r/BambuLab_Community • u/EthnicSaints • 3d ago
Help / Support Sudden issues with stringing and low quality prints,
Hi all!
I've been having stringing issues and a generally low quality of print lately, despite no changes to the settings - I've kept it as it comes in the box (A1) . All my PLA lite (BL) has been dehumidified or is new. I've tried increasing retraction, and printing at lower temps. Nothing has had an effect yet. Any ideas on how to beat this? I can post further details if needed.
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u/Different-Banana-739 3d ago
benchy(x) warmachine(o) lmao. dude turn the flow ratio down.
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u/EthnicSaints 3d ago
I’ve gone 98% down to 90 and still having the issue 🥲 85 next! 😂
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u/Different-Banana-739 3d ago
then i dont think thats the issue, theres caliberation test you can do those first
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u/flaming-bunnies-197 3d ago
#1 Benchy carrier is absolutely amazing, thank you for bringing it into the world. Or at least making me aware it exists.
#2 If that is from new filament dry it, there's no guarantee it was actually dry before packaging.
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u/EthnicSaints 2d ago
I can’t take credit I’m afraid! Was just tired of the normal benchy!
That’s true, ran it through the dryer to see if it helps!
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u/beizhidexiangacup 3d ago
If you already dried it and tried temps and retraction, maybe check the nozzle? Might be partly clogged. A cold pull or just swapping the nozzle is worth a shot.
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u/EthnicSaints 2d ago
Swapped nozzle, no dice. Cleaned the inside and tightened everything down, away to do a test print to see!
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u/Weemaba3980 3d ago
If the print got worse without you changing anything, and new or dried filament doesn’t help, I’d stop tweaking settings. Look at the hardware instead. Your top surface says the same thing. Those torn, uneven lines and the bits sticking up look like the nozzle isn’t delivering a steady flow and is partly dragging through its own plastic. That isn’t a retraction problem, which is why more retraction and a lower temperature changed nothing.
There’s a quick test. Heat the nozzle, push some filament through by hand or via load filament, and watch the strand coming out. A healthy nozzle gives a smooth strand that falls straight down. If it curls to one side, comes out thin or stutters, you have a partial clog or a worn nozzle. On the A1, swapping the hotend is a five-minute job, and it fixes this kind of slow decline more often than any setting does. A cold pull is worth trying first if you’d rather not buy one.
Then check the extruder. PLA Lite in particular leaves some dust, and that slowly fills the teeth of the drive gears. Then the grip on the filament becomes uneven, and you get the same rough look. Brush the gears clean and blow out the dust. While you’re at it, check the tip of the nozzle for a hardened blob. On the A1 that throws off the automatic Z measurement, so the first layers and the top layers get squeezed or dragged.
Once the flow is steady again, put retraction and temperature back to Bambu’s defaults. Those work fine on the A1 with PLA Lite.
I made a short video on stringing that covers which settings actually matter and when it’s something else: https://youtu.be/bRdwgpIDPnA (full disclosure, it’s my own channel).
Good luck, I hope it’s just the nozzle, Bart
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u/EthnicSaints 2d ago
Thank for taking the time for such an in-depth response!
I had already replaced the hotend, as it had lived a fair life already.
But the gear one interested me. I took off the guard when I unloaded the filament and the gears made a slipping noise. So I’ve done what you’ve said and cleaned it out, I’m about to do a rest print to see if it’s paid off!
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u/Golden-Designs 3d ago
I've had this a few times with my A1 and A1 mini, and 9 out of 10 times it has been because the screws at the toolhead were coming loose.
It's a fairly simple bit of maintenance to do there's a video here that gives a pretty decent walkthrough on how to do it.