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Re: PLA curling at the nozzle
Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 10:24 pm
by GAP
Rik yes my springs were compressed as that but as I adjusted the bed they became looser and did not provide enough tension on a couple of addjustment wheels.
I replaced the original springs with the one I bought and that problem went away.
I levelled the bed and again tried to print but with no success.
With the bed now level I then sat and thought about what I was seeing and I came to the conclusion that I may have an adhesion problem and not a levelling issue.
I had a checklist of things to try and the next item up 'was use glue to improve adhesion' I looked around some office suppliers and newsagents for "Pritt" as recommended by RIK but could not find any.
Next I looked on the net for something close and found "UHU" glue stick was a close alternative, so following a raid on SWMBO's craft supplies I had a UHU stick and smeared the glue over the print bed and tried a print, success!, so next up was to see if the result was repeatable and again, success!, 2 more prints of 2 different files. There was an issue with one file in that it was wider than the other 2 so it was over an area where there was no glue.
This has reinforced that I may now be onto something so the next move is to cover the plate with glue and try to reprint the file I sent to steve and see how that goes.
I am familiar with the "D" button in tinkercad after seeing Rik's post about it.
With 20/20 hindsight maybe I should have moved onto using glue earlier but was reticent to do something to a brand new printer that I was unsure about.
I am hopeful that I am now on my way to enjoying 3D printing.
Re: PLA curling at the nozzle
Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 8:04 am
by Jimmyb
GAP wrote: ↑Tue Oct 19, 2021 10:24 pm
Rik yes my springs were compressed as that but as I adjusted the bed they became looser and did not provide enough tension on a couple of addjustment wheels.
I replaced the original springs with the one I bought and that problem went away.
I levelled the bed and again tried to print but with no success.
With the bed now level I then sat and thought about what I was seeing and I came to the conclusion that I may have an adhesion problem and not a levelling issue.
I had a checklist of things to try and the next item up 'was use glue to improve adhesion' I looked around some office suppliers and newsagents for "Pritt" as recommended by RIK but could not find any.
Next I looked on the net for something close and found "UHU" glue stick was a close alternative, so following a raid on SWMBO's craft supplies I had a UHU stick and smeared the glue over the print bed and tried a print, success!, so next up was to see if the result was repeatable and again, success!, 2 more prints of 2 different files. There was an issue with one file in that it was wider than the other 2 so it was over an area where there was no glue.
This has reinforced that I may now be onto something so the next move is to cover the plate with glue and try to reprint the file I sent to steve and see how that goes.
I am familiar with the "D" button in tinkercad after seeing Rik's post about it.
With 20/20 hindsight maybe I should have moved onto using glue earlier but was reticent to do something to a brand new printer that I was unsure about.
I am hopeful that I am now on my way to enjoying 3D printing.
Sounds very promising, seems you may just have cracked it.
Re: PLA curling at the nozzle
Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:20 am
by GAP
Jimmyb wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 8:04 am
GAP wrote: ↑Tue Oct 19, 2021 10:24 pm
Rik yes my springs were compressed as that but as I adjusted the bed they became looser and did not provide enough tension on a couple of addjustment wheels.
I replaced the original springs with the one I bought and that problem went away.
I levelled the bed and again tried to print but with no success.
With the bed now level I then sat and thought about what I was seeing and I came to the conclusion that I may have an adhesion problem and not a levelling issue.
I had a checklist of things to try and the next item up 'was use glue to improve adhesion' I looked around some office suppliers and newsagents for "Pritt" as recommended by RIK but could not find any.
Next I looked on the net for something close and found "UHU" glue stick was a close alternative, so following a raid on SWMBO's craft supplies I had a UHU stick and smeared the glue over the print bed and tried a print, success!, so next up was to see if the result was repeatable and again, success!, 2 more prints of 2 different files. There was an issue with one file in that it was wider than the other 2 so it was over an area where there was no glue.
This has reinforced that I may now be onto something so the next move is to cover the plate with glue and try to reprint the file I sent to steve and see how that goes.
I am familiar with the "D" button in tinkercad after seeing Rik's post about it.
With 20/20 hindsight maybe I should have moved onto using glue earlier but was reticent to do something to a brand new printer that I was unsure about.
I am hopeful that I am now on my way to enjoying 3D printing.
Sounds very promising, seems you may just have cracked it.
Unfortunately no; today 7 attempts (same file) with only 1 success no change between attempts but the filament just would not stick.
This hit and miss result is now getting beyond a joke.
