The start - beginning of perimeter, glob or blank.

[RegB]

Maybe I need to read the manual {AGAIN} ?

I usually get one of two things at the start of the perimeter.
Either there is a bit of cooled and hard filament hanging off the nozzle that curls and sticks up off the bed waiting to be hit on the next pass, or the filament doesn't actually start coming out until half way around the first lap.

The former can cause a mess if it rips up and the second lap sticks to it.
The other case USUALLY doesn't matter much, until/unless I get to fill the bed and try to discard the perimeters to use ALL the space - one day.

Anyway, I would like to (as the song goes) start at the very beginning.
I have tried manually extruding a couple of inches or so of filament as the bed warms up, I let that harden and pull it off just before starting the print. Sometimes that works, but it isn't very predictable - sometimes a very fine hair follows it across the room, sometimes "ooze happens".

So, I am thinking that some sort of "retract, wait for it to remelt" sequence might lead to the filament coming out at the right time.

Anyone try something like this ?
Bad idea ?
What am I not doing right that would fix this if I did do it right ?

[teoman]

Check out the automatic nozzle wiper thread.

[Jimustanguitar]

I manually turn the knob on my extruder just before I start the print, and then I start the print and quickly pull the string off while the machine is homing.

Another option is to add a line to your start GCode that runs the print head to Z1 or Z0 and extrude a few mm way out to the side of the bed before beginning the priming loops. That way any ooze comes off away from the actual print.

[RAMTechRob]

I also do the manually feed right before the start. I then use a flat knife to get rid of any extra plastic that oozes out and gets in the way.

[Jimustanguitar]

^yes^ having a tool on hand to grab any blobs that do make it is great. Keep it handy or else you'll have one of those oh crap moments when you can't reach it to pick it out with anything

[RegB]

I hover with a sheet of paper towel and so far have been able to get between the beeps and the descent.
SOMETIMES it just gets smeared to the side of the nozzle and causes some sort of a double back maneuver - - this is a skill I am still trying to perfect, so I was looking for a programmatic solution.