How often should I re-calibrate?

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DrScoles
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Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2016 1:46 pm

How often should I re-calibrate?

Post by DrScoles » Fri Dec 16, 2016 8:24 pm

I've gone through about two spools now, PLA and ABS. This thing has been going non-stop. Recently, I've had a few failed prints. Part of the problem is that the ABS isn't sticking to the kapton sheets. Is hairspray the solution?

Curious if I should calibrate the machine like I did when I first bought it? Not sure if the bed goes out of tolerance much? I've replaced the Kapton sheets 4-5 times so far.

How long do the nozzles last?

Thanks

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zemlin
Posts: 467
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2016 9:32 pm
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana

Re: How often should I re-calibrate?

Post by zemlin » Mon Dec 19, 2016 5:35 pm

The short answer is YES. When in doubt, check your bed level and start height.
On the Kapton, make sure the plate is cooled down to room temp before you try removing your parts. It's FAR easier to damage the film while it is warm. I still snag it once in a while, and I keep a stock of the Kapton sheets on hand.

I have not messed with hair spray for printing. I moved to PEI on aluminum plate for printing ABS. The first layer is still critical - too much squish and you won't get the part off without damaging it. Not enough and the part will lift at the corners.

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zemlin
Posts: 467
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2016 9:32 pm
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana

Re: How often should I re-calibrate?

Post by zemlin » Mon Dec 19, 2016 5:46 pm

zemlin wrote:The short answer is YES. When in doubt, check your bed level and start height.
On the Kapton, make sure the plate is cooled down to room temp before you try removing your parts. It's FAR easier to damage the film while it is warm. I still snag it once in a while, and I keep a stock of the Kapton sheets on hand.

I have not messed with hair spray for printing. I moved to PEI on aluminum plate for printing ABS. The first layer is still critical - too much squish and you won't get the part off without damaging it. Not enough and the part will lift at the corners.
as far as how long nozzles last - I don't know. Mine all still seem to be doing OK --- except for that one that got dragged across a binder clip a few times when I was just getting started. :shock:

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Pekish79
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Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 4:04 pm

Re: How often should I re-calibrate?

Post by Pekish79 » Mon Dec 19, 2016 9:29 pm

Using lot of wood pla my nozzle clog often and to unclog i tend to ruin them faster then many other people i bet
but i don't need extreme precision so i have been used slightly ruined nozzle the damn wood pla really prefer .5 then .35 the .35 clog often

there was a time when i was re-leveling the bed incredible often more or less everydad (zebra plate) then i switched to PEI and i level it a lot less but i mess around with a lot of different nozzle size and when u switch nozzle u need to re-level thing is hard to place the .5 exactly at the same height of the .35

at first i was all scientific in bed leveling with a series of height precision steps... after a while i figure out that it doesn't matter i go by eyes (like they used to say in the video tutorial) and print a test print of the typical 5 square 10 layer height and measure them

i prefer to squish a .05 more then a .05 less since my large flat print tend to lift corner with some pla and since i dont want to fix everytime i change pla i squish them all just a tad 10 layer x .2mm = 1.93/1.95 that's how i like it

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