Here is my Cura profile for the Voxelab Aquila to be used with PLA - www.3dprintsos.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Voxelab-Aquila-PLA.zip REMINDER: if you are tweaking said knobs live, make sure you do not move the bed too close to the nozzle or you WILL ruin your bed. Having the nozzle too close to the bed will cause other issues as well. So tweak at your own risk. Otherwise, stick to the paper. :)
@@MarkieBKennedy Its a bunch of little details. Seam at the back, a brim, Combing NOT in skin. The main use was to make it easier for everyone to follow along, but those little details do make it easier to print with in my opinion.
@@MarkieBKennedy NP. Let me know how it goes and we can make some tweaks depending on whats going on. The profiles are meant to be somewhat general purpose but there are always tweaks to be made
Thank you so much for this video. My 12 year old ordered this 3D printer with his own money and we’ve been struggling. Even our friends who have higher end printers were having a hard time. I decided to sit down and figure it out while he is at grandmas and I think I’ve got it! I can’t wait to show him- he was really disappointed and gave up.
Your friends are a solid example of why it’s super nice to know how to properly get your machine leveled and printing. Because the newer machines automate this and when things go wrong, instead of knowing how to tune or fix people blame the company and initiate a super wasteful return. I don’t mean that in a rude way and I’m very glad to hear that you got it printing.
I leveled my bed by eye by using a bright light and getting close up to it from the side, then I used an old receipt to get it leveled using this method. I also calibrated my esteps, and now I'm getting much better prints, other than some microscopic stringing, it's perfect.
After you select auto homing make sure to disable the steppers and don't forcefully move the nozzle attempting to level it. He didn't need to disable the steppers probably because of an older firmware he was using. Also the bed scratches extremely easily. I got scratches on the edges after adding/removing the metal tabs that hold the glass in place.
Just got my Voxelab Aquila today. Constructed it in about 2.5 hours. I've set up hundreds of digital printing devices.... large format ink jet, small format latex, Direct to Garment Tee printers, etc. That helped. Came to your vids to get input on leveling. Just didn't seem to work right by the manual. Your comments and display of where to set a starting point (springs) turned the light on. I couldn't get the nozzle close enough to the bed. I had to reset the (factory set) limit switch for Z. Bingo!! Used your technique and first test print is perfect! You are the MAN !! I'll be a regular and will hope to pay back to you and other viewers. Thank You!
I'm less than one week into my first printer (Aquila), and your videos have me printing successful parts already! Thanks for the tips on bed cleaning and leveling. After my first prints peeled mid-print (even with a brim), I tightened the bed-to-nozzle relationship (using a piece of paper) and voila! Sticking to the bed no problem now. Your channel is new, and you're off to a great start. Keep up the good work. We appreciate it!
I got my Voxelab Aquila today ( 22nd May 2021 ) One day early from what Amazon UK told me wen I ordered it. Super well made Printer so easy to Build too. The company build help video on you tube was one of the best clear well filmed detailed and step by step easy to follow on building the printer I ever seen. Even the packing used in the box and the clearly noted separate plastic bags of all the parts and well labeled bolts and screws was amazing! The tools are great too and plastic parts and screws bags are very good strong press close quality. With the printer already about 60% pre-build it was a joy to build the rest of it. The quality of the printer and parts is the best I've seen. Now after all that amazing stuff, I did have some problems with the printer when doing the 1st print of the test hook? ( also I did scratch my bed on the left edge as I started homing it as I forgot to remove the plastic film on the bed and moved it before getting the hot end moved up 1st ) Silly me I forgot the nozzle was touching the bed as I moved the bed forwards to pull off the film. I did as you showed the leveling and made sure it was really done good, However my 1st 4 test prints of the hook and the Voxelab test piece did not work? They all kept getting up to the half way stage of the printing using the supplied red see through PLA. and all popped off the bed and I had to stop and cancel the printing? I found they all had curled up at the edges and got knocked off by the nozzle. I did the homing again and the manual leveling this time with the bed hot ( 67 c ) and I set the nozzle hot end to 220 c with glue stick lightly put on the bed. I think this PLA was just not being put down hot enough and the ed was not hot enough to make it stick the PLA down fully? I just did all that and bingo this time the test hook stayed stick down and the printing worked. I did do a lot of slicing in Cura ahead of this printer being delivered o to a micro sd card I had as I allot of models waiting to be done! All done with the Ender 3 V2 specs for size of ed etc. However none showed up on my sd card after putting it in the printer sd card slot? I have to redo them now and work out why they did not how up on the screen on this printer!
I find that it's also good to preheat the nozzle as well, especially if you have filament already in it, because a lot of the time you'll have a little bit of dried filament sticking out of the nozzle if it's cold. And so you'll be trying to level in relation to the bit of dried filament and end up with too large a gap between the bed and the nozzle.
I used this method and couldn't seem to get it right. I started at one corner and worked my way around with the piece of paper. When I got back to the 1st corner, it was too close. So I adjusted again and did this for about an hour and ended up just saying F it, this is close enough. Not sure if the Aquila X2 is different in that aspect or not (it doesn't appear to be). I did the Test Print first and it came out fantastic. Very pleased with it. So I'm not sure if my glass bed is slightly warped or not but it was definitely frustrating.
Well I’m glad you got it printing. Typically when leveling, if you come back around but it’s back out of tune, it’s a spring tension issue. You need to add more tension to all 4 springs. If then, it’s too low, you can move the z limit sensor down a bit. ;)
@@3DPrintSOS What I found out is that the bed was pretty wobbly so I tightened all the nuts under the bed and that made it A LOT easier to level it. I did fine that I needed to level the bed every time which I'm sure is probably a good practice to get into. I'm definitely watching ALL of your videos to learn this tedious process of 3D printing! Thank you for all your videos and the effort you put into them!
The advice on heating the bed was the best cause I could not get my bed to level this seems to have been my problem. I thought something wasn’t tight enough or something. Saved my day thank you
Awesome videos! I was about to pull the trigger on an ender 3 before finding your videos. My Aquila will arrive this Sunday amd I can't wait to dive in with the kids. Thanks for the quality content!
Thank you for the helpful video! I do wish you showed the control screen more and you didnt say to set the printer in "disable stepper " to easily move it around.
good series of videos on this printer man! pulled the trigger and bought my first printer based on your reviews! i have no doubt that ill be up and printing quickly because of these videos!
I'm thinking of buying a 3D Printer (my first) and this one is on the top of my list. Watching this video, I was wondering if there is a (semi-) automated way similar to touch plates used in CNC. As I don't have a printer yet, I don't know how this would work, but I imaging some clip that connects to the nozzle on one end and to a piece of brass or something on the other end. Then some simple circuit that connects when both touch and then maybe lights an LED. So you could clip this to the nozzle and place the brass piece under the nozzle on each corner. Then slowly raise the bed on that corner until the led turns on...
Interesting idea. There are tons of different types of auto leveling sensors available out there already. In my personal opinion, you don’t need them on such a small machine. It’s waaaay more beneficial to learn how to properly level a bed. You’ll have way less headaches in the long run. ;)
@@3DPrintSOS I definitely will start with the manual method (as I did with my CNC), but it IS somewhat subjective (did the drag on the paper on corner 1 really feel the same as corner 2?). Just brainstorming. Sometimes my engineer brain gets out ahead of me ;-) Thanks for all the videos you put out on this printer. I'm sure all of it will come to good use (soon I hope). .
The true answer is no. But you do get better at it each time you do it. And honestly it seems to be “good enough”. I know that’s major cringe for an engineer haha. But hey, it works.
