first build mk8 extuder issue where to start

i have a reprap and i have out the mk8 extuder on im having a time getting my first print the extruder works when i manual extrude i run a program it quits whats speeds and feedrates and things do i need for a good start to tuning im about tired of messing with it 8 months later still havent come close to printing

To better help you, you need to post more info and pictures of your setting and prints.

Did you purchased assembled? did you put it together? did you flash a supplied firmware or you used a generic one? did you follow up the calibration steps? did you check your stepper driver current? it is only the extruder the one creating the problems, all your axis move correctly? do you hear high frequency noises when you run the extruder? is the extruder a little plastic box without adjustments or do you have an idle bearing?

As you can see, without proper info there is hundreds of things that can go wrong. have you done any researches on the forum about your issue? but don't get disappointed it took me about 4 months of endless nights to get perfect prints.

the forum want let me post pictures... i bought the parts individual and built the kit my self from a arduino flashed the firmware all my axis where moving right until i just tried it now my x axis is going crazy im just needing a guide to go by as far as what area i need to calibrate and adjust i would love to get pictures but this site want let me upload... after 8 months of trying im just about the give up on the 3d printing world and throw a laser on the pursa frame it just seams as theirs to many setting and adjustment .. i have several cnc plasma and cnc mills so im used to working with this stuff but this printers got me ruining crazy

It is not about what and where - you need to check and calibrate the entire machine from scratch.
This encludes settings for endstops, stepping, bed size, thermistors, axis directions and so on.
You can't just put a 3D printer together and think that a firmware you upload would make it all work right away - especially not if it is your first build.
Check the hardware first, calibrate it all to be parallel, within specs and working smooth.
Then do the firmware setup and after that check and calibrate stepping and temp settings.

If you have any Icloud service like google drive (free) you can download there the pictures and marlin files and create a link to share them, then you can paste the link here and we will be able to take a look at the printer parts and settings.

Most likely you need to open the configuration h file from Marlin and go item by item to fully configure your printer, there is several online tutorials that explain what is what and how to adjusted according to your printer.

although all of the items in the configuration file are important, the thermistor type, the steps per mm, and the endstops location are priority, they will allow you to start testing your printer for accurate movement and nozzle calibration.

okay after calming down a little from being frustrated i some what got some kinda object to print last night i know im gonna have to do some adjusting and calibrating im learning more and more each time i mess with it im running sprinter firmware on mine ... last night it would start extruding during printing then stop motor was spinning but filemant wouldn't come out i could push the filemant a little it would go to working then some times it might push out to much or sometimes it would stop again what would i need to check to get a good constant extrude to where i can solve that issue and start tweaking again

Here is one setting this is the filament I'm using and the printer head I bought I uploaded specs of the mk8 on earlier post

This is my confit file

if the extruder is the one I'm thinking, you will have to do few things:

1.- if like I said in the previous comment the extruder is a little black box like this one makerbot extruder then you need to replace it immediately for something like this : Aluminum extruder if you already have one like this one, you need to adjust the tension of the idle bearing so the gear gabs better the filament.

2.- your heater brake pipe or nozzle pipe might have a PTFE linere inside like this:heat brake pipe you will have to disassemble the extruder to see it and either clean it or most likely replace it. If it doesn't have one, purchase one that have it.

3.- calibrate your extruder stepper to extrude exactly the amount you are asking for so if you command 10mm extrusion, the filament will move 10mm in the imput size of the extruder. If less or more then you have to change the steps per mm in the settings. calibration

4.- check your stepper driver current and adjust accordingly : stepper driver adjustment

once you have done these steps then we can continue setting you printer.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/06/2016 01:00PM by ggherbaz.

ok you have the better extruder so omit step one.

the image of the configuration file doesn't give me any usable info, open it with wordpad or notepad save it and attach it here.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/06/2016 12:54PM by ggherbaz.

Okay mine does have the liner in it how do I know if I need to replace it or not I can take my tip off and hit extrude and it will come out pretty easy ... Also how can I know if I have my tension set too tight or not enough ?

If the PTFE liner still looks like a tube with uniform shape it's probably fine.

With the nozzle off, if the extruded abs is white and crushed to a semi-circle you have too much tension. If the filament slips and the gear grinds a divot in it there is not enough tension.

What JamesK said is right, since is ABS what you are trying to print with, you will see the gear marks in the filament, but if it's shape became oval the you have too much pressure. The PTFE tube needs to still be white and the part closest to the nozzle cannot be melted, deformed or blackish.

But you have to check your stepper driver current and steps per mm before anything else because you can have failures that you can attribute to something that is not.

