Trouble with first print

djs1394xd

Hello, this is my first time with 3D printing and I got the printer together and was trying to perform the first print that comes with the SD Card. And when I went to print the nozzle had the filament come out and basically stay on the nozzle end and not stick or come out much from the nozzle to do anything for the print. Any suggestions would greatly be appreciated.

Stephen Todd

I'd forget the model that comes with the SD card and go to thingyverse and download, slice, print a "first layer" test file

The hot end needs to be about 200c and the bed about 60c

Until you get the bed levelled and the gap between the nozzle and the bed so that a piece of paper between the two can be pulled with slight resistance, everything else you do is useless - this is done at working temperature - the hot end needs to be about 200c and the bed about 60c when doing this - you set the 4 corners and the center of the bed the best you can

djs1394xd

I know I'm responding to both of my posts at this point but you would recommend setting them when they are at those temps compared to how it goes over setting them with it on? Just to make sure I'm understanding right because I did the paper test already when it was just turned on like the video shows. And I did try using a different model from there just in case also.

Stephen Todd

I wasn't sure if you did the paper drag test with the extruder and bed heated at working temperature - some people don't realize, and do it cold - which is no good, as you get thermal expansion when you are at working temperature, and the gap would then disappear to nothing - set the gap to paper thickness at 200c and 60c - then do a single layer first layer test print - either 5 squares, or a large circle - you need to see how it prints over most of the bed area, then finely adjust from there if necessary

My A3s bed, like many others black diamond beds domes in the center due to the bed heater - 4 corners perfect, center pressed hard against the nozzle - I had to upgrade to community firmware to get the mesh routine, which adjusts the printing to take into account the bad bed

Stephen Todd

Something occured to me - if you raise the nozzle a few centimeters from the bed, does the motor then force filament out of the nozzle when at 200c? - if so, then the problem is your nozzle is too close to the bed when trying to print - motor cannot overcome the excessive pressure built up in the nozzle

djs1394xd

So I took it apart and got the feed fixed and the nozzle clean. I got some prints but the bigger prints I'm now running into the coming off the bed and not adhering well. 

Stephen Todd

Some filaments will stick better than others, but it could be that you are not melting your filament hot enough, or bed is not hot enough, or nozzle/bed gap is not close enough - or a combination of the above

My A3s has the notorious black ceramic coating on glass bed, so what I had to do to get prints to stick is going to be different to your PVC build surface - However, if I had the Magic printer I would not hesitate to get a "genuine" PEI sheet 2mm or 3mm thick the same size as your bed, and clip it directly to the build plate, discarding the cheapo PVC build surface

Using a genuine, not fake, PEI sheet will have prints sticking when bed is warm, and releasing when bed cools - PEI sheet has micro-porous holes in it, that expand when warm, close when cold - causing the gripping/releasing of prints

Samuel Pinches

@djs1394xd

Assuming you're printing PLA? Try:

- a hotter temp for your first layer, such as 215C,

- reducing your first layer printing speed

- increasing your first layer printing height

- bringing the nozzle closer to the bed after bed levelling

Stephen Todd

Some people have also increased bed temperature by 10c when printing on a PVC mat compared to a glass plate - due to the PVC mat acting as an insulator