Used your method to level the bed on my new Aquila X2. Worked perfect. Prints are coming out awesome. Really nice to have it print with no problems rightout of the box especially for a newbie to 3D printing.
I had the same experience then bought an Aquila X3 for the higher speed and built in levelling - it's got a few more days of tinkering, after which if the BL isn't working and I can't get Cura slicing printing in the middle of the plate I'll be sending it back. There are so many things different and worse than the X2, and none of the improvements are actually delivering value.
Dude Awesome video! Thanks for supporting the 3D print community. Thanks to this video, I'm printing my first print tonight and its looking not too shabby! You ROCK!
There are a bunch of levelling videos out there, but yours is to the point, has a visual example of what you're doing and you are talking at a good pace with a nice intonation. Fantastic video.
THANK YOU SO MUCH IVE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOU. YOU LITTERALLY SINGLE HANDEDLY SHOWED ME EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT PRINTING. SORRY ABOUT THE ALL CAPS I'M PRINTING A FRICKEN ICED DRAGAON THATS CAN FLEX SO IM SUPER EXCITED MY KIDS WILL LOVE IT.
Just got an Aquila X2 for Christmas. Thought I had a good level was printing great. Then I watched this video. Man was I wrong. I'm printing even better than I thought I could. Thank you!
Thank you so much for this! My Aquila had virtually zero spring tension out of box, leading to very tricky bed leveling and I didn't realize that keeping them fairly tensioned and lowering the z-limit switch to match was an option!
Thank you for this, ciuldnt figure out what was wrong with my printer. Well, bed was super loose and I couldnt get the level right. Followed this and wow, huge difference.
Brand new to 3D printing, was getting frustrated that the corners were level but it wouldn't print because the center was too far away. This video was a life saver as you showed what to do, what to expect, and most importantly "WHY" it's done that way. I feel as if I have walked away much more knowledgeable. Really pleased with the print's first layer after this!
Where does this video address the center being lower than the corners? That's what I'm experiencing but in this video it looks like he only levels the 4 corners and doesn't check the center.
The center being off is usually a sprint tension issue. Unless of course your bed carriage is physically bent. You can always unbend It, if that’s the case. ;)
Your directions are spot on! It's a great how to video well shot and narrated. I had to do this with my voxelab aquila right out of the box. Since then I've only had to completely level it once. Now it's just a couple of quarter turns from time to time.
Thank you. I was struggling a whole day to get my Aquila S3 to level properly even if it has auto leveling. I did this thing several times before auto leveling. Manual only talks about lowering the extruder via the controls on the screen after auto leveling. And it seemed to be okay. But when printing a simple thing, the nozzle was 2 or 3 mm above the bed. Now I know why, it's probably that X- travel switch. So I will make another attempt later on when I feel up to it before throwing it through the window. Voxelab delivers a fairly good printer for the amount of dollars. But the manual is on the poor side in my opinion , specially for aging people. A letter size manual would be better. I'm really new to this, after holding it off for years. But my RC hobby pushed me in to this new challenge. It's going to be a steep learning curve I guess. :)
I bought a Aquila X2 after seeing you review. Worked well out of the box following your set-up method. After about ten prints the Z axis appears to have shifted half way through a print causing it to fail. had problems hearing the mico-switch click when relevelling. Found that there was 3.3V to the switch so added a LED across the connections. This works well and helps get very accurate leveling. Machine now running well again. Feel free to give out this tip on one of your episode's.
You are a absolute lifesaver. literally just set mine up last night and was wondering how to get it all fine tuned and not wobbly, couldn't have been better timing. Without your videos i would have been lost. Thanks for the awesome content!
Thank you, had my Aquila X2 about a week no and was printing great out of the box after using the paper method to level according to the included instructions. But since after trying a silk pla (tinmorry silk) which i couldnt get to stick, now my normal PLA has stopped sticking. I went through this video and done everything as described and Im now back to printing well with my basic PLA. Now to try the Silk again. Many thanks, have now subbed. Cheers
I bought an Aquila after watching some of your videos, had it a week and its worked flawlessly thanks to your guidance. The only fails I've had are due to my lack of experience with slicing!
Helpful video. I replaced my springs with the stronger yellow ones, and was wondering why it felt off. I totally forgot to put tension on them by pressing the bed down, so as soon as my current prints finish....I will readjust all that. Thanks for putting this out!
One thing to watch out for when tightening the bed springs, if you over tighten them, the bottom of your bed can hit the top of the y stepper motor. Mine came from the factory that way. I kept feeling a strange blip in the travel when I pushed the table back, looked underneath and the back of table was just grazing the top of the y axis motor allowing it to ride up on top and then continue to travel back. Fortunately there was enough slop in eccentric wheel nuts so nothing got jammed up. If I hadn't found this video and just did a normal bed leveling I may not have found this and possibly damaged something and certainly at the very least would have been chasing whatever effect it would of had on the print. Thanks for another great video.
@@3DPrintSOS I have the same issue on a new X2. Not only do the springs have to be fairly loose to keep the bed from hitting the stepper motor, but the back right corner of the mounting bracket (where the knob and spring are) is bent downwards about 1/4". It came that way
Greetings 3DPrintSOS, I told you awhile ago that I had problems with the Hot End on my Aquila. I had found that it was encased in the filament where a tiny gap in the inside area above the heater block had made the melted filament push upwards out of the top of the heater block and I ended up having to try to clean it off and replace the hot end with a new one as the old one was so mucked up! I also said I may as well, replace the 0.4 mm nozzle with a hard nozzle. Well, I got the fan cover off to undo the hot end to clean it, And found that once I cleaned off the filament that was around the heater block I carefully cut off the melted and now hard plastic around the heater block using the snippers and a wire brush to clean the metal side and underneath, I then dismantled the hot end and removed the nozzle. Then I used the time to put in place you small printed washer after cutting a piece of PTFE Tubing to fit inside the section as you shown of the hot end in the video. I put in a hard 0.6 mm nozzle and tightened it all up, I found that I could not unscrew the small screw on the old heater block that holds the heating element in the block as the plastic had got in the screw hole and the screw was stuck there. The new hot end I ordered did not have a set of wires and was just the hot end so since I can't remove that small screw holing in the heater element I just tried to use the old heater block and see if it still would be okay? After some printing tests I found that it would not print but instead kept forming up in a melted semi-hard ball around the silicone sock and tip of the nozzle. I stopped trying and cooled down the printer and bed and removed the fan housing and the sock and found out the same problem was happening as before? There was a big ball of melted filament around the heater block encasing it. So even with the PTFE Tube cut and secured in the tube of the hot end with the printed washer the melted plastic had again pushed out the top of the block. So I have to order a new hot end this time with the wired part and totally replace it and do the PTFE Tube cut to length and secured by your washer and hope I can at last do my printing again? Great help video as normal I need this for the newer hot end replacement and re-level of the bed. Can you do a help video of how to stop the string filament problems we get between prints happening when we print many items at once using a Cura slicing set up setting? BTW I tried to join your Discord Server But I do already have a discord sign in, And the system asked me to take up the join request So I used me sign it password I already got and it will not let me join or type online each time states please except the free unused join place But will not let me do that or sign in using my discord password either. Just keeps asking me to take up the free available slot in this discord? What can I do? Thanks. 8 )
If you’re getting a pool of filament, it means your nozzle and heatbreak have a gap in between them. That’s what causes the blobs to form. If you have a heat gun, or eve a hair dryer, you could use that to try to clean away the plastic. I definitely plan on doing a hotend video to explain how they work and how to properly assemble them. As for discord, I’m not sure how to tackle that issue. Try this link: discord.gg/n3fKya52
@@3DPrintSOS Hi there. Yes as I said above, I have got all the melted plastic filament off the hot end block. But the wired heater unit in the block and the thermister both were stuck in place in the block. The small screw had melted plastic in the screw hex hole and also it was stuck in place by the plastic that melted over the full block. I did what I could to free them from the block but they are totally stuck now. Yes I do have a Art version of a heat gun. But after trying to melt the plastic from the thermister hole and the heater unit in the block after the rest of the melted plastic was gone, Did not help free those two units from the heater block. As for the reason for the damn melted plastic coming out of the top of the block. I know you are right on that, Somehow there must have been a gap somewhere? I order the new hot end wire set instead of the full hot end system as I have that new hot end that does not have the wire set. I can use the wires ordered to set up the now block. That saves money then and the order should be delivered in about 1 to 2 days. I check on the Discord link Thanks for that. 8 )
My bad I was reading that when I was living out of work and I must of missed it. It sound like you are on the right track to get it fixed. ;) you’ll be back in no time!
