# TAZ 5 HIPS Nozzle to Close?

**URL:** <https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/taz-5-hips-nozzle-to-close/1470>\
**Category:** LulzBot TAZ\
**Created:** [March 15, 2015, 2:16pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/taz-5-hips-nozzle-to-close/1470 "2015-03-15T14:16:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![tibbs141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@tibbs141](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/tibbs141)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 2:16pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/taz-5-hips-nozzle-to-close/1470/1 "2015-03-15T14:16:19Z")

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I have been printing with PLA for a while and have gotten comfortable with it. I just moved to HIPS (eSUN) and I think the first layer looks different. Almost as if the nozzle is plowing through and making a trough. But I need some opinions on how it is suppose to look. Is the Z height too close to build plate? Any help would be appreciated!  
 ![P1000835.JPG](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/lulzbot/original/2X/2/255c58c37b4eb4855224ef07a308208ecfadb99f.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![wantmys2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b38774/32.png) [@wantmys2000](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/wantmys2000)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 4:06pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/taz-5-hips-nozzle-to-close/1470/2 "2015-03-15T16:06:44Z")

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One thing to check is your initial layer height. When going from PLA to HIPS you are heating your bed up 50C hotter which causes more expansion of the bed materials. If you don’t readjust your initial layer height, the first layer will be too close and smash the HIPS into the bed causing a nasty looking first layer.

So first thing is to double check that adjustment. Second thing is to change to ABS. I purchased a few rolls of HIPS with my TAZ because it seemed to be recommended. I basically hate the stuff and see no advantage over ABS other then price. It prints significantly worse then ABS in my opinion.

Thanks!  
Steven

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**Author:** ![tibbs141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@tibbs141](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/tibbs141)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 4:09pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/taz-5-hips-nozzle-to-close/1470/3 "2015-03-15T16:09:59Z")

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The layer height is set for .22mm, the initial is set to .3mm. So I should increase the initial layer height of .3mm to maybe .32mm? Thanks for the suggestion on ABS. I did buy some ABS with my TAZ as well as Taulman Bridge Nylon. ABS was my next stop after HIPS. Thanks for the help!

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**Author:** ![wantmys2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b38774/32.png) [@wantmys2000](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/wantmys2000)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 5:40pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/taz-5-hips-nozzle-to-close/1470/4 "2015-03-15T17:40:13Z")

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Sorry, I should have been more clear. I would leave the settings alone in the slicer, and adjust the z-stop on the printer to raise the hot end a tad.

Keep raising by tiny amounts until you get a good first layer.

Thanks!  
Steven