Explanation for different options under settings menu

[AmyInNH]

No manuals are coming from two directions. Steve Jobs' - our icons are (presumed) so intuitive you don't need any manual/overview. Opensource's - what do you want for free (we don't like to write)?

Both make for a slow learning curve, easy if you're a teenager with nothing else to do.

[Roob0481]

I leveled the bed via the LCD. If you load the filament first, isn't that going to make one heck of a mess oozing plastic with a paper sliding around underneath it? And possibly set the paper on fire?

Now there's a pool of plastic stuck to the extruder. I take it I'm going to have to lower the bed manually and turn on the extruder's heat to get this off. And I'll be guessing my way through it with the LCD. I'd be fine with that if there were no way to damage the machine but the original instructions that came with it, a simple walkthrough, says yes you can damage the machine.

So, how much time do you have between load filament and test print? Following the original instructions, it said load the filament/turn on the extruder heat, then prep your object for printing. Not really, if the filament's oozed out and globbed onto the print bed.

Ok there are two ways you can move your bed without having to touch it. 1.) LCD Menu on actual printer --> "Utilities" --> Then scroll down until you see then select "Jog Mode" --> hit Right direction arrow twice, your screen should read as follows:

Jog mode
Z-
<-Y (Back)
Z+

At this screen you should be able to lower and raise your bed using the up and down direction buttons on printer.

2.) The alternative way includes Replicator G if you choose to use it: The top tool bar in RepG there should be the "Control Panel" button it has 4 arrows pointing in the basic directions (up, down, left, and right). This well take you to the control panel. Under "Jog Mode" make sure the drop box is set on "continuous jog" and then use the Blue Up and Down arrows that control the Z axis to move your bed. I apologize for not posting pics, for whatever reason it wouldn't upload any I tried. I'll work on your next question and get back to you.

[AmyInNH]

Thanks, I used your LCD instructions to bring the bed down and then turned on the extruder heat to clear away glob. Being as I'd just leveled the bed before shutting it down yesterday, I thought it was good to go and kicked off the SD's left calibration model. HOLY MOLY. The extruder gouged up the brand spankin new blue mat on the bed. Does this mean you have to level the bed every time you turn it on?

Destructo

Ok there are two ways you can move your bed without having to touch it. 1.) LCD Menu on actual printer --> "Utilities" --> Then scroll down until you see then select "Jog Mode" --> hit Right direction arrow twice, your screen should read as follows:

Jog mode
Z-
<-Y (Back)
Z+

At this screen you should be able to lower and raise your bed using the up and down direction buttons on printer.

2.) The alternative way includes Replicator G if you choose to use it: The top tool bar in RepG there should be the "Control Panel" button it has 4 arrows pointing in the basic directions (up, down, left, and right). This well take you to the control panel. Under "Jog Mode" make sure the drop box is set on "continuous jog" and then use the Blue Up and Down arrows that control the Z axis to move your bed. I apologize for not posting pics, for whatever reason it wouldn't upload any I tried. I'll work on your next question and get back to you.

[Roob0481]

Thanks, I used your LCD instructions to bring the bed down and then turned on the extruder heat to clear away glob. Being as I'd just leveled the bed before shutting it down yesterday, I thought it was good to go and kicked off the SD's left calibration model. HOLY MOLY. The extruder gouged up the brand spankin new blue mat on the bed. Does this mean you have to level the bed every time you turn it on?

Destructo

Senorita Destructo, it isn't necessary to level the bed every time you turn it on. People have different customs, rituals, and routines they swear by, to each their own and all that. I honestly just level mine every few prints. Sometimes I'll just get eye level w/it and check by look, sometimes I just randomly choose to level it to be safe, and sometimes you may start a print and can tell that sucker needs to be level when your bead isn't sticking or looks off. As far as removing globs, I think it's good practice to heat the nozzle to remove them, but plenty of time I've just scraped or pulled them off. I will recommend that you get a paint scraper tool, nothing fancy. Just something to help remove your prints from the bed once they're complete. Make it easier on yourself, less chance of damaging your prints, and you can use it to carefully scrape or knock off any globs. I too am still a beginner, but don't worry your glob rate will go down. As far as the bed gouge, I feel your pain, I have a nice clean point dead in the center of mine from my bed leveling learning days. Once your filament is loaded and you know what you're going to test print or print, go ahead and start preheating the printer while your software of choice preps the file. Way to hang in there, you'll be slanging plastic in no time.

