Folger Tech 2020 i3 Printer Kit (Official Thread)

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flatlander

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SgtRauksauff
Hmm.. looks like I got one SK10

SK10??? Is there anything on our machines at 10mm? Beer can shim? Assuming that rail support, center point, is at the same height, probably not.

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tjnamtiw

It seems in the last six months since I got my 2020 that no one at FT has figured out how to properly calibrate their printers and print the bearing holders to the correct dimensions! NONE of my bearings fit the supplied parts and a lot of grinding, cutting and cussing was needed. This week after cutting my teeth on a roll of black PETG, I set the extrusion mulitplier to get the width called for in the GCode, printed the FT .stl files and the bearings snapped easily into place. If I wanted or needed another 2020, I wouldn't hesitate to buy an FT but I'd print my own printed parts since FT seems incapable of doing it. Sorry but the truth sucks sometimes.

PETG is cheating a little, less shrinkage Call it as you see it. I can't wait to test out PETG.

True, but why wouldn't FT know the shrinkage of ABS and compensate? No excuse from a manufacturer of the product! My guess is that they intended to print the parts in PLA but then got some experience with ABS and just printed them without compensating for the shrinkage factor.

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Folger Tech 2020 i3 and FT-5 as well as modified JGAurora A5 with direct drive E3D/Titan. All running the BLTOUCH.
Great kits. Having fun and running the heck out of them.
Running Marlin 1.1.0 RC8 on the i3 and FT5. Custom firmware on A5.
Folger Tech Wiki board >[folgertech.wikia.com]

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tjnamtiw

Quote
flatlander

Quote
SgtRauksauff
Hmm.. looks like I got one SK10

SK10??? Is there anything on our machines at 10mm? Beer can shim? Assuming that rail support, center point, is at the same height, probably not.

Quote
tjnamtiw

It seems in the last six months since I got my 2020 that no one at FT has figured out how to properly calibrate their printers and print the bearing holders to the correct dimensions! NONE of my bearings fit the supplied parts and a lot of grinding, cutting and cussing was needed. This week after cutting my teeth on a roll of black PETG, I set the extrusion mulitplier to get the width called for in the GCode, printed the FT .stl files and the bearings snapped easily into place. If I wanted or needed another 2020, I wouldn't hesitate to buy an FT but I'd print my own printed parts since FT seems incapable of doing it. Sorry but the truth sucks sometimes.

I

PETG is cheating a little, less shrinkage Call it as you see it. I can't wait to test out PETG.

True, but why wouldn't FT know the shrinkage of ABS and compensate? No excuse from a manufacturer of the product! My guess is that they intended to print the parts in PLA but then got some experience with ABS and just printed them without compensating for the shrinkage factor.

I imagine that they had someone, barely competent, print piles of parts and they are stuck getting rid of "printer kits" at $280 that they wanted to sell closer to $500. I can't even get Lowes to cut glass within 1/4" of the proper dimensions. It's hard to take for someone who thinks 0.003" is too far off I rarely purchase anything, anywhere, that doesn't require some type of modification. The inflation in prices would be too great if, I wanted things made right. So, I go to big box store and purchase low quality junk. If I want it done right I do it myself.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/01/2016 11:16AM by flatlander.

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flatlander

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tjnamtiw


True, but why wouldn't FT know the shrinkage of ABS and compensate? No excuse from a manufacturer of the product! My guess is that they intended to print the parts in PLA but then got some experience with ABS and just printed them without compensating for the shrinkage factor.

I imagine that they had someone, barely competent, print piles of parts and they are stuck getting rid of "printer kits" at $280 that they wanted to sell closer to $500. I can't even get Lowes to cut glass within 1/4" of the proper dimensions. It's hard to take for someone who thinks 0.003" is too far off I rarely purchase anything, anywhere, that doesn't require some type of modification. The inflation in prices would be too great if, I wanted things made right. So, I go to big box store and purchase low quality junk. If I want it done right I do it myself.

There in lies the allure of Chinese made junk!!! It didn't always be like that. There was a time when you could buy quality AT A PRICE. But you only bought it if you truly needed it. But now it's more like 'How much cheap junk can I buy for my dollar' and 'Now that I have the cheap junk, where do I put it and why did I really think I needed it?' That's why in the 'old days' our houses had one small closet in each bedroom (or none). We bought what we NEEDED, not what we WANTED. Big difference!

