Solved Filament snagged, now clicking/crackling noises + layer problems

Reading your reply in the other thread, which I combined into this

I think your issue is that you tried to enclose it. For PLA you don't want that high of elevated temps. Heat helps the first layer stick, but it should really taper off. If your ambient temperature is high you will have a harder time cooling the heatsink leading to the previously described issues.

Unless your environment is very cold (below 15c) you really shouldn't be enclosing things.

 

I do get the value of the oiler... it's one of the first models I plan to print (along with a better heat-sink fan mount, because the one that was included with the Robo is garbage -- not only did it never hold the screws very well because its printed layers split where screw mounts were, but its "clip-on" design has also caused it to simply fall off more than once)

I just wondered how the jamming could cause the weak layers, but what you are describing sounds about right (I am getting these brittle, porous layers that just flake off -- I think the clicking/cracking noises were caused by the nozzle rubbing these flaky, flimsy layers)

 

Okay... that was a last resort, actually, after I already had 5 failed prints. I thought maybe the flaky/non-adhesive layers could be due to cooling too quickly (since the print is sort of wide with fairly high surface area)

And yeah, my house is cold and not heating sufficiently lately, so it's down around 60 degrees or so, possibly colder in the room I am using (esp. sitting on tile floor which soaks up the cold)

 

Currently printing oiler (I forget whose -- downloaded off thingiverse)... so far, it has made it MUCH higher than my other model was making it. But I also changed some things... I couldn't see that there was a bottom section of MatterControl which was cut off by the window that opened up, showing Firmware as R1AutoV1... so I updated to V2 (not sure what changes there are there, but figured it couldn't hurt)

Also decided to switch slicer to Slic3r (instead of MatterSlice) for this one. Again, don't know if that impacts anything, but I had seen some other people getting better results with it so decided to switch over.

Set model quality on Low (for speed/material sake)

I'll update after I print this oiler, to see how well my own model does with these new changes. If it still fails, then I'm starting to wonder if the ambient temperature of the room is a factor... (fwiw, the bed/thermistor temps are at 15 before heating, so looks like this room is 15C)

 

Well, oiler came out okay... (has some holes/gaps on the side, so I can't remove the support material inside or oil will seep out the sides of it perhaps. But otherwise, looks good)

Tried my model, and Slic3r took a white for "intermediate file", then said it failed to slice. Went back to MatterSlice and trying again (no oiler on it yet... will place that when I switch filament)

One more question: any good recommendations for securing the wires better (in corrugated tube) so that they don't get in the way of filament or carriage?

 

Update: My model is mid-print and is looking good... very good. Possibly the best print I've seen since I got the printer (and no, I don't have oiler on it right now, but I: lowered temp from 210 to 207; raised bed temp to 65 first layer, 55 thereafter; and perhaps most importantly, updated the firmware to V2!)

 

I will probably add it if/when I do a large print that I don't want to fail...

 

Success! 3 hours later, our prototype is done.... and looks like a beautiful print. Print quality set at low, but it now has super clean lines, no wisps/strings, no blobs, and no banding! THIS is what I wanted my Robo to be!