Extruder Height Adjustment

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dklassen
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Extruder Height Adjustment

Post by dklassen » Wed Oct 29, 2014 2:13 am

Once you have the initial Z stop set and bed leveled, do you use the M212 Z to write the final height tweaks to the firmware?

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jimc
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Re: Extruder Height Adjustment

Post by jimc » Wed Oct 29, 2014 2:20 am

not necessary. once you have the z-bolt set to the correct bed gap that should be it. every time you start a print it will home the z axis and your good to go.

Dale Reed
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Re: Extruder Height Adjustment

Post by Dale Reed » Wed Oct 29, 2014 3:29 am

dklassen,

Unlike some of the hot-shots here (you know who you are!) who have bed leveling down to a science, I still use a sheet of paper as the gap spacer. I adjust each screw with the nozzle immediately over it until the sheet of paper JUST doesn't drag. Then I run a sample print, and closely inspect the first layer as it prints. (I have a zillion bright LEDs on my M2 for the purpose.) Then if necessary I adjust the Z offset in my S3D profile plus or minus a couple hundredths of a millimeter until I get exactly the first layer I'm looking for, then save and export the profile with a date in the filename.

I don't have to do this very often --- usually only when I take my M2 to a school STEM event and back home, or on major changes of the seasons / temperatures. Usually one of those neatly happens to coincide with the other! Normally the Z adjustment / Z offset combination works great for a long period of time once I have it set up.

Dale

dklassen
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Re: Extruder Height Adjustment

Post by dklassen » Wed Oct 29, 2014 4:33 pm

That's what I thought. I don't see too many talk about it but I don't see how you can get close enough with just mechanical adjustments. Adjusting the Z offset in S3D or via the M212 command a couple hundredths one way or the other can really zero in your extruder height and make a huge difference in print quality... among other things of course.

My M2 should ship tomorrow and I can't want to get my hands on it.

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jimc
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Re: Extruder Height Adjustment

Post by jimc » Wed Oct 29, 2014 4:54 pm

just with the z adjustment bolt i can get an adjustment resolution of .001". my s3d offsets are always set to 0. i never touch them or ever make any kind of electronic adjustments for the gap. all mechanical.

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