Author Topic: Ender 3 - General discussion  (Read 17965 times)

Offline Brass_Machine

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Ender 3 - General discussion
« on: January 13, 2020, 12:51:10 AM »
Since there are quite a few of us with Ender 3/Ender 3 Pros, I thought I would start a thread with a general discussion of the printer. I figure anything and everything can go here...

I will start it of by listing out the mods I have done so far to the printer.

Printed Mods:

Filament guide. Located at Thingiverse

Fan cover. Located at Thingiverse

Cable protector. Located at Thingiverse

Tray. Located at Thingiverse

Cable/Ribbon clips. Located at Thingiverse

Physical mods

All metal extruder from Here

New stiffer bed springs - Can't find the link

Capricorn Bowden tube - Capricorn. These things are awesome. Slippery tube. Helps with print quality by eliminating some snagging. Can't recommend it enough.

All metal hot end from gulfcoast robotics. For the hotter PETG filaments.

Micro SD to SD convertor cable - A generic item. Saves wear and tear on that tiny socket.

SKR Mini E3 V1.2 32 bit systemboard from BigTree. Running Vanilla Marlin. Faster processing. Able to do more to the printer.

FT35 V3.0 Upgrade Touch Screen Controller Display with WiFi Port for SKR Mini E3 from BigTree

BLtouch auto leveler BLtouch


I had been using the treated glass that came with the printer with a lot of luck... but recently, it seems to have stopped working as well as I want.

So... I ordered on of the magnetic flexible build plates and that seems to be working pretty good. I do have on order though, a PEI build plate from Gizmo Dorks


I have some other mods in the wings to happen. need to finishing printing some stuff first.


All in all, I would say this is a fantastic little printer. I am able to print a lot of highly detailed things. And enjoying it while I do so.

Any questions about my mods?

What have you done to yours?
What do you plan to do?
How is the Ender 3 working for you?
What issues are you running into?
What are you planning to print on it?

Eric

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Offline Will_D

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2020, 10:52:42 AM »
Gave upon the flexible bed as it started to curl up a few thou at the corners, made levelling a pita

Go to local glass shop and order two bits of 4 mmmirror plate glass. Remember to move the protective sticky back plastic!!
Glass needs help so tried Pritt - useless. Hair spray (4 liberl coats and every thing seem to stick well and release easily when cold

Ordered the BL Touch auto leveller and also a lighting kit.

0.4 stainless nozzles for when I need them.

First test cube (25 mm) came oout about 25 microns oversize in X & Y but 250 out in Z due to shrinkage. Increased Z scale to 101% and within 25 microns.

Happy bunny here.  :ddb:

More to come I'm sure
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Offline Will_D

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2020, 11:11:12 AM »
Then there are filaments.

At moment obvious choice is PLA, I ordered extra kg of white and blue as part of the printer bundle.

But for real world printing what about the colour?

Obviously the crazzy bright and glow in dark and black and white no problem.

But what if I want to print some trees for my mates war gaming table:

Green grass, brown trunk and leaves (Conifer, deciduous, Autum in Canada)? You wouldn't by paint online from a computer screen!!

Why can't they use the RAL system? I have emailed at least one manufacturer to see if they have accurate colour charts (like paint shops) or real 10cm samples or better the RAL number)

Any way my extruder Knob is nearly finished (I think I got those 2 words the right way round)
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Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2020, 04:07:24 PM »
Hi Will_D

You will like the auto leveler. It does make the prints take longer as it has to map the build plate. I went a bit extreme and do 49 mesh points before the print....

What lighting kit did you order?

Eric
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Offline AdeV

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2020, 05:53:59 PM »
How hard is the BL Autoleveller to fit - and will it work with the boggo mainboard, or do I need to get the Octaprint board to really use it?

The inner lazy b*stard in me really wants it to automatically level to perfection every time, instead of me having to do it...

Oh, and how well does the BL Touch do once you've added a layer of glue/hairspray to the bed? It doesn't stick itself down does it?  :lol:
Cheers!
Ade.
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Offline Pete.

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2020, 06:43:13 PM »
I've only levelled mine twice.


Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2020, 07:41:12 PM »
How hard is the BL Autoleveller to fit - and will it work with the boggo mainboard, or do I need to get the Octaprint board to really use it?