@@3DPrintSOS I know it's good enough as it seems to be the universally used method for at least budget printers and I have used the same method on my CNC as well. Just depends on how critical true level for the bed is. :-) And I'm not so cringy as an engineer, so don't worry ;-)
Thanks for all the great videos - i had spend many hours researching and your videos convinced me to buy the voxelab (i bought you a coffee when I went to your thingi site). I assembled the printer today, I won't mention how many different ways I fitted the Y rail hotend before I got it right (I ended up referring the to finished image on the front of the install manual). I first levelled using paper and got the tension but then no actual print. I tried again using a 0.1mm feeler gauge and that worked (I guess I've got cheap thin A4!). I have done a few prints now and have checked the level and needed to adjust it each time, so I think the springs are not under enough tension so will look into moving the Z Stop.
Great job man. Admire the help that you give to everyone who comments (when my printer comes in tomorrow I might have to bother you with a question or 2) . Subbed with notifications on, can't wait to see what else you got coming out. God bless and stay safe.
Thank you for the encouragement. No problem. Shoot the questions my way and I'll try to help out. I just remember the frustrations I had starting out and some of the current stuff out there on RUclips is just too complex for no reason. :)
Just got my Aquila and Proxima printers .. glad that I find your channel .. leveling the bed and the settings worked perfectly .. first time with 3d printing Thanks for your time in doing this videos it helped me alot 🙏
you are literally the only person i have found who has the same printer i bought. amazon rated it as a great starter printer. however i think im still having issues with adhesion because it still is coming up, i also have been doing research on layer thickness and such does that have a play on how thick the gap is?
Adhesion is like 90% leveling, 5% clean build plate, 5% temperatures. As far as the layer thickness is concerned, on a .04 nozzle you should stick to something in-between .1 and .2 layer heights. Any more and you are sacrificing layer adhesion and your prints can become very weak.
Microfiber cloth + iso = works just as new. Every time you touch the bed, you're transferring oils from your skin to the build plate, which doesn't help at all. Get some alchohol and wipe it off
For sure. Highly requested by my viewers. I’ll have to get my hands on one at some point. Hard to justify putting on a 50 dollar part on a 170 dollar printer for a problem you can fix with proper tuning and leveling. ;)
Leveled the bed as per your instructions 100% Good ....then I started getting failures and "stings" re-did everything just to make sure,.............. then I heard it * click * click * click !!!! The "Gold" gear that you push the PLA through was skipping ......and clicking....... OFC I reached for the Hammer but decided for a tiny allen wrench instead. :P , Readjusted the gear and tightened it down mmmmm is there a better one available its mostly plastic , Aslo my Test print didnt want to stick to the bed until i put down some painters tape then it stuck Every time.
Couple things here. Those things usually click if two things happen. One is a clogged nozzle, and two is if speed at which you are printing is too high for the temperature you have the nozzle at. As far as the tape, I have a feeling all you've done there is get your nozzle closer because of the tape, and now it is sticking. This glass bed, when clean, should have amazing adhesion by design.
@@3DPrintSOS I printed the Test model in the Micro SD its a little platform with built up shapes, didnt change any other settings ( figured the people who made it would have regulated it ) But the tape , I also dont wanna mess up the bed (Just in case) :D
@@user-sv7cb6so1d just in case someone like me, needs to read this. re level if you put another surface on top of the bed...;) HTH 'wonders what feeler gauge that might be'...:)
I got one a few days ago, first print right out of the box was PERFECT! I got Alex’s firmware installed and then started needing to make adjustments. I’m having some adhesion issues and I suspect it might not have to do with heat like I first thought but with leveling. It seems, for whatever reason, the print bed does NOT get high enough! I loosen ALL the leveling knobs and the nozzle is hardly touching the bed at any part, which I THOUGHT was leveled. But even then it’s too low a bit. Anyway, with the knobs loosened, the bed becomes looser, and the knobs have a tendency to fall off the threads during a print while due to the machine vibrations. So I’m getting new springs which I’ve read can solve the problem. But I’m wondering if moving the z-stop switch down a few mm would also be a valid solution? Yes it makes it so the nozzle can actually collide with the bed, but shouldn’t it have been like that from the start (hence the need to be careful when auto-homing)? Because my bed and nozzle were never that close to being able to scratch the glass…
Thanks for the great video! I just did my first print on my Aquila using the the same hook file. However the finish looks very different. Yours looks smooth but from mine I can see and feel the mesh pattern. Do you know what might be the problem? Is my nozzle too close to the glass plate? I was using the filament that came with the Aquila. Would that be the reason? Thanks!
Watch the filament loader, the spring on mine was too tight unbeknownst to me, which caused too much pressure cracking the piece that held the bearing.
That’s great. I also have a printable version that also eliminates the need for ptfe couplers on my Thingiverse page at Thingiverse.com/fedorsosnin/designs
Where do you get the rgb light from? Can you provide a link to it? Also, do you have a video of installation? Thanks for your great videos. They've helped me a lot
First bed leveling video I could actually understand. Love your editing style too, great video man! I have a hopefully quick question, the preloaded prints that come with the Aquila sd card always come out pristine! I uploaded a benchy and it came out great as well, I barely had to do anything, but when ever I try to print anything else on the voxelab, the first layer adhesion is horrible, I get a giant blob and then spaghetti everywhere. I've tried cleaning the bed, glue stick, all the same. What can I do to get my other prints to come out as good as the preloaded ones?
If an uploaded file does not print well, then after with no changes, a preloaded file prints great, then I would say it's a flow, temperature, or speed setting. The first thing I would do is slow the speed down to 25mm/s on the first layer. Maybe even 20mm/s. Then I would raise the bed temp from 65 to 68. Try those two settings and see what happens. Try that and let me know what happens.
@@3DPrintSOS Changed speed down to 20 mm/s, nozzle temp to 205, and bed temp to 68. It's still not adhering to the bed. I went ahead and printed out another preloaded file, the knob, and it's printing perfectly right now. Still frustrated.
@@nickh.7600 I know this can be frustrating but we will get to the bottom of this. If the preloaded files are working, its just an issue with settings. Just got to find out what the problem is. Why would the z position be different between the files? That's what we gotta find out.
Thx for the information on setup. I am not able to get the paper under the nozzle on the second step to level the table. Why doesnt the table leave room for paper? I have it unscrewed all the way and I still can't get the paper under.
One thing you didn't mention was what weight of paper you were using when you were leveling the bed. I used a sheet from my laser printer and that was way to close. I spent an hour with it and I never could get it level until I found a heavier sheet of paper.
A standard sheet of paper typically used for a printer is what I usually go for. Most of the time the I just set up a skirt or brim and do a live level when it starts to print.
@@3DPrintSOS I'm brand new to 3D printing. I just got this Aquila yesterday. I watched all your videos. I have messed with this leveling for over and hour and can't get this thing level. I think it's pretty good but when I go from corner one, and go back to the back corner the nozzle wants to touch in the middle. I left the paper under the nozzle and went from front to back with the bed and it touches in the middle. I tried next with a piece of 100# cover stock. I tried printing the nut and the print once it gets going starts pulling off the bed. I just cleaned the crap out of the bed with the alcohol but it still doesn't stick. If you look at what printed, and you look at the center of the nut (square section) the part that goes from the inner square corner to the outer piece looks like rope. I'm so frustrated with this machine I'm about to send it back. I you can give me any suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.
