Makerbot Desktop - Mirror and First Layer Height

I very much like MB Desktop. It's very intuitive and easy to work with. Unfortunately, i can't find 2 tools which would really make my life easier: mirror function and first layer height.

I can live without the mirror function, but the ability to change the first layer height would help increase my print success rate. Used hairspray on the 2x's heated bed (over the kapton tape) before but I would rather not do it again. A thick first layer would work much better for me.

Are these features in there somewhere? I tried googling with no success.

Hi there
all you can do about 1st layer is speed of extrusion adjustment.
Normaly is a bit better to use 15-25 for first layer.
Another thing is to use BuildTac as sufrace (insead of Kapton tape).
Much better adhesion

Regards
Roberto

had first layer set at 20, so i tried lowering it to 15 but it does not help. I'm printing at 0.1, often 0.05, so it's having problems extruding the filament so close to the plate. I leveled it already several times and i've only had this machine for a week. This is where that first layer height thing would come in handy. Is makerbot desktop the only way to slice files for the rep 2x?

i'll look into the buildtak. thanks.

Sure wish they would add those two options to Makerbot Desktop, though.

I'm afraid there is no option for first layer high at MB desktop.
You can try with Simplify3d

But also, you can fine tune leveling of build plate.
Get yourself big surface like that:
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resi...t=file%2cthing
adjust first layer speed to 10
then let it print and while printing, manualy adjust right distanjce to the build plate by screwing bolts.

Regards
Roberto