OMG here we go again. Folger Tech prints like garbage V2

Okay.... I've f***ing had it with this POS FolgerTech prusa

I need some answers.

First thread
[forums.reprap.org]

I JUST put this back together after a 4 day acetone bath.
No other settings were changed.

my print speed is 20mm/s and the extruder motor is still clicking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have done EVERYTHING suggested in my last thread... EVERYTHING!

I need new things to try because I AM SICK of this f***ing POS Folger Tech printer......

Gah why did it post 4 times!?
I just clicked once!!!!!!!!!!

I recently fixed a jamming problem on my PrintrBot, after months of frustration, so I feel your pain. I'd probably still be struggling if it wasn't for someone over on the PrintrBot forum posting about his jamming problem and solution. Hope this helps you...

I've always had the spool placed behind the printer. Unbeknownst to me, over several months the PLA had worn the guide holes (particularly the bottom hole) in my aluminium extruder out of round. As well, the worn-out edges of the bottom hole were rough and burred. I've spent the last couple of those months trying all kinds of things (temperatures, feed rates, retraction settings, print speeds, extrusion speeds, fans, fan shrouds, disassembly of more and more printer components, new hot-ends, tearing my hair out) to fix the jams.

The other guy's solution was to put the head of a 1/8" pop rivet in the top hole (which was where his was worn) in his extruder. In my case, I had a broken stainless steel heat break... I drilled & tapped the holes in the extruder out to M6, and Loctited a piece of heat break in each.

Instantly and miraculously, it all changed. I've now done dozens of prints without a single jam.

Hang in there dude!

That is a good one!
I also noticed that printer extruders can tend to wear quick under friction, depending on material and quality.
At least for me PLA works much better here than ABS as it is harder on the surface.
Another thing I found out by accident is that having a slight cone shape for the entry hole of the filament makes feeding much easier (not bowden tubes here though).
I have increased the taper a bit more now so the filament can move freely in the top part on the hole and further down it is drilled straight.
Also heard that people use small springs for this as well, half of the spring inside the extruder, the other half sticking out as a guide have to try this if my extruder ever fails again completely.

folger tech stock filament feed is awful, plastic pin bends on bearing and there you have click click click or no feed just grinding off filament, I use this one now and works really well [www.ebay.ie]

its not a very good kit, psu isnot great, just bought a new meter to do a rebuild and test everything, extruder heater gets 11.79v and bed only getting 11.48v fan is dead, no current from d9

Try adjusting your extruder idler tension. I'd say set it just a little tighter than the point at which you can't hold the filament put while you extrude it by manually turning the gear. I am also going to recommend seasoning your hot end. The basic idea behind seasoning is that with a little canola or similar oil on the end of your filament, you put it in the hotend as normal and from there on out the filament should glide through much easier. I had grinding problems with my Prusa i3v and seasoning solved it for me. I haven't re-seasoned it for a while so i'm assuming that either I got a really good coat in there somehow, or some hotends actually break in and season themselves with the oils from the plastic.. Be aware that you *can't* do this if you have a liner in your hotend, or if its not "all metal" (I say *can't* because you can, but people say that oil and the liner don't go well together).

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/29/2015 04:09PM by Montiey.

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Master Tinkerer

the stock folger tech i3 has no tensioner though, only if you upgrade it, stock one is just a plastic box with a plastic pin inside to hold the bearing, which bends rather easy, and the bearing is jammed, then filament won't feed

hmm. I would try seasoning in the meantime, but it looks like this is an upgrade that would be worth it.

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Master Tinkerer

yep, I have that mounted and its working 110%, bought mine on ebay since I wasn't able to print anything only problem now is getting the abs to stick, somehow it doesnt stick anymore at 100c + bed, where as it was sticking very well a week ago at 95c, it just doesnt come off till below 70c, now I can gently lift it with my nail at 100c.... head scratching

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/29/2015 04:48PM by deaconfrost.

I would recalibrate your extruder steps, and re level and home the bed. I have to adjust my z end stop after any change to that axis; even tightening one screw.

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Master Tinkerer

been doing that since last night, I'm out of ideas, it was fine with just kapton on aluminum bed, but not working suddenly, I even cleaned it with acetone, really head scratching

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/29/2015 05:00PM by deaconfrost.

did you change first layer extrusion width? also it may turn out to be a thin spot in the filament. does it look like ther is just not enough filament being deposited, or does the layer just not stick?

