about to give up. A year and I still can't calibrate.
Posted: Sun Dec 08, 2013 10:44 pm
I am really close to despair.
I have my rostock max for a year. I've taken it apart 3 times, all the way down to the screws. I thought I might have delta arm blues, so I added Tricklaser arms and body (laser cut parts). I had other issues that were fixed, but I can't print a thing.
I thought my rails weren't square, so I took it apart and rebuilt it. I've followed every instruction to the letter. In the past 6 weeks I've spent a minimum of 3 hours a day, up to 11 on weekends trying to calibrate and I can't get a single print. I can't even print out the Onyx leveling print well enough for a decent pic. Its a barely visible smear at some places and globbing-to-the-hotend mess at others. I've been printing w/ hairspray on glass, cleaning the glass after each failed print attempt. These picks are from an attempt after re-doing the 4 points with a micrometer, otherwise default geometry.
https://secure.flickr.com/photos/110790 ... 283112456/
https://secure.flickr.com/photos/110790 ... 283110556/
https://secure.flickr.com/photos/110790 ... 283055275/
My platform is absolutely level, my rails are square, the height is the same at all 3 endstop switches (measured w/ cut yardstick from base to switch). My effector at the 4 points is level (measured with a micrometer).
Things I've discovered:
One rail is 5 mm longer than the other two, and that the cuts of all 3 rails (top and bottom) are not even.
While my base is level, the melamine bed the Onyx rests on is not.
This weekend I've spend 11 hours on Sat and 12 on Sun. just trying different geometry (one axis at a time, 0.25 degree change to see if it gets better or worse, readjusting the 4pts after EVERY firmware upload) No change big or small seems to make it better.
think that my rails aren't straight. Because when I put a level on them the are level at some points along their length and not at others. Also, I have watched the effector raise off the platform at Y-90 (opposite the Z tower)
The onyx bed also doesn't expand evenly when it heats up. A level on the bed - moved around the clock has it level when cold but 10 o'clock is higher than 9 o'clock or 11 o'clock when heated, while the center is level. If I put clips all around the glass - it gets even worse.
The effector lifts up off the glass at certain points while printing the Onyx-leveling guide.
Mine was one of the early kits. I think that I got one with quality control problems. But at this point I don't know what to do. I've invested so much time and money in this, that I am truly despairing.
I would be willing to pay someone to calibrate it for me. Otherwise, I will have to sell it. I can't afford to spend any more time on it, but I'm very reluctant to just throw it out.
Any help would be a life saver at this point.
I have my rostock max for a year. I've taken it apart 3 times, all the way down to the screws. I thought I might have delta arm blues, so I added Tricklaser arms and body (laser cut parts). I had other issues that were fixed, but I can't print a thing.
I thought my rails weren't square, so I took it apart and rebuilt it. I've followed every instruction to the letter. In the past 6 weeks I've spent a minimum of 3 hours a day, up to 11 on weekends trying to calibrate and I can't get a single print. I can't even print out the Onyx leveling print well enough for a decent pic. Its a barely visible smear at some places and globbing-to-the-hotend mess at others. I've been printing w/ hairspray on glass, cleaning the glass after each failed print attempt. These picks are from an attempt after re-doing the 4 points with a micrometer, otherwise default geometry.
https://secure.flickr.com/photos/110790 ... 283112456/
https://secure.flickr.com/photos/110790 ... 283110556/
https://secure.flickr.com/photos/110790 ... 283055275/
My platform is absolutely level, my rails are square, the height is the same at all 3 endstop switches (measured w/ cut yardstick from base to switch). My effector at the 4 points is level (measured with a micrometer).
Things I've discovered:
One rail is 5 mm longer than the other two, and that the cuts of all 3 rails (top and bottom) are not even.
While my base is level, the melamine bed the Onyx rests on is not.
This weekend I've spend 11 hours on Sat and 12 on Sun. just trying different geometry (one axis at a time, 0.25 degree change to see if it gets better or worse, readjusting the 4pts after EVERY firmware upload) No change big or small seems to make it better.
think that my rails aren't straight. Because when I put a level on them the are level at some points along their length and not at others. Also, I have watched the effector raise off the platform at Y-90 (opposite the Z tower)
The onyx bed also doesn't expand evenly when it heats up. A level on the bed - moved around the clock has it level when cold but 10 o'clock is higher than 9 o'clock or 11 o'clock when heated, while the center is level. If I put clips all around the glass - it gets even worse.
The effector lifts up off the glass at certain points while printing the Onyx-leveling guide.
Mine was one of the early kits. I think that I got one with quality control problems. But at this point I don't know what to do. I've invested so much time and money in this, that I am truly despairing.
I would be willing to pay someone to calibrate it for me. Otherwise, I will have to sell it. I can't afford to spend any more time on it, but I'm very reluctant to just throw it out.
Any help would be a life saver at this point.
). But if you are going to just throw it out, I'd take it, however I'm probably just as broke as you are! 
