extruder doesn't extrude and Z axis doesn't go up

All about the retired H-1.1 3D Printers
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Spice Whisperer
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extruder doesn't extrude and Z axis doesn't go up

Post by Spice Whisperer »

Please help me with a few calibration issues regarding ABS plastic feed rates and the Z axis.

[youtube] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBnHWQiu ... zJOz2typKY [/youtube]
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Nylocke
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Re: extruder doesn't extrude and Z axis doesn't go up

Post by Nylocke »

Im sorry.

You destroyed your printer by setting it up incorrectly...

I could probably write a 15 line list of things improperly done with your printer....

What sort of guide did you follow to set it up? You don't appear to have end stops configured at all, your destroying your bed by running your hotend into your bed, you didnt properly attach your bed either, there should be wood or cork or something insulating below the heat bed and there should be a layer of glass above it. you should never print directly on the heated bed.

Another major issue i noticed is your Y belt is really improperly tensioned, and I'd assume your X and Z belts are as well. its insanely loose, and you will get no end of backlash out of it if you run it like that.

Were are your endstops?

How did you even figure out how to build your printer?

Another big issue I noticed on one of your videos is, your printer is "homed" at the center of the bed. Most to all standard XYZ printers are homed at the min of the X, Y, and Z, by the endstops. I heard in the dry run video that you had opto endstops, but I didnt see them come into place, or even see their location.

Another thing I noticed, and I'm assuming most 3d printing people agree with me, is that you shouldn't be using Mach3... I have never seen a printer running with it before until yours. I have set up a plasma cutter with it, and It is really only an ideal software to use with large CNC equipment, and even at that it is rather outdated, really mainly because it was made with 2000 and XP in mind, to be used with a Parallel Port and breakout board. I highly doubt your printer is running on a breakout board and Parallel port, but if it is, you should really really change that. What you probably should be using is a firmware (such as Marlin) and something like Pronterface or Repetier Host (I use the later and Marlin with the current H1.1 setup i have, and I highly recommend it.)

Im very sorry if i come out rude or frustrated, Its just seeing your printer ram itself into the bed and almost destroying itself really makes me cringe....
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Re: extruder doesn't extrude and Z axis doesn't go up

Post by Spice Whisperer »

Thank you Nylocke.

You have raised some great points.

Probably most importantly, I did not have a guide. No instructions whatsoever.

I mostly built it through trial & error and watching the handful of youtube videos that were already out there.

I'm guessing I don't have endstops, because even though I keep hearing about them, I still am not exactly sure what they are or look like.

I can easily fix the belt tension issue. Thank you pointing that out.

Originally I had X, Y, & Z all homed in the front left corner. Mach 3 didn't seem to behave so I started manually homing at the center of the board.

Had no idea that I was not supposed to print directly on the heated bed. I'll get a piece of glass cut for the heated bed. It still works but I have no way of remounting it until get the plastic bed replaced underneath it. I would just print the part I need but am in a bit of a Catch 22 now.

I don't think come off nearly as rude or frustrated as I do in my YouTube clip and am grateful for your reply.
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Re: extruder doesn't extrude and Z axis doesn't go up

Post by Nylocke »

As far as correct assembly, there are a few threads here, like this one http://forum.seemecnc.com/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=837

I do understand why you are so confused, I had the opportunity to meet and talk to John Oly and Steve of SeeMeCNC this past weekend at a maker faire, and figured a few things out about the history of your printer.

Originally, it was intended to be used Mach3, because they were trying to appeal to people using the large industrial CNC machines, like the routers and lathes and jet cutters, which most were set up to use a breakout board that plugs into a Parallel port and then connected to Mach3. The H-1 was made to use Mach3, and in with Mach3, you could easily zero the bed to the proper level, so endstops weren't much of a necessity. As time has gone on and printers have developed, they have moved to using software such as Pronterface, Repetier, Replicator G, etc and an Arduino based board, such as a Sanguinololu, RAMPs, RAMBo, etc with outputs for stepper motors and hotends and thermistors for measuring temp. Im not sure were your printer falls into place for electronics, if its a breakout board or Arduino based board. But with these additions, there have been some more electro-mechanical advancements, such as endstops. Endstops are generally lever triggered microswitches, were a small lever gets pressed into a button switch. These work great, because with these new softwares to control your printers, it has gotten more difficult to set your own zeros, and most slicing programs automatically home your axes on start of print, so it sends each axis to its 0, heats up, and then starts printing. This is generally much easier than custom homing your printer every time you want to print, and so in the slicer you use, you can position the thing you are slicing werever you want generally, so the printer will move itself into the correct spot to print.

http://reprap.org/wiki/Mechanical_Endstop thats the page on endstops, http://reprap.org/wiki/Seemecnc_h1 is more info on your printer. building with a guide the first time i find to be essential, because I have no idea what was going on in the designer's (in this case in Steve's and John's) head when they made it, and I really dont want to break it. I hope you can get your printer running eventually.
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Re: extruder doesn't extrude and Z axis doesn't go up

Post by Spice Whisperer »

Trying to order the new parts today to get this printer up and running. Mach3 probably should have never been an option and I've decided to go with one of the Arduino based controllers. Will keep you posted as soon as I get the thing reassembled.

Thank you for your advice...
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Re: extruder doesn't extrude and Z axis doesn't go up

Post by Spice Whisperer »

Here it is over a year later and this printer still won't print. Now it belongs in a museum. Bought the Arduino controller board for it but it never would control anything. Is it still possible to get this thing to work or should I scrap it for parts?
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Re: extruder doesn't extrude and Z axis doesn't go up

Post by Polygonhell »

The original H1 isn't a terrible printer, but my guess is if you haven't gotten it working at this point, you simply don't have the skill set to debug it. You could try taking it to a local maker space or try and find someone locally who can help you. Without being able to examine the printer, it's going to be tricky for someone online to help you debug it.
In the end you can produce good prints with an H1, but there can be a lot of messing around to get there.

I should warn you if you intend to replace the H1 with another kit, many of the other printer options have equally bad documentation. Some of the more recent printers have been much better documented.
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