Hey
I’ve been trying to get my printer going and tried many different settings but have weird problems.
The pla filament keeps clogging - I’m going to replace the feeding tube as it is already distorted - but it’ll take awhile to order the telfon tubing stuff, so hoping I can continue without.
My neatest print on the sides was at 210 for pla… but the top didn’t fill.
I got a better face print on the lower levels with 180 down to 175 but on the later it just went all threaded and failed to print the remainder - there should be lips.
There’s a 2 cm by 1 test cube - seems to keep missing bits. I’ve checked my calibration and seems fine for x y z… not sure how to do it for the extractor.
The machine came from ebay partially (incorrectly) built with no manuals… so yeah been having lots of troubles. Any one have the same machine?
Try PLA at 200C, there was no top which means its not configured in the slicer to print a top solid layer.
What software are you using?
does your printer look like this? http://www.geeetech.com/wiki/index.php/Acrylic\_Prusa\_I3\_pro\_B
The smoothest was at 210 on the photos (outside of the slip - i’ve tightened the x-axis and that seems to have fixed that) - but the infill didn’t seem to work enough to build a base for the topfill. Pretty sure I tried 195 but it seemed to just leak plastic.
I’ve updated with photos (they wouldn’t upload from mobile >< ) so you can see the machine is very similar - except for the extruder - it uses a premade plastic piece with a small metal gear inside it, and hot end tube (mine looks the same as the one here Talk Manufacturing | Hubs - also burnt and horrible after only 4-5 attempts at printing 
).
I’m using Slic3r for the slicing.
Looks like you’ve got missing filament from the perimeters, particularly on that first cube. Do you have feed problems? Is your PLA consistent diameter? Extruder clicks?
Have you tried printing a lot slower?
From my ruler - the PLA seems ok… but I need to get myself some digital calipers and do a more accurate check I think.
I bought some ABS from a local retailer - and I seem to get much better results, i’ve tried using the Prusa I3 settings too, and that seems to have helped, but my first layers have still looked very sparse. I do get a bit of Extruder clicking - but it seems to do it constantly, even when pushing out a steady stream.
Attached is my ABS print - 258 degrees first layer, 255 for later, and 105 bed. The fill to the edges still has some gaps, and one corner seems to have missed out on extrusion - my guess is these are all indicators of under-extrusion? What’s the best way to fix that?
I’ve cleaned out the nozzle and tube a lot with PLA - when i swapped to trying ABS, I ran through quite an extrusion till it was definitely all ABS, and been able to return without cleaning the nozzle every use without much trouble (outside of the possible under-extrusion).
I am having the exact same issue, with the same printer from eBay! (CTCPrint i3 Prusa Pro B). Also new to 3D printing and built it from a kit, the manual was in Chinese! I eventually assembled it, and found english instructions for hooking up the main board etc, double and triple checked everything, and every print, no matter what turns out just like yours!
I am thinking it is either the threaded roads are warped or the extruder is faulty or both. I also flashed the firmware with that of the Geeetech i3 Prusa Pro B and still no joy, even setting the motion parameters under control on the LCD panel to that of whats in the manual for the CTC DIY Kit (Which is not even listed on their website).
The problem seems like the first layer prints fine and as it builds it loses track, or is not extruding enough filament and appears to look like its lost track.
Did you manage to solve the problem?
I figured it out, the extruder motor driver was the issue, I upped the voltage by adjusting the trimpot on the chip whilst doing a manual extrude as before the motor was clicking within Repetier Host, clicking is now reduced and prints are looking solid, not flaky as the motor is now able to pull through the filament!
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Based on your reply - you are way less nooby than me!
I’ve been waiting on the replacement bowden/teflon tube (definitely recommend ordering some new tubing - the one it came with, i suspect, was very low quality)
I’ll google that changes you’ve done and see if i can for myself, but if you have any more detailed steps for me that’d be amazing - i’m a web-programmer, so my skills around circuitry/flashing/etc are barely even rudimentary!
I would’nt flash the firmware unless you have tried everything else first. It’s easy to do, if you can already connect to the printer via USB, then the drivers are installed, just download arduino, new firmware and upload. See more here: http://www.geeetech.com/forum/download/file.php?id=1552
I’m still trying to get it perfect, so I’ve ordered some new threaded rods, 0.2 + 0.3 nozzle, and more teflon tube for 1.75mm filament.
I found I got more accuracy by first tightning both belts as much as I could so its stiff, then using the wingnuts to adjust the tenson, be careful here as if too tight, the motor won’t have enough torque and will make an awful noise, it’s easy to do, cut the cable clips off and replace when tight.
The second thing I did was to oil the rods.
check the bearings on the printer bed make sure the cable ties are tight to stop excessive play.
Bio75
11
Yes … for once… the filament is wayyy cheap you will not get any good prints with that.
Second tight everything even the parts that came assembled in the boxincluding all belts.
