Hi all, every time I print something, the first few layers are a sloppy mess on the outside but they get better and smoother as it goes up. If you look at the picture the first few layers are sloppy and then it smooths out towards the top layers.
i have a stock davinci 2.0 duo using the xyz software
Using ABS
what layer do the fans kick on at? and is there any loss of heat when they kick on? Have you checked to make sure the hot end doesn’t have any play? and that all nuts and bolts have been properly tightened?
I haven’t checked into the fans, I’ll look next time I print. I checked the hot end and everything seems tight. I’m gonna try contacting xyz I think.
I can’t say for your specific circumstance but every time I’ve had bad lower layers it’s been bed calibration.
What I do now is ignore the levelling system built into the firmware and use a dial gauge with an adaptor I printed from thingiverse.
Once it’s levelled then adjust so the first layer is slightly squished into the bed (you may have to tidy this at the end). This helps the first layer to stick better. A raft or “mickey ears” on the piece may help with this.
Apart from that it’s just good temperature control.
Be aware thought that I tend to print in PLA so my temp control is cooling with more cooling. 
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Same with me on my 1.0 and ABS.
Calibration doesn’t work at all on mine. It’s too far off the bed. I use the paper method.
How do I do this? Can you get me a link?! The must be the issue.
If I remember rightly you just use a sheet of paper as a poor man’s feeler gauge.
You drive the head to different parts of the bed then you adjust until you get a slight drag on the paper.
when it does that on all four corners you are level.
The dial gauge is more accurate but you need to get fairly good calibration before you can print the adaptor to use it.