---

Folger Tech 2020 i3 and FT-5 as well as modified JGAurora A5 with direct drive E3D/Titan. All running the BLTOUCH.
Great kits. Having fun and running the heck out of them.
Running Marlin 1.1.0 RC8 on the i3 and FT5. Custom firmware on A5.
Folger Tech Wiki board >[folgertech.wikia.com]

Anyone else having issues with their display...



This will happen during a print, I'm normally printing from SD card and that doesn't interrupt anything, just lose functionality of the display. When the print is done removing the SD card will reset the issue. It's not the card itself as it happens even when I print via USB....

I know there's been a lot of discussion about the proximity sensor for bed leveling. I recently switched to the E3D hot end and for some reason I've been having trouble getting prints to stick (PLA on borosilicate). I never had a problem before the hot end swap. I've been playing with temperatures and that may be related but I have also found the bed height isn't consistent. Again, that shouldn't have changed but it's time to tinker.

Has anyone had luck with the mechanical bed leveling? I have the switch and a servo, just have to print the parts and mount it up. It is at all worth the time to mess with?

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marc2912
Anyone else having issues with their display...

This will happen during a print, I'm normally printing from SD card and that doesn't interrupt anything, just lose functionality of the display. When the print is done removing the SD card will reset the issue. It's not the card itself as it happens even when I print via USB....

You aren't alone. The interweb seems to think this is induction, noise, stray current.

Solutions are the following:

1. Shorten ribbon cable.
2. Replace ribbon cable with shielded cable.
3. Clean all solder joins with a file, etc.

For my money it's noise or induction. Keep the ribbon away from the stepper wires. It's one of the reasons that I let my wires hang all Willy-nilly. I call my printer Sigmund the Sea Monster.

And while you're Googling add H.R. Pufnstuf. Oh yes, google Sigmund the Sea Monster.

Hi, first-time poster here.

Finished assembly of my 2020 i3 yesterday, and I'm trying to put plastic down. My hotend has no problem getting up to temp, but my glass plate won't go above 108.5 C. I do see the heat board slightly bowed, so I do plan on remedying that tomorrow. In the meantime, would a 7 degree heat deficit be enough to prevent a print from starting? I have successfully tested X, Y, and Z through their full ranges, and I have successfully pushed PLA through the hotend through manual settings. Would anything else obvious prevent a print from starting? I'm guessing these questions have been answered a hundred times here, so linking the pertinent threads would be fine with me.

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Fiddleback
Hi, first-time poster here.

Finished assembly of my 2020 i3 yesterday, and I'm trying to put plastic down. My hotend has no problem getting up to temp, but my glass plate won't go above 108.5 C. I do see the heat board slightly bowed, so I do plan on remedying that tomorrow. In the meantime, would a 7 degree heat deficit be enough to prevent a print from starting? I have successfully tested X, Y, and Z through their full ranges, and I have successfully pushed PLA through the hotend through manual settings. Would anything else obvious prevent a print from starting? I'm guessing these questions have been answered a hundred times here, so linking the pertinent threads would be fine with me.

As long as your temps get to what you set them to be, and what you have allowed in the firmware, you should be fine. If your bed is set the let's say, 110 C, but it will only go to 108 C, the print will not start, and then it will most likely give you a decouple error.
Btw, just curious why you heating your bed so high? 108 C is hotter than what is needed even for abs. If a print is not starting, try looking at the log in repetier and see if anything strange is being reported.

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Folger Tech I3 2020 Wikia page: [folgertech.wikia.com]

Custom Folger Tech I3 2020 custom search

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Fiddleback
Hi, first-time poster here.

Finished assembly of my 2020 i3 yesterday, and I'm trying to put plastic down. My hotend has no problem getting up to temp, but my glass plate won't go above 108.5 C. I do see the heat board slightly bowed, so I do plan on remedying that tomorrow. In the meantime, would a 7 degree heat deficit be enough to prevent a print from starting? I have successfully tested X, Y, and Z through their full ranges, and I have successfully pushed PLA through the hotend through manual settings. Would anything else obvious prevent a print from starting? I'm guessing these questions have been answered a hundred times here, so linking the pertinent threads would be fine with me.

The printer won't start till it reaches temp set in the g-code from the slicer. Set the bed temp to 100, recut and try again should be good.

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Fiddleback
Hi, first-time poster here.

