First Test Print

Yay!

The cube being printed

Okay had a little endstop problem and there are probably a few adjustments to be made ...but ...tada! I printed something. Me so happy.

Hey congrats Lisa!

It sounds so quiet and frigging perfect.

I just came on here to express the joy that I'm feeling finally having the capacity to print great resolution material culture

Well I'm not out of the woods yet.

My test cube had a few layers in teh middle that buldged ...I hadn't adjusted anything throughout the print. Could be bad filament ...or something isn't moving smoothly.

Also something is wrong with my zstop. Home doesn't always bring the print head to the same distance from the bed. I got lucky with the cube in that it started at the right height from the bed.

I am so glad to see this. The print looked like it was going well. Can you post a picture of the cube and maybe we can fix the problem easily. I may not get back to you for a while (Maker Faire Calgary).

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Hi Lisa,

What I'm finding is that every print is teaching me something new about the setup. Sublime has prepared some out of the can sweetness that you can barely pay through an orifice for commercially.

Your footage gave the impression that your machine is just starting to stretch its legs, and that very good things are on your way. Let Tantillus show you what it can do - and do ensure that your working from the Tantillus Slic3r config settings, if you're not exploring them yet, cuz they seem to bring you to the sweet spot of the machine before you, and allow you to toy with really subtle tweaks <- and expose how much we don't know

Best!

Congrats, Lisa! Great to see another Tantillus breathing and building!

Here is the cube ...hard to get a good picture of something this small without a macro. You can see the bulge layer though and there are a couple of layers where you can see small gaps ....so the flow wasn't consistent or the movement of z wasn't consistent. I am using cheap filament from Rep Raper.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/2012 12:39AM by Lisa M.

Lisa M Wrote:
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>I am using cheap filament from Rep
> Raper.

That could very well be your problem. Their filament tends to have voids in it, as well as being an inconsistent diameter, both of which affect the quality of your output. Do you have some calipers to check the consistency of the diameter? Also, take a piece of the filament and break it in a few places to see if it has voids. Like the image in this post: [forums.reprap.org]

Note that not all of their filament is that bad, but it varies wildly so you may or may not have gotten a bad batch from them.

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I tried another print. It looked like it was going pretty well at first ...but the end result was somewhat baffling. G-Code or stepper? I'm not sure.

Have a look and tell me what you think.

This is just that something is still a little tight in the X Y axis that caused it to skip a step. Try running this a few times and see if it helps things break-in.gcode. Also don't forget to lubricate the smooth rods ( it seems this is very important during initial break-in and I will add it to the instructions).

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That was pretty handy. Definitely put it through the paces.

It's still a little stiff in the Y direction but lots of vaseline and keeping my fingers crossed. I'm printing out RobotDreams spool holder. So far so good

A little better now...



I'm having trouble with the right side Y End though. I just can't seem to get it tightened well enough. I've tightened as much as I dare (small cracking noises and almost the extent of my personal strength). The other bolts are holding the cable well but on this one, the cable slacks the second I let go of the bolt. I've even tried some kapton tape on the underside of the washer to create a thicker grippier surface ...to no avail.

I think that because one side of Y is push/pulling better, that might explain the darker spots where maybe the hot end isn't being moved away as quickly so a little more pla is coming out at those points.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/2012 05:43PM by Lisa M.

Now this is a new one to me. Obviously you have removed the bolt and both of the cables are going under the washer correctly so it must be applying a lot of force to pull both cables under the washer. If you unscrew the bolt and then try and slide the Y end does it move smoothly? Then once the bolt is tightened does it get hard to move? If this is the case I would say the new Y ends bolt is not going into the bushing correctly and is squeezing the bushing and causing lots of friction. To fix it you would remove the bolt and use a small tool to push the bushing out of the Y end and then rotate it until the hole is facing up where the bolt hole is and push the bushing back in.

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Hi Sublime,

It's not loosening after it starts printing. I can't get it tight at all. I did remove the bolt and washer and tried putting tape under the washer to make it more "grippy" in the hopes that would create enough friction on the cable ...but it didn't work.

Essentially I pull the cable tight. I tighten the bolt as far as I can go, the cable coming out the front side of the end feels tight. The folded over piece that I was tugging on comes loose as soon as I let go. I'm wondering about creating a rubber washer from some old bike inertube to fit between the metal one and the xy end so that it presses against the cable. It might be softer and make a better connection with the plastic under the metal washer.

