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So I did a bit now experimenting yesterday. One, I was turning the pot the wing way (oops). Two, it gets hot as falafel. Three, the cooling fan helped, though it wasn’t always the easiest to stay on target because everything around it kept nudging it. Four, I think it needs more juice.

Now to figure out what I need to do to keep the chip goosed with power, without overheating. Or do I want to replace that one driver with something more robust?

Didn’t get anything done. Tonight the Wif has off, so probably no progress tonight either. Thursday, I should try my current list of troubleshooting steps. If there are still no dice to be had…

I need to order a few more linear bearings, I won’t say that one of them is currently jacked (and I try to never order one of a commodity item). While I’m doing that I’ll be getting some RFID stuff to set up access controls for the animals. Since I’m doing that I should get whatever I need to boost the power for the stepper motors on the Z-axis. Heck, why not all the motors (ie never buy one when 10 isn’t too much more)? If I’m doing that I should think about replacing the control board with a BeagleBone. That’s what I’m thinking right now. I think that’s why Thomas Sanladerer mentioned in a video to not be too cheap. Then again, I wanted the learning experience more than anything, and I’m definitely learning a lot more than how to click print.

Switched from pronterface to repetier server for the computer connection (as a computer person, I see no value in me using an SD card, though I understand other’s desiring to). This seemed to get me a little closer, which hints towards it being a configuration issue. The printing seemed to be going smooth but, with the different interface, I ran into some confusion on the keeping the extruder hot so I killed the print. Starting it again led the extruder to start printing in mid-air. Well that didn’t work. Maybe I need to zero the printer before starting the print. That’s when it starts jittering again.

My current guesses, it’s one or more of a couple things:

• The driver is maybe overheating. The Z motors seem to be driven in series, which if I remember right is usually a no-no, but whatever. As it is, the heat sink isn’t heading up much, but with everything else on full bore, it might be a bit to much. I’ve soldered up a spare fan to a USB cord. It’s slow, but it might help keep the temperature down.
• The microstepping might be a little too aggressively… micro? I could try killing the microstepping?
• I could try random settings from a completely disconnected down posts…

I don’t know. I just don’t know.

I’m coming up with a way to shuffle an infinite number of pages for double sided printing, in cut stacks, 5up on a sheet with a Dutch cut. This is taking time.

• Nothing is clogging the nozzle anymore
• I can’t adjust the hot end (reduce the size of the heat break) without replacing the hot end or a hack saw
• Extruder moves fine when running on a different motor driver

To do:

1. Figure out how to check the motor driver for the extruder
2. Plug everything back in like normal (because that seems to work way too often), this includes unplug and replug at the stepper motor. Also check the continuity.
3. Figure out a good default speed for the extruder motor
4. Try running with the bed unplugged (is it the bed?)

• Tear down the extruder. I think it’s probably jammed. This also, check the heat break length, that thing looks way too long.
• Try reslicing with a stupid tall layer height, a big move up and then an almost as big move down, or hand edit the gcode to do one of the previous options.

I had dinner after work and then got to the printer. I plugged it in, and tried the motors. X and Y worked, Z sucked. I unplugged it. I plugged the X and Y motors into the Z driver, centered the bed and fired it up again. The motors spun, so it’s not the driver. I plugged the two Z motors into the X and Y drivers. I was able to stair step up arranging moving the X and Y. So it’s not the motors. I killed the power, swapped everything back to normal, and powered it up again. Everything worked. I think about 5cm from the bed I may have missed a couple steps, but that’s it.

Weird.

This last weekend was the Wif’s time off as well so I didn’t mess with the printer. Monday and Tuesday, I was too tired when I got home. Yesterday though.

I plugged my fans back in, and started leveling. Everything looked sweet. Powered it up. Started moving across the bed, making sure I was really level. Sweet. Moved up a bit. Didn’t move. Messed around with stops and stuff. Still nothing. All I get is the motors juggling for the Z. Trimmed the trim pot. Nothing. Dropped the feed rate. Nothing.

Long story short, tonight I’ll start by swapping the two Z’s for X and Y. Is it the motors or cables?

Again, tried various things. Nothing seemed to be working. Undid the couplers, redid the couplers, nothing. Swapped which was which nothing. Tried setting the speed to the “right” setting. Nothing.

Set the speed to 10 steps a minute (I think, not sure what the unit is, I sent M92 z10). Nothi… Wait, what’s that clicking? They’re turning crazy slow. But, they’re turning. I’ll have to check to see if I can locate the potentiometer for adjusting the voltages.

Winning.

Two nights ago, I trouble shot my Y axis. Nothing worked. Finally in a pique of annoyance, I swapped the cables (at the controller) between the X and Y. Everything worked? I swapped them back. Everything worked.

Now to fix the Z.