The inner lazy b*stard in me really wants it to automatically level to perfection every time, instead of me having to do it...

Oh, and how well does the BL Touch do once you've added a layer of glue/hairspray to the bed? It doesn't stick itself down does it?  :lol:

It is easy to fit to the stock board. A few things you need to do to the firmware though... I believe I had to use an Arduino to facilitate the first flash.

I think most people are using a RaspberryPi for Octoprint.

A butt ton easier to put it on the mainboard I am using.
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Offline Will_D

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #8 on: January 14, 2020, 06:12:26 AM »
Changing filaments was driving me crazy: Trying to feed the filament (cut to 45 as recomended) into the little black hole while pinching to relieve was a massive pita!

Cause: Brass feed roller impedes onto the axis of the filament feed black hole[tlbh]  (as it needs to)
Result: the brass wheel pushes the filament away from tlbh!

Fix: Remove roller pressure roller arm (beware of spring and the little black bush!)
       Remove the brass feed roller.
       Use a counter sink with a 2mm pilot to lightly countersink tlbh.
       Re-assemble and counter sink the bowden cable where it pushes into extruder as well.

Result: Easy Peazy feeding of even square cut filament!   :nrocks:
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Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #9 on: January 15, 2020, 05:53:45 PM »
The PEI build plate arrived yesterday. Got it mounted on my glass plate. It has a sticky side...

Running the first test now to see how it does.

I ordered it from Amazon. They supply one precut for the Ender 3 build table

Link HERE

Hopefully this works well.

Eric
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Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #10 on: January 16, 2020, 11:25:54 AM »
I have a couple of prints now on the PEI. Once I got the initial build layer dialed in, it works pretty good. No tape. No hairspray. Seems to hold tighter than the treated glass plate.

Eric
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Offline PekkaNF

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #11 on: January 17, 2020, 03:58:57 AM »
I have Ender3 Pro, which has magnetic print surface. It is excelent with PLA. Never had any problem with PLA adhesion on table and peels off really clean and easy.

But then I started printing with PETG and that stuck to it way too well. Prints were hard to remove and when print skirt, that was nearly impossible remove. I tried everything, starting mild and then ended up using the supplied sraper. That spoild the surface where I removed the PETG.

I ordered new magnetic surface.....shop indicated that it would be shipped from europe, but then I got chinese tracking number and I am wondering where it has dropped.

Looking for a possbiility to use original type magnetic plate for PLA AND something else for PETG.

My printer does not hold leveling that great. Bed temperature setting seems to have something to do with it, but it is hard to believe 20C difference in bed temperature is going to change level more than 0,1 mm. Well, these are not precision tools.

Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #12 on: January 17, 2020, 07:22:03 AM »
My printer does not hold leveling that great. Bed temperature setting seems to have something to do with it, but it is hard to believe 20C difference in bed temperature is going to change level more than 0,1 mm. Well, these are not precision tools.

Have you tried getting a set of stiffer bed leveling springs? Worked wonders on mine.
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Offline PekkaNF

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #13 on: January 17, 2020, 07:43:32 AM »
Thank you for the hint. I haven't changed anything. I'm trying to see if it is any good before investing time/money/thought to it. I have to have look on springs, I might have somewhere appropriate springs.

Offline philf

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #14 on: January 17, 2020, 09:40:26 AM »
I'm not familiar with the Ender 3 - mine is a Balco Touch from Aldi. The sub table on mine was much more flexible than the print table so levelling was a big problem. I replaced the sub table with something much stiffer, made cups to locate the springs https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1374667 (I turned the feet using PEEK) and printed knurled setting wheels which had pockets to take NyLoc nuts. I don't have to level the bed very often now. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:874155

Phil.
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Offline Will_D

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #15 on: January 17, 2020, 05:49:37 PM »
Two very large lessons learned today:

1: How to change a nozzle.
1a:    Heat to 210C or so and remove filament. Remove nozzle carefully coz its bloody hot! Don't ask how I know!
1b:    Allow extruder to cool to about 40C so you can fit new nozzle without burning fingers, finger tighten.
1c:    Heat back up to 210C or so and tighten nozzle.
1d:    Manually extrude some filament.
1e:    Re-level the bed.


