Getting the old girl going again

[Toyguy]

My old V1 has been in storage for a while due to the always popular "life changes."

I'm finally pulling her out and getting her cleaned up. I figure I may as well refresh the whole setup. So what's the hot configuration these days? I see Repetier has a 0.92 out there but SeeMe has 0.91 in the download area. Is most everyone running 0.91? I suppose once I upgrade the firmware I'll want to upgrade Rep Host also, seeing as it has moved up quite a few versions.

I see the new V2 manual is now using MatterControl - what's the skinny on that? Is it generally considered better than Rep Host these days?

Same question for slicers - is it still mostly Slic3r and Cura? Anything ever develop with the old KISS slicer?

Just before putting my stuff in storage I had bought a copy of Simplify3D, I think was the name. I'll have to check on what happened to that one.

Anyway, any words of advice would be helpful. Once I do all the software upgrades I'll give her another calibration and then we can get back to some printing!

Who knows, maybe even a V2 come tax time!

[Jimustanguitar]

The change to MatterControl happened because Repetier closed the source on their host program and is being shunned by the open source community
It's not quite that bad, but they did make a rather fundamental change in their philosophy, so many have switched. MatterControl is a more open company called MatterHackers, and they work directly with the guys at SeeMe to add new features and settings in real time. It's come a long way since it was released, and it's a decent program.

Cura, Slic3r, KISS, etc all still exist. Simplify 3D is awesome, and there was a rather large update recently that changed the game again. Put your effort into learning its intricacies and you won't be sorry.

The newest release of Slic3r is also very good. They've incorporated some new 3D geometric infill options that are great.

For Cura, it's still my own go-to if I need something quick, but they've also released a large update. In this case, don't get the new one yet. Get V-15.04, the newer versions are based on a different platform, are arguably still in Beta, and aren't as customizable for printers other than the Ultimaker yet.

It's worth updating your machine's firmware before you go too much farther. Check out Download.SeeMeCNC.com or their GitHub for the latest 'official' release.


Happy printing, and welcome back!

[Toyguy]

Excellent - thanks for the summary and advice. While I was checking it out over the last couple days, I managed to get the hot end plugged up and then the thermistor popped out of its hole. I took the hot end off but essentially had to disassemble it to get it unclogged. The inner PTFE tube seems to have swollen to the point where filament binds in it at the exposed end where it sticks out of the outer liner tube. The nozzle is also completely plugged, so I've ordered a new hot end and some repair parts to try and put this one back together. With luck I'll have both a fine and standard nozzle hot end available now.

Anyhow, short delay while parts come in. I did manage to get the bed readjusted though, setting a more accurate thermistor table and getting it re-tuned for PID.

[Captain Starfish]

Jury's out on the firmware upgrade - most of us are happy I think on 0.91 and there doesn't seem to be any big advantage on going to 0.92 at the moment.

MatterControl is a pretty sweet little host/slicer package and gives you the choice of cura and slic3r as well as their own (MatterSlice) slicer. Or you can run your own full version of any slicer and import the G-code. It has a nice bed levelling feature to save jimmying around with the home switch screws and great visualisation. The terminal interface (which I've only ever used to set up the PID loops anyway) kinda sucks, but no-one's perfect.

Cura, Slic3r still around. I think the KISS author woke up and kicked out another version recently. Simplify 3D is a love-it-or-hate-it job but you're spending money to find out which sucks big time considering its competition. Personally I like MatterSlice - it's simple to get quick jobs going, creates smooth toolpaths (unlike Kiss and Slic3r which I tend to compare to spiders on LSD), and has just enough options to soothe my inner control freak.

Once you get the new hot end (or repaired old one) installed sounds like you're pretty much ready to rock and roll!

Welcome (back) to the dark side

[Jimustanguitar]

Jury's out on the firmware upgrade - most of us are happy I think on 0.91 and there doesn't seem to be any big advantage on going to 0.92 at the moment.

V1 owners can have firmware as far back as 0.89, I believe. At least get is up to the 90s

[Toyguy]

Well, she's upgraded to Rep firmware 0.91S with the latest Rep Host, Matter Control and Simplify3D installed. Jim was right, I think I was on 0.83 or 0.85, something like that.

Couple new questions have surfaced though that I could use some guidance on.

The new PEEK section I got from SeeMe is quite different than the old, no longer bored through for the larger outer PTFE tube. I assume, from fiddling with it, that the new PEEk section goes on with the larger bore section down, so the upper end of the nozzle fits into it, and then the thinner PTFE just runs straight through up to the PTC fitting?

Also, with the new firmware, it seems like fan functionality may have changed a little and the firmware will turn the fan on when the hot end is turned on? I assume I need to reconnect my PEEK fan? The V2 assembly guide has it going to the Heat 1 port, while the old V1 manual has it on the Fan 1 port.

Thanks in advance!

Dave

[Jimustanguitar]

PEEK fan goes to the HEAT1 port, correct. The first printers didn't ship with a fan at all, and the PEEK fan was considered optional and for PLA prints. As things evolved the PEEK fan started shipping stock and operated on a programmic temperature switch hooked to HEAT1. It will run ASAP when you turn the hotend on, and stay on until its temp falls below 50C. Your layer cooling fan plugs into the FAN port and is what GCode switches on and off according to your slice.

[Toyguy]

Fan is now working correctly out of HEAT1 so that's good. I got my old, original hot end rebuilt and have a new problem. When first coming on to heat up the extruder, the thermistor is rocketing up to the set temperature, say 190 C, much too quickly and inaccurately. The thermocouple meter shows the temperature rising at a more normal rate and is ending up some 40 degrees shy of the target. It did not do this prior to the thermistor coming loose from the hot end. Though I caught that in time, perhaps the thermistor could have been damaged? Once it reaches 190, or thinks it has anyway, it tracks that temperature on the LCD accurately but the thermocouple tells a different story. I did test the thermocouple in boilng water and it was good so I have confidence in the meter.

I'm wondering if I should pull it all apart again and replace that thermistor. I do have a spare that I bought with the machine originally.

Anyone have any thoughts on why the rapid rise behavior?

Dave

[aehM_Key]

Just install a Prometheus V2 and be happy

Got from 3mm to 1mm retraction, with my 100mm Bowden-Setup.

(This is what I did recently)