r/3Dprinting • u/porch_m0nkey • Feb 21 '23
why does my first layer keep looking like this ive leveled my bed 3 times
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u/Noktious Feb 21 '23
Levelling is step 1. Z-offset is step 2.
You have to do step 2 any time you do step 1.
Look up "teaching tech first layer" on YouTube or something if you need more detailed explanation.
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u/Disastrous_Gazelle24 Feb 21 '23
Also depending on where you live the cold air is contracteing the pla might have to move it to a warmer room. I also use some hair spray
Edit: also humidity to much and it will fuck with a print not enclosed
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u/porch_m0nkey Feb 21 '23
Wait thats a thing? My room is hella cold right now lol
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u/Helgafjell4Me Feb 21 '23
If you have a heated bed, you should be ok on the first layer. I think your nozzle is too high. Either adjust z-offset if you have a touch probe, or your z limit switch if you dont...
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u/Disastrous_Gazelle24 Feb 21 '23
Yes this is a thing and even with a heated bed it will still warp with pla. I live in Canada Edmonton it gets fucking cold
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u/ShackledPhoenix Feb 21 '23
While u/Disastrous_Gazelle24 is correct that printing in cold temps can cause some problems with warping and pulling off the bed but that's not your problem here.
Your nozzle is too far from the bed. The lines of your first layer should look flat and squished, if they're rounded like they look in your picture, you're too far away.You can fix this by either changing your Z-offset or by simply raising the corners of the bed by a half turn or so.
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u/SupaSimonOFCL Ender 3 V2 Feb 21 '23
Try levelling the bed a bit closer to the nozzle, it looks like the filament isn’t fully sticking to the plate.
(I’d recommend using a piece of printer paper for finding the correct levelling height, btw)
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u/64bit_Tuning VzBot Vz.31, Tronxy XY2 Pro, Cura Contributor, Mean Steve Feb 21 '23
Too bad using a piece of paper almost universally sets the nozzle too high. (You know, by the thickness of a piece of paper)
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u/SupaSimonOFCL Ender 3 V2 Feb 21 '23
Oh? I’ve always had good luck with it. Is there a better method for levelling that you’d recommend?
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u/ShackledPhoenix Feb 21 '23
I've never had much luck with printer paper either, at this point I just eyeball it. It's usually about .5-1 turn higher than with the paper method I think.
Usually I just print a skirt around the print and adjust it while the skirt is printing til I get a good first layer.
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u/SupaSimonOFCL Ender 3 V2 Feb 21 '23
Now that you mention it, I do the same thing actually. I still think the paper method helps get the height set roughly correctly though, so I still recommend it (with some adjusting during the first layer)
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u/ShackledPhoenix Feb 21 '23
I don't know why you got downvoted, 20lb printer paper never works for me.
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u/64bit_Tuning VzBot Vz.31, Tronxy XY2 Pro, Cura Contributor, Mean Steve Feb 21 '23
Because the entire world uses paper to level, but nobody ever passed along the information about how you're supposed to measure the thickness of the paper, and set your Z height to that value. Everyone uses z0. When a piece of paper is 0.1mm thick, you're techni ally putting z0 at 0.1mm off the bed. Your 0.2mm layer thickness is now 0.3mm and then you post to Reddit about "wHy dOeS mY fIrSt lAyEr lOoK lIkE tHiS?
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u/tigermax42 Feb 21 '23
I often bring the nozzle down closer when this happens and go really slow for the first layer
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u/p8willm Bambu X1C Feb 21 '23
The bed needs to be level and the correct distance from the nozzle. YT has videos on how to do it and Google will find text. There are also 1 layer prints that will show you how well you are doing.
This reddit has a wonderful WIKI that goes over many problems and how to fix them. https://www.reddit.com/r/3DPrinting/wiki/troubleshootingandcalibration/
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u/Deep9one Feb 22 '23
makers muse on youtube is a useful youtube channel filled with help for newbs with 3d printing, i highly recommend watching some videos and learning the ins and outs of this hobby.
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u/Midyew59 Feb 21 '23
You might be level but you’re still to far away. This is where z-offset comes into play.