2: How to really F**K up the above:
2c:  Forget to do this
2d:  Run a print: May or not work.
2c:  After a grotty print rememember to do step 1c but fiorget step 1e.
2d:  Run a print with the nozzle WAY too high!

3: Turn the Eff'ing thing off, hope that in the morning you can undo all the damage done (as in not doing step 1C has extruded pla all over the hot end and the nozzle (via the slack threads).

4:  Pour large stiff relaxer from Ireland or Scotland or even France and watch TV!

HTH

Will

PS: Damage reports in morning
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Offline PekkaNF

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #16 on: January 18, 2020, 06:29:07 AM »
Will, I had pretty close same experience with a flexible filament (NinjaTek Cheetah). I noticed it in after maybe 10 seconds, but to clean up that TPU was nearly inpossible. I ordered set of replacement nozzles.

What build plates do you use for PETG and how? I got new magnetic standard plate and for time being I am going to use it only for PET. I gues glass is not the answer.

Pekka

Offline PekkaNF

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #17 on: January 18, 2020, 11:15:28 AM »
Got new metallic extruder to replace the stock plastic one.


It is original item, but it had one extra insert nut that does not show anywhere and really can't figure use, unless it is undocumented arbor inside the spring to hold it in place (in addittion of the screw).

I am not sure if it is improvement, possibly just just ore bling. Suposedly the original tension arm wears where the filament runs, but the eriginal arm I had has an brass insert, which probably is just fine. I have noticed that very many problems are being gradually adressed and often uppgrades address the problen tha does not excist.

I was hoping that this uppgrade would have adressed the enty point problem of the filament, now it runs pretty close to Z-axis trapezoidal screw. Luckily there are mods too.


Offline Will_D

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #18 on: January 20, 2020, 11:21:02 AM »
Well glad to say I cleaned up the mess fromm the loose nozzle.

Tried some more prints and couldn't even get the brim to look right.

So 2 more lessons learned today:

1. After about 24 hours or so re-adjust the belt tensions in X and Y!  The belt is "bedding in" and so will stretch a bit at first

2. Do NOT do this when the machine is running as any pressure on the x axis will loose any levelling (and will even knock the plate of the bed.
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Offline Will_D

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #19 on: January 20, 2020, 05:06:16 PM »
Now we come to the WTF?!? question:

Ran an overnight print after checking the usual things like good brim and bottom layer adhesion. After about 5 mm all looking good so - off to bed.

Came down to this mess:

Looks like the Y axis skipped about 5 mm at a layer change!

How on earth would this happen??
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Offline Peter Cordell

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #20 on: January 20, 2020, 06:49:52 PM »
How on earth would this happen??

Could it be auto leveller is lower then the nozzle?

Offline Will_D

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #21 on: January 21, 2020, 05:11:18 AM »
No Ben,  I don't have an auto leveler. This was not a low nozzle contact as they knock the piece of the bed (how do I know!!). 

All 8 pieces showed the same Y axis shift even the ones that are "solid" at that Z height

Cheers

Will
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Offline PekkaNF

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #22 on: January 21, 2020, 07:08:57 AM »
Would that skip be in some relation to Y-axis tooth belt pitch? Maybe the belt is a bit loose or pulley/belt got debris in? :scratch:

Offline Peter Cordell

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #23 on: January 21, 2020, 07:37:51 AM »
The only time i have seen movment like that is when the printhead has made contact with the bed or something fixed to it
Seen bulldog clips on glass do it

Offline AdeV

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Re: Ender 3 - General discussion
« Reply #24 on: January 22, 2020, 04:27:15 AM »
What slicer are you using? Whilst it seems unlikely it'd suddenly introduce a Y-axis shift, it's the only thing other than a hardware glitch that could explain it.

As regards hardware glitching; it would have to be one of two things: Either the belt jumped some teeth on the motor (too loose), or it's wound up so tight a bit of binding happened which stalled the stepper motor.

With the machine switched off (or with the steppers disengaged), can you easily push the bed backwards and forwards through its entire travel? Are there any stiff spots? Is the belt nice and tight (but not murder tight)?
Cheers!
Ade.
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