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Starting Extruder Height Issue

Discussion in 'Printing Filament' started by Alec, Jan 5, 2014.

  1. Alec

    Alec New Member

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    Hi, when attempting to print anything it seems that filament gathers on the extruder nozzle, making it impossible for any of it to get to the bed and therefore start a print. I have owned the printer for a few weeks, and I have had only one successful print. Someone said that it was the extruder height, and that that should be set lower for the first layer. Is this true, and if it is, how do I do that? Thanks for the help. PS I would be glad to post screens of Repetier to show current height, so just tell me where to go and I'll post them.
     
    #1 Alec, Jan 5, 2014
  2. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    It is likely :

    http://forums.robo3dprinter.com/index.php?threads/first-layer-issues.1556/#post-11046

    http://forums.robo3dprinter.com/ind...ot-oozing-and-other-fun-stuff.1148/#post-8998

    and many others.
    http://forums.robo3dprinter.com/index.php?threads/just-got-your-printer-things-to-keep-in-mind.1161/

    The extruder height is the same (at Z home). The first layer thickness settings may be what they were referring to, but this sounds exactly like the initial height of the nozzle is simply too high* (i.e. for the first layer). Everything after that is relative to the 1st layer.

    *and this is a mechanical adjustment before you start printing, not a software controlled one. Not the initial height...
     
    #2 mark tomlinson, Jan 5, 2014
  3. Alec

    Alec New Member

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    Did you have this issue? If so, what exactly did you do before every print? Thanks for the resonance.
     
    #3 Alec, Jan 5, 2014
  4. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Yes, I had to get the Z height right initially before anything would stick correctly (at least CONSISTENTLY).

    The good news is, once the initial Z height is correct you do not have to mess with it every time you print, just a quick check as the perimeter is printing is enough to tell you if it needs to be re-adjusted.

    If the Z home is changing once you have it set, then something else is wrong with the printer. I had a number of issues (broken Z axis carriage, loose belts, etc) that I had to sort out when I got the printer.
     
    #4 mark tomlinson, Jan 5, 2014
    2 people like this.
  5. Alec

    Alec New Member

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    Thanks so much. I hope that your advice will help the problem.
     
    #5 Alec, Jan 5, 2014

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