Can anyone help before my printer is thrown out the window

I have about had it with my basically new Qidi X-plus printer. I have tried so many various settings and really cannot get anything even remotely detailed to print correctly. Now I can't even get a basic keychain to print. My last print ended up in a ball around the nozzle. I even leveled it prior to and it was fine. Now I tried running it again after another level and the image shows what happened there. I am using Hatchbox PLA filament.

Here are my temp settings: Temp= 190c initial platform temp=75c and then platform temp=65c.

I have ranged with this setting quite a bit and nothing seems to really work. I would really love to trust my printer to do more detailed prints, but if I can't even get a 30 minute keychain to print there is no way it will print a 10 hour or longer design.

Can anyone please help me here??

what surface are you printing on ?
are you using anything as glue ?
pva glue stick works well, apply several layers to hot bed and let it dry.
blue tape always works, but can be a bugger to remove.
Dimafix is good stuff as is printgoo (? - something 'goo' anyway)

190 is a bit low. 200 would be by standard low temp pla setting.

Don't bugger about with platform temps - dunno where you got that from, but it's nonsense. Stick it on 50 or 60 or 65 and leave it. messing about with it will just reduce pla adhesion. Going from hot to cooler will almost guarentee to release the print.
50-65c is the sweet spot for pla.

How are you levelling ? IE: how thick is the paper you use under the nozzle.
Do you remove filament and then heat the nozzle first - or not. Do you heat the bed as well ? (not usually necessary for pla but essential for abs)

A good print surface is the most essential step - all the other things also make a difference.

Worth trying a sheet of cheap pei - I use printbite, which once dialled in is awesome stuff - but not cheap.
I'm not mad keen on buildtak - sure things stick to it, but sometimes getting them off can be a real bastard. :-)

Looking at the picture - the beads are very round, which indicates the print nozzle is probably not close enough to the print bed - a little bit of squish is usually necessary - I also tend to set my first layer as 150% thickness of the actual set layer height.
There should be a z-axis adjuster in the slicer somewhere - have to admit I've not looked at the qidi slicer. But if it has an 'advanced' settings option, check it out. Standard 'idiot' settings are usually a total waste of time. All printers have their individual quirks, depending on environmental conditions of where they are, filament used, print surface, levelling etc.

But to start with reduce the z gap, and don't change the bed temp during a print.

There are many ways to accomplish a task, none are wrong, all ways for one reason of another do not work for all users.

I have tried the PVA glue and had nothing but a mess that had to be cleaned afterwards, the print did indeed stick to the PVA glue though the PVA glue refused to stick to the surface, so the PLA, PVA Glue both were hanging above the bed warped.
The build surface was so bad nothing would stick to it, finally I purchased these Chinese build surfaces from Hictop and after a few prints was sold on them. The first bed surface I purchased was the price of 6 on these Chinese surfaces that work for me...

When I got my first print to stick I used a piece of Vinyl Transfer paper tape Tape.

Well as stated above finally wanted to 3D Print ABS and the tape method was in my opinion out of the question.
So I purchased the bed surfaces from Hictop and have never been more pleased with the results.

I wanted to show the the Vinyl Transfer Paper Tape method

Installing Vinyl Transfer Paper Tape
https://youtu.be/tJG1i2utfB4

Will Vinyl transfer paper Hold my Part
https://youtu.be/qzWKE3TO9UU

Will Vinyl Transfer Paper release my Print
https://youtu.be/Y5ut1OtMSp0

weird - what kind of pva did you use ?
The best stuff is the cheapo glue sticks from pound/buck stores.

mind you you're also the only person I know who uses vinyl transfer tape :-)

As you say, we're all different.

I purchased the Elmers glue sticks from E-Bay, But no do not blame the glue Sticks.

Stated the Expensive Build Surface I purchased was no good nothing would stick to it. Do not even want to name the Build Surface.

