My build, and some troubleshooting

[TMIB]

Finally got my printer, so I tore into the project this weekend. Here's my progress so far. I've been having some trouble with PLA though.

8 hours in:
http://i.imgur.com/HwHqyiC.jpg

Almost done:
http://i.imgur.com/FY8rQbw.jpg

First print: layer fan vent:
http://i.imgur.com/dCevxmj.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/p09A4dG.jpg

I then switched over to PLA, using Hatchbox Glow 1.75mm
I printed the calibration box that came in Matter Control. It came out at 20.03mmx20.04mmx9.62mm
http://i.imgur.com/Ih1yOn3.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/oaLDCWB.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/9HFSIJC.jpg

However, I've had a lot of trouble since switching to the PLA. Most of my prints simply stop extruding after a little while. It seems to be getting stuck in the extruder.

symptoms:
1) extruder stepper motor is hot. Temp ranges from 55-65 C, measured on the outside case with a laser thermometer. How hot should this motor be while running?
2) Filament is jammed in the EZ-struder. if I cut it off and hold the red lever down, I can get it to come out, but it usually takes a bit of pulling, and the filament that was in the drive is mangled.
3) The hot end is sometimes clogged, though a few times I have been able to simply push the filament through the Bowden tube after cutting it off below the ez-struder, and it extracts fine. The times it has been clogged seem to be when I didn't catch the failure right away, so I'm not sure if the clogging at the hot end is a symptom or a cause.

My settings:
Nozzle: 210c
bed: 60c
Print speed: 30mms for inside perimeter, outside perimeter, and infill.
retract: 45mms

I am going to try and dial down my retract speed some more to see if it makes a difference.

One other problem I have noted: sometimes when I am repeatedly doing extract operations from Matter Control (hitting the extract 10mm in the UI), the printer stops responding to Matter Control. It's still on, things are still staying hot, and the Matter Control UI is still responding, but nothing I do in MC is being applied to the printer. If I "disconnect" then "reconnect" things are fine after that.

[Windshadow]

are you using the hot end from the kit? i can't tell from your photo. since you did not print the PEEK fan holder as your first print I wondered if you might have gone with something like the e3d v6

I just mention it as I have read in other threads about folks having to work with their retracts with the e3d v6 and PLA I have no knowledge my self as I am still using ABS.

your print of the layer fan looks great BTW

[TMIB]

Yeah, sorry I should have mentioned that. I'm using the E3Dv6. I have a print going now with retract set at 5mms, and my fingers crossed.

[TMIB]

Well, I had one good print at 5mms, but then a second copy of the same print died partway through again. Mangled filament in the Ez-struder. After cutting it, I was able to push on the filament in the Bowden tube. There was some light resistance, then it gave and started extruding filament as I pushed.

I'm still not sure if it's clogging, causing the Ez-struder to get stuck, or if the Ez-struder is getting stuck and then being unable to push filament.

How hot does your stepper motor on the ez-struder typically run?

[TMIB]

still clogging at 2mms retract.. maybe something else is going on.

[TMIB]

I dropped the nozzle temp to 190. That got me one good print, but another run on the same object failed; about 20 minutes in it stopped extruding again. Again it was jammed up in the Ez-Struder. After pulling the Bowden tube I was able to cut the material and easily push more down the line, which exruded fine, so it didn't seem to be a clog in the hot end.

I kicked off another run and tried 2 things:
1) dropped the temp to 185 (lowest recommended for this PLA)
2) took the clear cover off the EZ-Struder.

[Windshadow]

This needs the attention of those here with experience with all metal hot ends and PLA
and I have none with either as yet... the e3d v6 my sister gave me for christmas is still in its box
awaiting assembly, and I want to get better with ABS before I move on to PLA.

But the brain trust here I am sure will be jumping in soon to help you.

as the sage said "we must endeavor to persevere" or was it rosemary or thyme that said that?

[Xenocrates]

E3D hotends have some issues with PLA due to the higher friction. (V5, V6, Kraken, other all metal hotends, but not the Lite) Increasing your extruder force can help, say by adding a cap screw (like the one you used to put threads in the mellamine (i think the redneck tap is still in there), for example), as can cleaning your hobbed gear, as when it strips filament like during a jam, it can clog up. I would also check how hot your extruder stepper is getting, and potentially lower it's current (this reduces available torque) to lower the temp, so it won't eat the filament as much. And usually, it's not the extruder skipping steps, but rather a lack of grip on the filament due to insufficient free space on the teeth when they clog, the filament going soft at the temps, and the load spring being insufficient to push the filament against the gear.

And yes, most of these are addressing the problem from the extruder end, rather than attempting to cure the problem at the hotend, as unless you happen to be able to say, coat the heatbreak with Titanium Disulphide, you can't do much about it.

And please, for the love of god, do not add canola oil to your bowden tube.

[TMIB]

I think I solved the problem.

I had misunderstood part of the directions, and had mounted my filament spool holder on the top, between the Y and Z towers, but had the ez-struder in the right place between the X and Z towers. (not sure why there is a duplicate set of holes/placement for each part there) This put an odd angle in the filament as it entered the EZ-Struder. In hindsight it's obvious that the filament spool should be directly over the EZ-Struder. As it was, the filament would get a kink in it after a while, then it would jam up in the hobbed gear and no longer push through to the hot end.

I moved things around and got two clean prints in a row with no problems. While I'm annoyed a bit at myself for such a simple oversight, I like the fact that it led me to lower my retract speed, get the right temp for the bed and the hot end, etc. as part of troubleshooting. Hopefully the filament feed angle was the whole problem.

[TMIB]

Increasing your extruder force can help, say by adding a cap screw (like the one you used to put threads in the mellamine (i think the redneck tap is still in there), for example),

Where do you add the cap screw to add force to the extruder?

[TMIB]

Spoke too soon. Still having the problem.

[Xenocrates]

add the cap screw into the spring that goes to the red arm on one end. And the duplicated holes are for potential multi-extrusion (although you would need to make a new top deck plate)

[TMIB]

It seems like adding a heatsink to the extruder stepper motor, and perhaps even a fan, would go a long way to help. The filament might not get as soft as it goes through the EZ-struder.

[TMIB]

AHA! I missed the step in the configuration manual about changing the current for the extruder motor when using the Automation Technology motors. That may make a big difference.