Finished assembly of my 2020 i3 yesterday, and I'm trying to put plastic down. My hotend has no problem getting up to temp, but my glass plate won't go above 108.5 C. I do see the heat board slightly bowed, so I do plan on remedying that tomorrow. In the meantime, would a 7 degree heat deficit be enough to prevent a print from starting? I have successfully tested X, Y, and Z through their full ranges, and I have successfully pushed PLA through the hotend through manual settings. Would anything else obvious prevent a print from starting? I'm guessing these questions have been answered a hundred times here, so linking the pertinent threads would be fine with me.

He also posted a separate question about the same thing. It's GOT to be an April Fool's joke or he has a LONG road ahead of him setting up and adjusting his machine! Drone alert.

---

Folger Tech 2020 i3 and FT-5 as well as modified JGAurora A5 with direct drive E3D/Titan. All running the BLTOUCH.
Great kits. Having fun and running the heck out of them.
Running Marlin 1.1.0 RC8 on the i3 and FT5. Custom firmware on A5.
Folger Tech Wiki board >[folgertech.wikia.com]

Hey, thanks for the help, tj. I got it figured out on my own.

April Fools would be more like, "I can't get my ABS Yoda chucked in my mini lathe for refacing. Any help would be appreciated."

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/02/2016 02:02PM by flatlander.

Anyway...

I've managed to get a first layer down on glass, but it seem that my Z axis isn't moving, and extrusion stops after the first layer. What should I be looking at to remedy this?

Well, the electronics side of things seems to be going ok so far. changed a couple lines here and there, and the RepRapDiscount 2004 LCD controller seems to be working. I connected the thermo sensors for both the extruder and the bed. I have the extruder assembly on my desk right next to the coiled up bed sensor wires, and the bed sensor is reading 2-5°C more than the extruder. Is it normal that they would be a little different, and is there a correction to apply in the firmware?

I looked around, an maybe I'm just blind, but is there documentation showing What information is being displayed?
I assume the first line when it says 20/0° it means that it's currently 20° and the setting is 0° (because I haven't loaded anything)
xyz coordinates are a no-brainer.
FR 100% - not sure what they mean by FR. SDCard percentage full? is that a 'clock' symbol, so time elapsed or remaining of the job?


And yet another question.. Is there a documented limit to SDcard size anywhere? I see some places say to use a 1GB or less with FAT16 format, and others using more.. I know with cameras, there was a speed class associated with cards, and certain cameras would only work reliably with a class 10 card, does that play into it at all? Has anyone used microSD cards inside an SD card adapter? I've got a bunch of 16/32/64 GB micro SD cards that I'd prefer to use, since I have them, and know where they are. I think i have a couple 1GB/2GB cards somewhere, but they're really not so common anymore.




replacement SK8 should be here Monday, I might be able to start getting calibrated next week!!!

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Fiddleback
Anyway...

I've managed to get a first layer down on glass, but it seem that my Z axis isn't moving, and extrusion stops after the first layer. What should I be looking at to remedy this?

Can you move your all your axes and extrude with Manual Control in Repetier-Host?

After you have sliced your part what does it look like in Print Preview?

Are you getting error messages in Repetier-Host?

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SgtRauksauff
Well, the electronics side of things seems to be going ok so far. changed a couple lines here and there, and the RepRapDiscount 2004 LCD controller seems to be working. I connected the thermo sensors for both the extruder and the bed. I have the extruder assembly on my desk right next to the coiled up bed sensor wires, and the bed sensor is reading 2-5°C more than the extruder. Is it normal that they would be a little different, and is there a correction to apply in the firmware?

The thermistors are defined just below this line in Configuration.h
//===========================================================================
//=============================Thermal Settings ============================
//===========================================================================

mine looks like this:

#define TEMP_SENSOR_0 1  // tried 8 beta;  1 was used in theRippa/Marlin V 1.0.2 stock;  6 was Folger Tech Stock
#define TEMP_SENSOR_1 0
#define TEMP_SENSOR_2 0
#define TEMP_SENSOR_BED 1

My temps show the same values at room temperature, just handling them could give different readings. I really wanted to do everything by the numbers, but I have come complete circle and realize that my 230 C may not be your 230 C... If I get good prints that don't fall apart, for being too cold or slump because they are too hot, or the bed is too hot, I'm good with it. At least one thermistor supplier suggests their own beta temperature tables, that can be moded in the thermistorstable.h.
[microfabricator.com]

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SgtRauksauff
I looked around, an maybe I'm just blind, but is there documentation showing What information is being displayed?
I assume the first line when it says 20/0° it means that it's currently 20° and the setting is 0° (because I haven't loaded anything)
xyz coordinates are a no-brainer.
FR 100% - not sure what they mean by FR. SDCard percentage full? is that a 'clock' symbol, so time elapsed or remaining of the job?

