A while back (i think at least 1.5 years ago) i bought a second hand printer. It was an upgraded Anet AM8. Although i wanted one for a while, i just was hesitant to start using it. Thought i needed some kind of checklist for the first time to run it, just to make sure i did everything OK. And guess what, there isn’t any. Last Tuesday we had a national Holiday (kings-day) and i just thought: Just start the damn thing!
Created a test cube using Prusiaslicer, imported in pronterface and started printing. The base layer was OK, but after a wile is saw that there were no additional layers added. After checking if there was any filament was extruded i saw nothing. I also didn’t see any hole any more, don’t really know what happend. I tink the bed and nozzle hit each other, but my knowledge is yet big enough.
Ordered a couple of new nozzles and they came in today. I wanted to change the nozzle so i lifted the z axis, and noticed that the right lead screw jammed a lot in the first 5 cm’s. First thought it would be de lead screw itself, so released it and turned it upside down and tried again, same issue. Then released the tension on all the screws of the coupler and fastened them again, still the same issue. In a way i had the idea that the stepper motor and the nut that attaches to the horizontal bracket weren’t aligned. So removed 3 screws that held the stepper motor in place and released the 4th one so the stepper motor could rotate and set itself. Moved the horizontal bracket 10 cm up and down, no problem. Moved the bracket 10 cm up, attached one screw to set the stepper motor more stable in it’s place. Moved the horizontal bar down and up again, no problem, new screw, and then again. Everything goes like a dream again.
Because i was afraid there would be filament stuck in the heatsink. Attached the new nozzle and cranked up the temp to 285C, so i could push filament through the hot end….. At 80C the printer stopped functioning with a temp warning that i had te reset the device. Tried everything, checked all cables, until i found the page of Hobby Hoarder, where he explained how the hot end, heat break and nozzle should be attached. Apparently somehow i screwed the hot end and heat break against each other. And the heat break is made of aluminium, and so it cools the hot end very fast. After attaching the parts correctly the increase of temperature was very fast and it hit 285 without problems.
So what I’ve learned today:
- Make sure you align the stepper motor, coupler, lead screw and nut!
- Assemble your hot end correctly.
Up to the next learning part.