.....I feel so silly.... I have been sitting here saying, "Why are these dang knobs so loose?" "There's no way this bed is going to stay level without tension!" Check your Z Limit Switch! Mine was so high up that my printer would fall out of level after EVERY print!.. Again...Thank you for this series of videos.
I feel like an idiot after watching this video. Not only have I been wasting time waiting for the machine to move to the extremes while leveling, I've been leveling *at* those extremes instead of just moving the hot end/bed into place over where the tension actually is. I bet I'll actually get a properly leveled bed after I try this.
Update: Got around to leveling my bed using this method over the weekend and my prints were flawless. This channel has helped me avoid so many pitfalls that have caught others who are as new to 3D printing as I am - honestly one of the best 3D printing resources on RUclips.
is there a distance spec from nozzle to printing bed that we can go by instead of a piece of paper, I would think it'd be more accurate if you had an actual measurement with the use of feeler gauge strip?
It’ll never be exact. At least on these machines. The temperatures vary so much on the bed, nozzle, and ambient room temp. All of those are always in flux and that causes the metals to expand and contract. So a paper, or even eyeballing it, is good enough. If all the other things can be regulated, then an exact measurement might work for a super-specific filament and print.
weird...i had not attended this maintenance. but...i have to turn the wrench counter clockwise for it to tighten the wobble that was there on my Aquila X2.🙃
Looking forward to the Aquila X3 version. Their implementation of auto level and z-offset is cryptic and to be honest a bit suspicious (does the BL really work and really get used on the prints - voxel slicer doesn't seem to put any gcodes in to use it or recall stored mesh !!)
Hi mate, your video is great I’m brand new to 3D printers and received my VOXELAB X2 only yesterday 13th October 2022. I followed your video and triple checked the bed level and it was good the head was only just off the bed. I did the test hook and it came out fantastic I was thrilled with the result, but after bed had cooled down I could not remove the hook from the bed it’s like there is super glue on it… Do have any advice or ideas ? I was too scared to use the spatula that came with it in fear of scratching the glass. So I just reheated the bed to remove it, maybe I didn’t give it enough time to cool properly
Great as usual, but I would love to have seen a live example of what a level bed skirt looks like vs one that might be to low or to high. I'm not always sure which way to turn on the live level when the skirt doesn't look right. What it looks like too high or to low.
Hind sight. You’re totally right, that would be helpful. I did outline that in my live leveling video, but that wasn’t my best work. I’ll have to tackle it again at some point.
Very helpful. Being new, manual bed leveling is a longer process but is auto bed leveling faster and more accurate? Is it worth it? I have the Aqulia S2 N32, I wasn't sure if I could change the firmware to add BL Touch sensor?
You could certainly update the firmware and add a bl touch. Many do. As far as faster? No. It’s not faster. However, because it’s automatic, you don’t have to do it manually nearly as often. Once it’s all setup and if there’s a print issue relating to laveling, you just hit a button and let it do its thing instead of you manually doing it. It’s a convenience thing. Totally not necessary though. In my opinion.
to set the spring compression, i set it so that gap from the top of the wheel to the bottom of the plate, is ~= 25mm on all 4. My thought was, if they all have the same gap they should all have the same tension, ergo same starting point. Sound right?
In concept yet, however, the actual carriage can sometimes be bent and it will modify those numbers. It doesn’t have to be exact through. The gap between the plate and nozzle matters more
I have a Spark 3D Sp1 printer which I have read is a clone of this printer, the looks of it are very similar but the Spark doesn't have a Z limit switch. I was wondering if it's possible to make one so that it wont go any lower than I would set it to?
Hi. So i have my Aquila X2 for a little over a week. I notice the bed hits the rear motor and I have to raise the bed to the point i am running out of thread in the corners. I am having to level almost every print. How can i fix this? I have no idea how they can put the rear motor so close to the bed. smh. Thanks!
Hmm. See if you can loosen the motor mount and nudge it lower. It should be making contact. Especially if you are running out of threads. Somethings not right here. I’ve assembled so many of these now and never had contact issues. Gotta be an adjustment you can make somewhere.
@@3DPrintSOS Ok thanks. i will take a good look at it. I assumed it was supposed to be like that because that is one of the few parts that come preassembled. I have no experience with this machine, but I know its not normal. I'll give it a shot. One last note: Thank you for your videos. They really are helpful. Seriously.
@@3DPrintSOS I cannot move the rear motor, but i just noticed something. The rear plastic arms that connect from the Y rail and connect between each spring and nut look like they are curved downwards a tad. I dont believe thats normal but i have zero experience with this printer and maybe thats how they come. I wrote voxelab support and sent them pics
Ah. I’ve seen this before. Save yourself the time, take the bed apart and carriage and bend those back. You can place them on something flat and use a hammer or even a rubber mallet. By the time support gets you a new one, you could go through several rolls printing. ;)
Just started with 3D printing. Had been putting it off because didn't know of anything I wanted to print...lol. Now that I'm back into RC planes... limitless potential!!!! Gonna have to work my way up to Carbon Black! Could be excellent for plane parts and mods! Got the Aquilla and am happy so far. Can't beat it for for the price. A buddy who has one recommended it and your channel as well. Enjoying so far. Really liked the Rasberry Pi mod. Something else I'm just starting in. Now, here's an off he wall question. After the job has started, can you pull the SD card out? I'm wondering if it loads he Gcode in memory and doesn't really need he card after that. Been playing with Cura (your config...thanks!) And I always save to a folder or disk and a copy on SD. I'm sure I could try it after starting a simple test job but something tells me an Uber geek like you...may have done this already...lol. You're a good egg, kid. Hope you're making a fee bucks off this. Sharing knowledge is just about the most noble thing one can do. Your Karma credits.... must have a stack of them. 😏 Cheers!
Thank you sir. I’ll take all the karma credits I can. Haha I don’t think you can pull the SD card. Although admittedly, I haven’t tried it in ages. Maybe these boards do it differently now a days.
@@3DPrintSOS Right on! Just discovered my lead screw is bent. Just got the aquilla few days ago. Argh! Didn't notice until I started printing higher parts. Guess I'll have to learn what Voxelabs support is like. Been looking at duel Z axis upgrades. Do you see any worth in them? Make any difference on part quality? Thanks man! Answer and receive ONE Karma credit. 😉
Excellent concise video.. When I reduce the gap I turn my bed wheel counterclockwise when viewed from the wheel end and to increase the gap I turn my bed wheel clockwise viewed from the wheel end. Maybe I just think opposite? I will pass this video along.. Thanks Fedor!
Are you reading my mind? After deciding I wanted to dip my toe into 3D printing I found that the Creality Ender 3 v2 was the one, until I found your videos about the Aquila. I decided to gift myself one for my birthday (today) and I waited to order so it would arrive on or near my birthday. Just when I wanted to order, you put out the video on the X2, so I decided to order that one. It will probably arrive tomorrow or friday, so now this video is perfectly timed AGAIN! Thank you. Already ordered the TecBoss PTFE tubing and the hardened nozzles as well, based on your recomendations.
@@3DPrintSOS Thank YOU for putting out all this content with very clear and helpful instructions and tips. I'm sure my 3D experience will be a lot better for it!
