the speed to 30 from 50. generic pla with temp at 200. 100 percent infill. It was a cover for my end rail/pully.
 
Printed a rocket on vase mode at .2mm 50mm a sec at 200c and I got a good result but I still see pimples and gaps. My e step is set and it's consistantly pushing out 100mm. What can I try do to improve
 
Printed a rocket on vase mode at .2mm 50mm a sec at 200c and I got a good result but I still see pimples and gaps. My e step is set and it's consistantly pushing out 100mm. What can I try do to improve
Only thing I can think of is wet material and the nozzle being too far away from the bed when at zero. Do you dehydrate it?

Maybe @Lovestricken will chip in...
 
Well it is fun but also very fustrating. That mythical first layer, to the speed and off set settings this thing has been "fun" to set up. I have an ender 3 pro with the new 4.2.7 board a bl touch and new glass bed. Getting my offset set was fun, I still don't think its just right. Then learning how to set how much the extruder is pushing. Clogs have been an issue too, it's a used unit minus the new board etc. The guy said it only been used 5 times but now that I've had it I hardly believe that. I have some more goodies ordered for it so we shall see if they help some of my issue's. New hot end and nozzles on the way so I can start fresh, and a dryer and some new filament to try as well.
This tutorial from Teaching Tech helped me get mine dialed in. I have an E5 so some of the things I had to do won’t apply to the E3Pro.

https://teachingtechyt.github.io/calibration.html
 
Only thing I can think of is wet material and the nozzle being too far away from the bed when at zero. Do you dehydrate it?

Maybe @Lovestricken will chip in...
This tutorial from Teaching Tech helped me get mine dialed in. I have an E5 so some of the things I had to do won’t apply to the E3Pro.

https://teachingtechyt.github.io/calibration.html
Teaching tech has been my bible. And lovestricken has been helping trust me. He's the poop. he thinks it's wet too. Getting a dryer and brand new pla next week. And a new hot end tomorrow. The pla I have came with the machine from the guy I bought it from so who knows what he did with it. I whent over the whole thing and tightened things up.
 
Teaching tech has been my bible. And lovestricken has been helping trust me. He's the poop. he thinks it's wet too. Getting a dryer and brand new pla next week. And a new hot end tomorrow. The pla I have came with the machine from the guy I bought it from so who knows what he did with it. I whent over the whole thing and tightened things up.
Hatchbox makes some good PLA, the best PLA I've tried. Yes lovestricken helps me a lot too. He definitely knows this stuff.
 
Yup definitely moist. I can print something today out of the dyer and by tomorrow I personally see a huge difference especially certain materials I won't even print unless the dryer is feeding the machine.
 
Yup definitely moist. I can print something today out of the dyer and by tomorrow I personally see a huge difference especially certain materials I won't even print unless the dryer is feeding the machine.
Yep I bought a food dehydrator to feed my spools from. I have had great results ever since.

Elechomes 6-Tray Food Dehydrator, Faster Drying for Beef Jerky, Meat, Fruit, Dog Treats, Herbs, Vegetable, Digital Time & Temperature Control, Overhea https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VM7SXTQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_PVBqJ4JqWCKVk
 
Printed a rocket on vase mode at .2mm 50mm a sec at 200c and I got a good result but I still see pimples and gaps. My e step is set and it's consistantly pushing out 100mm. What can I try do to improve
Picture?
 
Im also having issues with the extruder crushing the pla going back and forth and then it gets stuck in the tube. I have backed the screw off as far as I can. I have an all metal extruder. I have lowered my speed to 40mm and increased my heat as well as completely cleaned and rebuilt the hot end with new nozzle and made sure I had a nice square cut. I also backed the coupler off a bit then inserted the tube and tightened the coupler up.

IMG_20210702_211509_404.jpg


IMG_20210702_211526_103.jpg


IMG_20210702_211545_671.jpg
 
Without a dryer it looks pretty good. Definitely a moisture issue. But not terrible
 
Without a dryer it looks pretty good. Definitely a moisture issue. But not terrible
what about it crushing the pla in the extruder? that's what keeps causing my print issues rn. I can't get half way through this print without the pla getting stuck in the tube. I have retraction on but didn't fiddle with any of those settings. My screw is backed off as far as I can on the extruder.
 
Not sure what you're saying about the pla being crushed in the extruder?

haven't had any moisture problems - but I live in Az, and I keep mine in a ziplok bag w/ half dozen bags of desiccant.
 
not sure how more clear I could be the filament gets crushed by the extruder wheel and gets stuck in the tube. I've seemed to have fixed it atleast for now.
 
Ah, was thinking down by the nozzle. You said you have an all metal extruder, assuming aftermarket. Wonder if you could replace or trim the spring on it?

I think the new pla you ordered, will probably help.

My understanding is the pla is basically corn starch, and it will get softer when its full of moisture.

My pla leaves a very slight imprint but nothing bad enough to wedge in the tube.

There's an aftermarket extruder that's had some good reviews and isn't terribly expensive if the pla/spring doesn't help.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SY745C...olid=3RBJIUZNNLGYR&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Was thinking about picking one up.
 
I have a new all metal creality extruder. I turned up my heat and haven't had it get stuck yet so fingers crossed. ANd yes this pla is full of moisture. I can't wait for some proper stuff.
 
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