New 12" user and I am LOST!

[tsteever]

.2, honeycomb, rectilinear

What about the base and the dimensions?

[printbus]

As sniffle said, really not all that bad of a first completed print. And as rhonal89 said, slic3r sort of has a reputation for being light on the top layer - it's often easy to spot Slic3r prints because of that. Is Colin still providing Slic3r v0.9.9? (dumbfounded) You do have the option to increase the top layer extrusion... I think I was up to 300% before I moved away from Slic3r. I've heard the very latest experimental rev on Slic3r has finally made some flow rate adjustments.

Have you calibrated the extruder yet? Don't scrutinize the bottom layer, the top layer, or really much of anything until you do.

The temperature of the build plate can make a big difference in how the first layer smooths out. You've told us you're printing in ABS - what nozzle and bed temperatures? They can vary from printer to printer and filament to filament, but we can at least confirm whether you're in the right ballpark.

Finally, this may not help with your USB woes, but it's probably safe to say that the USB interface on most of these printers is "delicate". It's especially easy to get things messed up if you're trying to do multiple things with different software talking to the printer. My pitfall is typically trying to upload firmware from the Arduino IDE while I still have host software connected to the printer. A fully robust recovery procedure typically entails closing the Arduino IDE, disconnecting the host software, closing the host software, unplugging the USB cable, sometimes turning off the printer and then back on, reconnecting the USB cable, and then restarting the software I was trying to use. In a few rare cases, I've had to log out/in or restart the laptop I use. Again, this may not be helpful to you but sharing lessons learned.

[tsteever]

That was what I came here to comment on. I think I need to get the extruder calibrated first. So far I have been only using what Colin has supplied and recommended.

I am using 250 for the abs temp
110 for the bed
.4mm hexagon hotend

Yes, I am using Slic3r v0.9.9 as that is what he supplied configs for and supports. I have no idea how to setup another slicer. I'd love to get prints even remotely close to the parts he supplies with the kit. All the advise I get from him, and he has been wonderfully supportive, it to make sure I am using the config he supplies.

So, I will take a look and see if I can fine tune the extruder. Is that a firmware adjustment or a multiplier adjustment? I have honestly read so much on this I am confused which I am supposed to do. One I read says to make the change to the multiplier and create a new config. Another says to activate the eprom in the LCD and make the change there. Another says to adjust the config files.

So, what is the best procedure?

[printbus]

That was what I came here to comment on. I think I need to get the extruder calibrated first. So far I have been only using what Colin has supplied and recommended.

Colin is great, but you'll learn that some of his advice is, well, lacking at times. For example, the statement that you shouldn't do a auto home from the LCD is bunk. If you look at the Marlin software, all the LCD interface does is inject the very same G28 instruction into the command processor that would apply if the home was commanded by USB. There is no reason for the LCD commanded home to be any different.

I am using 250 for the abs temp, 110 for the bed, .4mm hexagon hotend

I personally don't do much with ABS so I'll leave this for others to confirm. Seems reasonable.

Yes, I am using Slic3r v0.9.9 as that is what he supplied configs for and supports. I have no idea how to setup another slicer. I'd love to get prints even remotely close to the parts he supplies with the kit. All the advise I get from him, and he has been wonderfully supportive, it to make sure I am using the config he supplies.

Well, then stick with v0.9.9 for now until you're comfortable trying something else. Some people likely stick with it forever but the advice that you can't use anything else is misguided. I will assure you - you will likely get to the point where you reprint the extruder parts just because your parts look better than those that came from MakerFarm.

So, I will take a look and see if I can fine tune the extruder. Is that a firmware adjustment or a multiplier adjustment? I have honestly read so much on this I am confused which I am supposed to do. One I read says to make the change to the multiplier and create a new config. Another says to activate the eprom in the LCD and make the change there. Another says to adjust the config files. So, what is the best procedure?

"Best" is arguable. Probably a good place to start if you haven't seen it is the sticky on it - http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.p...nd-Proportions. The different approaches each have their advantages/disadvantages. Modifying the configuration.h file gets it burned into the firmware so you can't forget to change it manually, but you might have to modify firmware to revise it. You can just tweak it at run time from the LCD without the EEPROM save, but you have to remember to do it after every time the printer is reset. Doing it from the LCD along with saving it in EEPROM is a way to make the change stick in the printer without having to hassle with a firmware upload.

Hang in there. There's a lot to absorb. Take things a step at a time. The frustrations, confusion, and what not you are experiencing are not all that unusual.

[sniffle]

feed test calibration and then implement that value in the config.h file, i'll then manually tune the extrusion multiplier if i need to.