That’s ok. Just keep going around and making adjustments. Sometimes when adjusting the other three corners, the first one will go out of whack again. That’s why I like to go around a few times.
This video helped a lot! I followed it to a “T” and ran a print and it just needed minor adjustments. However the Ender 3 Pro I have is used and I bought it about a mo th ago. The owner before me had a CR touch included and when I tried to run a print the next day, the CR touch/print head got to the middle of the bed to touch down but started flashing red. Any ideas on how to fix?
Hmm. Flashing red usually means an error. Could be a bunch of things honestly. First thing to check is to see if there is a z limit switch. If there is, it needs to be unplugged.
When the time had come to move the head to the right side ( 10:22 ) When I moved the head to the right manually it would stop, it felt as if something was in the way stopping it. It would not go any further. It did not even make it to the middle. help?
That’s strange. Check the wheels, make sure there is nothing blocking them. First though, make sure the steppers are not on. In the menu find “disable steppers”
Hi Fedor, I bought an Aquila.. my first layers look perfect, but then my nozzle seems to start rubbing on the previous layers giving a sandpaper texture and pulling the prints off the build plate eventually. I calibrated esteps and can't figure why it's happening. Any suggestions I could try? Thanks, I really appreciate your videos.. very clear and helpful.
Hmm. Does it happen across the full print or just on the edges? Make sure your z lead screw isn’t binding anywhere. Make sure it’s tight on the coupler at the z motor.
@@3DPrintSOS It happens on most of the print area with a few patches that look smooth. I'll try to do a full tear down tomorrow and see if that helps. Z screw and coupler seem to be ok.
@@3DPrintSOS Turns out that the the bottom roller was free spinning on the z axis. That made a big difference. Now the only area the nozzle rubs is the infill slightly. My layer height is .16mm. I was thinking of adjusting the infill flow % in Cura. My z travel at what should be 150mm is short about 1mm. Getting a few decent prints this weekend felt like a win though and I think I'm getting closer.
Followed all the steps, and did a level disk print on the center and corners, but my prints are acting as if it not level in some areas when it hits a cardinal direction edge.
i had a ton of issues with this. i ended up going to each corner and heating up the nozle and bringing the z to 0 then to 5 until filament started sticking was the only way my prints would stick to the glass or it just get scrapped off even then my prints still are not partially sticking to my bed not really sure as i tried the way you did it.but it did even worse. its really starting to aggravate me
Thank you for taking the time to make these really helpful videos. I did need to adjust the tension on my springs a bit and at some point I am sure I will need to change the z-limit switch position as well.
Perfect timing, it's like you're reading my mind. After weeks of enjoying a perfectly level bed, I'm think I'm finally starting to see signs that my bed has lost its level. Seeing a single odd stripe forming on the first layer of my print, running perpendicular to the print path, and the stripe is maintained on every successive layer. It's smooth to the touch, not an indentation, but certainly out of place. Could this be a result of the bed not being level or the belts needing a tightening?
@@3DPrintSOS Thank you Fedor! Since I'm still midprint, I may have to wait until after it's complete to check the z-axis wheels. Instead, I adjusted the x-axis tensioner knob (somewhat randomly, not remembering which way tightens and which way loosens) and now the layers are coming down uniformly. Fingers crossed!
Hi Fedor! Need your help, did leveling a lot of times, after moved to new apartment, I can't level anymore. Doing level(75C) then bl touch(75C) after this I feel, that leveling is ruined(sometimes, but i feel that even after bl touch it feels different). Tried tightening all kind of gears/nuts across printer - x,y,z everything, it seems helped a bit, but still same problem. What should I focus most?
This is exactly what I had done with my Ender a few years ago. Moving the Z stop is key! Great video! By the way, do you have a link for the part you printed?
Quick note just to add. After watching the video I went and adjusted my springs/bed and didn't think of it. The next morning my glass plate had been ejected to the floor. I couldn't figure out why and I was getting frustrated. I found out that when I pressed down to put pressure on the springs, and adjusted the z switch lower, that I went too low, which didnt leave the bed enough room to clear the Y motor on the back of the machine. Obviously when it pulled the plate back during the print, it smacked the motor and the plate went flying. Just putting this out there to make sure you don't set that too height too low like I did and make that mistake.
@@3DPrintSOS yeah I never did before either. I think those replacement yellow springs are stronger, but a little bit shorter than the stock springs, so if you put too much pressure on them, it definitely makes the plate too low to clear that motor. So was just giving a heads up in case anyone else runs into it.
my prints are not sticking for the first layer. I've used alcohol and made sure the bed is clean of any oils etc and made sure the bed is level and close to the nozzle. Any tips to make them stick?
Thanks for the great info in this video. I have been following all your videos and am just wondering what are the best replacement wheels to get for the Aquila x2. I am noticing wear on my beds wheels and just want to get some good replacements and have them on hand. Instead of my bed being too loose like in the video, I had the opposite and they were too tight on the eccentric wheel side. So in short by the time I saw your video I already had grooves cut in the wheels. Should I replace them a.s.a.p? Thank you.
@@3DPrintSOS They do roll smooth. Just saw that there was some plastic like dust on top of the wheels and got a bit worried. Thanks for getting back to me. I appreciate it.
I have a HUGE problem, I'm hearing impaired, asking me to hear the click is like asking if I can hear a pin drop at a hockey game. Not gonna happen. Any tips? I've been at this for a few hours I need a break LOL
First off, do not attempt to level your Z axis with the click watching a hockey game on tv, your team will lose and you will be distracted. Secondly, either use a hearing aid and increase the volume during, or something you can put a mic with a speaker (karaoke machine?) up against the Z axis stop and you will hear the click. If neither is possible, ask a friend with good hearing, (you are now using them, but they will never know unless you tell them) over for tea/coffee/beer, and use their ear (afterwards, you both can cheer on your hockey team). Good luck zooming on it.
@@monkeysnark7043 LOL thanks for the excellent yet comical answer. I was able to struggle through by visually watching it and going from there. I must have done something right because I'm on print #4 and they're pretty much perfect. Thanks for the laughs. Oh and my friends & family know I can't hear squat so I'd just ask them, I wouldnt have to bribe them with alcohol although alcohol will be consumed regardless 🤪😆
@@3DPrintSOS I did, I got it going. Having fun. So far the hardest part was getting the freaking belt on. I just lack the strength to stretch it enough to get it in the 2nd slot and yes, the tensioner was completely loosened. I got my nozzles today, I'll need to watch a video on how to change them. Thanks a bunch.
Nope. The bl touch would compensate for a not perfectly level bed. But to be honest, I’ve only had induction sensors. I think the whole procedure would be different.
Yeah, I level the same way with a 3D Touch every once in a while when the bed to horribly out of level. It's a far more complicated though cause BL-Touch firmware usually doesn't have a straight forward way to bring the print head all the way down.
Did you do a video on adjusting voltages on the steppers . I thought it was you? Mine do get pretty warm. Like your videos you do a great job explaining.
I appreciate your trust, but I cant take on 1 on 1s John. I just simply have no time. I can berrely find the time to make these reviews at a pace that works for RUclipss algorithm.
@@3DPrintSOS You have no idea man how I’m struggling with this brand new printer man. I’m almost to the point of scraping it and going a buy a Creality. I cannot get this to stick to the bed man. I have tried everything. I got digital gauges and tried all tips. The first layer simply drags and it gets all bunched up in the tip of the nozzle. I of course have skirts and supports on the models. Some guy told me to use hairspray and still nothing. I bought glue and those metal thickness gauges and nothing. I was wondering man if I could “convert” this Voxel crap to a Creality by buying the board and display and simply use the frame and parts. I am so frustrated man. I upgraded the nozzle and tubbing and just got a Creality touch thing. All I need is to get this to stick man. I also have a better heater element nozzle and silicone bed supports to replace the springs. Anyone can help me pls?