Slow down a bit. You can’t become an expert in a bit over an hour. You got this. Here’s what I suggest. In your slicer, set up a brim or skirt that’s somewhat large. A 20 line brim or 10 like skirt. Then start the print. When it begins to print, use the wheels on the bed to get each corner printing smoothly. You don’t want to look transparent, that’s too close. You don’t want it to look like rope, that’s too far away. Do it a couple times. Before hand, make sure you have the right tension on your springs. Make sure the wheels on your bed are not lose. I bet if you it this way, you’ll get smooth prints. :)
@@3DPrintSOS Thanks for your help! Still had a heck of a time getting the bed leveled. It took us over an hour to get it right. There is no way to get it correct in a couple of tries. We were successful getting a print out. The hook came out perfect. I'm printing the toolbox now. I do have one question...the timer seems like something is wrong with it. The time it's printing is right but the time remaining is all over the place. One second it s 14 hours then the next it says 4. It keeps jumping all over the place. Is this right to do that? I really appreciate that you actually respond to questions. The machine is only as good as the support and you have helped a ton!
In my opinion, it’s a bandaid fix. I’m not sure if the menu has an option for it out of the box, you may have to reflash it with something else to get it to work. I like to keep mine manual. ;)
Hi Fedor, first of all thanks a lot for sharing your experience with your Aquila. When leveling, I have to move the printhead over the print bed with the controller. The recommendation how to level (auto home -> disable motors -> move bed manually), does not work for me. I have aligned the frame so well that the travel in Z is very smooth and the X-axis already lowers slowly by itself when the motors are switched off. Hopefully I didn't do anything wrong with the setup ;). The x-axis will then of course slowly lower itself after each print. The Voxelmaker end gcode disables all motors by default ("M18"). Therefore I use the printer settings for an ender 3 because it excepts the z-axis ("M18 X Y E")
I’m not sure about the z lowering slowly by itself. It should almost always remain. Otherwise you can run into post print issues like the z lowering itself onto your print. Smooth is good, but the wheels on the z might be a hair too loose in that example?
@@3DPrintSOS I recorded it earlier ruclips.net/video/vhyshTqgB0M/видео.html ruclips.net/video/2p4eijJc0zg/видео.html thanks for your reply ;) yeah, that’s what I thought. till now I only printed some smaller parts and have always found the print head on the bed :-/ So you recommend to tighten the v wheels a little bit via the eccentric screws? ... my intention at first was to tighten it only as much as it doesn’t wiggle any more
Yes, tighten them ever so gently. Just enough so that it’s not all lose enough to slide down. The good thing is that you got it really square. So that’s great.
is there a proper mesurement the bed should be away from the nozzle? like 0.2mm or something like that? we use 0.01mm gauges in my work so maybe i could use them to level the bed perfectly :) im in the process of ordering one of these and your videos are just awesome thanks man!
Thank you! Honestly I’ve literally always used a paper and then tuned it live while it’s printing the first layer or a brim. I’m sure there is a perfect measurement though. However, some filaments like to be squished and some don’t. So that theory might not work for every type of filament.
This sounds like it could be loose belts. Use the belt tensioner today get the belts tight. If the belts are ok, it could be a leveling issue. When the printer is properly leveled, it should be making a nice, even bead on the glass. You’re looking for the filament to be somewhere in between squished and round at the top.
@@3DPrintSOS ok i'm going to tighten the belts some more and see if that helps. Also what temp should I be running the nozzle and bed at? I was successful to complete a piece but my nozzel temp was 225 and bed was 110. some ppl say thats to high.
@@anthonyrichmond6834 I would do 200 on the nozzle and 65 on the bed. For PLA, your numbers are WAAAAAY too high. 110 on the bed might even cause damage on this machine. Try 200/65 and let me know what it looks like.
Hi, I'm hoping you could help me with something simple. When I configure my z-offset the printer will not save the settings. Unlike the creality you have a save settings in the menu. The closet I can find to that may be the save the Home offsets? I do wish that the menu had more options like the creality but otherwise it does print really nice. Thank you for your help and all the great videos! I also subscribed to your channel!
Yes that’s a thing. It won’t save it if you’re doing it from the screen. It has to be saved to eprom. I’ve never done it on this printer...maybe someone else can pitch in? I’m assuming you can do it easily with pronterface
I finally got my Aquila today. Watching your videos helped a lot with the bed leveling. I found that mine barely had to be under tension to be level. I printed a test hook like you did here, and got a noticeable elephant's foot. Maybe I leveled it *too* closely? Ignoring the seam, the rest of the print is flawless. I can barely see the print levels.
@@3DPrintSOS Updating now that my Benchy test has finished.The height measurements are both 0.35mm shorter than they should be, which reinforces that idea. The text on the underside, while visible, is completely flat with the rest of the bottom and the brim. Every other measurement is spot on (maybe +/- 0.02mm), so I definitely think I made my z-clearance tolerance too tight.
So I set the knobs at their halfway points, homed the motor, disabled the steppers, and tried to do my first corner. But no matter how far I unscrew it, the nozzle doesn't scratch the paper. This wasn't happenings before, but before, my bed wasn't steady, and so I adjusted the v-nuts until it was steady. Clearly this means I've either gone too far with the v-nuts, or my printer is a bit defective. The v-nuts are very awkward to mess with as getting at them is awkward and sometimes their sibling nut turns with them. Yikes!
@@3DPrintSOS Got it leveled, thanks. Now if I could only get it to accept that there is, in fact, filament inside of it... (Getting "filament not detected" error)
Ever since I got my aquila and started watching your videos prints are turning great. I did your paper method and has some tensions on corners but middle has to much tension any suggestions ?
Hmm. Try to flip the bed to the glass side. Wonder if it’ll flex in both directions. It’s got to be a tension thing for something to be bending like that
*Is it normal that the midway of the X and Y axis along the edges of the bed, the nozzle and bed gap is tighter? I can get all the corners to slip in a piece of paper with a bit of scratching with even amount of pressure, but then when I slide the nozzle around mid path, or right in the center of the bed, the piece of paper has more resistance. It's like the bed is warped (in the most miniscule way) like a "dome" shape, if that makes sense. I'm not sure if that will make a difference, we're talking like 0.05mm or something.. but just thought that was weird and if it's normal?*
Do I need any thing to help with bed adhesion. I just got mine last night, scratched the glass a little in the corner, first timers am I right. Tried to get a print going, and it almost instantly started to peel the first layer. This is definitely user error as it is my first printer, just wondering if you need anything to help stick or if I need to get my leveling a little more precise
Happens to us all. I have a few printers with "flipped beds" lol. It's a part of learning. As far as sticking, Sounds like you need to get the bed nice and clean with alcohol and get the nozzle just a bit closer to the bed. It should stick to this surface right out of the box. You can try giving the bed 5c more when its warming up as well. ~ 65 should be good.
@@3DPrintSOS that worked beautifully I printed out the hook and it came out great. I'm currently printing my first self modeld print. I modeled it myself in fusion but I just got the idea from some one else and just built it up to fit my hardware
@@3DPrintSOS hey so I'm curious how often should I clean my print bed. Right now I'm doing it before every print, is the alcohol going to damage the bed if I do it too often?
I haven’t ever attempted to do that with the c2. Assuming it would be the same as the rest of the Aquila’s. Would be a very similar processes. Add sensor, flash correct firmware.
Hiya I'm looking for some help please i have already got an aquila c2 and today i bought myself another one of your printer the aquila x2, i don't know if I'm missing something but i assumed that I would just be able to download and slice straight away on to the new memory card using the software i had already downloaded for my aquila c2 and put it into the aquila x2 to print but this doesn't seem to be the case!!i have gone in to the print option at the top right hand side of the voxelmaker software page and selected the aquila x2 then downloaded the file and sliced it the same way as i have always done with my original printer (aquila c2) but once i take the memory card out and put it in the new printer (aquila x2) the file doesn't seem to be there for me to print. If you could help me on how to print using 2 printers that would really help as I'm really looking forward to getting the aquila x2 up and running alongside my existing aquila c2.I'm also wondering if there is a chance the machine could have a fault when it comes to reading the card or the card accepting the downloads. thank you
hmm that should work. first thing I would check is just using a different card. does it read the card that the c2 uses? if not, than there is some issue there. if it does, try to put the card it’s not reading into the c2 and see if the c2 can read it.
