Quote Originally Posted by frierson22 View Post
OK I have another question. In order to head off future problems - what is the down side of this number being lower. Can I use this setting on all of my prints. What should I watch for as a reason to bump it back up? Thanks.
This is a number your number and my number will be different. This is the setting within the slicer that determines how much plastic comes out. Too much and your have issues like you just experience. Not enough and you have gaps and weak parts. The actual thickness of the filament also comes into play. Very few manufacture actually achieve 1.75mm round filament.. there should be a setting to enter the real thickness as measured with a digital caliper along several meters of filament.
The way I like to calibrate extrusion multiplier is by printing a small square that consists of 2 layers. Once printed there should be no visible gaps between string using a high powered magnifier or USB microscope. I then print a 2 walled square that is designed to have each wall the same size as the extrusion width. So for instance if the nozzle I am using is .35mm and the extrusion width I am using is .4mm the wall of my model is .8mm this will require 2 passses to make the square. Once finished that wall should measure .82mm, at least on my machine.
I wish this was a simple as printing a text doc on a ink jet printer but there is a bit of science and a bit of art involved..
To answer your question, use your defaults if that has been working good for you when there are no critical clearances needed and your current setting for things that need to be just the right size.