Flashforge Creator X buildplate levelling screw replacement?

[kingpiinx]

Hi,

Just bought the Creator X last week and totally love it. I'm new to 3D printing too and so far, apart from the newbie mistakes with incorrect bed levelling and incorrect temp settings, the prints are getting cleaner.

The only issue I had was last night during bed levelling, the front right screw lost its thread and now needs replaced. I'm putting this down to leveling it without pinching the build plate to release tension. Now I need to replace the screw and from what I see, the build plate has some strange, clear film over it covering the screw head.

My question is, can I just take this film off and replace it easily or do i cut around the screw head and do it that way? I'm also looking at a better way to level the bed if possible because it seems to require leveling every print I do and I think the fact I have to squish the bed to level it and then release it to see if its level can be a nightmare.

Thanks for any help guys

Gav

[Geoff]

Hi,

Just bought the Creator X last week and totally love it. I'm new to 3D printing too and so far, apart from the newbie mistakes with incorrect bed levelling and incorrect temp settings, the prints are getting cleaner.

The only issue I had was last night during bed levelling, the front right screw lost its thread and now needs replaced. I'm putting this down to leveling it without pinching the build plate to release tension. Now I need to replace the screw and from what I see, the build plate has some strange, clear film over it covering the screw head.

My question is, can I just take this film off and replace it easily or do i cut around the screw head and do it that way? I'm also looking at a better way to level the bed if possible because it seems to require leveling every print I do and I think the fact I have to squish the bed to level it and then release it to see if its level can be a nightmare.

Thanks for any help guys

Gav

That is not too good, I have levelled my bed a zillion times now and am yet to lose any threading on the screws, and I rarely push down anymore because it offsets the rest of the plate if you press on a corner too hard.

The sheet on the aluminium is kapton tape, it's cheap to replace, about 3 meters (which is the right width) for about $15-20. Just peel it off like sticky tape, but dont do that until you have your new tape.

you can also buy Blue plumbers tape, I don't like it myself because you don't get the nice shiny finish on the botton of your prints with that, either kapton tape or a glass plate over the heatbed - but you need tempered glass or it will crack.

[kingpiinx]

Hi Geoff and thanks again for the answers. I managed to get the screw it and although I couldn't get the exact same size, I managed to use "rawly lug heavyweight plasterboard fixing" screws. The size is M 3x50 mm once anyone needs to replace. The threadingdoesn'tgo all the way to the top but works fine.

It was pilot error I think. All screws were super hard to adjust but now age replacing the broken one are easy to turn.

1st repair and I'm gaining confidence.

Thanks again for the answer Geoff

Gav

[lucidpsykosis]

Hi,

Just bought the Creator X last week and totally love it. I'm new to 3D printing too and so far, apart from the newbie mistakes with incorrect bed levelling and incorrect temp settings, the prints are getting cleaner.

The only issue I had was last night during bed levelling, the front right screw lost its thread and now needs replaced. I'm putting this down to leveling it without pinching the build plate to release tension. Now I need to replace the screw and from what I see, the build plate has some strange, clear film over it covering the screw head.

My question is, can I just take this film off and replace it easily or do i cut around the screw head and do it that way? I'm also looking at a better way to level the bed if possible because it seems to require leveling every print I do and I think the fact I have to squish the bed to level it and then release it to see if its level can be a nightmare.

Thanks for any help guys

Gav

Mine just did the same thing the other day. I had replaced the standard thumb screws with wingnuts to make it easier. Next thing I knew the left front side shot upward, ripping off the wingnut. I replaced it with a new one; seems good so far. I haven't pinched the bed when leveling it in a long time, is this necessary??

[curious aardvark]

[QUOTEbut you need tempered glass or it will crack. ][/QUOTE]
No it won't.

Unless you've actually screwed the glass to the actual heating element. Pretty much any other method of attaching a glass plate to the aluminium one will leave more than sufficient wiggle room for the glass to expand.
I used bog standard cheapo photo fram glass with a couple of bulldog clips and it was fine.

Thumb screw wise - use four of the little nuts that came in the spares packet and print a set of these adjustment knobs.