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Master Tinkerer

its nice and flat, no changes made from all the successful prints, but the funny thing now is, just few minutes ago I decided to print my own model instead of that calibration cube I downloaded, and my model is not lifting as all, where as the cube I downloaded was lifting not only in corners but also along the walls, from 3nd layer up, first layer is flat even tho I can remove it easily, I'm printing my own designed little key ring and no curl or lift... strange, I'm going to draw a cube in sketchup now and try that


p.s. I upgraded my bed to aluminum mk3 bed, again, the one came with folger tech was garbage like op says

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/29/2015 05:19PM by deaconfrost.

just curious, did you download an stop or a whole Goode file?

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Master Tinkerer

zip file with 10 cubes in all sizes completed download

i looked closed up to the preview, 2nd layer is wider and a little away from first layer, strange

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/29/2015 05:22PM by deaconfrost.

that's very odd that one model would behave differently from another.

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Master Tinkerer

yea thats the 20mm cube, the 40mm came out perfect, top bottom and 4 walls straight and flat, really odd

any luck with the i3 yet?

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Master Tinkerer

I have personally given up on this machine.

I've upgraded the print head to E3d v6 original, not a clone, bed upgraded to aluminium mk3,Borosilicate Glass Build Plate, belts replaced, converted to bowden drive, ramp board replaced, turned out D9 circuit burned out hence the fan not working, all rebuilt and stupid last night, test print with pla was perfect, clean and correct dimensions, went to make a new mounting, all seems well for over an hour, then I went to bed, and this morning, it half done, not sure what went wrong haven't get to check it yet.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2015 06:19AM by deaconfrost.

Found the problem, filament slightly missed align by 3degree from gear to the little hole on the block before entering the bowden coupler, modding the block to have the tube right up at the gear and see how that goes

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2015 07:45AM by deaconfrost.

well here's how my printer is printing now, after a lot of part replaced, I wouldn't call it Folger Tech anymore

not a Folger Tech Garbage anymore

Aluminium MK3 Heated Bed, Borosilicate Glass Build Plate, Bowden Drive E3D v6 Printhead, Auto Bed Leveling, Ramp Board replaced(pic attached, that's the reason to replace), Mega replaced with genuine board instead of the cheap clone, Firmware fully reprogrammed, all motors reconfigured and distance of travel fully measured and adjusted with Marlin 1.1 from scratch, 2 stainless steel Z axis threaded rods, almost a complete rebuild really

what I notice are different now, everything

bed heats up to 110c in less than 20mins, hotend heats up in less than 2 mins to 280c(initial setup temp), no worries on bed level(couldn't level it anyway the Y carriage is bend and hasn't the strength to pull the bed down, the arms were pulled up instead, making it even worst), haven't had a single clog since, x carriage is now much quieter on the move, pla can print straight on glass, haven't tried abs yet, will be tomorrow, last, the QUALITY.... no comparison, if you bought a Folger Tech, those are the things to be replaced if you really want some good quality prints, it is in my case anyway, try to get the thing to make something look half decent with stock Folger Tech is a MISSION IMPOSSIBLE

I can't get this thing to print without spending a minimum of another $100 so it's getting a big smashy hammer.
Sick of this piece of shit.

The hotend is the first thing to replace, just in my case other bits broke shortly after it was in operation, but it never printed anything like it does now,nowhere near. Stock Folger Tech is garbage I do agree, and I was told by a friend that these guys don't even have the basic understanding of voltage and amperage, kinda explain why these printer kits are so poorly put together along with a not good 2years old preconfigured firmware.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/11/2015 09:53PM by deaconfrost.

Quote
Hephaestus0000
I can't get this thing to print without spending a minimum of another $100 so it's getting a big smashy hammer.

Spend $100 on it and you have a $500 printer, I guess. Smash it and you got nothing.

Quote
deaconfrost
The hotend is the first thing to replace, just in my case other bits broke shortly after it was in operation, but it never printed anything like it does now,nowhere near. Stock Folger Tech is garbage I do agree, and I was told by a friend that these guys don't even have the basic understanding of voltage and amperage, kinda explain why these printer kits are so poorly put together along with a not good 2years old preconfigured firmware.

If I knew enough about the firmware I'd do something about it. But I don't

Quote
frankvdh

Quote
Hephaestus0000
I can't get this thing to print without spending a minimum of another $100 so it's getting a big smashy hammer.

Spend $100 on it and you have a $500 printer, I guess. Smash it and you got nothing.

$100 I'd rather put in my bikes gas tank than fix something that should work somewhat reasonably, instead of not working at all.


If I could even print at a reasonable speed in the first place, than maybe it would be worth the hassle, but at a max of 20mm/s it's hardly worth it. At least to me for my wants out of it.