Anyone have a 3 point level bed? The corners of my prints are curling,

Anyone have a 3 point level bed? The corners of my prints are curling, mainly due to the middle point being closer to the nozzle than the corners on either side of it. I have been able to reduce the amount of curl by adjusting the middle point, but I have not been able to completely remove the curl. Any suggestions about what I can do to the bed besides buying another one?

Heating on the bead also effects this. You may want a boarder.

@C_Ace The bed isn’t heated, but what’s a boarder?

So a boarder or a skirt helps hold the heat as the base cools. If the outside cools faster then the center it contracts.

The wider the base of a print the more likely curling will occur because the outside cools faster then the inside. I hope that helps.

You should try using a brim if your bed is not heated. Is that PLA you’re printing?

Brim is what I meant with boarder

@Kai_Behrends Yes. It’s PLA/PHA.

@C_Ace Oh, okay.

Ahh OK that sounds like ColorFabb. I prefer printing this at a lower temperature like 195°C (mostly because it gives me a nice mate finish).
I highly recommend adding a print cooling fan since PLA likes to get cooled down fast to reduce stringing.
For printbed adhesion I normally use a buildtak sheet and 3Dlac (basically some high strength neutral odor hair spray).

This is the bed I have - https://gulfcoast-robotics.com/products/aluminum-anodized-heated-bed-build-plate-with-3-point-adjustment-for-reprap-3d-printer-prusa-i3

Ahh if it is heated you should probably just heat it to 60°C that will get rid of the curling.

You can add heating bead !

One more thing. Looking at the image it looks like the thermistor is not secured in anyway to the heatblock. I hope you are running a current version of Marlin with Thermal Runaway Protection enabled. If not this might be a major fire hazard. See this video by
Tom for more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK_K6fp4BIk

@Elfie_Descarpentries I thought about adding one again. It would be worth it if I can stop using the painter’s tape. Another con is I am sure I would scratch the aluminum bed to smithereens trying to get my prints off. So if I got a heated bed, I would need to get a flexible PEI surface to pop off my prints.

@Kai_Behrends The thermistor is secured by a screw at the bottom - https://reprapguru.com/products/3d-printer-hot-end-assembly-with-block-nozzle-heater-throat-thermistor

Ahh OK the product description of that bed is a little misleading.
Then I thinks the buildtak instead of blue tape, 3Dlac, and Brim combination is probably the best advice I can give. And please secure the thermistor :slight_smile:

Ahh OK Good (I take to long to write posts, I didn"t see the last posts before posting myself…)

Ohh wait it is not secured, that is the screw for the heater catridge, the thermistor is the wire with the small glas bead at the end.
https://reprapguru.com/collections/hot-end-accessories/products/high-stability-ntc-thermistor-100k-with-wire

You will look on Aliexpress if your printer is compatible with a headed bed. A headed bed cost arount 10$ on Aliexpress