I haven't found a good manual for our LCD/SD reader. Thomas Sanladerer has a fair youtube video for a similar, but larger version screen. The RepRap wiki has some stuff. This video isn't bad:
[www.youtube.com]

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SgtRauksauff
And yet another question.. Is there a documented limit to SDcard size anywhere? I see some places say to use a 1GB or less with FAT16 format, and others using more.. I know with cameras, there was a speed class associated with cards, and certain cameras would only work reliably with a class 10 card, does that play into it at all? Has anyone used microSD cards inside an SD card adapter? I've got a bunch of 16/32/64 GB micro SD cards that I'd prefer to use, since I have them, and know where they are. I think i have a couple 1GB/2GB cards somewhere, but they're really not so common anymore.

s281.photobucket.com

replacement SK8 should be here Monday, I might be able to start getting calibrated next week!!!

I use an 8GB SD Card and it works fine. Some incompatible cards may be the cause of gibberish on the screens...
EDIT: I use SDFormatter to format. As you suggest, cards can be finicky. Any Windows formatting is probably bad.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/2016 12:32PM by flatlander.

How many spring tensioners do you guys add to your belt before you re tighten it manually?

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Folger Tech 2020 i3 Wiki

Custom google search for the Folger Tech 2020 i3 forum topic by Animoose

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UltiFix
How many spring tensioners do you guys add to your belt before you re tighten it manually?

Too soon to tell, but at some point the belt length will be too stretched and the belt teeth won't align with the pulley teeth.

I have moved all three axes and manually extruded successfully. The sliced print looks just like the .stl that was generated. I get no error messages.

Okay, having removed the hotend, I can send a manual extrude command, but the motor just turns a fraction of a rotation and then goes back to where it was. Which, I would guess, means that I need a new motor. But the issue of the z-axis still remains.

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Fiddleback
Okay, having removed the hotend, I can send a manual extrude command, but the motor just turns a fraction of a rotation and then goes back to where it was. Which, I would guess, means that I need a new motor. But the issue of the z-axis still remains.

Do you have all three shunt/jumpers installed, under the stepper driver, A4988? You might be able to scavenge one from below the unused extruder area.

How is the VREF on the stepper driver(s)? A voltage of 0.400V to 0.56V should be close.

[www.youtube.com]

Any chance the z-axis stepper wires just need to be flipped/reversed? Did you miss a pin?

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flatlander

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UltiFix
How many spring tensioners do you guys add to your belt before you re tighten it manually?

Too soon to tell, but at some point the belt length will be too stretched and the belt teeth won't align with the pulley teeth.

Do you reccomend I buy new belts in advance? Just GT2 off of ebay or amazon?

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Folger Tech 2020 i3 Wiki

Custom google search for the Folger Tech 2020 i3 forum topic by Animoose

Quote
UltiFix
How many spring tensioners do you guys add to your belt before you re tighten it manually?

None. Just pull the heck out of it when pushing it into the teeth. 6 months later still tight as can be.

---

Folger Tech 2020 i3 and FT-5 as well as modified JGAurora A5 with direct drive E3D/Titan. All running the BLTOUCH.
Great kits. Having fun and running the heck out of them.
Running Marlin 1.1.0 RC8 on the i3 and FT5. Custom firmware on A5.
Folger Tech Wiki board >[folgertech.wikia.com]

Quote
UltiFix

Quote
flatlander

Quote
UltiFix
How many spring tensioners do you guys add to your belt before you re tighten it manually?

Too soon to tell, but at some point the belt length will be too stretched and the belt teeth won't align with the pulley teeth.

Do you reccomend I buy new belts in advance? Just GT2 off of ebay or amazon?

You probably will have a bit of a warning, the belt will start humming as it tries to fit/climb the pulley teeth. It may ware the pulley a bit too.

I have a belt, a 20 tooth pulley, a thermistor, a barrel/throat some bearings and some 0.40 nozzles. I would just round out an order to get free shipping Next time I'm shopping I'll probably get some of those fancy Igus Dry-Lin® 8mm Polymer Bearing bearings.

I try to print something everyday, mostly as a discipline. It takes 10,000 hours to become an expert, I have years to go...I don't want any down time, ha, ha, ha.

