Did my first test print last night, I used a 20mmx20mm calibration cube off of Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1586206 and the results were sub-optimal at best. To my totally untrained and novice eye, the Z Axis looks the best and the X and Y look off. I’ve included some pics hoping some of you might have some ideas on where to start looking. Thanks again for all your help!!
My gut says, over extruding or extremly off temp.
Try a 100mm extruder test. Steps 1-4. https://all3dp.com/2/extruder-calibration-6-easy-steps-2/
Thanks Ryan. I just took a video of it in action. The bed seems to be “ratching” back and forth and I can’t figure it out. I’m thinking I may need to tighten the Y Bed Bearings a bit? I don’t have the shorter end tightened at all (nuts are hanging loose).
You can also physically see the springs holding the bed in place during rapid movements. I’m guessing I have the springs too loose and need to really compress them but still leave enough room for adjustment? I also noticed that the Y Speed Plate isn’t sliding smoothly on the smooth rods, especially during rapid movements. It seems like the LM8UU bearings might be binding. Do you grease the flat rods at all and if so with what? Also, for the lead screws, what should I grease those with?
554AE486-1EAD-457B-82DE-BA6ADA742532.mov (4.41 MB)
The video definitely shows something wrong with your bed.
Can you also post a picture on the bottom?
When I attached my bed for adjustment, I would have things in this order (from the top):
Screw head
Bed
washer for spring
lock washer
nut
spring and gap
washer for spring
Y axis plate
nut
The top nut and lock washer keeps the screw rigid to the bed. The washers are bigger than the diameter of the spring. I don’t know what others do, but I learned this way from the wanhao forums.
I think that’s too long on the springs too, but it’s hard to tell without touching things. Probably about half that gap is what I would expect.
There aren’t supposed to be moving parts besides the bearings, belts and pulley. If something else is loose, then it probably shouldn’t be.
Thanks Jeffe - I’ll have to add some washers, nuts and stuff to mine - I have none of that. As I just manually move my bed by the Y Plate it seems to bind a little bit on the bearings or something like that. It definitely doesn’t move as smoothly as the bearing carriage on the LR2.
Here are some pics of the bed itself and the attachments.
Does the speed plate bind or rock if you move it by hand, or is all the slop in the screws?
You probably also want to zip tie the wires to the speed plate. It’s not an emergency, but it will keep the bed movement fron tugging on the bed, which could make the solder joints weaker.
Is whatever you have on top of the aluminum bed hitting the nut on the side?
Side note, after this gets sorted out, the nozzle is too far out and will cause issues with temps or clogs.
Sorry, I meant the bottom of the test print.
The speed plate seems to bind a bit if moving by hand. It almost feels like it is “racking” a little bit with 2 bearings on one side and 1 bearing on the other but I know that’s not an issue. All the slop isn’t in the springs, there is some in the Y Plate movement as well - but the smooth rods are rock solid that it moves on.
I have the wires on the heating element taped to the aluminum with thermal tape but you think I should zip tie them to the Y Plate as well - that makes sense.
The nut sticking out of the side isn’t getting in the way - I’ve checked that a bunch of times because I thought that was an issue myself.
The nozzle is screwed in as far as it will go, it is touching the throat. The throat is also as close to the idler and pulley as I can get it without actually touching. Do you suggest I add a nut to the outside of the throat before the heating element like you have in the bottom right picture of your extruder page? I have a nut inside by the idler like another picture on your extruder page shows - I can move it to the outside.
Here are the pic of the bottom of the test print. In the first print the bottom is up and in the second pic it is facing forwards.
If you unscrew the heat block a half a turn the nozzle will be in further, the throat will line up better on the top as well. I really would not mess with this until after the bed is figured out.
I would start by taking off the belt and figuring this out. It should be very solid, and smooth. The bearing blocks and plate should have Zero play. you can tighten the one side of the bearing blocks and that should lock it in, the other side is just for the bearings and is probably fine loose like you have it.
If you have the bearing holders cocked just a bit I would expect them to bind, as they would if the smooth rod wasn’t completely straight.
Thanks Ryan, I will take the heated bed off and check the Y Plate and bearings to see if I can figure out what is hanging up.
Edit: Ryan = Genius!! In my infinite stupidity I didn’t tighten down the Y_Bed_Bearing_Blocks. Lol. I just flipped my printer upside down and moved the carriage and could see them actually moving instead of being locked into place. I guess in building the printer and writing instructions at the same time I kinda forgot that part!! Hopefully tightening those up will fix the problems I am having. I’m guessing having loose Bed_Bearings isn’t a good idea. lol.