Layer Printing issues

Sorry if this has been addressed somewhere. I did check, and I was unable to find anything on it.

I am having *major* issues printing layers. I just finished physical calibration of the motors, and I've moved onto print calibrations. The issue I'm having is that any solid prints...well..don't print. I can print off the .5mm wall test print, and it comes out perfectly time after time after time. However, when I jump over to the 20mm cube test print, I get one, sometimes even two layers to print, and then nothing. The nozzle acts as if its jammed, and nothing else will print after the second layer. I do have a picture linked below of the result of this.

I have tried a few diffrent things: I'm using ABS, and I have tried setting the head temp to 200, 210, 215, 225, 230, 240 and 245. The print below is the result of a print at 230.

As for my setup:
I have a Prusa L2 running Gen6 with sprinter, using pronterface as the UI
Heatbed is being ran with a separate PID controller
I have a gregs extruder with a j head

Photo: [imgur.com]

Pronterface uses Slic3r. What are the settings? Extruder nozzle size, filament size, print speeds, g-code flavor? Do your settings in Slic3r match what you have? Are you slicing in Pronterface by loading the file or in Slic3r? If using Pronterface have you saved your Config. settings in Slic3r to load them in Pronterface? Do you have the most current version of Slic3r? Have you tried slicing your file in another program such as Cura, or Skeinforge?

I'm a bit embrassed to admit this...most of that went right over my head. I'm a in a bit deeper then I have knowledge of (though I've learn what I have so far pretty quickly, thus the jump on the printer).

The info I am able to provide is this:
nozzel is a .35mm jhead
filament is 3mm
Speeds (I think) are 100 for x, 3000 for zy and 300 for e
g-code...not sure
I don't think I have slic3r. It looks like I have sfact (unsure if they are interchangeable)

Slic3r comes packaged with pronterface, are you just loading in an STL to pronterface or are you doing the slicing on a 3rd party program then loading in a .gcode file to pronterface?

If it's the former, then more than likely the slicing settings are incorrect. If the latter, please take some screenshots of the slicing settings.

Temps less than 230 with ABS is more than likely the problem. ABS has worked well between 230-240 with me. Go to the manufacture of your filament's website, they will have recommend extrusion temperatures. Also make sure the tension on the filament going into the extruder is pretty tight. I crank mine down as much and i can without breaking the filament and haven't had a jam yet. You could possibly be slipping.

I'm loading the STL's direct to pronter.

As for temp, I'm aware of that much. Mine is also suggested to be used at 230. I hopped onto the reprap IRC, and a few of the people suggested running it at a lower or higher temp, thus the spectrum of heat above.

Try these steps.

In Pronterface, left click Settings and open slicing settings. This will open Slic3r if it's still in your folder. Make sure all your printer settings are loaded into Slic3r. Go to File and Export Config. This will save your current settings. Try slicing from Slic3r first, load your file and see if that's better than running it directly from Pronterface.

Do you have the latest Pronterface? This does not come with the latest Slic3r. Do you have the most up to date Slic3r? You can replace the old with the new directly in the Pronterface folder.

I can't find Slic3r anywhere (either in pronter or on my PC). I was able to find skeinforge while clicking about.

I'm getting the feeling I'm using an ancient version of pronterface...

Pronterface [koti.kapsi.fi]
Slic3r [slic3r.org]

Delete the Slic3r folder in the Pronterface folder and replace with unzipped folder of the new Slic3r.

Just did. I relized what the issue is with programs. I have the latest slic3r, and I'm creating gcode with that, and loading it into pronter.

However, I am still have issues with prints (mainly solid prints)

is your filament tab correct? 1.75mm vs 3.00mm filament? Make sure the nozzle diameter is correct under printer settings tab selecting Extruder 1.

Also try a slower speed (30-40mm/s). Do you have a fan installed? Go to the Filament Settings tab and turn on Auto Cooling.

It also could be the firmware. When i had sprinter on my Prusa Iteration 2 i only had trouble. Flashed Marlin and it was a whole new printer.

Yup. Just double checked, and all the setting are correct

As for a fan, I don't have one. I plan to rig one up at a later date, though.

And I've had a few people suggest marlin. However, I'm calibrate out (as I've had to calibrate this thing about five times in the past 6 months due to moving). I have a few more things I've been advised to try that I'm going to give a shot. If those fail, I will be jumping to marlin. With that said: does anyone know of a idiot-proof 'how to' on getting marlin onto gen 6?

Did a quick google search for you and found this, [reprap.org]. As for flashing, it depends on the type of file format. If its a PDE file than more than likely it can be done through the arduino IDE, if its a HEX file i suggest ATmel's flip program on windows. Im a Linux user and i find dfu_programmer to be the easiest for flashing hex files via *nix.

The pde files are nice because you get to see the actual source code so you can get an idea of what is actually happening, and gives you more of an option to tweak the settings, HEX files not so much.