Looking for some friendly Help Please?

[lostinthe907]

Hello,
I am new to 3d printing I am having a problem with some bad prints. I am using a Flashforge Creator (not sure which one) and I am running replicator G 0040 with skeinforge. I have tried all sorts different setting but nothing seems to make a difference. so this is what's happening, on all of my prints I have a rally bad seam and on just the outer shell there is a gap in the extrusion process. but it happens randomly with each print. (see photos) the rest of the print looks great! I cannot seem to find the right setting to adjust to clear this up. Any suggestions will be appreciated very much!

[tommcana]

Make it awesome keep it up.printing setting check and otherwise contact to solve printing problem.

[LambdaFF]

Is your hobbed bolt intact ? This looks quite periodic. How about the belt in that axis ?

[lostinthe907]

to be honest im not sure what my hobbed bolt is... but all the belts look brand new. I cant seem to find out if its a machine issue or a setting issue. I tired changing filament to white and it still does it....
also I don't know if its the order of the layers its putting down. it does the inner shell (which always looks great) but when the motor slows down to do the outer shell it seem to delay in the extrusion. I tried going in to skeinforge and changing the "restart extra distance" from 0 to .1 and all that did was make it extrude more before doing the fist inner shell not the second.

[curious aardvark]

two things.
Ditch rep-g and download makerware.
That'll improve things right there.

The hobbed bolt is inside the extruder and is the thing that feeds the filament into the extruder's melting chamber.
Try makerware and if you still have the same issue let me know.
It looks like the printer is working okay, so the bolt probably isn't jammed with chewed up filament.

Also Does it do this with both extruders ?

[Feign]

To expand on Aardvark's explanation, the hobbed bolt is a small toothed wheel that gives the extruder the grip it needs on the filament to push it into the melting chamber.
I understand why Lambda would suspect that part, if there is a slippery patch on it (even a very small one) then it wouldn't be able to push the filament for just that portion. A very small amount of turning in the extruder results in a farly large amount of extrusion, so even if the slick spot is only a millimeters, the effect on the final print would be a noticeable patch of non-extrusion (or at least very poor extrusion) for every several centimeters worth of perfectly good operation, which looks exactly like what you have.

[lostinthe907]

I may try makerware. But ithink i downloaded it but wouldnt alow me to open it of view it an anyway. Thank you. But i did take apart my hobbed bolt. And cleaned in between all the teeth. It did seem to make a defference. But not totally. And i have tried printing with the second head.(left) but it doesnt find the right center point. It moves it way way left amd starts the print off the platform. So i really wanted to get at least one head working properly before working the kinks out of the other. Now when i have a continues print it has no problems extuding and have no gaps. Its only just when it does its second outer shell that it has the delay.

[lostinthe907]

okay so I did download makerware. and I was able to print it with out issues. but its to basic. I have a few designs that need to be printed on certain sides but makerware wont allow me to rotate them that way. I also have to use my printer to preheat. Rep g may have been building my parts bad but being able to make all the adjustments and monitor the print is much nicer. I also am not a fan of having no manuel control of my printer. with Rep G I had that capability. Is there any other programs that are like a mix between the two?? makerware is too simple. and Rep G is causing bad prints. I still think with all the setting in rep G I should be able to fix my prints. Thanks for the help I am glad I can at least do something to make good prints!!! w

[dunginhawk]

if you have already invested 1k + in a printer, spend another $150 and get simplify 3d... one of the only softwares that can export x3g files, which your FF uses (btw i have a FF creator pro and LOVE IT). Its a bit costly for software, but it will save you headaches beyond belief. The way it slices is amazing.
For instance, I used to use Cura, Mattercontrol, Repetier w/ slic3r etc, and my prints are easily 3x cleaner, and look better with simplify 3d. Its a godsend.

[lostinthe907]

thanks! yeah spending another 150 probably wont be that big of a deal. I do like the quality if the prints from makeware just not the simplicity of it.