Setting up my end stops I just need to make sure on all 4 corners after my z axis homes out I can slide a note card under it correct

Setting up my end stops I just need to make sure on all 4 corners after my z axis homes out I can slide a note card under it correct

that is correct. look like you are making progress and going in the right direction...

Okay well after hours of trying and figuring I ran into another situation ... Keep in my my printer worked fin besides my extruder being way out of calibration .. So I go to upload my new extruder settings and now my printer wouldn't move but one way twords the end stops so it would move all the way to the end stops once it made the connection it would move one step of the end stops then stop however if I moved it back twords the end stops and just kept clicking and the belt jumping I could then go back the other way as many times as I jumped the belt on the end stops and now none of my home buttons are working

you messed up the endstops logic. In pronterface or your host software run the command M119 without any endstop been activated and check which ones showing triggered, then go to the configuration file and switch the logic.

it will look something like this:

// The pullups are needed if you directly connect a mechanical endswitch between the signal and ground pins.
const bool X_MIN_ENDSTOP_INVERTING = true; // set to true to invert the logic of the endstop.
const bool Y_MIN_ENDSTOP_INVERTING = true; // set to true to invert the logic of the endstop.
const bool Z_MIN_ENDSTOP_INVERTING = false; // set to true to invert the logic of the endstop.
const bool X_MAX_ENDSTOP_INVERTING = true; // set to true to invert the logic of the endstop.
const bool Y_MAX_ENDSTOP_INVERTING = true; // set to true to invert the logic of the endstop.
const bool Z_MAX_ENDSTOP_INVERTING = true; // set to true to invert the logic of the endstop.
//#define DISABLE_MAX_ENDSTOPS
//#define DISABLE_MIN_ENDSTOPS

so if a triggered one show true, change it to false and vice versa/

once done the changes run again the host program and pressing with your fingers each endstop run again the M119 command and verify that all of them are working right.

always save the changes made to the firmware before flashing it to the board, that way you can come back to it and fix any problems.

when i try to send the m119 all i get it this back >>> m119
SENDING:M119
x_min:H y_min:H z_min:H

also i have 2 end stops setting how do i need to set theses up


//// Endstop Settings
//#define ENDSTOPPULLUPS // Comment this out (using // at the start of the line) to disable the endstop pullup resistors
//The pullups are needed if you directly connect a mechanical endswitch between the signal and ground pins.
//If your axes are only moving in one direction, make sure the endstops are connected properly.
//If your axes move in one direction ONLY when the endstops are triggered, set [XYZ]_ENDSTOP_INVERT to true here:
const bool X_ENDSTOP_INVERT = false;
const bool Y_ENDSTOP_INVERT = false;
const bool Z_ENDSTOP_INVERT = false;



//// ENDSTOP SETTINGS:
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
// Sets direction of endstops when homing; 1=MAX, -1=MIN
#define X_HOME_DIR -1
#define Y_HOME_DIR -1
#define Z_HOME_DIR -1

#define ENDSTOPS_ONLY_FOR_HOMING // If defined the endstops will only be used for homing

const bool min_software_endstops = false; //If true, axis won't move to coordinates less than zero.
const bool max_software_endstops = true; //If true, axis won't move to coordinates greater than the defined lengths below.

okay im some what understanding what going on... i have figure out how the m119 command works and i have this setup and my end stops are working here is the problem now that might fix my issue and i have tried several things and can not figure it out i have all my axis moving in the correct detection and they will move t words the end stops and not the other way until triggered then they will move off the end stops and stop however my z axis is in the correct direction but when i try to move it t words the end stops it want go when i move it away from the ends stops it goes what setting do i need to change to let it know my end stops in the opposite direction i tried changing z to 1 but didnt work

//// ENDSTOP SETTINGS:
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
// Sets direction of endstops when homing; 1=MAX, -1=MIN
#define X_HOME_DIR -1
#define Y_HOME_DIR -1
#define Z_HOME_DIR 1

//#define ENDSTOPS_ONLY_FOR_HOMING // If defined the endstops will only be used for homing

//const bool min_software_endstops = true; //If true, axis won't move to coordinates less than zero.
//const bool max_software_endstops = false; //If true, axis won't move to coordinates greater than the defined lengths below.


