Solved Help. Printing 6 inches above the bed....

............and simply leaving a string of blue spaghetti.

I'm trying to figure out what I need to do to get this thing to print on the bed. It looks like it's trying to print my files, but it's a good 4-5" off the bed.

Do I need to manually turn the screw poles on both sides and lower it to the print bed so it thinks it's starting lower ?

It's already been a frustrating day at work. I just wanted to get my printer working. I even figured out the software I wanted to use (Strata 3d) for designing and exporting my STL files, since it works a lot like AI. Using MatterControl to print.

Clueless.

Going to sleep, hoping for help and answers. Go easy on me - I'm new.

 

Hey,
Is it homing before it prints? Does it touch the bed?
Might be that you have a problem with your z switch

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

Thanks Tomer.

It acts as though it's trying to do the auto leveling thing, but never touches the print bed. I may be able to upload video this evening so you can see. I have a feeling it's a software issue, but I don't know where/what to adjust.

 

Actually that's what I thought your problem is.

Start by checking the micro switches.
On the 2 rods at the sides (z rods) there is a micro switch (below the plastic).
Make sure they are both connected tightly (2 wires each).
Then make sure they are both pressed by default.
What happens is that when your print head touches the build plate it creates a gap from the switches and that's how your printer knows it's in Z0.

Let me know if this helps or something is not clear

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

P.S the auto leveling is done by a the firmware (the code on the board inside your printer)

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

That first video is EXACTLY what my printer is doing.

When I get home from work today, I'll pull this back up and go through checking all of this.

Thank you both. If something else happens, I'll post.

I feel hope now. LOL

 

Videos worked. I saw that first thing he was talking about (with the button not being pushed down). Fixed.

Now I just have to spend time turning the screws to get the print head level. Printing too high on one side, so it ends up not sticking. Ended up dragging my half-done first project around on the printer.

But I'm heading in the right direction.

Now, for some reason or another (I'll search for it), I hit pre-heat and the temperature won't rise.

 

And I printed the whistle.

related note - glue stick on the bed doesn't work for me. I cleaned the bed off and just printed.... no dragging or snagging of the item while printing. I'm going to go glueless for a while.

 

I actually figured out how to get the glue to work. I experimented for a few seconds with school glue (knock-off of Elmer's white glue). Worked well....TOO WELL.

Got the glue stick working, though. Unfortunately, the first layer seems to not want to adhere correctly. I sometimes have to pause mid-first layer (or at the start) and adjust the print head height manually. Then it will continue printing at the right height and thickness.