I think you might be doing too much. You shouldnt need anything extra outside of the stock machine to get things to stick. Set all of that aside and start fresh. People that tell you to fix these things by buying more stuff arent going to help you any. Here's what I would do. I would clean the bed with soap and water. Fully dry it. I would get it nice and hot, about 70c. I would remove the filament and get the hotend up to 200. Once its all hot and clean, get yourself a sheet of paper. Tell the machine to go home and then disable steppers. Get your paper and go around every corner of the bed and use the knobs under the bed to level your bed with the hotend. Use the paper. Its has to drag under the nozzle but not rip the paper. Take your time. Go around 2 or 3 times. Whats happening is you are either too far, or too close to the bed. The only other things it can be is that your bed is dirty. Otherwise, with PLA, you should be able to print out of the box. No mods, no nonsense needed.
@@3DPrintSOS Fedir man, do you have a Patreon account? I am dropping a few I support for you. Let me know man as you are just an amazing guy who helps people and I appreciate that very much. I am going to try every single tip of this. I may even do a few videos and maybe send you the links so can review and let me know. Fedir man all I want if to be happy printing bro. Let me know pls to get you supported.
Thanks for the video, I've been struggling with making the springs medium tension and moving the Z limit switch up and down trying to find the right height for it. I was always off completely with one corner. On another note, when do I know when I need to tighten the belts?
@@3DPrintSOS Can I make some video requests? I'm super new to this world and these are all the questions I have. Love the quality of your videos! Thank you! Tools: What cutter do you use and what other tools are essential for 3D printing? Do I need to buy one of those tool kits that have like 70 pieces??? Brims and Branches: What are the advantages and disadvantages of each. Is there a situation you need to use one or the other, or both? General Maintenance: Is there a process that needs to be done before and after printing? Is it okay to leave filament in the machine? What's that thin needle thing for, to clean the nozzle or clogs? Maybe you don't need a full blown video for some of these. LOL.
Haha imagine a video on just what the needle is. Haha ;) I say just stick with what the printer comes with in terms of tools and you will naturally figure out what you need. Any side cutters will do, in fact, you’ll be fine with some needle nose pliers or even scissors for a while. Btw, yes that needle is for nozzle clogs. Hopefully, you won’t need to use it. Not sure what branches are but a brim helps “glue” the edges of your print onto your print surface, so if you are having warping issues, use a 20 line brim. Before each print I use isopropyl alcohol to clean the bed and I do a live level during every print. Most of the time, nothing needs to be adjusted. You can keep pla in the machine but if I’d humid in your area, in CAN take on some moisture and have some ill effects. I keep all my filament in sealable bags with desecant. I went over it in my Lack Rack video. :)
also question for you. you said 70 degrees is a good bed temp? iv been printing at around 60 (for pla), but it does get a little bit hard to take off prints. Would going higher help that? (new to 3d printing)
Not necessarily. If it’s good at 60, keep it there. Everyone’s climate is different. If you are having trouble taking prints off, you raising the nozzle off the print bed by literally a hair. Your first layer could be a tad too low. Or you can put your bed in the fridge for a few minutes and it’ll fall right off.
@@3DPrintSOS wait ur a genius. I never thought about putting it in the fridge. and yep after watching this video i almost definitely need to redo my level properly later. Thank you!
when my PLA prints stick a little more than I like, I squirt a little alcohol on the perimeter. The alcohol will work its way underneath and you should be able to pop it off.
As much as I agree with you, check out the comments and views. Let alone the emails and messages and dms I get about this. People asked me for this information and to be honest, I’d rather send them a link I know works specifically with the Aquila, then someone else’s video.
@@3DPrintSOS z axis switch adjustments made as I prefer leveling knobs to be on tight. So far impressive machines the S2's are. Faster than my Ender 3 Pro and Voxelab Aquila
![[DRAGON BALL LEGENDS REVEALS ＆ STUFF] LEGENDS FESTIVAL 2024 Special Edition Part 2](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/af0phKxitX8/mqdefault.jpg)
Used your method to level the bed on my new Aquila X2. Worked perfect. Prints are coming out awesome. Really nice to have it print with no problems rightout of the box especially for a newbie to 3D printing.
Yes! I’m glad to hear it. Enjoy.
I had the same experience then bought an Aquila X3 for the higher speed and built in levelling - it's got a few more days of tinkering, after which if the BL isn't working and I can't get Cura slicing printing in the middle of the plate I'll be sending it back. There are so many things different and worse than the X2, and none of the improvements are actually delivering value.
There are not many really good videos on RUclips, this is one of them. Thanks
Dude Awesome video! Thanks for supporting the 3D print community. Thanks to this video, I'm printing my first print tonight and its looking not too shabby! You ROCK!
There are a bunch of levelling videos out there, but yours is to the point, has a visual example of what you're doing and you are talking at a good pace with a nice intonation. Fantastic video.
🙏🏻
THANK YOU SO MUCH IVE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOU. YOU LITTERALLY SINGLE HANDEDLY SHOWED ME EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT PRINTING. SORRY ABOUT THE ALL CAPS I'M PRINTING A FRICKEN ICED DRAGAON THATS CAN FLEX SO IM SUPER EXCITED MY KIDS WILL LOVE IT.
Heck yeah. Happy to have helped.
Ur such a print saver, my prints were all weird until I watched this video
Glad to hear it
Just got an Aquila X2 for Christmas. Thought I had a good level was printing great. Then I watched this video. Man was I wrong. I'm printing even better than I thought I could. Thank you!
Awesome. Glad I could help. :)
Thank you so much for this! My Aquila had virtually zero spring tension out of box, leading to very tricky bed leveling and I didn't realize that keeping them fairly tensioned and lowering the z-limit switch to match was an option!
Glad I could help Kaye. :)
Thank you for this, ciuldnt figure out what was wrong with my printer. Well, bed was super loose and I couldnt get the level right. Followed this and wow, huge difference.
C'mon man, you deserve the best!
I had days trying to level my bed by my own, after watching this video I did it in 20 minutes.
Awesome. Glad I could help.
Need to re level my bed after a dozen or so prints, should be easy with this great tutorial, very well explained thank you!
Glad I could help. :)
Brand new to 3D printing, was getting frustrated that the corners were level but it wouldn't print because the center was too far away. This video was a life saver as you showed what to do, what to expect, and most importantly "WHY" it's done that way. I feel as if I have walked away much more knowledgeable. Really pleased with the print's first layer after this!
🍻
Where does this video address the center being lower than the corners? That's what I'm experiencing but in this video it looks like he only levels the 4 corners and doesn't check the center.
The center being off is usually a sprint tension issue. Unless of course your bed carriage is physically bent. You can always unbend It, if that’s the case. ;)
How to make petg stick to the bed of the printer
Men, U saved my sorry ass.
It took me 2 evenings and 5 beers to realize I need YT and help.
And you managed to fix it all. Gracias, Sir!
I’ll have another beer in your honor.
Your directions are spot on!
It's a great how to video well shot and narrated.
I had to do this with my voxelab aquila right out of the box.
Since then I've only had to completely level it once.
Now it's just a couple of quarter turns from time to time.
Thank you! I try to make is as clear as possible.
Thank you. I was struggling a whole day to get my Aquila S3 to level properly even if it has auto leveling. I did this thing several times before auto leveling. Manual only talks about lowering the extruder via the controls on the screen after auto leveling. And it seemed to be okay. But when printing a simple thing, the nozzle was 2 or 3 mm above the bed. Now I know why, it's probably that X- travel switch. So I will make another attempt later on when I feel up to it before throwing it through the window. Voxelab delivers a fairly good printer for the amount of dollars. But the manual is on the poor side in my opinion , specially for aging people. A letter size manual would be better. I'm really new to this, after holding it off for years. But my RC hobby pushed me in to this new challenge. It's going to be a steep learning curve I guess. :)
thanks for the informational video. after I wiped the build plate with some alcohol and got it level it printed perfectly.