also


//// Endstop Settings
//#define ENDSTOPPULLUPS // Comment this out (using // at the start of the line) to disable the endstop pullup resistors
//The pullups are needed if you directly connect a mechanical endswitch between the signal and ground pins.
//If your axes are only moving in one direction, make sure the endstops are connected properly.
//If your axes move in one direction ONLY when the endstops are triggered, set [XYZ]_ENDSTOP_INVERT to true here:
const bool X_ENDSTOP_INVERT = false;
const bool Y_ENDSTOP_INVERT = false;
const bool Z_ENDSTOP_INVERT = false;


maybe


//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
// For Inverting Stepper Enable Pins (Active Low) use 0, Non Inverting (Active High) use 1
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
#define X_ENABLE_ON 0
#define Y_ENABLE_ON 0
#define Z_ENABLE_ON 0
#define E_ENABLE_ON 0

//Uncomment if you have problems with a stepper driver enabeling too late, this will also set how many microseconds delay there will be after enabeling the driver
//#define DELAY_ENABLE 15

//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
// Disables axis when it's not being used.
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
const bool DISABLE_X = false;
const bool DISABLE_Y = false;
const bool DISABLE_Z = false;
const bool DISABLE_E = false;

//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
// Inverting axis direction
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
const bool INVERT_X_DIR = false;
const bool INVERT_Y_DIR = false;
const bool INVERT_Z_DIR = false;
const bool INVERT_E_DIR = true;

your M119 test should say triggered or close? Maybe H means high and that is triggered change the values as:

//// Endstop Settings
//#define ENDSTOPPULLUPS // Comment this out (using // at the start of the line) to disable the endstop pullup resistors
//The pullups are needed if you directly connect a mechanical endswitch between the signal and ground pins.
//If your axes are only moving in one direction, make sure the endstops are connected properly.
//If your axes move in one direction ONLY when the endstops are triggered, set [XYZ]_ENDSTOP_INVERT to true here:
const bool X_ENDSTOP_INVERT = true;
const bool Y_ENDSTOP_INVERT = true;
const bool Z_ENDSTOP_INVERT = false;

flash it an run again the M119 they should said L?
Trigger one of the endstops and do the M119 to see what it says.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/2016 02:25PM by ggherbaz.

This is not standard for a Cartesian printer:

// Sets direction of endstops when homing; 1=MAX, -1=MIN
#define X_HOME_DIR -1
#define Y_HOME_DIR -1
#define Z_HOME_DIR 1

Is your printer a Delta style?

If not, is your Z endstop at the top of the printer or at bed level?

my end stop is at the bottom of the printer on the z axis i added a picture and my end stops should say l when not triggered and h when triggered right ?

alright so if nothing is triggered i have a h if i trigger one it goes to L is this correct if so all are setup and working correctly as far as endstops

//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
//// ENDSTOP SETTINGS:
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
// Sets direction of endstops when homing; 1=MAX, -1=MIN
#define X_HOME_DIR -1
#define Y_HOME_DIR -1
#define Z_HOME_DIR -1

//#define ENDSTOPS_ONLY_FOR_HOMING // If defined the endstops will only be used for homing

//const bool min_software_endstops = true; //If true, axis won't move to coordinates less than zero.
//const bool max_software_endstops = false; //If true, axis won't move to coordinates greater than the defined lengths below.


//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
//Max Length for Prusa Mendel, check the ways of your axis and set this Values
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
const int X_MAX_LENGTH = 200;
const int Y_MAX_LENGTH = 200;
const int Z_MAX_LENGTH = 100;

//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
//// MOVEMENT SETTINGS
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
const int NUM_AXIS = 4; // The axis order in all axis related arrays is X, Y, Z, E
#define _MAX_FEEDRATE {400, 400, 2, 45} // (mm/sec)
#define _HOMING_FEEDRATE {1500,1500,120} // (mm/min) !!
#define _AXIS_RELATIVE_MODES {false, false, false, false}

#define MAX_STEP_FREQUENCY 30000 // Max step frequency

//For the retract (negative Extruder) move this maxiumum Limit of Feedrate is used
//The next positive Extruder move use also this Limit,
//then for the next (second after retract) move the original Maximum (_MAX_FEEDRATE) Limit is used
#define MAX_RETRACT_FEEDRATE 100 //mm/sec

the rudimentary draw I attached is the representation of a Cartesian plane, if you see it on a printer X0 and Y0 will be in the front left corner. standard Prusas have the X endstop in the left side which means MIN and the Y endstop in the back which means MAX. so it's configuration will be:

Direction:

X min
Y max
Z min

Z built up so Z0 will be at bed level and Z200 or whatever value will be at the top.

***CORRECTION***



From your photo, your X looks to be on the right side ( didn't see it on the X carriage) and assume your Y is at the back?

so it will be

X max = 1
Y min = -1
Z min = -1

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/2016 03:32PM by ggherbaz.

can you post a full size photo of your printer so I can be sure as to where your endstops are located?