Problems with print quality

[printbus]

Yeah, two layers of paper is too much. Adjust that down so the hot nozzle is a bit snug on just one piece of paper. The fan discussed in the cooling tab would be an additional one used to cool the print. I just wanted to see whether you'd be printing fast. No. What the cooling settings will do is slow down the print speed in order to meet your 30 second minimum layer time, down to the 10mm/sec minimum speed setting.

[Schnupp]

Alright so I tightened my X and Y belts and adjusted my nozzle height to 1 paper length. I printed the test cube again and the results were much better than before.
bottom.jpgbottom

IMG_3218.jpgside

top.jpgtop
The top layers need some work still. Is this a result of being too close to the bed? Im pretty sure I watched my nozzle hit through the top layers revealing the infill pattern.
Any suggestions or comments?

[printbus]

Much better. Based on how the first layer looks, I don't think your nozzle is too close to the bed. Even though you've calibrated the extruder steps per unit, there's still a chance that you're under-extruding. That'd be determined through something like a single-wall calibration print where you measure the actual extrusion width. Barring that, I'm one of the people that feels slic3r tends to under-extrude in general, and a non-solid top layer is a common problem with it. Slic3r does give you the option to increase the extrusion width on solid infill and top solid infill layers. That'd be something you could try. Those settings are under Print Settings | Advanced.

[sniffle]

Its kinda funny really you work so hard to get i good looking print that actually sticks and doesnt warp...

Once you get there its because youce managed to tweak and tune everything to the point that it is so hot that you actually need print cooling for thw upper layers so that they stay where they are supposed to :-D

Im to that point now... Just have to hook it up and start experimenting

[Schnupp]

My printer has been giving me good quality prints for the last few days but they have all been about the same size as the test cube, so pretty small. I decided to print out an spare large extruder gear. Here are my results which aren't pretty. At some point during my print there was either bad warping or poor bed adhesion because one of the sides lifted off the glass a bit and through everything off. (It was on the back side so I didnt notice it to cancel the print...) Any comments on what might be going on here?

[sniffle]

that would be shrinkage that pulled it off the bed. there is no one thing fixes all solution it's something that everyone has to figure out for themselves. I will say that the stock fan seems to be a pretty big culpret

clough's fan replacement helps alot... until then making the fan pull instead of push with the hexagon hot end helps alot

[bstag]

If you turn the fan around to pull and i put a shroud on mine to force the air up it was pulling out. http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:40453

[TechMasterJoe]

Thanks for the detailed comments Printbus
Here are the pics you asked for:
I have played around with the extrusion multiplier but it did not make a noticeable difference.

My fan is wired directly to my power supplie's 12V so its constantly cooling my hexagon hot end.

Im starting to think the problem is mechanical because my Y bed belt seemed pretty loose. Its adjusted and fixed now. Also when the hot end is fully heated im about 2 paper thicknesses above the glass. Probably too far right?

belts check them every time your getting ready for lot's of printing
even as is print and add this
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:359773
they help a lot with belt rubbing

and last note:
set Z height when everything heated
if height problem persists look in to auto bed leveling as it checks and sets z height for you ;-)
but setup and getting the Z offset just right takes a tad bit of work and a few failed test prints
i used a 10mm cube and let it print the first 15 layers at .2mm layer height killed it and shifting the z offset tell it looked just right on the bottom

Just reading through this post and I was going to suggest you check belt tension. You look like you are still too high on first layer and possible your not extruding enough plastic, perhaps the filament is not as large as you have it set for in your slicing software. All minor things that you can resolve easily. Keep at it and you will have great prints soon.

agree

[TechMasterJoe]

Thanks for the detailed comments Printbus
Here are the pics you asked for:
I have played around with the extrusion multiplier but it did not make a noticeable difference.

My fan is wired directly to my power supplie's 12V so its constantly cooling my hexagon hot end.

Im starting to think the problem is mechanical because my Y bed belt seemed pretty loose. Its adjusted and fixed now. Also when the hot end is fully heated im about 2 paper thicknesses above the glass. Probably too far right?

Just reading through this post and I was going to suggest you check belt tension. You look like you are still too high on first layer and possible your not extruding enough plastic, perhaps the filament is not as large as you have it set for in your slicing software. All minor things that you can resolve easily. Keep at it and you will have great prints soon.

If you turn the fan around to pull and i put a shroud on mine to force the air up it was pulling out. http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:40453

a fan shroud to match prints nice to using default slic3r bridge settings and 4 top and bottom layers
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:620905

[bstag]

a fan shroud to match prints nice to using default slic3r bridge settings and 4 top and bottom layers
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:620905

does come out nice