I bought a Aquila X2 after seeing you review. Worked well out of the box following your set-up method. After about ten prints the Z axis appears to have shifted half way through a print causing it to fail. had problems hearing the mico-switch click when relevelling. Found that there was 3.3V to the switch so added a LED across the connections. This works well and helps get very accurate leveling. Machine now running well again. Feel free to give out this tip on one of your episode's.
You are a absolute lifesaver. literally just set mine up last night and was wondering how to get it all fine tuned and not wobbly, couldn't have been better timing. Without your videos i would have been lost. Thanks for the awesome content!
Nice! Glad I could help!
Thank you, had my Aquila X2 about a week no and was printing great out of the box after using the paper method to level according to the included instructions.
But since after trying a silk pla (tinmorry silk) which i couldnt get to stick, now my normal PLA has stopped sticking.
I went through this video and done everything as described and Im now back to printing well with my basic PLA.
Now to try the Silk again.
Many thanks, have now subbed.
Cheers
Thank you. Very well done video and you make it easy to follow.
Thank you. First 3d printer and I picked up the aquila x2. This helped out quite a bit. Bed was wobbly put of the box.
Oh man. I’ve had my printer for 2 weeks and was wondering why I couldn’t get the head low enough for prints. The Z stop! You’re a life saver
Nice! Glad I could help. :)
Love the video's! just found you and I bought the X2. Thank you for all your help~!
Awesome. Glad I could help.
I bought an Aquila after watching some of your videos, had it a week and its worked flawlessly thanks to your guidance. The only fails I've had are due to my lack of experience with slicing!
Awesome. Glad I could help. :)
Helpful video. I replaced my springs with the stronger yellow ones, and was wondering why it felt off. I totally forgot to put tension on them by pressing the bed down, so as soon as my current prints finish....I will readjust all that. Thanks for putting this out!
Absolutely. Glad I could help.
Do you have a link for those springs?
I got them off amazon
One thing to watch out for when tightening the bed springs, if you over tighten them, the bottom of your bed can hit the top of the y stepper motor. Mine came from the factory that way. I kept feeling a strange blip in the travel when I pushed the table back, looked underneath and the back of table was just grazing the top of the y axis motor allowing it to ride up on top and then continue to travel back. Fortunately there was enough slop in eccentric wheel nuts so nothing got jammed up. If I hadn't found this video and just did a normal bed leveling I may not have found this and possibly damaged something and certainly at the very least would have been chasing whatever effect it would of had on the print. Thanks for another great video.
That’s a great tip. I usually got for half way in the spring travel. That way you can go in either direction if you need.
@@3DPrintSOS I have the same issue on a new X2. Not only do the springs have to be fairly loose to keep the bed from hitting the stepper motor, but the back right corner of the mounting bracket (where the knob and spring are) is bent downwards about 1/4". It came that way
I would remove it and bend it back. Make it as flat as possible. Should be easy to do and you’ll learn a lot of how that system works. Worth it! ;)
@@3DPrintSOS I was afraid you were doing to say that ;) I emailed them also for a replacement. Might take a bit of time since a lot has to come apart.
Worth it. Learning experience and you’ll have it up and running WAY before you get a replacement from China.
thnx boss, u filled the gap and answered some question, awesome job!
I never post, but I just had to say this is awesome content dude. Keep it going! 100% Gonna use your links for my purchase :D
I really appreciate that! Thank you for the support. :)
Very helpful and easily understood. Thanks!
OMG thank you so mich
Cuz of you no single of my prints fail. Espacely because you did the aquilla x2 printer!!! 🤗🤩🙏
I am getting my printer tomorrow! Thanks for the awesome step-by-step info!
Exciting! Have fun.
Awesome video as always dude.
Thank you! Hopefully this helps.
@@3DPrintSOS I've never had bed leveling issues, I'm sure you briefly covered this before.
I'm liking and commenting for the algorithm.
Greetings 3DPrintSOS, I told you awhile ago that I had problems with the Hot End on my Aquila.
I had found that it was encased in the filament where a tiny gap in the inside area above the heater block had made the melted
filament push upwards out of the top of the heater block and I ended up having to try to clean it off and replace the hot end with a new one as the old one was so mucked up!
I also said I may as well, replace the 0.4 mm nozzle with a hard nozzle.
Well, I got the fan cover off to undo the hot end to clean it, And found that once I cleaned off the filament that was around the heater block I carefully cut off the melted and now hard plastic around the heater block using the snippers and a wire brush to clean the metal side and underneath, I then dismantled the hot end and removed the nozzle.
Then I used the time to put in place you small printed washer after cutting a piece of PTFE Tubing to fit inside the section as you shown of the hot end in the video.
I put in a hard 0.6 mm nozzle and tightened it all up,
I found that I could not unscrew the small screw on the old heater block that holds the heating element in the block as the plastic had got in the screw hole and the screw was stuck there.
The new hot end I ordered did not have a set of wires and was just the hot end so since I can't remove that small screw holing in the heater element I just tried to use the old heater block and see if it still would be okay?
After some printing tests I found that it would not print but instead kept forming up in a melted semi-hard ball around the silicone sock and tip of the nozzle.
I stopped trying and cooled down the printer and bed and removed the fan housing and the sock and found out the same problem was happening as before?
There was a big ball of melted filament around the heater block encasing it.
So even with the PTFE Tube cut and secured in the tube of the hot end with the printed washer the melted plastic had again pushed out the top of the block.
So I have to order a new hot end this time with the wired part and totally replace it and do the PTFE Tube cut to length and secured by your washer and hope I can at last do my printing again?
Great help video as normal I need this for the newer hot end replacement and re-level of the bed.
Can you do a help video of how to stop the string filament problems we get between prints happening when we print many items at once using a Cura slicing set up setting?
BTW I tried to join your Discord Server But I do already have a discord sign in, And the system asked me to take up the join request So I used me sign it password I already got and it will not let me join or type online each time states please except the free unused join place But will not let me do that or sign in using my discord password either.
Just keeps asking me to take up the free available slot in this discord?
What can I do?
Thanks. 8 )
If you’re getting a pool of filament, it means your nozzle and heatbreak have a gap in between them. That’s what causes the blobs to form. If you have a heat gun, or eve a hair dryer, you could use that to try to clean away the plastic.
I definitely plan on doing a hotend video to explain how they work and how to properly assemble them.
As for discord, I’m not sure how to tackle that issue. Try this link: discord.gg/n3fKya52
@@3DPrintSOS Hi there. Yes as I said above,
I have got all the melted plastic filament off the hot end block. But the wired heater unit in the block and the thermister both were stuck in place in the block.
The small screw had melted plastic in the screw hex hole and also it was stuck in place by the plastic that melted over the full block.
I did what I could to free them from the block but they are totally stuck now.
Yes I do have a Art version of a heat gun.
But after trying to melt the plastic from the thermister hole and the heater unit in the block after the rest of the melted plastic was gone,
Did not help free those two units from the heater block.
As for the reason for the damn melted plastic coming out of the top of the block.
I know you are right on that, Somehow there must have been a gap somewhere?
I order the new hot end wire set instead of the full hot end system as I have that new hot end that does not have the wire set.
I can use the wires ordered to set up the now block. That saves money then and the order should be delivered in about 1 to 2 days.
I check on the Discord link Thanks for that. 8 )
My bad I was reading that when I was living out of work and I must of missed it. It sound like you are on the right track to get it fixed. ;) you’ll be back in no time!
.....I feel so silly.... I have been sitting here saying, "Why are these dang knobs so loose?" "There's no way this bed is going to stay level without tension!" Check your Z Limit Switch! Mine was so high up that my printer would fall out of level after EVERY print!.. Again...Thank you for this series of videos.
Oof. I’m glad you found the vids and got it done.
I found your channel a few days ago and subscribed right away. You really influenced me in selecting the Voxelab Aquila as my first printer!
