M2 Build Complete: Beds, Z Endstop Trigger adjustment questions, leveling

[Jonathan Hirschman]

OK, build completed, and the bed didn't move up high enough to get
near the extruder nozzle... which is not surprising, since I installed
the Z Endstop Trigger to maximum height (the "correct" height, if
there is one, is not clear in the docs).

This poses the following questions:

1. Which bed(s) are used for printing? I'm assuming that both the
heated bed and glass sheet are always used and in place (hence the
clips), just with different tapes (is tape required for PLA at all)?

2. Z Endstop Trigger Adjustment: how is this best done? What's the
procedure? I've read the original Mosaic docs plus the guide on Make,
which seem to give clues, but I'd rather have the "official" way of
doing things to start.

3. Is the leveling procedure the same as found here:

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0030/7372/files/Makergear_Getting_Started_Guide.pdf?100098
Chapter: Z Axis Basic Setup
?

Is there or will there be an updated version of that doc for the M2?

Thanks.

jh

[Triffid Hunter]

On Fri, Aug 31, 2012 at 11:05 AM, Jonathan Hirschman <jon...@gmail.com> wrote:
> 1. Which bed(s) are used for printing? I'm assuming that both the
> heated bed and glass sheet are always used and in place (hence the
> clips), just with different tapes (is tape required for PLA at all)?

put kapton tape on your glass. use this for both ABS and PLA. apply
with soapy water so you don't get bubbles, ask youtube how to apply a
phone screen protector for a video rundown.

If you like, put kapton on both sides of your glass and add absjuice
to one side. absjuice is ABS dissolved in acetone, used to apply a
thin film of ABS to the bed to assist adhesion.

Set your slicer to have the bed at 70c first layer, 57c thereafter for
PLA, and 120c first layer, 100c thereafter for ABS. That's what works
for me, others may suggest different patterns.

As a community we're still experimenting with tapes and bed coatings.
the latest fad is hairspray. kapton has worked well for me so far, and
is a good place to start. Note that the tape itself is fairly fragile
and WILL need replacing from time to time. I bought a roll of 25mm
wide so I only have to replace a couple of strips rather than the
whole lot.

The amount that you squish your first layer has a large effect on bed
adhesion. When printing, make sure to set your slicer to add a skirt
around your part and then adjust Z by hand while it prints the skirt.
This is much simpler than adjusting your Z endstop and printing again,
although of course once you've found the best position you can set
your Z endstop to trigger at that point :)