Thrid upgrade parts (not the extruder for now) ex: all brackets under the bed, add a little grease to th rods so they can travel smoothly,
Fourth auto leveling with a smple servo and a change in the firmware for thi to happend: I have made a lot more but to start this is good enough.
I will put all of the upgrades and stl parts later this week with the link… hope to be anykind of help!!!
ribeena
12
Auto leveling addition instructions would be awesome!
My Update:
After way too many problems with the extruder, i just replaced it and many of my problems were resolved - the original design just never had enough oomph to pull through filament regardless of the voltage, esteps etc - change it over and almost immediately was getting successful and better prints. I was still have problems with slipage, the heat bed being inconsistent (sometimes note working at all).
Shortly after getting the extruder working, the motherboard blew a capacitor and when up in smoke (literally) - so i’ve replaced that with an official Geeetech one - and once again, marked improvement all round, heat bed works perfectly, much rarer slippage, it can run for 8+ hours without major issues such as error messages from sd card reads etc. It is also oddly much quieter, not sure how a motherboard would do that, but whatever.
Essentially - if you have a CTC Euroway/Mendel/Prusia i3 pro, still in a box, send it back and buy an original it is poorly based on! (aka a Geeetech)
I’m still getting a little bit of lifting/curling on some prints, so maybe i need to use kapton tape or painters tape instead of the sludge/gluestick/hairspray option, not sure. Some click together prints (like Vertex Vertex2 by barney - Thingiverse ) have had varying results, some joints clicking perfectly and others not.
I’m enjoying being able to use my Frankenstein printer - only took 9 months!
I got hold of a CTC i3 pro off of ebay which was not built by me, but the previous owner.
After some investigation on this priter I found too many issues with the build quality, and decided to do someting about it.
The first thing I bought was a hand held 3D pen to use as a plastic welder for some parts that need to be bonded. I still need to practice welding with it, but it dose the job well. The next thing I purchased was a steel frame from Orballo, as I have the intension to keep most of the serviceable parts from the CTC. That was the intension, but the main board blew so I have replaced with a ramps 1.4.
both of the z axis lead screws have been replaced with proper lead screws with a 2mm pitch.
I also have replaced the extruder with a bowden, and upgraded the bed to a 200 x 300. The photos show a standard extruder
I have also remade some feet I found on thiniverse to allow perminent fixture to a base board for stability.
Most of the modification parts and other parts I have designed can be found on thingivers, including some for future upgrades.
I am also installing auto bed leveling and a remote hot bed mosfet switch. This is to remove the load from the controller board, as I was concerned with the amount of current being drawn through the tracks of the pcb.
The other Issue I found with the CTC is the psu, the max current delivery if correct on the psu info lable is 15 amp. This means the Psu is beeing driven to the max. I have upgraded to a 30 amp psu which will give a more constant current delivery.
This is a rebuild in progress, and is almost completed just waiting for parts to arrive to finish the printer.
ribeena
14
Sounds like all that is left is the lcd unit, belts and steppers? lol
Well your almost right, I have replaced the lcd. I would have kept the control board if had not blown.
I have made most of the replacment parts with the old frame, but this has been a learning curve on printer construction. Granted I have gone that extra mile on the rebuild, but theoretically you could just change the frame to obtain a reasonable printer. The biggest issue i think is that there a so many printers on the market that look like the Pursa you tend to buy based on budget at the time. Having said that I am quite happy to improve on the basic unit when funds are available.
The real factor on how far anyone is prepared to go on a build of this type of printer is the quality required on the prints. It is going to be interesting on how the rebuild is going to perform, but it will definitely be better than the standard ctc.
Now when I start to build the cube that will be a different beast altogether, as it will be from the ground up.
Which will need this printer and a CNC mill which is on my next purchase list.
This printer will have a two foot square heat bed, and no belts.
I recently got hold of a CTC D0803 i3 Pro B printer, i assume this is a copy of the Prusa i3 B Pro? i am having the similar issues, like the 2 riser bars either side jam up or decide to go down instead of up and bottoming out the extruder nozzle on the printer bed, it also struggles to raise the printer gantry up and just makes a loud buzzing noise until i assist it in moving up. Any pointers in what i can do to rectify or upgrade this so it is actually usable lol. =)
Change the threaded rods with proper cnc rods and make sure that all screws ar tight
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Obviously you set too much retraction of the filament. Extruder much pulls the filament and at the end is then formed globule. The filament then leakproof and extruder clack…
I have the same printer, and if you use software Cura, so there is a retraction default set too high.
Also it can be caused by the need to reduce the speed of the extruder. Try both options, because if you use software Cura is the default setting too high flow filament and the nozzle’s not flow, excess material is then clogged hotend …
Also give better high-temperature tube into hotend. In this printer is poor.
Sorry for my English.
Bonce
19
This is a bit late advice, but the driver might not be supplying enough current to the motors. On the driver for those motors there is a small variable resistor you can turn to increase or decrease the power through to the motors, when the machine is trying to move on that axis turn the dial on the stepper a small amount. Try to use something non-conductive to turn it, and only move it in small increments each time