My boyfriend just got his but is having trouble getting files from his SD card to print. Any advice/tips/things we may be doing wrong? The card is in the printer but no files pop up under the print option.
Hmm if no files come up, it may just be an error on their part or the card is potentially bad. Watch my Cura and slicing video and see if you can get a print going that you’ve sliced from my profile yourself. A benchy is a perfect test. Just follow along with the video. :)
Hi! I have Voxelab Aquila X3 and it has an auto leveing option, but when I do it, the things I print peels off the bed anyway. What would you recommend me?
Just watched your video for leveling I have one issue. When you selected auto home the head came down and stayed down. On my printer when you select auto home it will home out , but when the switch is activated the z assemble will move up about 3 mm just till the switch gets de-activated.
Hello! I calibrate the table according to the instructions, but when printing, the nozzle squeezes the bed a few inches down ... it used to print nominally! Please tell me what is wrong??? Thank you in advance!
Would you recommend silicone bed mounts for this? I just ordered an aquila and am trying to figure out what to get to shorten the time spent leveling the bed or whatever it is other than printing itself. It seems a bltouch is a must also. Thank you!
Yea, those or even the yellow springs would be great. I don’t think you need a leveling sensor for these small machines. Once you level it correctly, you don’t really have to level all that much.
I've been trying to figure this out for almost a week now, but I keep ending up with the rear left corner being too loose. Even if I unscrew the leveling screw all the way. Could it be something I'm doing wrong or do you think the machine could be defective?
Hey Federer, seemingly my success was short lived, My little shapes test thing and benchy worked but since then I can get nothing to print, trying to get a BLTouch holder printed but it's going to pot after the first couple of layers, the PLA gets moved and then the whole print goes south. is there anything you can suggest, I've got glue stick to keep the prints to the bed and I think (he says) I'm level, what am I doing wrong :(
Great work, keep videos coming! I get lots of questions about slicers, what basic stuff means, what hidden stuff (,in CURA means) so maybe you can cover that and i can just send them links... XD
Thank you! Those are great suggestions. I've been using Cura for years now, so going over it should be a nice progression for someone just getting into it. :) Thanks.
I have two Voxelab Aquila Pro printers, I bought second because I was impressed with the first and the results, however, now I'm struggling to level and despite following your video's a few times the print keeps detaching from the bed. I'm printing with PETG, the extruder temperature I've set to 245 degrees and the bed to 87 degrees, can you help please?
I would start by cleaning the bed with dishsoap and warm water. Make sure it’s fully dry. Then do a bed level procedure (I have some videos on that) and give it another go. 70c on the bed should be good. You can let it warm up for a few minutes before printing. That will help.
@3DPrintSOS Thank you, sir. Got it to stick, some spots were popping up, so I slowed the print rate and increase flow and that worked. Just finished my first print. Your help is much appreciated.
You should be able to put the print in the middle in your slicer. Do you have a modified machine? If not, then it’s just settings in your slicer. Sounds like your bed is bigger than what the slicer thinks it is.
Did you have any issues with yellow residue coming off the bed after wiping with isopropyl alcohol? My bed turned from its original finish into a more matte/foggy look after taking off this yellow residue.
Yep. That’s normal. Some people say that it’s the coating coming off because it doesn’t like isopropyl, some people say it’s oils from manufacturing. Not sure who to trust honesty. I chose to flip the bed over to the smooth surface and I use iso before every print. When I did use the other side, I still cleaned it every time and eventually the yellowing stopped coming off.
I’m assuming this isn’t normal, but I thought I’d ask. There is a section on my y axis that causes my printer to stop for a second, like a dent or bump that it has to go past. Is that normal, and if not how do I fix it?
No definitely not normal. But I actually fixed this same problem in this video. Check out printer number two, here: ruclips.net/video/DfueVgnn13E/видео.html
Having a problem starting off when I press auto home the bed moves to the right position but neither does the nozzle move across the gantry and the gantry does not descend to the bed my screen just says returning to zero please wait and this is going on for a good 30 min what could I be doing wrong?
My top right corner won't rise high enough to level with the rest of the bed, do you have any idea what could be causing that? I can't loosen it anymore because the knob will actually fall off
You need to evenly tighten all the wheels to about the middle of the springs travel. Then move the z stop switch down some. It’s held together with two bolts on the left side of the printer
There are TONS of Ender components that would fit on this printer. Just depends on what you are trying to upgrade. Are you having issues with something or just want to make it look cooler? I have suggestions for both. ;)
@@user-sv7cb6so1d I would raise the printer up with some riser feet. I have a set on my thingiverse you can try at thingiverse.com/fedorsosnin/designs. If you want to try flexible filament or are having problems with the PTFE couplers, you should print my extruder block and lever. A bed handle is also very useful so you dont always touch the bed. Additionally I would find knobs for both the Z and the extruder for easier handling of the filament and z height.
Ive been struggling with bed leveling for a couple hours the friction is perfect but when I print something the extruder filament doesnt touch the plate and the second time I tried it was too low so my print came out terrible. Im struggling here
My bed now sits way to low I've tried tightening and goes all the way but my nozzle even in auto home is about a 1cm away from the bed so pmtest prints aren't working any ideas
You can lower the z stop switch by loosening two bolts on the left side of the machine. Here’s some extended help: ruclips.net/video/Q7Mu05fZNsk/видео.html
HI. i have a problem with my voxelab aquila x3 printer. I updated the firmware and now I have problems with the automatic leveling of the pan and I can not solve the problem. with your kindness you could help me. A thousand thanks
I would love to help, but I don't have an X3 so I’m afraid I won't be able to. I think your best bet would be to head to the Official Voxelab Facebook Group.
I have just build my firts 3D printer. An Aquila X2. When i wanted to level my bed i noticed that, when moving it back and forth, i felt some heavy spots. It's like the rollers under the bed go over some small bumps. Do i need to change the rollers or is this ok?
Sometimes these flat spots develop in shipping. You need to retention the wheels using the eccentric nut on the bottom. Make sure it’s not too lose to wobble and not to tight to leave flat spots.
Hi, I just bout Aquila 2 days ago. I like it but my alignment is almost alway off because the bed feels like it slants overall to one side regardless of the spring position. I feel like my bed is too low. How can I fix that.
Hmm. I would start by checking the wheels under the bed. The left side has eccentric nuts that can be tightened. The entire bed is then controlled via the springs. Now sure how it’s possible for it to slant regardless of spring position. :/. If the bed is too low, you can move the z axis limit switch down some to print the head down closer to the bed. There are two bolts holding that sensor on, on the left side of the printer.
Here is my Cura profile for the Voxelab Aquila to be used with PLA - www.3dprintsos.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Voxelab-Aquila-PLA.zip
REMINDER: if you are tweaking said knobs live, make sure you do not move the bed too close to the nozzle or you WILL ruin your bed. Having the nozzle too close to the bed will cause other issues as well. So tweak at your own risk. Otherwise, stick to the paper. :)
Right. In the extruder, there is a lever. On the lever, there is an adjustment screw.
Do you highlight the differences between your profile and the one Aquila includes in their files somewhere?
@@MarkieBKennedy Its a bunch of little details. Seam at the back, a brim, Combing NOT in skin. The main use was to make it easier for everyone to follow along, but those little details do make it easier to print with in my opinion.
@@3DPrintSOS Thanks so much! I've had many printing issues with their profile, so I'll give yours a try!
