Now a bit apprehensive about my Mk4 kit
I expect to receive my Mk4 kit in the next couple of days, it's not my first 3d printer, and careful assembly does not phase me as I'm accustomed to working with scientific instruments. I'm looking forward to the Mk4 being bigger, faster, and to perhaps producing higher quality prints than my well tuned and very reliable Mini.
However I'm now feeling a bit apprehensive as I read on here of apparently common issues of layer shifting and the print head regularly banging against the limits on the X axis. I hope I will not regret my purchase.
RE: Now a bit apprehensive about my Mk4 kit
Believe me you won't regret. I got mine last year on August 23rd. It took me over four days to finish it. Did not push it to break any records. Took time to double check everything. The first print came out perfect. I have not had a single print that did not come out perfect. I have used PLA, PETG, TPU and Flex. All have come out perfect. Even made a Flex print 2mm thick, came out fine. Just follow the very good instructions and all will be good. Don't skip anything for the sake of time. By the way it was an upgrade kit from an I3MKS+ to the MK4.
Tom
RE: Now a bit apprehensive about my Mk4 kit
Thanks for the good advice Tom. I'm not sure how I managed to post twice .... Clearly user error, and I have not been able to delete one of them.
RE: Now a bit apprehensive about my Mk4 kit
I just want to also throw my ten penneth in here too - got the mk4 kit, carefully built it in a series of 1 to 2 hour stints and have never looked back. Not my first 3d printer, but definitely the one I should have bought in the first place. I did have a layer shift but this was entirely my fault and was never repeated (because I learned a hard lesson about printing when it was too cold over night).
emjoy your build!
RE: Now a bit apprehensive about my Mk4 kit
I built my MK4 kit in the fall of 2023 and it has been flawless. I do still use my MINI+ because it is reliable and works every time, but the MK4 is faster and does more. There are some things I prefer on each one.
X marks the spot.
RE: Now a bit apprehensive about my Mk4 kit
Hi Chief, and thanks for your coment. How did an cold overnight print contribute to a layer shift please? I print in an enclosure, simply so that I can run an extractor fan to exhaust any fumes to outside, and not for temperature control.
........... I did have a layer shift but this was entirely my fault and was never repeated (because I learned a hard lesson about printing when it was too cold over night).
emjoy your build!
RE: Now a bit apprehensive about my Mk4 kit
Hi, I’m pretty certain that the temperature dropped to a point where the printer was unhappy - I’ve tried switching it on when the temperature inside the enclosure is under 7 deg c and I’m greeted with an error message and the printer refuses to boot up. I found that I need a temp of at least 8.9 before I can properly start. I believe the temperature will have dropped overnight to nearer zero and the print moved on the bed (was a big print (the body of giant Lego minifig). I’ve only ever had issues when the temperature drops too low. Even with my enclosure (used for dust and draught reasons) the temp can drop too much - it is sat in a brick garage that is not connected to the house so it does get pretty cold in there.
hope this helps
RE: Now a bit apprehensive about my Mk4 kit
And I’ve just checked the meta data for that photo I attached, it was taken on 3rd December 2023 which is right in the middle of winter in the uk
RE: Now a bit apprehensive about my Mk4 kit
Nothing that cold here, and that was a MASSIVE layer shift. Anyway, I've just spent three days, working on and off, to assemble my Mk4 kit. It was slow, tedious and somwetimes frustrating, but got there in the end. I upgraded to FW 6.0.0, she passed all the self tests, and I've just completed a simple first print which was faultless.
Now the fun begins....
RE: Now a bit apprehensive about my Mk4 kit
Just you enjoy it 😊