X axis moves on the first 3mm of height

Hi, recently I've got a problem with my x axis and I really don't know how this could be caused.

The problem is this: On the first ~3mm of height my x axis moves constantly to X+ direction but the rest of the print is fine. I attached an image for better explanation, maybe someone can help me. Picture:

That's odd. Have you checked that your Z rods are orthogonal and parallel? Usually when they are out of alignment though, you'd see a leaning piece from bottom to top. I can't figure out what's happening on so few layers.

I just checked it - Z rods are orthogonal and parallel.

My heatbed was a little bit loose (it's spring-suspended and a nut was loose). Fixed it, print results are better, but the first 3 layers (about ~1mm of height) are still not in place.

jbernardis Wrote:
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> I can't figure out what's happening on so few layers.

Me too :/

If it were over the whole print it would be easy, but on so few layers? I'm honestly a little stumped.

EDIT: For the record: You were right, the Z rods are not 100% orthogonal. Will fix that tomorrow.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/25/2013 04:06PM by Neuromancer.

Are there wires and (other flexible) things like that pulling on or pushing against your extruder at low Z axis settings, but not at higher settings? If the extruder jams against something in X enough to tilt the hotend but not enough to cause a skip in your axes you could get that result.

Also you can try printing at different portions of your surface (e.g. at the centre, at a corner) and see if the problem is different.

frontier204 Wrote:
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> If the extruder jams against something
> in X enough to tilt the hotend but not enough to
> cause a skip in your axes you could get that
> result.

Hm, good point. There's one double-wire that's relatively short but I don't think it's short enough to cause this.

> Also you can try printing at different portions of
> your surface (e.g. at the centre, at a corner) and
> see if the problem is different.

Nice idea, will try that after fixing the Z rods.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/2013 01:08AM by Neuromancer.

Hm, it's working again.

I just fixed the Z rods so they are both orthogonal and adjusted the length of the x axis a little bit. Then i played with the z offset because it changed during the adjustment of the Z rods and now the prints are like before, without that drift in x direction.

I'm not sure but it seems that the x axis (which is mounted on the z axis) was a little bit „braced“ or „wedged“ (I hope this are the right words for this - I'm sorry english is't my native language)

So, hanks for your help. Even if we don't know what excatly caused the fault, it works now.