ABS lifting is driving me nuts!!!!

Hi,

I am new to 3d printing and bought a Reprap Prusa i3 (clone?) from Aliexpress.
I have tried to print stuff, but cannot get it to stick to the plate, no matter what I try.
The edges always lift and then the print is ruined, as the hot-end breaks the print.
There is no draft and the indoor temperature is about 22 deg C.

Printer:
[www.aliexpress.com]
Filament:
[www.hobbyking.com]
but in black

What I have tried so far - from posts by people having the same issues/solutions:
1. Heat bed between 80 and 110 deg C
2. Hot-end between 230 and 256 deg C (260 deg and the filament starts crackling).
3. Blue High temperature tape for 3D printing
4. ABS goo directly on table and on tape
5. Painter's tape
6. Printed a 5mm brim
7. The table is leveled using the paper 'trick', but have ordered a feeler gauge to have an exact 0.1mm gap.
8. Used Cura and Repetier-host on Mac and Windows 10

Every time I print something, it lifts off the bed as the printed base is round/buckled.
If I use tape, it creates a bubble under the tape and the part wiggles and then gets pushed off around by the print head.
If I use ABS goo, you can see the brim being pulling up. I have tried using a small amount of goo and quiet a bit as well.

The last object I have printed was a heat tower to see what temp works best. The first temperature was 256 degC and it got to 254 degC before failing.
As you can see in the attachment, it lifted off the bed as the printed base is 'round', the print head shifted it and then it started to 'print' in the air.
The print itself is very strong, but the two corners are not touching the heat bed - none of the corners are.

Would be great, if someone has some ideas, as I am running out of them...........

You my friend have run into the issues with printing ABS on a machine not really designed for ABS. ABS likes heat.

Put your heated bed at 105 - 110.

Your nozzle temp should be 230+. I've never had to go above that. Hold your extruder leaver and try to push some through by hand at 230, if it's hard to push through increase it until it's easier, but not too hot it definitely shouldn't be crackling.

Make sure your X smooth rods are absolutely level
Level the bed using the paper measurement, should get you close enough

Try applying a thin layer of Elmers Washable (Purple) gluestick to the bed.

I don't use a brim because I found that it would just cool quicker than the rest, curl up and take the corners of the print with it.

Lastly, but probably the most beneficial, all printers that print ABS should be designed to be enclosed.
Build an enclosure if you can. Guys here have used rigid foam insulation to build a box. I just use cardboard that I put around the printer

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/2016 11:30AM by FA-MAS.

Thanks for the response.

Probably should have taken a printer with an enclosure.
Reason for taking this one is the metal frame, as I will be changing to the bed for one that is about 3 times as long.

I will try the box around the printer.
It is probably the only thing I have not tried yet.....

Thanks for the advice.