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ShamusTheTinker
(@shamusthetinker)
Eminent Member
Filament Problems

It's been a few days now and I'm getting a hang of using everything, but I've been having some problems with non Prusa filaments. I've got a dozen spools from 4 or 5 different companies worth of filament and so far they all give me problems. Mostly the problem is none of them want to stick to the sheet and stay down. I can sort of get my hatchbox to work by printing with a brim and watching it closely for lifting while it starts, but I don't think I should be having this much problem with it. Other filaments almost immediately start lifting when it extrudes them. Does anyone have any tips or methods that will get it to work every time?

Posted : 04/02/2018 6:57 pm
stoofer
(@stoofer)
Estimable Member
Re: Filament Problems

My top tips for layer 1:
[*]Clean bed with acetone.
[*]Use a 5mm brim
[*]Fine tune Live Z
[*]Lower layer 1 speed to 15mm/s

When my layer 1 fails, it's usually some ooze that occurred during the bed probing that ends up being pushed around and ruining it all. I got horrible layer 1 reliability at normal speed, 180 turns tend to wanted to lift unless I lower Z too low, which caused other problems.

I can now get prints like this (scratches near the switches were my own clumsy hands with hand tools):

[attachment=0]IMG_1431[1].JPG[/attachment]

Posted : 04/02/2018 7:08 pm
Rich Thompson
(@rich-thompson)
Active Member
Re: Filament Problems

Glue stick, it lasts for several prints.

Posted : 04/02/2018 7:16 pm
ShamusTheTinker
(@shamusthetinker)
Eminent Member
Topic starter answered:
Re: Filament Problems


Glue stick, it lasts for several prints.

We can glue stick the bed? I didn't think that was recommended.

Posted : 04/02/2018 7:49 pm
ShamusTheTinker
(@shamusthetinker)
Eminent Member
Topic starter answered:
Re: Filament Problems


My top tips for layer 1:
[*]Clean bed with acetone.
[*]Use a 5mm brim
[*]Fine tune Live Z
[*]Lower layer 1 speed to 15mm/s

When my layer 1 fails, it's usually some ooze that occurred during the bed probing that ends up being pushed around and ruining it all. I got horrible layer 1 reliability at normal speed, 180 turns tend to wanted to lift unless I lower Z too low, which caused other problems.

I can now get prints like this (scratches near the switches were my own clumsy hands with hand tools):

Nice, I'll play with it some more then

Posted : 04/02/2018 7:50 pm
stoofer
(@stoofer)
Estimable Member
Re: Filament Problems



Glue stick, it lasts for several prints.

We can glue stick the bed? I didn't think that was recommended.

You can, I've found it not needed with PLA if I slow the 1st layer down.

You should absolutely use it for PETG, or you might not get the print off the bed without damaging the bed. This is why there is gluestick with the printer.

Posted : 04/02/2018 8:13 pm
surfgeorge
(@surfgeorge)
Estimable Member
Re: Filament Problems

[/quote]
You should absolutely use it for PETG, or you might not get the print off the bed without damaging the bed. This is why there is gluestick with the printer.
[/quote]

A little off-topic in this thread - but I have printed a lot of PETG and all I did was just wipe the PEI sheet with my bare hand.
Got off the dust, the prints stuck perfectly well and popped right off when cooling the bed down and bending it.
So for me it definitely worked without glue stick.

For Ninjaflex on the other hand I also used glue stick as a separating agent.
It's nice that you can just wash the print bed in the sink!

Posted : 04/02/2018 9:29 pm
Olef
 Olef
(@olef)
Prominent Member
Re: Filament Problems

I've been printing PETG on the PEI bed for the last six months and never used a glue stick. Take Josef's advice and clean the PEI with Windex before printing - it leaves a slight residue which allows the PETG to be separated when cooled.

Posted : 04/02/2018 9:33 pm
stoofer
(@stoofer)
Estimable Member
Re: Filament Problems

I think a lot of it might come down to size. Flexing the bed has worked really well for large PETG parts for me, but small parts when I didn't use a gluestick... oh my! 🙂

Posted : 04/02/2018 9:34 pm
ShamusTheTinker
(@shamusthetinker)
Eminent Member
Topic starter answered:
Re: Filament Problems

I'll give the windex a try, I burn through alcohol wipes taking off the glue when I'm done. How much are you slowing the print down Paul?

Posted : 05/02/2018 12:21 am
Rich Thompson
(@rich-thompson)
Active Member
Re: Filament Problems

For glue stick, you can apply it to the bed for any filament to improve adhesion. Once you apply it, you can run several prints. To clean it up, run the removable bed under some hot water for a minute or two and t he glue will disappear. Be sure to dry the bed. I use it for PLA, PETG and Flexible filament.

Posted : 05/02/2018 3:22 am
ShamusTheTinker
(@shamusthetinker)
Eminent Member
Topic starter answered:
Re: Filament Problems

Good thing I kept my glue sticks I used on my old printer. I use the Avery purple glue sticks, loved them on that and used the hot water to remove it pretty regularly. I haven't tried the glue stick that came with the mk3 yet, but hopefully it's as good as my old ones.

Posted : 05/02/2018 7:10 am
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