Instructions

I will be trying to finish the instructions right away and would like to know what you feel needs to be addressed immediately and what still confuses you. If you feel they need more pictures of a specific step or maybe you feel one step should be before another, whatever it may be I would like to know.

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Keeping my XY square has been the most difficult mechanical task for me. It seems to want to move out of square by a little more than 1mm front to back and a little less than 1mm left to right. I think I need to play around some more and get a better feel for tensioning the cables more evenly, but if you have any other tricks up your sleeve that aren't on the build guide I'd love to hear them.

@ Eric

I am planing on making a video of how I tension them which should explain it better. If they keep moving you may need to tighten the screws a little more to hold the cable better. But as you mention it could just be slack coming out of the system.

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One thing that sticks in my mind is that I found the endstop is strange, in terms of order for z-axis install. Anyway, I found I'd installed the z-axis without the endstop on!

Also, as Eric noted, the cable winding could use some love. Although I was lucky in most of my cable install, I did manage to redo the rear y-axis cable (the least accessible) due to winding the wrong direction on the (second) axle. I can explain further if you don't know what I mean. I'm just busy at the moment.

All I have for now.

@ Ernchesto

I believe I understand. The instructions have you start with the rear cable because it is the hardest to do and the first one usually needs the least re-tensioning because you are not fighting any other cable. I should add a note that it is easiest to remove the Z stage if you need to re-tension the back cable.

The endstop instructions were changed recently so I am not sure if you did them before I changed them or not. Let me know if the current endstop notes in the Z stage assembly are still confusing.

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I think the firmware instructions could use some clarity too come to think of it. As Pokey described it, the instructions should probably say to open the marlin.pde file in the Arduino IDE, choose the 2560 in board type, click the verify(compile) button, then once done compiling choose the COM port (which is displayed in the device manager on Windows, not sure for mac/linux) and then hit the upload button.


Also I think it would help to add a description of how to install the Arduino Mega driver prior to uploading the firmware. These are the instructions I used from a link that NewPerfection posted and I guess they're really for an Arduino Uno, but they worked perfectly for me. During Step 7 I just navigated to the drivers folder and hit the open/next button:

1. Plug in your board and wait for Windows to begin it's driver installation process. After a few moments, the process will fail, despite its best efforts
2. Click on the Start Menu, and open up the Control Panel.
3. While in the Control Panel, navigate to System and Security. Next, click on System. Once the System window is up, open the Device Manager.
4. Look under Ports (COM & LPT). You should see an open port named "Arduino UNO (COMxx)"
5. Right click on the "Arduino UNO (COmxx)" port and choose the "Update Driver Software" option.
6. Next, choose the "Browse my computer for Driver software" option.
7. Finally, navigate to and select the Uno's driver file, named "ArduinoUNO.inf", located in the "Drivers" folder of the Arduino Software download (not the "FTDI USB Drivers" sub-directory).
8. Windows will finish up the driver installation from there.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2012 05:46PM by Eric Young.

Eric Young Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think the firmware instructions could use some
> clarity too come to think of it. As Pokey
> described it, the instructions should probably say
> to open the marlin.pde file in the Arduino IDE,

I see that it automatically opens the Marlin.pde when it is in your sketchbook but when manually opening it you get the choice of three files. I have added the Marlin.pde part to the instructions.

> choose the 2560 in board type,

It does say to choice the 2560. Although this is not the only choice of Arduino mega you can use. Some people that self source may have a 1280

click the
> verify(compile) button,

This is not needed and is done automatically when you press the upload button.

then once done compiling
> choose the COM port (which is displayed in the
> device manager on Windows, not sure for mac/linux)
> and then hit the upload button.

Arduino should only allow you to select available ports. Why would you need to look in the device manager?

>
>
> Also I think it would help to add a description of
> how to install the Arduino Mega driver prior to
> uploading the firmware.

This is a problem with Windows that I have no idea about it. People should report this to Microsoft so they can try and make it as easy as Linux (no driver installs except for the odd video driver and wireless card that only supply propitiatory drivers)

These are the instructions
> I used from a link that NewPerfection posted and I
> guess they're really for an Arduino Uno, but they
> worked perfectly for me. During Step 7 I just
> navigated to the drivers folder and hit the
> open/next button:
>
> 1. Plug in your board and wait for Windows to
> begin it's driver installation process. After a
> few moments, the process will fail, despite its
> best efforts
> 2. Click on the Start Menu, and open up the
> Control Panel.
> 3. While in the Control Panel, navigate to System
> and Security. Next, click on System. Once the
> System window is up, open the Device Manager.
> 4. Look under Ports (COM & LPT). You should see
> an open port named "Arduino UNO (COMxx)"
> 5. Right click on the "Arduino UNO (COmxx)" port
> and choose the "Update Driver Software" option.
> 6. Next, choose the "Browse my computer for Driver
> software" option.
> 7. Finally, navigate to and select the Uno's
> driver file, named "ArduinoUNO.inf", located in
> the "Drivers" folder of the Arduino Software
> download (not the "FTDI USB Drivers"
> sub-directory).
> 8. Windows will finish up the driver installation
> from there.

