Offset on print bed leveling

General LulzBot Mini
#1

My new mini print started going bad after I got comfortable with my machine and switched over to full settings. It had to happen some time I guess. I down loaded the filament profiles from Lulzbot and was setting them up for my different brands of PLA/ABS and either fast/normal/fine. I am stuck dialing it in due to the print first layer is now fat, and angel hairs all over the place. General quality isn’t as good as when I was using quick. I was able to work with the extraction and other setting to help. Its a work in progress and going through the forums is going to help get me through this. This sounds like normal 3D print learning curve when using different PLA or ABS. So with all that said, my question is finally:

I am watching my bed leveling and the first contact washer is just barley under the nozzle. I cant tell if it is under it or not its so close and my eyes aren’t what they used to be. If it isn’t it could be touching the side of the extruder, which would induce a slight tilt. The 2nd washer isn’t great but obviously touching the top of the washer. The 3rd and 4th in the back look great with lots of room all around. I am 2 new at this to want to go in to the machine code and change this but I am willing. I called Lulzbot and they suggested since I have had it only a week I should contact Amazon and get a new one on return. What do you guys think?

If I wait and mess around I could damage it. The settings aren’t in the Gcode and I would be updating my own firmware I assume using merlin. I don’t think I can into the .h file and change things. I have barely started looking into this. Doesn’t seem to hard and is normal to set this all up if I built my own machine.

I plan to find my dial indicator and attach it to the extruder and run the bed under it to see if there is a tilt.

-Mike

#2

Does your build plate wiggle if you grab it and try to wiggle it? The screws that hold it in place can become loose and that might change the position of the washers. If does seem to wiggle, remove the four screws, washers, and spacers from the corner, tilt up the bed, and check to see if the screws attaching the aluminum plate to the carriage are loose with the included hex wrench. Then see if that makes a difference.

#3

I would recommend the same thing support says. It sounds like the Y stop in the front is off since both of the front washer contacts are marginal.

#4

The washer was loose, or at least I was able to tighten it some. The position didn’t change and still on the very edge but I can worry about it later when I am more comfortable with coding.

My printing improved by reducing my PLA flow from 100% down to 85. Now things are looking good and just working on reducing unwanted artifacts. I am really enjoying this thing and didn’t want to send it back for something I can solve.

Thanks for responding

#5

Oh, will plan on lifting the plate as soon as current 3 hr job finishes :slight_smile: