Solved How to properly level the bed?

Hey guys - I know this auto leveling, I also know that it doesn't work great. I say that because I routinely have instances where one side of my print look different than the other. Specifically I am talking about the first layer. On one side it looks like the nozzle was too close to the bed and on the other side it looks like it was too far.

I have mentioned this in another thread but it was wrapped up in other issues. What I would like specifically if someone wouldn't mind, is a step by step list so to speak of what to do to properly level the bed. Here's what I think I have so far and I am hoping for either validation that it is correct, or instructions on how to do it correctly. I am now using S3D - I just purchased today so I am still learning it.

1 - Home all. This brings the extruder to 0,0,0
2 - See if I can put a piece of paper under the extruder and pull out with little effort from each of the four corners.
3 - Raise/lower manually one side of the z rods, while holding the other to ensure it doesn't move, to get the nozzle to the appropriate height (paper height).

I have done this, but having done so, I have several questions:
1 - How do I level all four points? I realize I can level from left to right, but if I level the front left and then go to level the back left, doing so takes the front out of level - make sense?
2 - After I level the left and right (assume I am doing so with the printer off), will S3D see 0,0,0 at my newly leveled locations? In other words, home all to 0,0,0, turn off printer and close S3D, manually level, turn on printer and S3D again, when I home will it go to my leveled locations?
3 - What is a "good enough" tolerance between the left and right sides of the bed and front to rear?

Thanks as always everyone.

 

OK - So I got the answer to one of the questions. I tried manually leveling, but as soon as I homed all axes the next time I turned it on, it did no go to where I manually leveled it. In other words, when I manually leveled it, I could get a piece of paper under the extruder. When I turned it back on and homes the axes, I no longer can get a piece of paper under the extruder. So it definitely didn't keep the leveling I did. Anyone know why not. What am I doing wrong?

 

Thanks Mark. think I understand. That said, what do I reseat the z home switches? Do I need to turn the brass nut?

 

Hey guys - rehashing this thread because I am still spending an inordinate amount of time trying to get this bed level. I literally spend an hour or so before every print to level the bed. That's ridiculous. I know the left side is lower than the right. That is evidence by the fact that when I print something, it looks good on the left, and very very smooshed (almost nonexistent) on the right....

I have tried shimming with paper circles, they work for a few prints and then even though I don't do a thing different, the same z offset doesn't work and I have to play with it again. I have shimmed the heck out of the left side and it is still lower than the right side - see pics below. I am getting very frustrated. Love this printer when it prints, but am spending more time getting it ready to print and much less time printing. Any thoughts or ideas as to what I should do to try and correct? Everything is in place and seated as it should be. I do have another bed that I may swap out. I have been avoiding it because I haven't wanted to mess with epoxying the magnets. But maybe I should give it a try. I welcome any ideas from you experts

 

Thanks Mark - Still really new at this so sorry if these are basic questions, but just so I am clear - remove the G29 - got it. Then I am going to manually move the rods using the paper test. Here is where I get confused a little. I know how to move the rods and make the paper just tug slightly at all 4 corners like it should be. What then? I don't know how to adjust the switch. What I mean is that - yes - I know where the clamp is to loosen it and how to move it up and down. But the tolerances are so close, the switch is engaged and appears closed up. Does that make sense? That's why shimming seemed to make sense.

 

You know...I brought this up in another thread this morning...but I have been thinking this weekend about the R1+ having two drivers for the Z axis and how that can be potentially problematic. Since the driver current could be different now on each Z motor, could one be moving more efficiently than the other and cause the x axis to get out of alignment? I'm not an electrical engineer, but just a theory I have right now with more and more R1+ users coming to the forum complaining about leveling issues even after doing paper leveling and such. Even Chuck Hellabuck just tore the Robo ABL apart in his latest YouTube. When I had stock ABL with my R1 upgraded to the new leadscrews I never had the problem of the x axis and bed alignment getting off between prints. I did start getting the stair stepping issue, but I think that had to do with the new z endstop bracket design. Just thought out loud, but I would be curious to hear those that have had a blown ramps on the R1+ that rewire to the standard Ramps design to see if they have any issues like this anymore.

 

I think...think...they removed the pins for them to be both on the same driver. I will have to find a pic to verify.

 

Mark - when you say moving the z rods and leveling the x axis first, I assume you mean once I have done that I have to adjust the switches - correct? How do I know exactly where the switch should be when I tighten it up?

 

Also - is it easier to do this with the top off, and will that adversely affect the leveling?

 

My switches are facing each other - but the actual switch actuator is to the outside of the bed for each one. I assume that's how it is supposed to be. Also, when you say the extruder should not be on the bed with the switches closed up, I assume you mean the height off the bed of the paper test - correct?

 

Ok found a pic of the new board and YES it does still have the dual header pins on Z0. So now I am curious if switching to use just one driver for the Z again would keep the print to print leveling a bit more accurate. I don't want to hijack this thread with that though. So maybe an experiment for another thread.