All three jumpers are installed on each set. My kit came with all the PCBs pre-installed, but then again, my hotend assembly came mounted upside-down on its motor, so it's probably good that I checked. I haven't checked vref yet, but hardware-wise, everything seems to be kosher. Just got off the horn with Folgertech, so perhaps I will be swapping in a new motor before long.

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Fiddleback
All three jumpers are installed on each set. My kit came with all the PCBs pre-installed, but then again, my hotend assembly came mounted upside-down on its motor, so it's probably good that I checked. I haven't checked vref yet, but hardware-wise, everything seems to be kosher. Just got off the horn with Folgertech, so perhaps I will be swapping in a new motor before long.

Before swapping motors, make sure the cable is ok by swapping it with the cable for a different motor. I've seen issues where one of the cable pins is not crimped well, or in the right place, and that can cause this problem. You can also check the cable end-to-end with an ohm meter to find the bad wire or connection, but if it is intermittent, you might have to wiggle the cable ends around some to make the problem happen while testing.

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Folger Tech 2020 i3 Wiki

Custom google search for the Folger Tech 2020 i3 forum topic by Animoose

My Thingiverse Designs

I tried flipping it at the board, and the motor did turn in the opposite direction with no binding or skipping.

so, I got my replacement SK8 mount and plastics today!!

measured the inside of the single-bearing holders that hold the bed:
two of them, I was able to fit bearings into before, I didn't want to undo it:

23.48mm
23.77mm
23.55mm
23.58mm

the bearings that were inserted:
23.95mm
23.76mm
the other bearings:
24.04mm
24.03mm
23.99mm
23.93mm
23.88mm
24.10mm

widths of the extruder carriage bearing slots:
23.30mm
23.71mm
23.51mm

23.59mm
23.56mm
23.62mm

I wonder if it's not the plastics themselves that are off, as they seem to have a closer grouping of measurements overall than the bearings. makes me wish metal filings weren't bad for bearings, otherwise I'd just file down the end of the bearing, it's easier than finding something to trim the plastic...

Anyone know what the tolerance between the plastic and the bearing, as far as how much smaller the plastic can be before it just wont' fit anymore?

I seems more and more like firmware issues. Without seeing your machine and tinkering with wiring It's hard to say exactly what's up. Where I placed my endstops may be the opposite of your endstops...

I would look at these Configuration.h settings and come to some type of logic for your machine:
(From theRippa/Marlin V1.0.2)

#define INVERT_X_DIR false    // for Mendel set to false, for Orca set to true
#define INVERT_Y_DIR true    // for Mendel set to true, for Orca set to false
#define INVERT_Z_DIR true     // for Mendel set to false, for Orca set to true
#define INVERT_E0_DIR false   // for direct drive extruder v9 set to true, for geared extruder set to false
#define INVERT_E1_DIR false    // for direct drive extruder v9 set to true, for geared extruder set to false
#define INVERT_E2_DIR false   // for direct drive extruder v9 set to true, for geared extruder set to false

// ENDSTOP SETTINGS:
// Sets direction of endstops when homing; 1=MAX, -1=MIN
#define X_HOME_DIR -1  // needed to switch this from 1 for my setup.
#define Y_HOME_DIR -1
#define Z_HOME_DIR -1


/*****************************************/

#define INVERT_X_DIR false // changed this    // for Mendel set to false, for Orca set to true
#define INVERT_Y_DIR true    // for Mendel set to true, for Orca set to false
#define INVERT_Z_DIR true     // for Mendel set to false, for Orca set to true
#define INVERT_E0_DIR true   // for direct drive extruder v9 set to true, for geared extruder set to false  // I changed this to true, was false in theRippa
#define INVERT_E1_DIR false    // for direct drive extruder v9 set to true, for geared extruder set to false
#define INVERT_E2_DIR false   // for direct drive extruder v9 set to true, for geared extruder set to false

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SgtRauksauff

I wonder if it's not the plastics themselves that are off, as they seem to have a closer grouping of measurements overall than the bearings. makes me wish metal filings weren't bad for bearings, otherwise I'd just file down the end of the bearing, it's easier than finding something to trim the plastic...

Anyone know what the tolerance between the plastic and the bearing, as far as how much smaller the plastic can be before it just wont' fit anymore?

Scrape the slots with a knife, and file or drill the holes so that the extruder stepper screws fit. Use the tallest bearings in the x-axis endmounts. I would remove material on the mount before forcing the bearings.