Stringing driving me crazy
I gave up on printing about a year ago but want to get back on it. I gave up I think because I was having quality issues after a couple of months of awesome prints and I became disheartened with it.
I'm back on it now and am committed to getting this working properly.
I am using a mini+ with a 0.4ml extruder. I have downloaded the Treefrog_variable_MINI_PLA_1h15m.
What are you sugestions re the stringing problem? Vest solutions to try first.
Thanks
Chris
RE: Stringing driving me crazy
Are you drying your filament? That always improves the quality with no downside. I'm talking about a heated filament dryer. Desiccant packs don't cut it.
Regards,
Mark
RE: Stringing driving me crazy
I amI have it in a Sunlu oven thing.
RE: Stringing driving me crazy
Is that the gcode you downloaded? That is very old and there are many improvements since then. Download an stl file and import into Prusa Slicer using the most recent presets.
At the very least, download treefrog_variable.3mf and go into Prusa Slicer and update using recent presets. Although it is simpler to download gcode, it takes no advantage of the recent improvements made, as it stuck in the past when the gcode was made.
Also, update your firmware in the printer. If it is very old, you may have to follow this thread:
Then you may need this:
Then calibrate following this:
It's a lot, but firmware and slicer updates have improved the Mini a lot since the original releases. There are still some issues with seams as discussed in the thread above, but overall a big improvement.
Regards,
Mark
RE: Stringing driving me crazy
You may be printing too hot for your filament. I'd print a temperature tower to find the setting with the least amount of stringing. E.g., https://www.printables.com/model/39810
Formerly known on this forum as @fuchsr -- until all hell broke loose with the forum software...
RE:
It's the red pigment, I have this too across all brands. Filament gets wet much faster, becomes brittle and needs much less print temp than other colors of same brand. For example I have to print Sunlu PLA+ red @205°C to avoid stringing. All others work at 230°C.
Similar stuff happening to neon filaments.
RE:
Don't beat me please, but are you dead sure it's PLA and not PETG you are using?
If it's accidentally the wrong material, PLA printer settings will cause mayhem.
I also accidentally ordered a spool of PLA (with PETG in mind) and used PETG settings for it. It can happen when you are like me.
RE: Stringing driving me crazy
Also there were situations when the spool was marked PETG but was in fact PLA, so there are ways to test it, afair PLA is much more brittle, while PETG is more elastic when bent.
If you burn a 1mm bit of the filament with a lighter and if it smells sweet then it is PLA.
See my GitHub and printables.com for some 3d stuff that you may like.
RE: Stringing driving me crazy
Easy to test, just run a different spool of filament. To me, this doesn't look like PETG printed at PLA temps. I would expect to see underextrusion etc.. If anything, looks more like printing PLA at PETG temps.
Formerly known on this forum as @fuchsr -- until all hell broke loose with the forum software...
RE: Stringing driving me crazy
I had already updated the firmware. I was using prusa's own PLA. Also this spool printed fine a year ago and it is sat in a sunlu heater to make sure it is dry.
RE: Stringing driving me crazy
It is the same with a couople of different spools.
RE: Stringing driving me crazy
One thing sometimes overlooked is nozzle wear.. I had a brass nozzle that, after a year, became about 0.5mm instead of 0.4 and it was pumping out too much filament and was stringing all my filament.. You can just do a manual extrude and measure some of the filament with calibers.. not exact but might give a clue.. If you've had your nozzle in for a year of printing.. might be time to change. Otherwise.. drop temp of nozzle 10C and see if that helps stringing.
RE: Stringing driving me crazy
First layer calibration done properly?
Last part of calibration have consistent single piece and not a bunch of filaments?
Initially was having similar issues with some rpla prusament
Went petg only and adjuster 1st layer calibration and so big improvements
Support suggested to increase retraction a bit in case but that wasn't needed with petg (they also said to try 5c less but that wasn't needed either so far)