RRGPrusai3 - Flow Delay on 1st Layer

Hi All - I'm getting my RepRapGuru Prusa i3 printing and finding that flow doesn't start immediately when I print (Repetier Host & Slic3r).

I'm printing 20mm Cube Thingiverse with Hatchbox PLA and adjusted the Bed to 55C and Extrusion to 200C, and pre-heat both before printing. I tried a manual 50mm extrusion before print and it extrudes immediately. Then I start to print and the nozzle draws the larger outside square ("skirt" I think it's called, presumably to get the flow started) then begins the 1st layer. No flow occurs on the larger outside skirt square and the first outer square of the 1st layer, and flow begins when the central 1st layer begins to fill in.

What might I try to get the flow to start sooner on prints? I read that the nozzle chamber may have oozed and emptied, so one solution is to increase the number of skirt traces, but I'm still learning and am not sure what to add in the G-Code file.

I'm a noobie so appreciate the help!

MaverickNH

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/11/2018 10:53AM by MaverickNH.

Yes it sounds like the nozzle chamber has oozed its contents, you can set the number of skirts in the slicer settings before you slice the object.
with a 20 mm cube, 1 skirt is probably not enough to fill the chamber try 2 or 3.

Thanks - found that in Slic3r. It’s working much better now.