@@MarkieBKennedy NP. Let me know how it goes and we can make some tweaks depending on whats going on. The profiles are meant to be somewhat general purpose but there are always tweaks to be made
Thank you so much for this video. My 12 year old ordered this 3D printer with his own money and we’ve been struggling. Even our friends who have higher end printers were having a hard time. I decided to sit down and figure it out while he is at grandmas and I think I’ve got it! I can’t wait to show him- he was really disappointed and gave up.
Your friends are a solid example of why it’s super nice to know how to properly get your machine leveled and printing. Because the newer machines automate this and when things go wrong, instead of knowing how to tune or fix people blame the company and initiate a super wasteful return. I don’t mean that in a rude way and I’m very glad to hear that you got it printing.
@@3DPrintSOS that’s exactly what my friend said! He’s gotten spoiled with his higher end printer 🤣
I leveled my bed by eye by using a bright light and getting close up to it from the side, then I used an old receipt to get it leveled using this method. I also calibrated my esteps, and now I'm getting much better prints, other than some microscopic stringing, it's perfect.
After you select auto homing make sure to disable the steppers and don't forcefully move the nozzle attempting to level it. He didn't need to disable the steppers probably because of an older firmware he was using. Also the bed scratches extremely easily. I got scratches on the edges after adding/removing the metal tabs that hold the glass in place.
Came to the comments just for this lol was wondering wth it won't move
Yup, redacted was right. That was a super early firmware. You have to disable it now. :)
Just got my Voxelab Aquila today. Constructed it in about 2.5 hours. I've set up hundreds of digital printing devices.... large format ink jet, small format latex, Direct to Garment Tee printers, etc.
That helped.
Came to your vids to get input on leveling. Just didn't seem to work right by the manual. Your comments and display of where to set a starting point (springs) turned the light on. I couldn't get the nozzle close enough to the bed. I had to reset the (factory set) limit switch for Z.
Bingo!!
Used your technique and first test print is perfect! You are the MAN !!
I'll be a regular and will hope to pay back to you and other viewers. Thank You!
Awesome! Glad I could help and thank you for the support.
How did you reset the z
@driftdeamon757 The z limit switch on the side of the machine can be moved up or down by loosening two screws that hold it on.
I'm less than one week into my first printer (Aquila), and your videos have me printing successful parts already! Thanks for the tips on bed cleaning and leveling. After my first prints peeled mid-print (even with a brim), I tightened the bed-to-nozzle relationship (using a piece of paper) and voila! Sticking to the bed no problem now. Your channel is new, and you're off to a great start. Keep up the good work. We appreciate it!
Glad I helped! And well done getting that thing printing!
I got my Voxelab Aquila today ( 22nd May 2021 ) One day early from what Amazon UK told me wen I ordered it.
Super well made Printer so easy to Build too.
The company build help video on you tube was one of the best clear well filmed detailed and step by step easy to follow on building the printer I ever seen.
Even the packing used in the box and the clearly noted separate plastic bags of all the parts and well labeled bolts and screws was amazing!
The tools are great too and plastic parts and screws bags are very good strong press close quality.
With the printer already about 60% pre-build it was a joy to build the rest of it.
The quality of the printer and parts is the best I've seen. Now after all that amazing stuff,
I did have some problems with the printer when doing the 1st print of the test hook?
( also I did scratch my bed on the left edge as I started homing it as I forgot to remove the plastic film on the bed and moved it before getting the hot end moved up 1st )
Silly me I forgot the nozzle was touching the bed as I moved the bed forwards to pull off the film.
I did as you showed the leveling and made sure it was really done good, However my 1st 4 test prints of the hook and the Voxelab test piece did not work?
They all kept getting up to the half way stage of the printing using the supplied red see through PLA. and all popped off the bed and I had to stop and cancel the printing?
I found they all had curled up at the edges and got knocked off by the nozzle.
I did the homing again and the manual leveling this time with the bed hot ( 67 c ) and I set the nozzle hot end to 220 c with glue stick lightly put on the bed.
I think this PLA was just not being put down hot enough and the ed was not hot enough to make it stick the PLA down fully?
I just did all that and bingo this time the test hook stayed stick down and the printing worked.
I did do a lot of slicing in Cura ahead of this printer being delivered o to a micro sd card I had as I allot of models waiting to be done!
All done with the Ender 3 V2 specs for size of ed etc. However none showed up on my sd card after putting it in the printer sd card slot?
I have to redo them now and work out why they did not how up on the screen on this printer!
Hey. You gotta clean the bed surface really really well. Otherwise nothing will stick. Try that first.
Hey! First time printer here. At this very moment, just finished following all of your steps and things are looking good! Great video! Thanks!
Awesome. Glad I’ve been useful!
As someone who is new to 3D printing this will help a lot thanks
No problem. Always happy to help. :)
First video I've seen where he actually helped my problem, thank you!
I find that it's also good to preheat the nozzle as well, especially if you have filament already in it, because a lot of the time you'll have a little bit of dried filament sticking out of the nozzle if it's cold.
And so you'll be trying to level in relation to the bit of dried filament and end up with too large a gap between the bed and the nozzle.
I used this method and couldn't seem to get it right. I started at one corner and worked my way around with the piece of paper. When I got back to the 1st corner, it was too close. So I adjusted again and did this for about an hour and ended up just saying F it, this is close enough. Not sure if the Aquila X2 is different in that aspect or not (it doesn't appear to be). I did the Test Print first and it came out fantastic. Very pleased with it. So I'm not sure if my glass bed is slightly warped or not but it was definitely frustrating.
Well I’m glad you got it printing. Typically when leveling, if you come back around but it’s back out of tune, it’s a spring tension issue. You need to add more tension to all 4 springs. If then, it’s too low, you can move the z limit sensor down a bit. ;)
@@3DPrintSOS What I found out is that the bed was pretty wobbly so I tightened all the nuts under the bed and that made it A LOT easier to level it. I did fine that I needed to level the bed every time which I'm sure is probably a good practice to get into. I'm definitely watching ALL of your videos to learn this tedious process of 3D printing! Thank you for all your videos and the effort you put into them!
Yep, that will do it. Don’t worry, it gets easier! :)
The advice on heating the bed was the best cause I could not get my bed to level this seems to have been my problem. I thought something wasn’t tight enough or something. Saved my day thank you
Sweet ! thanx to your vids we will master this thing before it arrives in 5 days :D
You got this!
Great idea with the paperclip. I always end up using a too small piece of paper and cursing myself every time 🤣
Ohhh I’ve done that too many times. Learned my lesson. Haha
I’m just getting into 3D printing and your videos so far have been a ton of help!
Awesome. Glad they have been useful
Got mine set up today and I'm going to follow this to level the bed!
Good luck!
Awesome videos! I was about to pull the trigger on an ender 3 before finding your videos. My Aquila will arrive this Sunday amd I can't wait to dive in with the kids. Thanks for the quality content!
Awesome. It’ll be fun for everyone involved.
I got my Voxlab and my first print completed perfectly bc of your video. I’m so hyped! Thanks bud.
Aw yeah! That’s great.
I didn’t level it properly and scratched the bed 🤣😂 managed to level it properly now thx 🙏
Happens to the best of us. :)
You just helped me get my Aquila going I appreciate the tutorial 👍👍
Very nice and clear explanation, im waiting for me aquila to arrive!
Thank you again. You're becoming my 3D printing sherpa. I'm pretty excited, it gets here on Monday!
Thank you for the helpful video! I do wish you showed the control screen more and you didnt say to set the printer in "disable stepper " to easily move it around.
You are the best since my printer is getting delivered today this is gonna be really helpful
Thank you! Take your time and you'll be golden.
Thanks for making this video it was a great help,just got the Aquila X2 running test print running good.