Once the printer has stopped printing this little tree frog, I'll give it a try.

The tree frog looks okay ...although there is a major split early on ...I'm not sure the legs are connected ...not sure what happend there ...possibly the filament wasn't feeding well and it's a weak layer ...or possibly the z moved too far for one layer.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/2012 08:39PM by Lisa M.

Is this the side where the loop was on the opposite side than is recommended? This would mean the end you need to pull should be coming out the back not the front. This would also mean only one cable is under the washer not two.

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I don't remember if this is "that" side.

However I'm pulling the cable towards the back, as you say.

The looped cable is at the front of the end and the cable that doubles back through goes under the washer. The one doubling back goes towards the back of the tantillus.

...I'm not sure how that should make a difference. It is under the washer.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/2012 08:45PM by Lisa M.

Hmmm..... I am a little stumped. I will put some though into this see I can come up with something. In the mean time can you try adding a second washer to see if it is just not tightening properly as you suspect.

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Well my rubber washer didn't work either. *sigh* I'm sure I don't understand the physics ...but apparently it matters that the cable is going the same way as it is on the left side.

I guess the cable from the back should be looped and the cable coming from the front of the machine should double back through. Essentially the opposite of the left side. I still can't wrap my head around how that should make any difference though ...and you know how much I hate doing the cables ...however this one is reasonably easy to access.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/2012 08:59PM by Lisa M.

It should not make any difference. Did you try removing the bolt and moving the Y end by itself as I mentioned earlier? I still think it must be binding on the shaft.

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Yup did that a few times... even before you suggested it. ...but the cable being loose happens before I even move anything. I simply can't tighten it.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/2012 09:32PM by Lisa M.

Is is because the cable is going around the bolt on either side and the the loop is hitting the bolt?

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The both ends of the cable are going around the bolt on one side (not either side of the bolt) ...and I've tried one side and then the other of the bolt. I'm not sure if the loop is hitting the bolt.

I put a second washer in testing your theory that the bolt may be pushing against the rod creating a gap under the washer ...but that didn't make a difference either.

Lisa M Wrote:
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> Well my rubber washer didn't work either. *sigh*
> I'm sure I don't understand the physics ...but
> apparently it matters that the cable is going the
> same way as it is on the left side.
>
> I guess the cable from the back should be looped
> and the cable coming from the front of the machine
> should double back through. Essentially the
> opposite of the left side. I still can't wrap my
> head around how that should make any difference
> though ...and you know how much I hate doing the
> cables ...however this one is reasonably easy to
> access.

While I agree that it makes no sense, I will admit that I had the free ends going in opposite directions on the Y axis I was never able to square. I don't think the loop was getting hung up by the bolt as I'd made sure to run everything to one side.

I broke another one

I was trying again to see the position of the loop. When I undid the bolt the end stop wiggled a bit to reveal that it was cracked through again. Much sadness here. Any chance you could mail another one to me?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/10/2012 12:45AM by Lisa M.

...also you were right. I've reglued the piece, moved the loop but wrapping it one more time around the bar so that the loop is not in the y end ..and now it clamps down nice and tight over the cable I've pulled back through. Apparently having the loop in the Y end is bad.

This is good to know.

At least where it cracked the bolt holds it together and the washer still applies pressure to the clamping portion for the smooth rod.

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Yes sir, it sure does ...best print ever started and looking good. I'm printing another fan mount to replace my busted one. *gleefully rubbing hands together* ...video to follow.

I'm Rep Rappin' Yo!

Check out my new fan mount!

...note video speed is at 200% so yah my Tantillus is not on steroids ...although that would be impressive right?

Yeeehaaa! Congratulations Lisa.

Lisa M Wrote:
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> ...note video speed is at 200% so yah my Tantillus
> is not on steroids ...although that would be
> impressive right?

Sublime cranks the speed up to 150 and even 200 sometimes.

A well tuned and broken-in Tantillus can do it. I've tried it and gotten pretty good results. Problem is that the speed adjustment is modal. So if you crank it up it stays that way until you turn it back down again or restart the printer.

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Lem Fugitt
3D Printing Dreams
Robots Dreams
"The map is not the territory."