Nice! I think you’ll love it
Thanks for the detailed explanation, it is indeed helpful.
Thanks you for the video! some great tips. What tips do you have to taking off prints (especially large prints)?
I place my scraper on an edge and tap the back of the scraper with a screw driver handle.
I feel like an idiot after watching this video. Not only have I been wasting time waiting for the machine to move to the extremes while leveling, I've been leveling *at* those extremes instead of just moving the hot end/bed into place over where the tension actually is. I bet I'll actually get a properly leveled bed after I try this.
Update: Got around to leveling my bed using this method over the weekend and my prints were flawless. This channel has helped me avoid so many pitfalls that have caught others who are as new to 3D printing as I am - honestly one of the best 3D printing resources on RUclips.
a nice clean beginners leveling video
Thank you! Hope it’ll be helpful
is there a distance spec from nozzle to printing bed that we can go by instead of a piece of paper, I would think it'd be more accurate if you had an actual measurement with the use of feeler gauge strip?
It’ll never be exact. At least on these machines. The temperatures vary so much on the bed, nozzle, and ambient room temp. All of those are always in flux and that causes the metals to expand and contract. So a paper, or even eyeballing it, is good enough. If all the other things can be regulated, then an exact measurement might work for a super-specific filament and print.
weird...i had not attended this maintenance. but...i have to turn the wrench counter clockwise for it to tighten the wobble that was there on my Aquila X2.🙃
Either direction would work. ;) glad you got it done.
Looking forward to the Aquila X3 version. Their implementation of auto level and z-offset is cryptic and to be honest a bit suspicious (does the BL really work and really get used on the prints - voxel slicer doesn't seem to put any gcodes in to use it or recall stored mesh !!)
Honestly not sure. Hard to say I haven't been sent any Voxelab machines for years. They have stopped communicating with me.
Hi mate, your video is great I’m brand new to 3D printers and received my VOXELAB X2 only yesterday 13th October 2022. I followed your video and triple checked the bed level and it was good the head was only just off the bed. I did the test hook and it came out fantastic I was thrilled with the result, but after bed had cooled down I could not remove the hook from the bed it’s like there is super glue on it… Do have any advice or ideas ? I was too scared to use the spatula that came with it in fear of scratching the glass. So I just reheated the bed to remove it, maybe I didn’t give it enough time to cool properly
Great as usual, but I would love to have seen a live example of what a level bed skirt looks like vs one that might be to low or to high. I'm not always sure which way to turn on the live level when the skirt doesn't look right. What it looks like too high or to low.
Hind sight. You’re totally right, that would be helpful. I did outline that in my live leveling video, but that wasn’t my best work. I’ll have to tackle it again at some point.
@@3DPrintSOS You always come through. Stay safe
Very helpful. Being new, manual bed leveling is a longer process but is auto bed leveling faster and more accurate? Is it worth it? I have the Aqulia S2 N32, I wasn't sure if I could change the firmware to add BL Touch sensor?
You could certainly update the firmware and add a bl touch. Many do. As far as faster? No. It’s not faster. However, because it’s automatic, you don’t have to do it manually nearly as often. Once it’s all setup and if there’s a print issue relating to laveling, you just hit a button and let it do its thing instead of you manually doing it.
It’s a convenience thing. Totally not necessary though. In my opinion.
to set the spring compression, i set it so that gap from the top of the wheel to the bottom of the plate, is ~= 25mm on all 4. My thought was, if they all have the same gap they should all have the same tension, ergo same starting point. Sound right?
In concept yet, however, the actual carriage can sometimes be bent and it will modify those numbers. It doesn’t have to be exact through. The gap between the plate and nozzle matters more
I have a Spark 3D Sp1 printer which I have read is a clone of this printer, the looks of it are very similar but the Spark doesn't have a Z limit switch. I was wondering if it's possible to make one so that it wont go any lower than I would set it to?
Hi. So i have my Aquila X2 for a little over a week. I notice the bed hits the rear motor and I have to raise the bed to the point i am running out of thread in the corners. I am having to level almost every print. How can i fix this? I have no idea how they can put the rear motor so close to the bed. smh. Thanks!
Hmm. See if you can loosen the motor mount and nudge it lower. It should be making contact. Especially if you are running out of threads. Somethings not right here. I’ve assembled so many of these now and never had contact issues. Gotta be an adjustment you can make somewhere.
@@3DPrintSOS Ok thanks. i will take a good look at it. I assumed it was supposed to be like that because that is one of the few parts that come preassembled. I have no experience with this machine, but I know its not normal. I'll give it a shot. One last note: Thank you for your videos. They really are helpful. Seriously.
@@3DPrintSOS I cannot move the rear motor, but i just noticed something. The rear plastic arms that connect from the Y rail and connect between each spring and nut look like they are curved downwards a tad. I dont believe thats normal but i have zero experience with this printer and maybe thats how they come. I wrote voxelab support and sent them pics
Ah. I’ve seen this before. Save yourself the time, take the bed apart and carriage and bend those back. You can place them on something flat and use a hammer or even a rubber mallet. By the time support gets you a new one, you could go through several rolls printing. ;)
@@3DPrintSOS THANK YOU! That's all i needed to know. The front arms look fine . Thank you
Just started with 3D printing. Had been putting it off because didn't know of anything I wanted to print...lol. Now that I'm back into RC planes... limitless potential!!!! Gonna have to work my way up to Carbon Black! Could be excellent for plane parts and mods!
Got the Aquilla and am happy so far. Can't beat it for for the price. A buddy who has one recommended it and your channel as well. Enjoying so far. Really liked the Rasberry Pi mod. Something else I'm just starting in.
Now, here's an off he wall question. After the job has started, can you pull the SD card out? I'm wondering if it loads he Gcode in memory and doesn't really need he card after that. Been playing with Cura (your config...thanks!) And I always save to a folder or disk and a copy on SD.
I'm sure I could try it after starting a simple test job but something tells me an Uber geek like you...may have done this already...lol.
You're a good egg, kid. Hope you're making a fee bucks off this. Sharing knowledge is just about the most noble thing one can do. Your Karma credits.... must have a stack of them. 😏 Cheers!
Thank you sir. I’ll take all the karma credits I can. Haha
I don’t think you can pull the SD card. Although admittedly, I haven’t tried it in ages. Maybe these boards do it differently now a days.
@@3DPrintSOS Right on! Just discovered my lead screw is bent. Just got the aquilla few days ago. Argh! Didn't notice until I started printing higher parts. Guess I'll have to learn what Voxelabs support is like.
Been looking at duel Z axis upgrades. Do you see any worth in them? Make any difference on part quality?
Thanks man! Answer and receive ONE Karma credit. 😉
Oh bummer. It’s typically good though. Worth contacting them.
Some of the best printed I’ve ever had have come off printers with single lead screws.
@@3DPrintSOS thanks man! One credit issued. 😉
Excellent concise video.. When I reduce the gap I turn my bed wheel counterclockwise when viewed from the wheel end and to increase the gap I turn my bed wheel clockwise viewed from the wheel end. Maybe I just think opposite? I will pass this video along.. Thanks Fedor!
You might be right Ray. Hopefully I don’t confuse everyone.
i always confused it a lot too. ended up printing out a directional reminder... but i also just remember now looser=higher, tighter=lower
@@hurricane92. for some reason it doesn't confuse me.. Then again I was in skilled trades for nearly 50 years..
Are you reading my mind? After deciding I wanted to dip my toe into 3D printing I found that the Creality Ender 3 v2 was the one, until I found your videos about the Aquila. I decided to gift myself one for my birthday (today) and I waited to order so it would arrive on or near my birthday. Just when I wanted to order, you put out the video on the X2, so I decided to order that one. It will probably arrive tomorrow or friday, so now this video is perfectly timed AGAIN! Thank you. Already ordered the TecBoss PTFE tubing and the hardened nozzles as well, based on your recomendations.
