RepRap terrible print quality -

[Kingoddball]

Hi!

I have some prints made, but the quality was fairly poor.

Not exactly sure why, I THINK I've had stepper drivers skip steps due to heat.
This has been corrected I believe.

I think my belts might be too loose but not sure If its the X or Y?
Although! These prints are the worst I have, they are slightly more improved now, but the current prints have similar poor quality characteristics.

Settings:
PLA @ 185 Deg (Dropped to 175 lastnight)
Bed @ 70 Deg
Movement speed is not fast, will get exact if needed.

Similar results with a 20mil cube.
Extruder has a 40mil fan, I'm trying to print a RAMPS fan holder today to cool the system off as well.

Front with inverted Y.jpgSide.jpgTop down diff print.jpgTop Down.jpg


Edit: Like the inverted GameBoy text!?
Has my X axis wrong!! This was corrected, but same issues
Funny when the print was done and it was backwards!!

[KDog]

Check that your belts are tight. You don't say what kind of printer you have but make sure that all the frame components are tight as well. Check to make sure your bearings don't flex either.

Your prints actually don't look that bad. There is probably just a bit of tuning to do to get them looking great.

Have fun,

KDog

[Kingoddball]

Hey,
Thanks!
That was actually my first full print/s.
I didn't even calibrate it!

It's a custom built i3.
Since the prints, I have realigned the frame (by eye! haha) and tightened it up.
I'll hit the belts this afternoon.


A pic of my 3Der is attached!!

Composite alloy frame!
Wooden design but alloy!! SUPER STRONG!!

Alloy/Fiber/Alloy - Brilliant!

[JohnA136]

I have my Prusa i3 printing PLA at 195 with a 60 degree bed on blue painters tape. Getting pretty good resolution and printing. Keep up the good work!

giraffe.jpg

[Kingoddball]

I have tried blue painters and it never stuck to the tape, then I moved to spray and wipe (blue windex maybe?) then to kapton.

I might try the blue tape again.

[old man emu]

Try diluted PVC glue.

OME

[JohnA136]

I have tried blue painters and it never stuck to the tape, then I moved to spray and wipe (blue windex maybe?) then to kapton.

I might try the blue tape again.

Blue Painter's Tape is for PLA (Original type, not the new shiny one!)
Kapton tape (with ABS Slurry) for ABS
Works every time!

I am not a fan of spraying hair spray all over my printer!

[KDog]

I made a series of mirror plates for my printer when I first started. They are covered with Kapton. I put them in the bathroom sink to apply hair spray to them. I've tried ABS slurry but don't really like the mess. Hair spray works fine and really isn't much of a mess at all. After several prints I scrub the plate (in the sink) with an old brush to remove the old spray and then reapply. I either let them air dry or, if I'm in a hurry, put them on the hot bed where they dry in several seconds under heat. The only issue I've ever had with the hair spray is trying to explain to friends that I'm not using it on my hair. They find this very amusing :P

[Kingoddball]

Belts....

The majority of my problems were loose belts.