As to the slicer software i would suggest staying with 0.9.9 until you are more comfirtable, then upgrade to other slicers like cura or the experimental versions of slicer, there is also simplify3d, kisslicer, repetier host... they all just generate a gcode file that you tell the printer to print but they all go about generating that code a different way, some are better than others at printing certain types of things certain ways... that being said most fothem are just programs you download and install. Once you get used to settings they are all easy to use and setup.

we'll get you there promise :-)

my printer was delivered i think mid december, i just stuck with it and figured things out, and now i'm happy with my prints, but want to make them better :-)

[tsteever]

So I can get in and change it on the EEPROM and save it there without messing with the arduino side of things? basically the same thing correct?

My understanding is if you are using a different roll a lot you can setup a different config file with a extrusion multiplier and this can accomplish the same thing a EEPROM save can, just different for different rolls of filament.

[printbus]

So I can get in and change it on the EEPROM and save it there without messing with the arduino side of things? basically the same thing correct?

Yes - that is correct. On the LCD, setting CONTROL | MOTION | | Esteps/mm is exactly the same thing as changing the fourth constant in configuration.h DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT. I ran my printer this way for several months, staying away from the Arduino side on purpose. You can keep doing that - you just have to remember that every time the printer logic is reset, it reverts back to what ever parameter it has been hardcoded to. The in-between approach is that you allow EEPROM updates to be possible from the LCD. Takes a firmware update to do that. But then once you have parameters set via the LCD the way you want them, you can store the parameters in to a non-volatile memory space on the MEGA2560 board. After every reset, Marlin will then use those parameters instead of the hardcoded firmware ones.

My understanding is if you are using a different roll a lot you can setup a different config file with a extrusion multiplier and this can accomplish the same thing a EEPROM save can, just different for different rolls of filament.

From the slicer perspective, yes. What we're managing here is the volume of filament flowing onto the bed. There are multiple configuration parameters that feed into that. In theory, you can adjust them all. First there's the "steps per unit". This defines the rate that the extruder stepper motor needs to rotate in order to push 1mm of filament into the hot end. The planning math in Marlin calculates what length of filament it needs in order to obtain the extrusion output it wants. There's essentially a gear ratio factor involved in this - the DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT in configuration.h or the CONTROL | MOTION | steps/mm factors on the LCD. If the gear ratio is wrong, more or less filament will be pushed than is expected. As mentioned earlier, the MakerFarm firmware defaults seem to always be low for everyone who has reported calibration results here, with a symptom that the output extrusion will be on the light side. This is because the filament isn't actually being pushed into the hot end at the linear rate that the Marlin firmware is assuming.

Then in the slicer, there's the filament diameter. Even though the linear rate of movement might have been corrected per the above, the amount of filament volume going into the hot end will vary if the filament diameter varies. If the slicer is configured for 1.75mm diameter filament and you're actually using 1.68mm diameter filament, the slicer will actually be commanding less filament volume to be pushed into the hot end than it should, with again, light extrusion being a symptom. Again, this is in the slicer. Marlin firmware doesn't know or care what size filament you're using.

Then there's the extrusion multiplier. That basically tells the slicer that OK, regardless of any corrections made to the rate we're commanding the stepper motor to feed the filament and the diameter of the filament, apply yet another correction to how much filament is actually being extruded.

Filament diameter and extrusion multiplier can be saved on a filament roll by filament roll basis, and many people do that.

There are even more ways to modify the rate that filament is being extruded at print time, but I'm not going to go into them at this point since they'd likely add to your confusion.

As a bottom line, all of these parameters can and will affect the volume rate that filament is extruded. Each just does it in a different way. I'll stick my neck out and say there's no right or wrong way here - you pick how you want to do it and stick with it. I found that my steps per unit varies little, so I freeze that as part of firmware, rechecking the value every blue moon or so. I configure the slicer for the filament diameter every time I change the filament. I typically leave the extrusion multiplier at 1.0, likely mainly since I've never taken my calibration far enough to care about that additional detail - my prints seem good enough after setting the other two parameters. In the odd cases where I'm in the middle of a print and I wish I was extruding a bit more or less, well, that can be tweaked from the LCD.

[sniffle]

I set my esteps to 888.7 as that seemed fairly average between all my rolls of filament, i usually set diameter and might tweak the multiplier a little if small parts tend to be a little thick or thin.

[tsteever]

Okay, I think I got it. So I measure the filament and figure out if I need to adjust the steps/mm up or down,

I my case, they needed to go up. I commanded it to push 100mm through and only got 97. 21. I upped up using the math in the video and got it very close. I adjusted those settings in the EEPROM. Now, those setting will remain changed every time I turn on the unit. Should I reset the firmware it will revery to the settings Colin provided. I should most likely save a modified version of the firmware.

I think I have the extrusion calibrated, should I also do the same for the X,y, and Z? The cube I printed earlier was large. I am guessing that the extrusion calibration would help that.

I have some parts I want to print for my tricopter but the one I printed yesterday is too tight and not even close to fitting. That's why i want to get this thing tuned, I am itching to fly!

I think an ABS setup is in my future. Does that replace the Z endstop or are both used?

[sniffle]

It replaces it. To help with tolerances you should look for and use an option in slic3r that says something about printing outside perimeters first.