I would rather not have them on the page because it is only a Windows issue that not everyone will have. Can you post a link to these instructions so I can add something like "If you are having trouble with Windows driver install "see this link"."

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2012 06:05PM by Sublime.

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Sublime Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I see that it automatically opens the Marlin.pde
> when it is in your sketchbook but when manually
> opening it you get the choice of three files. I
> will add the Marlin.pde part to the instructions.

Okay

>
> It does say to choice the 2560. Although this is
> not the only choice of Arduino mega you can use.
> Some people that self source may have a 1280

Yes it does say to choose 2560 you're right.

> >click the
> > verify(compile) button,
>
> This is not needed and is done automatically when
> you press the upload button.

Okay


> then once done compiling
> > choose the COM port (which is displayed in the
> > device manager on Windows, not sure for
> >mac/linux)
> > and then hit the upload button.
>
> Arduino should only allow you to select available
> ports. Why would you need to look in the device
> manager?

My Arduino IDE gives a few options for COM ports and so I looked in the device manager per the instructions in order to be sure which COM port the Arduino was using. Not sure this is the easiest way to confirm the correct port, just the only way that was on the instructions.

> Can you post a link to these instructions so
> I can add something like "If you are having
> trouble with Windows driver install "see this
> link"."

Here you go - the instructions I used are all under Step 4: [arduino.cc]

Thanks I have added the windows driver install link.

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Sublime Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> @ Ernchesto
>
> I believe I understand. The instructions have you
> start with the rear cable because it is the
> hardest to do and the first one usually needs the
> least re-tensioning because you are not fighting
> any other cable. I should add a note that it is
> easiest to remove the Z stage if you need to
> re-tension the back cable.
>
I think that would help.

What I mean is that I messed up (a few times on the same one) the figuring out which end to wrap (left or right of the hole) to the opposing axle/rod, and then in which direction (clockwise/counter-clockwise). This is actually where I got messed up, as I wound the cable in the wrong direction a few times. Perhaps it was just me, but perhaps I was just lucky on the other 3

Another thought that I have about the cables is that it might be helpful to give an 'ideal final result' kind of scenario at the beginning (like the way you show the ideal wrap scenario. Say an image showing the cables all installed in an ideal manner. Maybe even visually showing the desired deflection would be helpful - like a way of telling when you need to tighten the cables. It's probably more complicated than that, I've not played enough with them to know for sure....

> The endstop instructions were changed recently so
> I am not sure if you did them before I changed
> them or not. Let me know if the current endstop
> notes in the Z stage assembly are still confusing.

I just saw the revised instructions, and yes, that's clear now.

How to work the LCD panel. I still can't figure mine out. Either I'm LCD impared or mine is not functioning properly.

Setup and Maintenance for Printing with PLA. It may seem basic to most but this is my very first 3D printer ...so it's not straightforward to me. Initially how should the PLA be inserted into the machine?
Should it be forced through manually?
Is there a way to advance it through via the LCD?
Cleanup? Is there something that should be done to the hot after to reduce jams and pla residue?

Lisa M Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How to work the LCD panel. I still can't figure
> mine out. Either I'm LCD impared or mine is not
> functioning properly.

I think there may be an issue with your encoder so I will replace it.

>
> Setup and Maintenance for Printing with PLA. It
> may seem basic to most but this is my very first
> 3D printer ...so it's not straightforward to me.
> Initially how should the PLA be inserted into the
> machine?

Its not you. I will be adding all this info over the next few days. The filament install is done using the LCD or pronterface (see your other thread for my answer).

> Should it be forced through manually?

Answered in the other thread and will add detailed instructions and pictures over the next few days.

> Is there a way to advance it through via the LCD?

Yes there is a load / unload option in the LCD menu under prepare.

> Cleanup?

No cleanup really required other than to remove stray plastic so it does not get dragged into the part being made.

Is there something that should be done
> to the hot after to reduce jams and pla residue?

We want to avoid having air inside the hotend while it sits hot for any longer then a few minutes because it can oxidise and cause discoloration and possibly jams. The best way is to leave the filament in until you are ready to change colors.

Thanks for the input, I will add answers to all of this in the setup or calibration section.

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> Is there something that should be done
> > to the hot after to reduce jams and pla
> residue?
>
> We want to avoid having air inside the hotend
> while it sits hot for any longer then a few
> minutes because it can oxidise and cause
> discoloration and possibly jams. The best way is
> to leave the filament in until you are ready to
> change colors.

Kewl. That is not something I would ever have guessed. That is definitely a good tip.

I have added a bunch of stuff to the Setup section of the build guide. [www.tantillus.org]

I have written the Basic calibration steps but still need to add the pictures and videos. They should still help those of you already at this stage. [www.tantillus.org]

I still have to take pictures and videos of the cable tensioning.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/25/2012 06:27AM by Sublime.

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