Newbie Recommendations

[spaceorange12]

Hello,
I've made a list of recommendations for beginners. Note that pretty much all of this is based on my experiences with the Simple, but most of the stuff here could apply to Junior or Plus users.

DO NOT run the nozzle at over 205C for PLA. The PLA will burn stiff inside the nozzle, and no amount of scraping or poking will remove the burnt plastic. If you've already done this, but don't know how to fix it, remove the nozzle from the printer by gripping it snugly with pliers and gently turning it counterclockwise. Then use a blowtorch to burn off the plastic (while holding the nozzle in your pliers).

DO NOT plug the motors in backwards. Yes, I really did this once. It caused the motors to run backwards and make an unholy noise when they reach their mechanical limits and grind against the wood.

DO NOT unplug the printer while it is sending or receiving commands. It causes your Printrboard to go screwy and give you a "commands waiting" dialog in Repetier. To fix: you need to reflash the firmware. Find any post by the user PxT and click the link in his signature line, then download the Firmware Updater app. It's only for Mac, but I think Windows users can use a software called FLIP. The Firmware Updater will guide you through the update process.

DO use painter's tape on the printbed when using PLA. It helps the first layer stick firmly.

DO use a spooling system for your filament. It is bad news when your printer tries to feed a tangle of filament through the drive gear

DO print a filament guide. This keeps the filament from slipping off the drive gear and not getting fed through the hotend.

If anybody else has suggestions, I would encourage you to post them.
I hope this helps you!

[plexus]

Excellent post! I am going to make this sticky so other people can add to it. remember... add to it. dont repeat anything already mentioned. thanks!

[RetireeJay]

DO NOT plug or unplug motors (including the fan) while there is power on the Printrboard. In fact, to be safe, don't plug in or unplug anything except the USB cable and the programming jumper while power is on.

[magikh0e]

Double check calibrations once in awhile, make sure bed is level etc.

Excellent calibration guide:

[thawkins]

DONT leave your pla stock in direct sunlight, even moderate heat from sunlight will soften and distort the filament and result in kinks and bends. Trying to feed the result through your printer will cause jams.

DO store your filament in a cool, dry place, PLA absorbs water and deteriorates as a result, a hermeticaly sealed storage box is a good option. Spread some kitty litter in the bottom to absorb any residual moisture.

DO make sure your lines are tight on the Simple, and that your belts are not loose on other models, loose belts and lines cause slippage which can severly distort your prints.

DO calibrate your extruder, its not hard to do, and it can make a world of difference in the quality of your prints.

[spaceorange12]

It's great to see this post taking off a bit, it's a great way to reduce the overall frustration level of our beginners. I've got on more to add:

DO keep your printer's motors from overheating. It causes them to miss steps, which can lead to layers shifting in different directions. I've seen many people add a fan to keep motors cool, but fan wires can tangle and cause more damage. The fix I used is quite sketchy though (although less sketchy than updating firmware). What you must do is rise the Z-Axis as high as possible, to give you access to the circuit board. Now you will need to loosen or remove belts so that motors can move without the axis moving. Once you are done, press the "Move 100mm" button on the motor that is overheating, and adjust the corresponding potentiometer (they are located slightly above and to the right of each motor plug) with a small standard screwdriver. As the motor rotates, begin to adjust the potentiometer counterclockwise until you can hear the motor begin to miss steps (which is a side effect of underpowering). Adjust it back a little clockwise until the motor stops missing steps. You're done now, so replace the belts of the motors you've adjusted and you're ready to print!

[mljac]

Being new to 3D printing I read a lot about the set up and calibration and adjusted my Printrbot Simple prior to my first print. This made my first prints turn out pretty good.
The first layer though was never very good. I had always done the bed leveling and Z adjustment with the hot end cold. I tried it with the hot end hot and this made a big difference. I'm not sure if everyone does it hot but I don't recall reading that part anywhere. Hope this helps other folks.

[holmes4]

Yes - best to set the Z with things just the way you will print. That includes the hot end, and bed if you have a heated one, up to temp.

[evanalmighty]

Here's my 2 cents for the Simple owners. After your printer is calibrated, the first things you should be printing are the GT2 belt upgrade parts for your X and Y axis. It's just a matter of time before the strings give you problems, so do yourself a big favor and upgrade while your Simple is still printing accurately. Also, don't print any job that will take more than 60-90 minutes. Run small prints and just be attentive. You'll learn a lot about your printer that way and it'll also give you ideas on how to tweak and improve your machine. Once the printer is performing consistently and you've developed a good starting procedure for yourself, then go ahead and put that baby to work.

[dave800]

That would help spaceorange12

[spaceorange12]

DON'T repeatedly plug and unplug your board. The repeated forces that this causes can rip the connector right off the board. I would recommend unplugging from the computer end of the cable to minimize the risk of this happening.

It might be awhile until I can add more to this list, largely because of a lack of a USB connector on my board.

[spaceorange12]

DO clean out your drive gear once in awhile. Having plastic stuck in the teeth can cause filament to skip over parts of the gear. It can cause lapses in extrusion.

[mechanizedmedic]

If your print comes out well DO save your slic3r configuration with the STL file and a picture or two of the completed part I their own folder. You can always use these to go back to a known good setup or benchmark upgrades ... But hopefully you'll only use them to look back and reminisce about how far you've come! [WHITE SMILING FACE]

DO clean your print surface after every print! It's always nice to have your printer ready just in case you find the perfect thing to print.

DO check your string before/after each print. The string should be TIGHT or else your prints will suffer.

[spaceorange12]

DO sand painter's tape before printing on it. Sanding creates roughness that PLA sticks better to.

DO replace painter's tape after awhile. Tape can wear out!

DO NOT leave your printer during the first layer of printing. Any indication of trouble during the first layer can snowball into a disaster.

[Jdublu]

DO extrude 10-20mm of filament prior to printing, to "prime" the extruder.

[spaceorange12]

DO grab filament that leaks out of your hot end before prints. It can create a blob of plastic on your skirt or first layer. When hit by a probe or hot end, it pops the layer off the print bed.

[spaceorange12]

DO read this excellent calibration guide on the RepRap wiki:

The guide covers many tricky points that might be encountered during prints, such as bed adhesion, bed leveling, recommended temperatures for printing plastic, bridging... definitely recommended for those trying to gather 3D printing experience.