Scotta's Printer

Got my printer yesterday and today I am printing..... very impressed
After two false starts where material did not fully stick, I got two clean skirts and Mr Jaws printed. His lower jaw did not firmly stick at first but good
Very happy for a first go.

It did however drag the hot end across the surface at the end
I'm sure there is fine tuning to do...

 

looks good. congrats.

 

Looks better than my first print!

 

Whilst some backwards steps good progress across the weekend.
Managed to print out the first object I designed in Blender. A coffee pod holder for Nescafe pods.

I'm generally getting a good clean skirt. The first photo - This was my first try at the pod holder. It failed, I think due to some issues with the model rather than the printer.


I fixed the model and made some cosmetic changes. photos below.
I need to go back with some design mods but a good prototype.

Main issue is some darker small (1-2mm) blobs that appear across the surface. Makes me think the temperature might be a bit high? currently at 195 for first 185 for subsequent.
Will try tomorrow on 182...


I still need to print some retainers for the tops of the aluminum u section.

 

My son even got into the act. Quickly modeled a separator for his card decks.
Managed to print a couple..

 

For the dark blobs, you may be having the same problem I had. While learning I had the hotend go through the model. This left several pieces of plastic along the sides and other places. These pieces would eventually burn and carbonize and then later ooze as the hotend got hot again and drip onto the plastic which is really annoying.

I helped mitigate that by scraping the hotend using tweezers until I nearly got nothing when I did a scrape.

 

I need to get in there and watch where it is coming from. Could be oozing from under the tape...

 

It was oozing from under the tape. If the print head is too low, it must ooze out (as it cant get out the nozzle.)

 

The print temp was too low which was causing it to ooze out.

 

So a 4 month review....
Printing with ABS, PLA successfully. Must have run through about 3 rolls in total
Good adhesion, started with blue tape. No just use UHU or generic brand of glue stick. Bed at about 60C for PLA, 90 for ABS
Mods completed;
1. bed levelling screws http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:125626
only print two at the back end, all that is needed.
2. added some LED lighting and a switch
3. added a reprapdiscount full graphics controller... no more PC printing.
http://reprap.org/wiki/RepRapDiscount_Full_Graphic_Smart_Controller
4. My original J-head died; the PTFE tubing burnt and cracked. The team at robo sent me some tube but I decided to upgrade to and E3D hotend. Installed that today and am currently printing a replacement fan mount.
The print cooling fan is just being held in place by electrical tape currently.