Re: PLA curling at the nozzle
Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:11 pm
by ge_rik
Are you redoing the glue between prints? If you are printing the same file, the glue will need to be renewed where the part was printed. After a while, I remove the glue completely and start again (I use a broad bladed chisel to remove it).
I spread the glue in overlapping stripes in one direction and then do another series of stripes at 90 degrees to make sure the glue is evenly spread.
Rik
Re: PLA curling at the nozzle
Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2021 7:59 am
by GAP
ge_rik wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:11 pm
Are you redoing the glue between prints? If you are printing the same file, the glue will need to be renewed where the part was printed. After a while, I remove the glue completely and start again (I use a broad bladed chisel to remove it).
I spread the glue in overlapping stripes in one direction and then do another series of stripes at 90 degrees to make sure the glue is evenly spread.
Rik
After sitting the printer in the naughty corner and ignoring it for about a week (I went outside and built some track on the cane line) I returned this afternoon and;
1. Cleaned off the glue from the bed and,
2. pushed the wire tool up through the nozzle (it was printing in a vertical wavy pattern) to clear any obstruction.
Before cleaning off the glue I thought about how it applied and it was lumpy and did not lay with an even thickness, surmised that as it was in SWMBO's craft box it may be to old.
I purchased a new stick and voila!! it spread smoothly and with an even thickness.
The next thing I looked at is the angle of the feed for the filament into the extruder assembly, the filament was stretched taut and had a near 90 degree bend before entering.
A quick look on the net revealed that the roll on top of the printer can lead to laying down issues as the roll can wobble the frame because it is top heavy.
I downloaded a file for an extension that takes the roll off the top and lets the filament feed in from the side. With no weight on top of the frame the chance of the reel wobble upsetting the extruder's travel is alleviated.
At the moment this is happily printing with the filament sticking to the new glue, nothing else was done to the bed level settings, so fingers crossed I may be able to start printing successfully.
It appears that I may have made every rookie error in the book, here's hoping the mistakes I have learned from are the last ones I will come across.
Re: PLA curling at the nozzle
Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2021 9:26 am
by ge_rik
I'm keeping everything crossed, Graeme - except my eyes.....
Rik
Re: PLA curling at the nozzle
Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2021 9:26 am
by Trevor Thompson
Well done - for persevering.
It won't be the last problem - but they will get smaller as you gain experience!
Trevor
Re: PLA curling at the nozzle
Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2021 9:29 am
by philipy
Trevor Thompson wrote: ↑Tue Oct 26, 2021 9:26 am
Well done - for persevering.
It won't be the last problem - but they will get smaller as you gain experience!
I agree with Trevor, well done.
Re: PLA curling at the nozzle
Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2021 9:41 pm
by GAP
Just remembered I did make one change with the last print and that was to click the "recommended" button on the Creality slicer. I have no idea what else I had changed from the recommended settings other than selecting a brim instead of the skirt that is recommended. I might reslice all my files using recommended and see how I go.
Also think that I may have had a clogged nozzle even though I pushed the wire tool up into it a number of times, what I did differently this time was push it up for its full length and then forced filament through the nozzle till I has along string (found how to move the Z axis up via electronics rather than by hand).
Pictures of my filament roll relocated from the top rail to on the side.
It does make the printer footprint wider but the trade off is that I can now move the printer away from the edge of my bench as the roll is not hitting shelf (plus I get access to the shelf back).
The other benefit is that the filament feeds straight into the extruder assembly with no tension or sharp bends.
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Re: PLA curling at the nozzle
Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 7:47 am
by ge_rik
Sometimes, it's worth going back to square one and restarting with a clean sheet (mixing metaphors, but it sort of works ....
)
It would be worth your while investing in some spare nozzles. Much easier to simply replace the nozzle than try to clean it. They're not very expensive on eBay.
Rik
Re: PLA curling at the nozzle
Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:09 am
by GAP
ge_rik wrote: ↑Wed Oct 27, 2021 7:47 am
Sometimes, it's worth going back to square one and restarting with a clean sheet (mixing metaphors, but it sort of works ....
)
It would be worth your while investing in some spare nozzles. Much easier to simply replace the nozzle than try to clean it. They're not very expensive on eBay.
Rik
I have a spare nozzle and tried to undo the original (suggested I replace the nozzle earlier in the drama) but it is screwed on that tight I am reticent to use any force to undo it.
Re: PLA curling at the nozzle
Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:37 am
by -steves-
GAP wrote: ↑Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:09 am
ge_rik wrote: ↑Wed Oct 27, 2021 7:47 am
Sometimes, it's worth going back to square one and restarting with a clean sheet (mixing metaphors, but it sort of works ....
