So ... 3d Printers....

[05SRT4]

Pull the filament out, start the print and pause it mid first layer. Slide a piece of paper between the bed and nozzle and check to see if its touching the tip or not, you should have a slight drag, if not the tip is to high. If its tight then the filament may be scrapping itself. Also, although I print around 40-60 My first layer is usually 30-40% of that. If using Cura there should be a first layer settings.

If your using the small roll of filament that came with the printer try 210C for the temp instead.

Using a bowden extruder I learned that the retract settings a way different from direct drives. Normally I would set my retract to .5 - 2 max. The bowden seems to work best at 5-6mm. I think I finally found a sweet spot on the CR-10, was able to print 4 badges at the same time, all came out level.

One last thing, Im not sure if Cura lets you move the model ,maybe try moving it to a corner or mid front to see if it prints better there. I have a dead zone I try to stay away from on my other printer.

[Titchgamer]

Pull the filament out, start the print and pause it mid first layer. Slide a piece of paper between the bed and nozzle and check to see if its touching the tip or not, you should have a slight drag, if not the tip is to high. If its tight then the filament may be scrapping itself. Also, although I print around 40-60 My first layer is usually 30-40% of that. If using Cura there should be a first layer settings.

If your using the small roll of filament that came with the printer try 210C for the temp instead.

Using a bowden extruder I learned that the retract settings a way different from direct drives. Normally I would set my retract to .5 - 2 max. The bowden seems to work best at 5-6mm. I think I finally found a sweet spot on the CR-10, was able to print 4 badges at the same time, all came out level.

One last thing, Im not sure if Cura lets you move the model ,maybe try moving it to a corner or mid front to see if it prints better there. I have a dead zone I try to stay away from on my other printer.

Cheers.

When I do the bed levelling with the paper I also do the centre spot.

It drags but not quite as much as the corners but as mentioned previously my beds dipped in the centre.

I was using the PLA that came with it but ime just about to try again with a new roll ive got.
My retraction is set at 5mm 60mm/s speed.

[yotsuya]

Hmmmm.... I’m not seeing those issues myself. PEI has been awesome.

[Titchgamer]

Hmmmm.... I’m not seeing those issues myself. PEI has been awesome.

What settings are you printing your PLA at yots?

[HaRuMaN]

I've never had any issues with the PEI, just clean with rubbing alcohol and go.

Have you tried printing your part with a brim?

[yotsuya]

Hmmmm.... I’m not seeing those issues myself. PEI has been awesome.

What settings are you printing your PLA at yots?

200 deg nozzle, 60 deg bed.

[Titchgamer]

I've never had any issues with the PEI, just clean with rubbing alcohol and go.

Have you tried printing your part with a brim?

No just a skirt so far.

[HaRuMaN]

I'm 210C nozzle, 70C bed, btw.  Also have cooling fans, but they aren't active on like the first three layers. 

[Titchgamer]

Ime thinking part of the problem may be my PLA glooping out and sticking to the nozzle?

As its warming up it comes out, curls over and then sticks to the side before it even begins?

[yotsuya]

Just keep messing with it. It took me a couple of days before I got it dialed in.

[Titchgamer]

Be nice if I could just get a decent first layer down atm yots!

So far the furthest its got is layer 3.....

[yotsuya]

What program are you using to print?

[Titchgamer]

Cura.

[05SRT4]

Ime thinking part of the problem may be my PLA glooping out and sticking to the nozzle?

As its warming up it comes out, curls over and then sticks to the side before it even begins?

When heated and you just extrude a bunch is it all squirrly or a straight line?

[Titchgamer]

Just coils up like in the picture.

[05SRT4]

The kit should of came with a spare nozzle, maybe swap it out.

You should export your Cura profile so it can check it out.

[Titchgamer]

No spare nozzle sadly.
What do you mean by Export it to check?

[05SRT4]

The Profile that you use in Cura. I just wanted to see if anything stood out that could be causing it. You should be able to export it, zip it and upload it here. We basically have the same machine so I can test it on my end

[Titchgamer]

Sorry didnt realise you could do that :p

Here is my set up as is at the moment....

[05SRT4]

cool I got it uploaded, what file were you trying to print?

[Titchgamer]

Just the normal cat lol

[05SRT4]

So I was able to print a cube with your settings.

But I would change a couple settings.

First (Not sure if the Mini has the same) I hate the "Wipe" gcode they put in, I think it just causes stringing all over the platform. My starting Gcode is only G28.

I just use the skirt to purge everything.

I would keep the Thickness at .8 (2 shells is perfect for most prints)

Top and bottom layers I usually only do 2-3, again Cura basis it off your layer height so .4 to .6 is a good start. If you notice the top layers are bumpy from the infill then you can up that.

Temps: try 200-205
Pattern: Ive always picked lines over the concentric.

[05SRT4]

Also ditch the cat and make a 20 x 20 x 20 cube in tinkercad and work on that. If its the Stl or gcode that came with the printer it may be bad, I couldn't even get mine to load and the forums are saying they never got it to print. There is a new one on Thingiverse if you really want it.

[Titchgamer]

Ile give them a shot tomorrow mate cheers. No natural light now.

Ive been googleing the curling fillament and the general idea seems to be it may be a partially clogged nozzle.

Suggestion seems to be heat the nozzle up to around 220 and push a little through.
Then reduce to 90 and yank out the filament once cooled to pull any crap out with the filament.

Few things for me to try tomorrow, I may get this thing going eventually....

What do you mean about the wipe and g28 start code btw?

Total novice at this stuff

[05SRT4]

There is a Gcode that happens before and after every print, the Cura Cr-10 profile has a code that makes the hot end  home, then wipes a line of filament like a purge then starts. On most of my printers I just have G28 to home everything and thats it. Thats just my preference though.

[Titchgamer]

Ahh right so get rid of the line under G28 then?

Must admit I would like that to stop so I can put a clip back on that corner!!

[05SRT4]

Right, just have G28

[Titchgamer]

Right, just have G28

Cheers man

[Titchgamer]

Well not sure what it was but there was defo something burnt up in my nozzle....

[05SRT4]

Hopefully that helps. Did the mini come with tools? the CR10 kit came with flush snipers, needle for unclogging, and a bunch of spare bolts, nuts and nozzle.

[Titchgamer]

Yeah it had all the tools etc just no nozzle.
Shame really!

I have no time till the weekend now but the feeler guage should be here by then so ile try the freshly cleared nozzle and those settings you gave me then

[yotsuya]

How many of you are running Skynet vs Regular Marlin?

[HaRuMaN]

Just running whatever the stock firmware is on mine. 

[Howard_Casto]

From recent research at least, there used to be a big diff between stock Marlin and Skynet, but recently Marlin adopted many of Skynet's features.  Now if we could just get a pause feature and a resume feature both would be perfect. 

I'm about to start printing the top of my Nintendo sign for the world of Nintendo cabinet.  For those of you following along at home, it was this non-stop print job that burnt out my previous power supply, so wish me luck. 

[Titchgamer]

Good luck :p

[HaRuMaN]

My stock firmware has pause & resume...   

[Vigo]

Same with mine, but I am using a repetier host based printer. Even then, I prefer to add a pause line to the gcode when pausing to change filament colors or insert something inside the print. That way I can determine the exact point in which the print stops.

[Howard_Casto]

My stock firmware has pause & resume...   

Really?  Do you have to use the printer's menu or can you do it remotely?  I just use pause lines atm, but it'd be nice to pause a long print before going to bed, ect. 

[Titchgamer]

Mine has pause and resume also as standard.
Just accessed via the printers menu.

[yotsuya]