[Roob0481]

WP_20150619_002[1].jpgQuick pic of paint scraper that'll get the job done. Just a few bucks.

[AmyInNH]

Thanks for your advice. I'll try releveling the bed and starting the calibration print again.
Good timing, my paint scrapers have been in hand most of this week, ripping out and replacing window subsills and painting window exterior trim. At some point I thought, 3D print caps for them but I ran into someone's post, I think possibly Geoff's, posting solar tolerance testing of ABS and PLA and they're not too color stable in persistent sun.

WP_20150619_002[1].jpgQuick pic of paint scraper that'll get the job done. Just a few bucks.

[Roob0481]

Thanks for your advice. I'll try releveling the bed and starting the calibration print again.
Good timing, my paint scrapers have been in hand most of this week, ripping out and replacing window subsills and painting window exterior trim. At some point I thought, 3D print caps for them but I ran into someone's post, I think possibly Geoff's, posting solar tolerance testing of ABS and PLA and they're not too color stable in persistent sun.

Excellent knowledge to pass on.

[curious aardvark]

okay couple of tips.
load the filament and keep the heat on (preheat) keep pulling the oozing filament from the nozzle. after a minute or two it stops oozing. That's when you calibrate. Keeps things pretty clean.
If you have delicate skin (I don't have a problem with my fingers and fully heated nozzles - I suspect most people will) use a piece of kitchen paper to pull the plastic from the nozzle. In fact it's a good idea to keep a roll on hand anyway for handling any heated parts.

I pretty much only calibrate if I'm getting adhesion issues or changing filament type and hence changing the bed temp. Otherwise it's probably only once every couple of weeks, if that :-)

Only takes a minute, once you've done a few, anyway.

Get the thinnest scraper you can. cheap flexi putty scrapers are about the best. Mine are just 0.2 mm thick. So can get under most prints. Got 4 in different sizes from a pound shop :-) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Quality-flex...=putty+scraper
Buck stores and amazon are your friend.

Levelling the bed - I use 90gsm paper. That gives a pretty tight calibration. Anything much thicker than that and youi'll probably start to have issues.

Have Patience.
home 3d printing is a slow process. Don't try to rush it :-)

[AmyInNH]

Don't rush it!?!?! Too much homework on learning object modeling and various software and now I'm raring to go! This whole 3d printing venture is to make something I need for sewing. If it goes well, I'll make it for a lot of other people. In the mean time,

Tang, Amazon support extraordinaire, said my z axis screws were loose (as my mother's always said) and causing binding and wobbling and I needed a shim under the z stop, so I could have more room for bed leveling. Both have greatly improved operations. My mat, on the bed platform, is all gouged up from the extruders grinding into when it had z issues so I'm hoping he'll send me info on the best way to peel it off and replace it with one of the spares that came with it. I ran a perimeter calibration object and had to adjust the bed while it was still hot else it was lopsided.

I printed two planes and since that went okay I'm doing a set of magnetic nested measuring spoons, one white ABS to test drive the left extruder and one red ABS to test the right extruder. I'm using the back of the bed to avoid the gouged area in the mean time and too impatient for cooling before getting them off the bed so I'm using my wood chisel. Gives the plane wings a nice little lift at the wing tips but think it'd be better if I just wait for cooling for the measuring spoons. The measuring spoons look beautiful so far. I didn't expect the printer to work this well this soon.

Thanks for the link. Took me a few minutes to understand pound shop. They say they don't ship to the US so I'll find something similar in Amazon.
Thanks for the reminder to keep something handy when reaching in. Even with all the flaming warning stickers stuck all over it, I've reached in and burnt my fingers already.

first print a plane.jpg spoon print in progress (1).jpg

[Roob0481]

hoping he'll send me info on the best way to peel it off and replace it

If you do get the inside scoop on the blue mat removal, could you spread the wealth on that? I've been wondering about the same thing lately. Your prints are looking marvelous and on point.