)
It would be worth your while investing in some spare nozzles. Much easier to simply replace the nozzle than try to clean it. They're not very expensive on eBay.
Rik
I have a spare nozzle and tried to undo the original (suggested I replace the nozzle earlier in the drama) but it is screwed on that tight I am reticent to use any force to undo it.
If ever removing anything around the hot end, be it the nozzle, the tube or the filament, ensure you have preheated the hot end to at least 190 degrees, other wise you are trying to break the filament at the same time
Re: PLA curling at the nozzle
Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:41 am
by -steves-
GAP wrote: ↑Tue Oct 26, 2021 9:41 pm
Also think that I may have had a clogged nozzle even though I pushed the wire tool up into it a number of times, what I did differently this time was push it up for its full length and then forced filament through the nozzle till I has along string (found how to move the Z axis up via electronics rather than by hand).
You should be pushing the cleaning "pin" down into the nozzle, not up, otherwise you are pushing the blockage up, ready for it to be pushed back into the nozzle. Again, ensure the hot end is preheated
Re: PLA curling at the nozzle
Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 9:27 pm
by GAP
-steves- wrote: ↑Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:41 am
GAP wrote: ↑Tue Oct 26, 2021 9:41 pm
Also think that I may have had a clogged nozzle even though I pushed the wire tool up into it a number of times, what I did differently this time was push it up for its full length and then forced filament through the nozzle till I has along string (found how to move the Z axis up via electronics rather than by hand).
You should be pushing the cleaning "pin" down into the nozzle, not up, otherwise you are pushing the blockage up, ready for it to be pushed back into the nozzle. Again, ensure the hot end is preheated
I pulled the filament out before pushing the wire up, nozzle at 200C then I replaced the filament and hand fed a large amount through the nozzle to clear it.
I will look at the nozzle again to see if I can get it out without breaking anything, the mount feels flimsy plus I have to remove the fan and cover to get at the nozzle.
Re: PLA curling at the nozzle
Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2021 6:58 pm
by -steves-
GAP wrote: ↑Wed Oct 27, 2021 9:27 pm
-steves- wrote: ↑Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:41 am
GAP wrote: ↑Tue Oct 26, 2021 9:41 pm
Also think that I may have had a clogged nozzle even though I pushed the wire tool up into it a number of times, what I did differently this time was push it up for its full length and then forced filament through the nozzle till I has along string (found how to move the Z axis up via electronics rather than by hand).
You should be pushing the cleaning "pin" down into the nozzle, not up, otherwise you are pushing the blockage up, ready for it to be pushed back into the nozzle. Again, ensure the hot end is preheated
I pulled the filament out before pushing the wire up, nozzle at 200C then I replaced the filament and hand fed a large amount through the nozzle to clear it.
I will look at the nozzle again to see if I can get it out without breaking anything, the mount feels flimsy plus I have to remove the fan and cover to get at the nozzle.
That's odd, on all my Enders I just use the spanner straight on nozzle, I don't have to take anything off?
Re: PLA curling at the nozzle
Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2021 9:04 pm
by GAP
-steves- wrote: ↑Thu Oct 28, 2021 6:58 pm
GAP wrote: ↑Wed Oct 27, 2021 9:27 pm
-steves- wrote: ↑Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:41 am
You should be pushing the cleaning "pin" down into the nozzle, not up, otherwise you are pushing the blockage up, ready for it to be pushed back into the nozzle. Again, ensure the hot end is preheated
I pulled the filament out before pushing the wire up, nozzle at 200C then I replaced the filament and hand fed a large amount through the nozzle to clear it.
I will look at the nozzle again to see if I can get it out without breaking anything, the mount feels flimsy plus I have to remove the fan and cover to get at the nozzle.
That's odd, on all my Enders I just use the spanner straight on nozzle, I don't have to take anything off?
Mine has a rubber boot covering the majority of the nozzle that has to be removed to get at the nut part, only accessible after removing cover.
Picture from earlier post on page 2
- P1060510.JPG (58.38 KiB) Viewed 2974 times
Re: PLA curling at the nozzle
Posted: Fri Oct 29, 2021 6:57 pm
by -steves-
Seems to be way more covered than mine, but I would still just try pressing firming with a decent spanner and it should just squash the silicone enough to undo it and do it back up.
Link to "decent" spanner in the loosest terms possible. I might order one for myself as I don't have the 7mm one. Yours should be the 6mm one.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1000034 ... 7ec3e487ea
