Why is melted filament getting tangled around the extruder… Does anyone know how I could fix this?
Have you adjusted the inductive sensor per @Printrbot instructions? The first layer isn’t sticking everywhere.
It looks like the extrusion is being mooshed down (that’s a technical term) the right amount, and pretty consistently, so your sensor is probably working to set the tram ok. You could try rubbing down the tape on the bed with a little isopropyl alcohol. That should improve PLA’s sticking ability greatly.
Adding alcohol fixed the problem thanks!@Stephen_Baird
Yeah body oils are not a printer’s best friend.
I was recently fighting similar symptoms. Turns out the pla was not adhering to the bed. Try roughing up the tape, wiping the wax off with alcohol or using a different brand of tape.
@Dante_Paniccia It’s funny how that works, sometimes the tape needs a wipedown to get good adhesion, sometimes it doesn’t. Even when it came off the same roll.
The same is true for Kapton when printing ABS, sometimes it needs a wipedown with acetone to get things to stick, sometimes it doesn’t… It’s just one of those things.
Plus I’ve heard if you don’t keep up with checking the diameter of your filament will cause this too.
Roughing up the tape surface? Witless something like fine grit sand paper work or are you thinking something else?
Witless… sigh. Would*
@Mike_Brown Yes, I use 100 grit paper ('cause that is what was lying around) and lightly rub the tape.
Hmm - I use a glass heated bed with abs juice on top of that - servo autolevel and works every time! Most I have to do is scuff it with scotchbrite once in a while. I got away from blue/green tape a good while ago…
Are you running G29 in your beginning gcode? Looks like the nozzle is farther away from the bed in certain locations. Also, if that isn’t the case maybe up the heat a couple degrees.
I use glass with hairspray personally, works great and very cheap and easy
Might be worth checking out BuildTak, it works great, provided your print bed is level and the distance between the nozzle and the print bed is adjusted properly.