🔮
And thank you for the support! :)
@@3DPrintSOS Thank YOU for putting out all this content with very clear and helpful instructions and tips. I'm sure my 3D experience will be a lot better for it!
You’re welcome. I appreciate it.
At 16:44 the nozzle touched the build plate. What should I do? Thanks.
That’s ok. Just keep going around and making adjustments. Sometimes when adjusting the other three corners, the first one will go out of whack again. That’s why I like to go around a few times.
@@3DPrintSOS Thanks. I got a perfect first layer now. But at the second or third layer the nozzle gets too close. What can I adjust?
Sounds like the first layer is too thick. Try decreasing the layer night of the first layer a bit.
This video helped a lot! I followed it to a “T” and ran a print and it just needed minor adjustments. However the Ender 3 Pro I have is used and I bought it about a mo th ago. The owner before me had a CR touch included and when I tried to run a print the next day, the CR touch/print head got to the middle of the bed to touch down but started flashing red. Any ideas on how to fix?
Hmm. Flashing red usually means an error. Could be a bunch of things honestly. First thing to check is to see if there is a z limit switch. If there is, it needs to be unplugged.
When the time had come to move the head to the right side ( 10:22 ) When I moved the head to the right manually it would stop, it felt as if something was in the way stopping it. It would not go any further. It did not even make it to the middle. help?
That’s strange. Check the wheels, make sure there is nothing blocking them. First though, make sure the steppers are not on. In the menu find “disable steppers”
Hi Fedor, I bought an Aquila.. my first layers look perfect, but then my nozzle seems to start rubbing on the previous layers giving a sandpaper texture and pulling the prints off the build plate eventually. I calibrated esteps and can't figure why it's happening. Any suggestions I could try? Thanks, I really appreciate your videos.. very clear and helpful.
Hmm. Does it happen across the full print or just on the edges?
Make sure your z lead screw isn’t binding anywhere. Make sure it’s tight on the coupler at the z motor.
@@3DPrintSOS It happens on most of the print area with a few patches that look smooth. I'll try to do a full tear down tomorrow and see if that helps. Z screw and coupler seem to be ok.
Hard to diagnose without seeing. Is it extruding filament? What layer height are you printing at
@@3DPrintSOS Turns out that the the bottom roller was free spinning on the z axis. That made a big difference. Now the only area the nozzle rubs is the infill slightly. My layer height is .16mm. I was thinking of adjusting the infill flow % in Cura. My z travel at what should be 150mm is short about 1mm. Getting a few decent prints this weekend felt like a win though and I think I'm getting closer.
Followed all the steps, and did a level disk print on the center and corners, but my prints are acting as if it not level in some areas when it hits a cardinal direction edge.
What do you think is wrong? What’s it doing when it’s acting as if it’s not leveled?
did you use Cura for this print or the voxelab slicer
Cura for this one
Good video but I can not get my machine to print right been working on it for 2 weeks.
What’s it doing? You can always jump into our discord channel and post there with some photos and get help.
i had a ton of issues with this. i ended up going to each corner and heating up the nozle and bringing the z to 0 then to 5 until filament started sticking
was the only way my prints would stick to the glass or it just get scrapped off even then my prints still are not partially sticking to my bed not really sure as i tried the way you did it.but it did even worse. its really starting to aggravate me
Something isn’t right. How hot is your bed? Have you cleaned it with isopropyl? Have you tried the smooth side of the bed?
Thank you for taking the time to make these really helpful videos. I did need to adjust the tension on my springs a bit and at some point I am sure I will need to change the z-limit switch position as well.
Glad I could help. The learning curve is steep and there is too much information out there!
nice vid , Good Job!!
Perfect timing, it's like you're reading my mind. After weeks of enjoying a perfectly level bed, I'm think I'm finally starting to see signs that my bed has lost its level. Seeing a single odd stripe forming on the first layer of my print, running perpendicular to the print path, and the stripe is maintained on every successive layer. It's smooth to the touch, not an indentation, but certainly out of place. Could this be a result of the bed not being level or the belts needing a tightening?
That might be some z banding. Try giving the wheels on the z axis an adjustment and lube the rod. Also make sure it’s secured properly to the z motor.
@@3DPrintSOS Thank you Fedor! Since I'm still midprint, I may have to wait until after it's complete to check the z-axis wheels. Instead, I adjusted the x-axis tensioner knob (somewhat randomly, not remembering which way tightens and which way loosens) and now the layers are coming down uniformly. Fingers crossed!
Thank you
Hi Fedor! Need your help, did leveling a lot of times, after moved to new apartment, I can't level anymore.
Doing level(75C) then bl touch(75C) after this I feel, that leveling is ruined(sometimes, but i feel that even after bl touch it feels different). Tried tightening all kind of gears/nuts across printer - x,y,z everything, it seems helped a bit, but still same problem. What should I focus most?
This is exactly what I had done with my Ender a few years ago. Moving the Z stop is key! Great video! By the way, do you have a link for the part you printed?
Here you go: www.thingiverse.com/thing:3797798
thanks
Pulling my hair out Fedor. Im gunna give this a shot. If my prints dont stick, then I dunno what the deal is.
This is at least a 2 beer job. ;)
@@3DPrintSOS at least 2 (insert alcohol of choice) job lol
all outta beer for the moment
Quick note just to add. After watching the video I went and adjusted my springs/bed and didn't think of it. The next morning my glass plate had been ejected to the floor. I couldn't figure out why and I was getting frustrated. I found out that when I pressed down to put pressure on the springs, and adjusted the z switch lower, that I went too low, which didnt leave the bed enough room to clear the Y motor on the back of the machine. Obviously when it pulled the plate back during the print, it smacked the motor and the plate went flying. Just putting this out there to make sure you don't set that too height too low like I did and make that mistake.
Oh interesting. I never noticed a clearance issue there. Guessing you went a bit lower than I ever have.
@@3DPrintSOS yeah I never did before either. I think those replacement yellow springs are stronger, but a little bit shorter than the stock springs, so if you put too much pressure on them, it definitely makes the plate too low to clear that motor. So was just giving a heads up in case anyone else runs into it.
Hey I was wondering, can you do a video on how to use a BLtouch with the Aquilla?
I have it on my list but I’m not likely going to use an auto leveler on these small machines. They tend to cause more issues than it’s worth.
Your video really helped me. Thank you very much!!!!!!!
I would like to purchase various things from your link.
Thank you very much! I’m happy I was able to help.
Awesome video as always. 😉
Thanks!
my prints are not sticking for the first layer. I've used alcohol and made sure the bed is clean of any oils etc and made sure the bed is level and close to the nozzle. Any tips to make them stick?
Try 10 degrees hotter on the hotend.
What do I do if I dont have the cleaning solution
Dish soap and warm water works great.
Great, thanks!!
Thanks for the great info in this video. I have been following all your videos and am just wondering what are the best replacement wheels to get for the Aquila x2. I am noticing wear on my beds wheels and just want to get some good replacements and have them on hand. Instead of my bed being too loose like in the video, I had the opposite and they were too tight on the eccentric wheel side. So in short by the time I saw your video I already had grooves cut in the wheels. Should I replace them a.s.a.p? Thank you.
If they roll smooth and hold tension, you should be ok. I’ve never swapped out a pair. They should last a long long time.
@@3DPrintSOS They do roll smooth. Just saw that there was some plastic like dust on top of the wheels and got a bit worried. Thanks for getting back to me. I appreciate it.
No problem. That sounds normal. You should be good. :)
how's the X2 working out for you. any mods yet, cant wait to se more videos on it!
