My first self made 3D printer presentation and ask for help

Hello everyone!

I'm happy to join to this forum and announce that I finally end my first 3D printer (Prusa i3 Rework) built according to instructions from reprap wiki. My specification is:
- T2 belts (X, Z)
- 20-tooth pulleys (X, Z)
- NEMA 17 motors
- RAMPS 1.4
- Arduino MEGA 2560
- Stepper motor drivers: Y (StepStick, set to 1.22V, not so loud), X (DRV8825 based driver, set to 0.85V, louder than Y), Z (DRV8825 based driver, set to 0.85V, very loud), E (DRV8825 based driver, 1.5V, not so loud)
- Marlin firmware (version downloaded from the printer page I put link above)





I was able to perform 3 prints of calibration cube. Each one of them was better than previous one but still something needs to be calibrated. I also probably need new filament because the current one (SWIFT PET-G 1.75mm, black) was laying down few last years without moisture protection (according to what I read about it in the internet it can be a problem, right?).



As a beginner I have few questions and would be very grateful for any help.
1. In my Marlin firmware I have such configuration set currently: #define DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT {5,5,250,30}. But those values (which led me to print the cube above) are not matching the calculations done according to this page. My question is: what is going on? Where is the problem? Why those values does not match?
2. When I click homing axes are moving very slowly (they're fast during a print). Should it be that way or I can change something so they will be as fast as during the print?
3. Connection place between extruder and it's radiator is leaking (but it's not disturbing printing process - at least on the first glance). Should I be bothered by that? What can be a cause of this?



Thank you in advance!

1) steps/mm calculations includes micro stepping. From the values you have given you have no micro stepping.
Under each stepper driver is 3 jumpers. these set the microstepping.
For the DRV8825 the tables looks like this. If the jumper is on, this is a HIGH. Off is a LOW



X and Y should be set to 1/16 microstepping
Z most people set it to 1/8 microstepping

2) homing should be slower than printing. You don't want the axis smashing the endstop. These are set with

// Homing speeds (linear=mm/min, rotational=°/min)
#define HOMING_FEEDRATE_MM_M { (40*60), (40*60), (6*60) }

The math is just converting form mm/minute to mm/seconds so X is 40 mm/s homing speed.

3) Yes you need to fix it. it will gather and drip on your print, if you print white you get nasty black blobs
The blobs can also be enough to get in the way of the hotend when it is moving and make the stepper skip steps.

You need to tighten this while hot.
Don't be all touch guy with it, you will snap the threaded bit ( Heat Break )

See [wiki.e3d-online.com]

Edited 7 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2023 01:39AM by Dust.

Great, thank you @Dunst! I wasn't aware about those jumpers since it was a while I was putting drivers on the board, so thanks for description. I try to apply proposed patches when I find a moment. One more question: what is the best way to clean extruder from filament?