Awesome
good series of videos on this printer man! pulled the trigger and bought my first printer based on your reviews!
i have no doubt that ill be up and printing quickly because of these videos!
Awesome. Glad I could be helpful. Let me know if you have any questions :)
Sir, you have been a lifesaver with my new printer
Glad I could help. :)
I'm thinking of buying a 3D Printer (my first) and this one is on the top of my list. Watching this video, I was wondering if there is a (semi-) automated way similar to touch plates used in CNC. As I don't have a printer yet, I don't know how this would work, but I imaging some clip that connects to the nozzle on one end and to a piece of brass or something on the other end. Then some simple circuit that connects when both touch and then maybe lights an LED. So you could clip this to the nozzle and place the brass piece under the nozzle on each corner. Then slowly raise the bed on that corner until the led turns on...
Interesting idea. There are tons of different types of auto leveling sensors available out there already. In my personal opinion, you don’t need them on such a small machine. It’s waaaay more beneficial to learn how to properly level a bed. You’ll have way less headaches in the long run. ;)
@@3DPrintSOS I definitely will start with the manual method (as I did with my CNC), but it IS somewhat subjective (did the drag on the paper on corner 1 really feel the same as corner 2?). Just brainstorming. Sometimes my engineer brain gets out ahead of me ;-) Thanks for all the videos you put out on this printer. I'm sure all of it will come to good use (soon I hope).
.
The true answer is no. But you do get better at it each time you do it. And honestly it seems to be “good enough”. I know that’s major cringe for an engineer haha. But hey, it works.
@@3DPrintSOS I know it's good enough as it seems to be the universally used method for at least budget printers and I have used the same method on my CNC as well. Just depends on how critical true level for the bed is. :-) And I'm not so cringy as an engineer, so don't worry ;-)
Awesome cause I’m sure some of my vids make some engineers unsub. Lol
Thanks for all the great videos - i had spend many hours researching and your videos convinced me to buy the voxelab (i bought you a coffee when I went to your thingi site). I assembled the printer today, I won't mention how many different ways I fitted the Y rail hotend before I got it right (I ended up referring the to finished image on the front of the install manual). I first levelled using paper and got the tension but then no actual print. I tried again using a 0.1mm feeler gauge and that worked (I guess I've got cheap thin A4!). I have done a few prints now and have checked the level and needed to adjust it each time, so I think the springs are not under enough tension so will look into moving the Z Stop.
Yep, that will be the trick. Need more tension on the springs to keep level. Moving the z stop will help big time.
Great job man. Admire the help that you give to everyone who comments (when my printer comes in tomorrow I might have to bother you with a question or 2) . Subbed with notifications on, can't wait to see what else you got coming out. God bless and stay safe.
Thank you for the encouragement. No problem. Shoot the questions my way and I'll try to help out. I just remember the frustrations I had starting out and some of the current stuff out there on RUclips is just too complex for no reason. :)
Just got mine put together and working great so far. Couldn't have done it without your tutorials. Thanks a bunch for putting these together!
No problem. Glad it was useful!
You helped me so much, I've been trying to print for like an hour and I FINALLY started printing, thank you
Awesome. :)
Just got my Aquila and Proxima printers .. glad that I find your channel .. leveling the bed and the settings worked perfectly .. first time with 3d printing
Thanks for your time in doing this videos it helped me alot 🙏
Awesome. Glad I can help!
you are literally the only person i have found who has the same printer i bought. amazon rated it as a great starter printer. however i think im still having issues with adhesion because it still is coming up, i also have been doing research on layer thickness and such does that have a play on how thick the gap is?
Adhesion is like 90% leveling, 5% clean build plate, 5% temperatures. As far as the layer thickness is concerned, on a .04 nozzle you should stick to something in-between .1 and .2 layer heights. Any more and you are sacrificing layer adhesion and your prints can become very weak.
Glue stick glue stick !
@@zero00tolerance Sometimes you just gotta. But like I said...careful removing it. haha.
Microfiber cloth + iso = works just as new. Every time you touch the bed, you're transferring oils from your skin to the build plate, which doesn't help at all. Get some alchohol and wipe it off
Great video. Just got mine up and running, thanks so much!
Nice! GJ getting it printing. :)
Great video man! Excellent work
Thank you! Feels good to be able to help. I sure needed it when I was getting started. :)
Would you consider doing a bltouch/3d touch install video?
For sure. Highly requested by my viewers. I’ll have to get my hands on one at some point. Hard to justify putting on a 50 dollar part on a 170 dollar printer for a problem you can fix with proper tuning and leveling. ;)
@@3DPrintSOS that's why I plan to use a knock off, haha
Smart!
Leveled the bed as per your instructions 100% Good ....then I started getting failures and "stings" re-did everything just to make sure,.............. then I heard it * click * click * click !!!!
The "Gold" gear that you push the PLA through was skipping ......and clicking....... OFC I reached for the Hammer but decided for a tiny allen wrench instead. :P , Readjusted the gear and tightened it down mmmmm is there a better one available its mostly plastic , Aslo my Test print didnt want to stick to the bed until i put down some painters tape then it stuck Every time.
Couple things here. Those things usually click if two things happen. One is a clogged nozzle, and two is if speed at which you are printing is too high for the temperature you have the nozzle at. As far as the tape, I have a feeling all you've done there is get your nozzle closer because of the tape, and now it is sticking. This glass bed, when clean, should have amazing adhesion by design.
@@3DPrintSOS I printed the Test model in the Micro SD its a little platform with built up shapes, didnt change any other settings ( figured the people who made it would have regulated it ) But the tape , I also dont wanna mess up the bed (Just in case) :D
@@user-sv7cb6so1d just in case someone like me, needs to read this. re level if you put another surface on top of the bed...;) HTH
'wonders what feeler gauge that might be'...:)
Thanks heaps for this video. It got me printing right away, perfect the first time.
I got one a few days ago, first print right out of the box was PERFECT! I got Alex’s firmware installed and then started needing to make adjustments.
I’m having some adhesion issues and I suspect it might not have to do with heat like I first thought but with leveling. It seems, for whatever reason, the print bed does NOT get high enough! I loosen ALL the leveling knobs and the nozzle is hardly touching the bed at any part, which I THOUGHT was leveled. But even then it’s too low a bit. Anyway, with the knobs loosened, the bed becomes looser, and the knobs have a tendency to fall off the threads during a print while due to the machine vibrations.
So I’m getting new springs which I’ve read can solve the problem. But I’m wondering if moving the z-stop switch down a few mm would also be a valid solution? Yes it makes it so the nozzle can actually collide with the bed, but shouldn’t it have been like that from the start (hence the need to be careful when auto-homing)? Because my bed and nozzle were never that close to being able to scratch the glass…
UPDATE: I lowered the z stop switch a tiny bit as I found on another video, and it's working phenomenally now
😉
Thanks for the great video! I just did my first print on my Aquila using the the same hook file. However the finish looks very different. Yours looks smooth but from mine I can see and feel the mesh pattern. Do you know what might be the problem? Is my nozzle too close to the glass plate? I was using the filament that came with the Aquila. Would that be the reason? Thanks!
It could be a number of things. Was it on the sample filament?
@@3DPrintSOS Yes, the red one that came with the printer
Have you had luck with other filament?
Watch the filament loader, the spring on mine was too tight unbeknownst to me, which caused too much pressure cracking the piece that held the bearing.
braden henderson I’ve heard this before as well. Good pro tip.
@@3DPrintSOS I’ve bought a metal feeder as replacement. Voxelab was also very friendly and helping the process of getting it fixed
That’s great. I also have a printable version that also eliminates the need for ptfe couplers on my Thingiverse page at Thingiverse.com/fedorsosnin/designs
Thank you for the video, exactly what I need!
