Double check to make sure the filament IS PLA. I made a mistake ordering without check to make sure of that.
After a few prints, the points where the extruder checks for leveling will develop divits, or even holes in the tape, screwing up subsequent points the extruder checks for leveling. You can save on tape if you simply carve out a section - a square - around that and or other check points and stick another piece of tape in it’s place.
I only have Makerbot filament. I keep it in the plastic bags with the little silicon packets to keep it dry when not in use. Even though I didn’t know any better until reading everyone’s posts here, I figured there must be a reason they are shipping it in bags with absorbing packets…lol. Common sense can go a long way sometimes. I can easily change the tape I have tons. I will do that Monday when I get to school. Easy enough
The printer was purchased in october 2015 and delivered in November. Makerbot is is looking at replacing the extruder and has asked for my logs and since the new 1.9 download they have found a few errors in the log. Now I don’t know what that means, but probably not good.
I have no idea where the screw is. The new update wiped out every setting. They are all on zero so you are probably correct there. I found a button that says restore defaults. Would that turn it all on? I only have 1extruder now but know I need more. The school doesn’t provide this I have to so I am saving for that because I need 3. I keep the filament in the bags with the silacon beeds to keep them dry when not in use. They are kept in a drawer of the science counter. That is all i have right now.
Don’t worry about the error. It’s best to have one if you think about it. Since you uploaded the newly released 1.9, try uploading the version before this last one. Plus, uninstall MB desk top and download it again. We want to start fresh. Regardless if they replace the extruder, i would recommend getting the new Smart Extruder + before Feb 29. It’s been extensively tested and the promo of $99 end. After Feb., it’s $199.00. But Don’t regard this response as a pitch. I’ve got two i use for demo’s and I’m very satisfied.
There is a switch. It is there to stop the print when you run out of filament. On a home made 3d printer, when you run out, it just keeps going. You get a half done print. Makerbot added both a switch, and an encoder wheel (the wheel spins, it expects 5mm of filament to move, the wheel can measure 5mm, if 3mm or 8mm moves, it trips an error and stops the print “filament jam detection”). That is the “smart” part of the smart extruder. People keep posting on here - even though they CLEARLY don’t own a makerbot 5th gen. The 5th gen is a completely different type of beast. Its not a replicator 2. Its not a reprap. Its a 5th gen. And there is a reason there is one nailed to the wall of almost every makerspace out there. I got 2 years with mine - and I have learned to love to hate it. You have to treat the 5th gen differently.
2 words. Printrbot Play. It will cost you as much as those smart extruders more or less, and unlike the play, it JUST WORKS. and when it doesn’t, there is some legitimate thing you can do to make it work. Good job on bringing the title one folks up. Kids in my school got it rough. The 5th gen is a heap. A HEAP compared to the printrbot play. Its loud. Terrible extruder. Slow. You cant fix it. Makerbot cant fix it. That’s why people NAIL IT TO THE WALL. I have to wrangle my makerbot. Figuratively speaking, I have to grab it by the horns, and throw it on the ground, tie up its legs, just to get it to perform reliably. On the printrbot play - add the heated bed (which is larger) and now it can do ABS. Modify it like mine and it will do Nylon. There are a few more things you will have to learn over the makerbot, but you can write it down step by step on 4 sheets of paper. If you can return the makerbot, and buy x5 printrbot play, your life will be better.
This is how I set my first layer height. I call it manual Z axis calibration. Add this tool to your bag of tricks. No warrantees voided. But now your first layer will stick. You will have to learn what a good first layer looks like, but once you know what too high and too low looks like, you can fix it with a click… click…