I used the Vinyl Transfer Paper Tape because I have a 4 foot Vinyl decal Cutter, I did not have Blue Tape. I have lots of vinyl and Transfer Paper tape and Vinyl Transfer Tape.

So I used what I had as a test it worked and did not change until I purchased a new bed surface.

Now I do not use the Tape Method unless it is very small and curvy models and the Paper tape works when my Build Surface does not.
It cost about 10 cents per bed surface of Transfer Paper Tape, I could place only what is needed though prefer the full bed covered.

this is the place to name the build surface that didn't work - can't avoid it if you don't know it odesn 't work :-)

Magigoo !
that's the name :-)
Just don't squeeze the tube too hard - or you'll get covered in the damn stuff.

I purchased the Elmers glue sticks from E-Bay, But no do not blame the glue Sticks.

As I stated the Expensive Build Surface I purchased was no good nothing would stick to it.

I used the Vinyl Transfer Paper Tape because I have a 4 foot Vinyl decal Cutter, I did not have Blue Tape. I have lots of vinyl and Transfer Paper Tape.

So I used what I had as a test it worked and did not change until I purchased a new bed surface.

Now I do not use the Tape Method unless it is very small and curvy models and the Paper tape works when my Build Surface does not.
It cost about 10 cents per bed surface of Transfer Paper Tape, I could place only what is needed though prefer the full bed covered.

The surface is a removable magnetic. Not sure the proper term. I did not use the glue yet. That is on my list of things to try.

The printer had an auto level function which when I just did a manual it was way off. So I did correct the level I feel. The company gave me a flimsy scratch paper for leveling.

I do not remove the filament and then heat the nozzle. Bed temps is set to a solid 65c now.

There is an advanced settings option, but really not sure what to adjust to get it correct. I will increase the temp to 200 and see if that helps.

I did just try the same print again and I do have a complete print, but the quality is absolutely terrible and the back end almost looks melted. I have attached the photos of the latest.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by liqwidsilver

I have about had it with my basically new Qidi X-plus printer. I have tried so many various settings and really cannot get anything even remotely detailed to print correctly. Now I can't even get a basic keychain to print. My last print ended up in a ball around the nozzle. I even leveled it prior to and it was fine. Now I tried running it again after another level and the image shows what happened there. I am using Hatchbox PLA filament.

Here are my temp settings: Temp= 190c initial platform temp=75c and then platform temp=65c.
You can take it for repair.

I have ranged with this setting quite a bit and nothing seems to really work. I would really love to trust my printer to do more detailed prints, but if I can't even get a 30 minute keychain to print there is no way it will print a 10 hour or longer design.

Can anyone please help me here??

---

You can take it for repair.

remove filament from printer and wipe the nozzle when you level.
even the smallest amount of filament left at the tip of the nozzle will give you a false level.

You have to remember that we are dealing with layer sizes as thin as five 100ths of a millimetre. ANYTHING between the nozzle tip and the paper will make a difference.

Have you found the secret setting of 3D Printing the smaller more detailed models.

If No then Continue.

In my printing of PLA it likes to be printed between 192-202C with a Bed temp of 40-60C.
Depending on your 3D Printer the start speed can be a 30-50% as compared to the 100% set in the slicer as full speed.
After the first layer has printed you can increase the print speed. I can print from 72-86% near perfect Models quite easily though have printed faster with a few Print flaws.

I have in the forums uploaded my Cura's profiles they include Cura 15.04.6 - Cura 4. An have used other slicers thou continue using my trusty Cura slicers.

Again here are my Cura Profiles

I run 210 on my nozzel and 60 on my bed for hatchbox pla. You may have a bad slicer

If the filament is curling around your nozzle then it is a sign that your z-height is too high.

I agree. I have 7 3d printers from different brands and find a bit of Magigoo solves most print bed adhesion problems.

Throwing is definitely not a good idea dear, you can go for repairing.