Glad it helped. :)
Where do you get the rgb light from? Can you provide a link to it? Also, do you have a video of installation? Thanks for your great videos. They've helped me a lot
On the printer or the lack racks?
@@3DPrintSOS I want one in the box that the print nozzle is in.
Great information, thank you very much!
You are very welcome. Any suggestions on what tips to cover next?
First bed leveling video I could actually understand. Love your editing style too, great video man! I have a hopefully quick question, the preloaded prints that come with the Aquila sd card always come out pristine! I uploaded a benchy and it came out great as well, I barely had to do anything, but when ever I try to print anything else on the voxelab, the first layer adhesion is horrible, I get a giant blob and then spaghetti everywhere. I've tried cleaning the bed, glue stick, all the same. What can I do to get my other prints to come out as good as the preloaded ones?
If an uploaded file does not print well, then after with no changes, a preloaded file prints great, then I would say it's a flow, temperature, or speed setting. The first thing I would do is slow the speed down to 25mm/s on the first layer. Maybe even 20mm/s. Then I would raise the bed temp from 65 to 68. Try those two settings and see what happens. Try that and let me know what happens.
@@3DPrintSOS Changed speed down to 20 mm/s, nozzle temp to 205, and bed temp to 68. It's still not adhering to the bed. I went ahead and printed out another preloaded file, the knob, and it's printing perfectly right now. Still frustrated.
@@nickh.7600 I know this can be frustrating but we will get to the bottom of this. If the preloaded files are working, its just an issue with settings. Just got to find out what the problem is. Why would the z position be different between the files? That's what we gotta find out.
@@3DPrintSOS hyyyyttyyyyyyyy
Yyyyyyyyyyy
Thx for the information on setup. I am not able to get the paper under the nozzle on the second step to level the table. Why doesnt the table leave room for paper? I have it unscrewed all the way and I still can't get the paper under.
Hmmm. It sounds like you just have to go the other way. To pull the bed downward some. So there will be room for the paper.
ruclips.net/video/Q7Mu05fZNsk/видео.html
This will help you big time.
Awesome, thanks for the video. This saved me.
This video helped so much getting it set up. That being said, Can you just take finished piece off of the bed or do you have to do something specific?
If it’s all the way cool, it should just codnfijms
Very helpful. Thanks!
Glad it helped!
One thing you didn't mention was what weight of paper you were using when you were leveling the bed. I used a sheet from my laser printer and that was way to close. I spent an hour with it and I never could get it level until I found a heavier sheet of paper.
A standard sheet of paper typically used for a printer is what I usually go for. Most of the time the I just set up a skirt or brim and do a live level when it starts to print.
@@3DPrintSOS I'm brand new to 3D printing. I just got this Aquila yesterday. I watched all your videos. I have messed with this leveling for over and hour and can't get this thing level. I think it's pretty good but when I go from corner one, and go back to the back corner the nozzle wants to touch in the middle. I left the paper under the nozzle and went from front to back with the bed and it touches in the middle. I tried next with a piece of 100# cover stock. I tried printing the nut and the print once it gets going starts pulling off the bed. I just cleaned the crap out of the bed with the alcohol but it still doesn't stick. If you look at what printed, and you look at the center of the nut (square section) the part that goes from the inner square corner to the outer piece looks like rope. I'm so frustrated with this machine I'm about to send it back. I you can give me any suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.
Slow down a bit. You can’t become an expert in a bit over an hour. You got this. Here’s what I suggest. In your slicer, set up a brim or skirt that’s somewhat large. A 20 line brim or 10 like skirt. Then start the print. When it begins to print, use the wheels on the bed to get each corner printing smoothly. You don’t want to look transparent, that’s too close. You don’t want it to look like rope, that’s too far away.
Do it a couple times. Before hand, make sure you have the right tension on your springs. Make sure the wheels on your bed are not lose. I bet if you it this way, you’ll get smooth prints. :)
@@3DPrintSOS Thanks for your help! Still had a heck of a time getting the bed leveled. It took us over an hour to get it right. There is no way to get it correct in a couple of tries. We were successful getting a print out. The hook came out perfect. I'm printing the toolbox now. I do have one question...the timer seems like something is wrong with it. The time it's printing is right but the time remaining is all over the place. One second it s 14 hours then the next it says 4. It keeps jumping all over the place. Is this right to do that? I really appreciate that you actually respond to questions. The machine is only as good as the support and you have helped a ton!
The time on any of these machines is just funny. It’s never really worked on any of them. Lol.
I will use this on my first build thank you but what is a website you used to put something on the SIM card
Thingiverse.com
Do you think a BL touch sensor is worth it? I noticed that the board has a spot for it
In my opinion, it’s a bandaid fix. I’m not sure if the menu has an option for it out of the box, you may have to reflash it with something else to get it to work. I like to keep mine manual. ;)
hook is printing nicely as I write this comment!
Awesome!
Hi Fedor, first of all thanks a lot for sharing your experience with your Aquila.
When leveling, I have to move the printhead over the print bed with the controller. The recommendation how to level (auto home -> disable motors -> move bed manually), does not work for me. I have aligned the frame so well that the travel in Z is very smooth and the X-axis already lowers slowly by itself when the motors are switched off. Hopefully I didn't do anything wrong with the setup ;).
The x-axis will then of course slowly lower itself after each print. The Voxelmaker end gcode disables all motors by default ("M18"). Therefore I use the printer settings for an ender 3 because it excepts the z-axis ("M18 X Y E")
I’m not sure about the z lowering slowly by itself. It should almost always remain. Otherwise you can run into post print issues like the z lowering itself onto your print. Smooth is good, but the wheels on the z might be a hair too loose in that example?
@@3DPrintSOS I recorded it earlier
ruclips.net/video/vhyshTqgB0M/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/2p4eijJc0zg/видео.html
thanks for your reply ;)
yeah, that’s what I thought. till now I only printed some smaller parts and have always found the print head on the bed :-/
So you recommend to tighten the v wheels a little bit via the eccentric screws? ... my intention at first was to tighten it only as much as it doesn’t wiggle any more
Yes, tighten them ever so gently. Just enough so that it’s not all lose enough to slide down. The good thing is that you got it really square. So that’s great.
Thanks mate, this was SO helpful! Just got my first printer and I am super happy
is there a proper mesurement the bed should be away from the nozzle? like 0.2mm or something like that? we use 0.01mm gauges in my work so maybe i could use them to level the bed perfectly :) im in the process of ordering one of these and your videos are just awesome thanks man!
Thank you! Honestly I’ve literally always used a paper and then tuned it live while it’s printing the first layer or a brim. I’m sure there is a perfect measurement though. However, some filaments like to be squished and some don’t. So that theory might not work for every type of filament.
love the vid . got a question tho when I run my printer the pla comes out all squiggly and not uniformed. any suggestions?
This sounds like it could be loose belts. Use the belt tensioner today get the belts tight. If the belts are ok, it could be a leveling issue. When the printer is properly leveled, it should be making a nice, even bead on the glass. You’re looking for the filament to be somewhere in between squished and round at the top.
@@3DPrintSOS ok i'm going to tighten the belts some more and see if that helps. Also what temp should I be running the nozzle and bed at? I was successful to complete a piece but my nozzel temp was 225 and bed was 110. some ppl say thats to high.
@@anthonyrichmond6834 I would do 200 on the nozzle and 65 on the bed. For PLA, your numbers are WAAAAAY too high. 110 on the bed might even cause damage on this machine. Try 200/65 and let me know what it looks like.
