My first prints simple metal need help

[aandrichaci]

Idk whats happening or how to fix it. I had one goodish print but the top wanst good. my printer does thins thing where it doesnt start extruding until after its completed the skirt and started the print. then the nozzle catches and drags around stuff its already printed.
here is a video that shows whats happening
youtu.be/A8PRyg82CcA
any help would be appreciate, thanks

[jolars]

What are you printing on there? Looks like the print isn't sticking to whatever it is.

Is your z calibrated correctly? If the first layer is pressed down nicely all the other layers work fine after that.

If your z is calibrated correctly, I found that blue painters tape really helped get the print to stick really nice. I clean my bed with acetone then add blue tape and squeegee the tape down really good, then I clean the blue tape with acetone again to clean off any waxy residue.

[killbox]

I no longer use tape. use ultra strong hold hair spray. because of the makeup of PLA it will only stick to like polymers. painters tape being one (or coated in one) and hair spray being the other. if you want you can use both. i just use hair spray and clean/sand down my alum bed every 50 or so prints to get the gunk off. your Z looks fine, though you are over extruding. try adjusting the multiplier in rep host (or what ever you use). An easy way of setting it would be to measure your roll across 10 feet every foot and average it out. and either adjust the multiplier or the filament dia in your program.

[spaceorange12]

Before you run the print, extrude some filament. Then retract about 3mm and start the print. Then plastic will start flowing 3mm into the skirt, and ooze between prints is minimized. As for your adhesion problem, I would experiment with different z-offsets.

[aandrichaci]

I've tried all of your guys' suggestions and I still can't get anything to stick. Is there any other advice you could give me?

[musk]

Your probe looks physically too high relative to where the nozzle tip is. The video is small, but it looks like the extruder tip is possibly touching the bed during the homing sequence and messing up the calibration. To give it more clearance, move the probe physically downward a little bit, almost half the distance you see in the video at the 3rd location that gets probed while the extruder is heating.

After you've moved the probe, recalibrate your z offset and you should be golden.

[killbox]

I can slide 3 thick card stocks under my probe when my nozzle is just about to touch the bed.

[aandrichaci]

Can anyone tell me why this is happening? It the y axis stutters for a split second which messes up straight lines. here is a video and a pic.
youtu.be/PQti4e9XmBI

[musk]

Can anyone tell me why this is happening? It the y axis stutters for a split second which messes up straight lines. here is a video and a pic.
youtu.be/PQti4e9XmBI

Are you printing directly onto the metal bed?

[aandrichaci]

i put some hairspray down first. im just trying things to get the first layer to stick better. It shouldnt have anything to do with the stuttering y-axis though, right?

[killbox]

how are your pots? have you tweaked them yet?

[aandrichaci]

what are pots and how do i tweak them?

[killbox]

http://help.printrbot.com/Guide/Adjust+ ... +through+D)/115

[aandrichaci]

thaks, tweaking my pots seems to have fixed it.