Dissapointing fully assembled Core One+
As much as I enjoyed building my mk3 back in the day, I decided to go for fully assembled because eI was keen to get on with printing.
However, right from the first setup and calibration there were failures. The first attempt at purging filament failed, but then after 15mins started working. I got a small print done, but the next print shadow printed maybe at 1cm height. I couldn't unclog the nozzle, tried cold pulls, pushing through at 280c etc. Eventually I swapped the nozzle for a new one (I bought the advanced set) and it worked again for as short while but became blocked again after one small print. I'm using prusament Galaxy PLA. Through all of this I've been on chat with tech support. I've said I'm not particularly pleased with the it clogging all the time and not even purging on the first attempt, but keep being told, that stuck filament is a fact of life with 3D printing and I need to learn how to unclog. Fair there will be some maintenance required, but a complete clog every other print?!
One support person in chat asked me to take the cover of the gears, but having not build the thing, I undid the three screws on the cover and pulled off the three layers, so now I have grease everywhere and a jumble of gears. He asked for a photo, which I sent, but didn't see anything odd and I asked why was I taking apart a fully assembled printer, and was told that there was not need to take it apart, they had just forgotten it was fully assembled. So I tried to follow the instructions to fit the gears back in, but don't have the alignment tool, because it doesn't come with fully assembled printers apparently. I eventually managed to put is extruder all back together. It's definitely useful to know how it all hangs together.
I was still having issues with not being able to print anything over 30mins without shadow printing, or else if I did a very quick print, the nozzle would be blocked the next time I tried a new print. I have spent so much time cold pulling and pushing acupuncture needles up the nozzle.
Eventually I purchases an e3d ObXidian nozzle, and it seems to be better. at least the purge is reasonable straight, but sometimes needs a little help not to curl up. The original nozzles used to just make curls of filament to cover itself.
Printer is a little better now with the new nozzle, but now bed adhesion is a problem for some prints it seems.
I came here to see if people were having similar problems, and it seems I'm not completely alone. But I wondered if there was something else that I can look at with my printer to try to get consistent prints, so I can print and leave it rather than waiting for the next failure?
Should I be looking at log files, is it a temp issue, could the motor have a fault etc. Any diagnostics I could be doing? Appreciate any help
RE: Dissapointing fully assembled Core One+
However, right from the first setup and calibration there were failures. The first attempt at purging filament failed, but then after 15mins started working. I got a small print done, but the next print shadow printed maybe at 1cm height. I couldn't unclog the nozzle, tried cold pulls, pushing through at 280c etc.
To me, it sounds like a filament has already been loaded into the Prusa. Take another PETG filament and flush the nozzle again for a long time.
Are the two screws holding the nozzle in the heatbreak tight enough?
Tighten the two screws on the idler a little more to increase the tension on the filament.
Once you’ve mounted the filament so that it can move freely and you’ve pushed it through the PTFE tube all the way to the extruder, give it a tug with your finger and let us know if it’s hard to pull or very easy. PTFE tubes come in different wall thicknesses, and in curved sections, the narrowing diameter can restrict the filament’s movement (this has happened to me many times too)
So I tried to follow the instructions to fit the gears back in, but don't have the alignment tool, because it doesn't come with fully assembled printers apparently. I eventually managed to put is extruder all back together. It's definitely useful to know how it all hangs together.
I would remove all the grease and clean it with isopropyl alcohol.
Printer is a little better now with the new nozzle, but now bed adhesion is a problem for some prints it seems.
Is there filament in the nozzle when bed leveling starts? Does it stop during nozzle cleaning? How thick is the first layer (0.20 mm)? How fast do you print the first layer? What is the print temperature on the bed and in the nozzle during the first layer?
Mods for Core One: Core One HT 450 degrees, Comfortable display , Very fast print start and Reducing noises
Mods for Prusa XL: Very fast print start