It’s bone stock and has been printing flawlessly so far. :) I’ll be out next week but when I get back I’ll make more content. :)
I have a HUGE problem, I'm hearing impaired, asking me to hear the click is like asking if I can hear a pin drop at a hockey game. Not gonna happen. Any tips? I've been at this for a few hours I need a break LOL
First off, do not attempt to level your Z axis with the click watching a hockey game on tv, your team will lose and you will be distracted. Secondly, either use a hearing aid and increase the volume during, or something you can put a mic with a speaker (karaoke machine?) up against the Z axis stop and you will hear the click. If neither is possible, ask a friend with good hearing, (you are now using them, but they will never know unless you tell them) over for tea/coffee/beer, and use their ear (afterwards, you both can cheer on your hockey team). Good luck zooming on it.
@@monkeysnark7043 LOL thanks for the excellent yet comical answer. I was able to struggle through by visually watching it and going from there. I must have done something right because I'm on print #4 and they're pretty much perfect.
Thanks for the laughs. Oh and my friends & family know I can't hear squat so I'd just ask them, I wouldnt have to bribe them with alcohol although alcohol will be consumed regardless 🤪😆
😂 glad you got it sorted
@@3DPrintSOS I did, I got it going. Having fun. So far the hardest part was getting the freaking belt on. I just lack the strength to stretch it enough to get it in the 2nd slot and yes, the tensioner was completely loosened.
I got my nozzles today, I'll need to watch a video on how to change them.
Thanks a bunch.
Another great video... Thanks for making them!
Would the leveling/gap procedure be the same if your had a 3d touch probe installed?
Nope. The bl touch would compensate for a not perfectly level bed. But to be honest, I’ve only had induction sensors. I think the whole procedure would be different.
Yeah, I level the same way with a 3D Touch every once in a while when the bed to horribly out of level. It's a far more complicated though cause BL-Touch firmware usually doesn't have a straight forward way to bring the print head all the way down.
Nice video, really good explanation 👏👏👏
Thanks! Hope this helps people.
Did you do a video on adjusting voltages on the steppers . I thought it was you? Mine do get pretty warm. Like your videos you do a great job explaining.
No, but I plan on making one soon. Seems to be a common issue.
Gracias, muy claro y preciso
Well done ...as usual ;)
Thank you sir.
Fedir how can I contact you to do a 1-1 on several items I have to performed in my Aquila C2. A paid tech support please
I appreciate your trust, but I cant take on 1 on 1s John. I just simply have no time. I can berrely find the time to make these reviews at a pace that works for RUclipss algorithm.
@@3DPrintSOS You have no idea man how I’m struggling with this brand new printer man. I’m almost to the point of scraping it and going a buy a Creality. I cannot get this to stick to the bed man. I have tried everything. I got digital gauges and tried all tips. The first layer simply drags and it gets all bunched up in the tip of the nozzle. I of course have skirts and supports on the models. Some guy told me to use hairspray and still nothing. I bought glue and those metal thickness gauges and nothing. I was wondering man if I could “convert” this Voxel crap to a Creality by buying the board and display and simply use the frame and parts. I am so frustrated man. I upgraded the nozzle and tubbing and just got a Creality touch thing. All I need is to get this to stick man. I also have a better heater element nozzle and silicone bed supports to replace the springs. Anyone can help me pls?
I think you might be doing too much. You shouldnt need anything extra outside of the stock machine to get things to stick. Set all of that aside and start fresh. People that tell you to fix these things by buying more stuff arent going to help you any.
Here's what I would do. I would clean the bed with soap and water. Fully dry it. I would get it nice and hot, about 70c. I would remove the filament and get the hotend up to 200. Once its all hot and clean, get yourself a sheet of paper. Tell the machine to go home and then disable steppers. Get your paper and go around every corner of the bed and use the knobs under the bed to level your bed with the hotend. Use the paper. Its has to drag under the nozzle but not rip the paper. Take your time. Go around 2 or 3 times.
Whats happening is you are either too far, or too close to the bed. The only other things it can be is that your bed is dirty. Otherwise, with PLA, you should be able to print out of the box. No mods, no nonsense needed.
@@3DPrintSOS Fedir man, do you have a Patreon account? I am dropping a few I support for you. Let me know man as you are just an amazing guy who helps people and I appreciate that very much. I am going to try every single tip of this. I may even do a few videos and maybe send you the links so can review and let me know. Fedir man all I want if to be happy printing bro. Let me know pls to get you supported.
I do. :) patreon.com/3dprintsos
"now that there is heat in the bed, and tension in all four corners."
my dirty mind distracted me from the lesson. im sorry.
😂
Thanks for the video, I've been struggling with making the springs medium tension and moving the Z limit switch up and down trying to find the right height for it. I was always off completely with one corner. On another note, when do I know when I need to tighten the belts?
Hope it’ll help! The belts should be tight but tight enough to pluck like a guitar string. That can cause binding. ;)
@@3DPrintSOS Can I make some video requests? I'm super new to this world and these are all the questions I have. Love the quality of your videos! Thank you!
Tools: What cutter do you use and what other tools are essential for 3D printing? Do I need to buy one of those tool kits that have like 70 pieces???
Brims and Branches: What are the advantages and disadvantages of each. Is there a situation you need to use one or the other, or both?
General Maintenance: Is there a process that needs to be done before and after printing? Is it okay to leave filament in the machine? What's that thin needle thing for, to clean the nozzle or clogs?
Maybe you don't need a full blown video for some of these. LOL.
Haha imagine a video on just what the needle is. Haha ;)
I say just stick with what the printer comes with in terms of tools and you will naturally figure out what you need. Any side cutters will do, in fact, you’ll be fine with some needle nose pliers or even scissors for a while. Btw, yes that needle is for nozzle clogs. Hopefully, you won’t need to use it.
Not sure what branches are but a brim helps “glue” the edges of your print onto your print surface, so if you are having warping issues, use a 20 line brim.
Before each print I use isopropyl alcohol to clean the bed and I do a live level during every print. Most of the time, nothing needs to be adjusted.
You can keep pla in the machine but if I’d humid in your area, in CAN take on some moisture and have some ill effects. I keep all my filament in sealable bags with desecant. I went over it in my Lack Rack video.
:)
@@3DPrintSOS I guess my software calls them branches, supports for certain prints that get clipped off at the end of a print.
Ah, tree supports. Yes, those are great. Supports in general could actually use a video. Worth experimenting with.
also question for you. you said 70 degrees is a good bed temp? iv been printing at around 60 (for pla), but it does get a little bit hard to take off prints. Would going higher help that? (new to 3d printing)
Not necessarily. If it’s good at 60, keep it there. Everyone’s climate is different. If you are having trouble taking prints off, you raising the nozzle off the print bed by literally a hair. Your first layer could be a tad too low. Or you can put your bed in the fridge for a few minutes and it’ll fall right off.
@@3DPrintSOS wait ur a genius. I never thought about putting it in the fridge. and yep after watching this video i almost definitely need to redo my level properly later. Thank you!
when my PLA prints stick a little more than I like, I squirt a little alcohol on the perimeter. The alcohol will work its way underneath and you should be able to pop it off.
@@PatrickRankin all these tips going on a post it 😍thank you
🥶
Dude my voxlab prints bitchen so far .been printing the things on card. Thanks for convincing me to buy it! 🤣🤣!
Totally. Super fun hobby. Enjoy.
i didnt realize you could tighten the wheels whoops that makes sense.
My job here is done.
Only thing that would have been useful would've been to show what the very first layer should look like, just how much squish .
This has been covered 1000 times on RUclips. Not trying to be rude, but how about some original content rather than re-hashing whats been done?
As much as I agree with you, check out the comments and views. Let alone the emails and messages and dms I get about this. People asked me for this information and to be honest, I’d rather send them a link I know works specifically with the Aquila, then someone else’s video.
Currently adjusting 2 Voxelab S2's with this method. Thanks a bunch 🏗️🤘
Glad I could help in some way. :)
@@3DPrintSOS z axis switch adjustments made as I prefer leveling knobs to be on tight. So far impressive machines the S2's are. Faster than my Ender 3 Pro and Voxelab Aquila