@@anthonyrichmond6834 You can download my profile and use that. It seems to be printing flawlessly eveytime using those settings. :)
@@3DPrintSOS ok thanks. i was just using some of the freebiese that came with sd card to try it out. but I just downloaded your profile
Hi, I'm hoping you could help me with something simple. When I configure my z-offset the printer will not save the settings. Unlike the creality you have a save settings in the menu. The closet I can find to that may be the save the Home offsets? I do wish that the menu had more options like the creality but otherwise it does print really nice. Thank you for your help and all the great videos! I also subscribed to your channel!
Yes that’s a thing. It won’t save it if you’re doing it from the screen. It has to be saved to eprom. I’ve never done it on this printer...maybe someone else can pitch in? I’m assuming you can do it easily with pronterface
I finally got my Aquila today. Watching your videos helped a lot with the bed leveling. I found that mine barely had to be under tension to be level. I printed a test hook like you did here, and got a noticeable elephant's foot. Maybe I leveled it *too* closely? Ignoring the seam, the rest of the print is flawless. I can barely see the print levels.
Awesome! If you had some elephants foot you can back up just a hair, the tiniest amount and be good. ;)
@@3DPrintSOS Updating now that my Benchy test has finished.The height measurements are both 0.35mm shorter than they should be, which reinforces that idea. The text on the underside, while visible, is completely flat with the rest of the bottom and the brim.
Every other measurement is spot on (maybe +/- 0.02mm), so I definitely think I made my z-clearance tolerance too tight.
So I set the knobs at their halfway points, homed the motor, disabled the steppers, and tried to do my first corner. But no matter how far I unscrew it, the nozzle doesn't scratch the paper.
This wasn't happenings before, but before, my bed wasn't steady, and so I adjusted the v-nuts until it was steady. Clearly this means I've either gone too far with the v-nuts, or my printer is a bit defective. The v-nuts are very awkward to mess with as getting at them is awkward and sometimes their sibling nut turns with them. Yikes!
Check out my latest video. You just need to lower you a limit switch. The latest vid got you covered.
@@3DPrintSOS Got it leveled, thanks. Now if I could only get it to accept that there is, in fact, filament inside of it... (Getting "filament not detected" error)
@@MinkusMonkus nice! Oh I think that one is in settings. Turn off the filament sensor.
@@3DPrintSOS Nice, that worked! It's printing now. Wow this test print is long, 13 hours projected time? Really?
💪🏻. Did you do the organizer? It’ll take about 8 hours when it’s all said and done. But at least it’s useful.
Can you please do a video when the machine don’t want to take a filement or is freeze when you are trying to autohome 😩😩 I’m so confused
Hmm. Does it ever get up to temperature?
Thanks for the help
Absolutely.
Ever since I got my aquila and started watching your videos prints are turning great. I did your paper method and has some tensions on corners but middle has to much tension any suggestions ?
You might need to back off just a hair. Also, try moving your clips. Your glass shouldn’t be flexing that much.
@@3DPrintSOS where do you think it should be placed because there both centered
For starters, try the left and right side. Also what temp are you heating to?
@@3DPrintSOS bed is heated at 65
Hmm. Try to flip the bed to the glass side. Wonder if it’ll flex in both directions. It’s got to be a tension thing for something to be bending like that
*Is it normal that the midway of the X and Y axis along the edges of the bed, the nozzle and bed gap is tighter? I can get all the corners to slip in a piece of paper with a bit of scratching with even amount of pressure, but then when I slide the nozzle around mid path, or right in the center of the bed, the piece of paper has more resistance. It's like the bed is warped (in the most miniscule way) like a "dome" shape, if that makes sense. I'm not sure if that will make a difference, we're talking like 0.05mm or something.. but just thought that was weird and if it's normal?*
Quite common actually. The solution is mesh bed leveling. I really hope voxelab can enable this!
Do I need any thing to help with bed adhesion. I just got mine last night, scratched the glass a little in the corner, first timers am I right. Tried to get a print going, and it almost instantly started to peel the first layer. This is definitely user error as it is my first printer, just wondering if you need anything to help stick or if I need to get my leveling a little more precise
Happens to us all. I have a few printers with "flipped beds" lol. It's a part of learning. As far as sticking, Sounds like you need to get the bed nice and clean with alcohol and get the nozzle just a bit closer to the bed. It should stick to this surface right out of the box. You can try giving the bed 5c more when its warming up as well. ~ 65 should be good.
@@3DPrintSOS wonderful ill give that a try after work thanks for getting back so quickly, I'm super excited to start printing.
@@3DPrintSOS that worked beautifully I printed out the hook and it came out great. I'm currently printing my first self modeld print. I modeled it myself in fusion but I just got the idea from some one else and just built it up to fit my hardware
@@maxmoto97 Awesome! Congrats on getting it running.
@@3DPrintSOS hey so I'm curious how often should I clean my print bed. Right now I'm doing it before every print, is the alcohol going to damage the bed if I do it too often?
Can you get a leveling sensor for the c2 like the ender Pro has
I haven’t ever attempted to do that with the c2. Assuming it would be the same as the rest of the Aquila’s. Would be a very similar processes. Add sensor, flash correct firmware.
thank you for your great videos man I learned a lot and due to your well made tutorials my first print was a huge success.
Awesome. Glad to hear it.
THABK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS VIDEO
You are welcome! I'll have more useful stuff coming soon.
Hiya
I'm looking for some help please i have already got an aquila c2 and today i bought myself another one of your printer the aquila x2, i don't know if I'm missing something but i assumed that I would just be able to download and slice straight away on to the new memory card using the software i had already downloaded for my aquila c2 and put it into the aquila x2 to print but this doesn't seem to be the case!!i have gone in to the print option at the top right hand side of the voxelmaker software page and selected the aquila x2 then downloaded the file and sliced it the same way as i have always done with my original printer (aquila c2) but once i take the memory card out and put it in the new printer (aquila x2) the file doesn't seem to be there for me to print. If you could help me on how to print using 2 printers that would really help as I'm really looking forward to getting the aquila x2 up and running alongside my existing aquila c2.I'm also wondering if there is a chance the machine could have a fault when it comes to reading the card or the card accepting the downloads.
thank you
hmm that should work. first thing I would check is just using a different card. does it read the card that the c2 uses? if not, than there is some issue there. if it does, try to put the card it’s not reading into the c2 and see if the c2 can read it.
My boyfriend just got his but is having trouble getting files from his SD card to print. Any advice/tips/things we may be doing wrong? The card is in the printer but no files pop up under the print option.
Hmm if no files come up, it may just be an error on their part or the card is potentially bad. Watch my Cura and slicing video and see if you can get a print going that you’ve sliced from my profile yourself. A benchy is a perfect test. Just follow along with the video. :)
You may need a new boyfriend
strange question but should I keep the paper under that hot end as I move the bed to make sure if it does have a high spot that I don't scratch?
Hi! I have Voxelab Aquila X3 and it has an auto leveing option, but when I do it, the things I print peels off the bed anyway. What would you recommend me?
Just watched your video for leveling I have one issue. When you selected auto home the head came down and stayed down. On my printer when you select auto home it will home out , but when the switch is activated the z assemble will move up about 3 mm just till the switch gets de-activated.
That seems correct. I believe they all do it “twice”. Once to get to the right height and a second time to get it precisely where it needs to go.
Hello! I calibrate the table according to the instructions, but when printing, the nozzle squeezes the bed a few inches down ... it used to print nominally! Please tell me what is wrong??? Thank you in advance!
Try this: ruclips.net/video/Q7Mu05fZNsk/видео.html
Would you recommend silicone bed mounts for this? I just ordered an aquila and am trying to figure out what to get to shorten the time spent leveling the bed or whatever it is other than printing itself. It seems a bltouch is a must also. Thank you!
Yea, those or even the yellow springs would be great. I don’t think you need a leveling sensor for these small machines. Once you level it correctly, you don’t really have to level all that much.
@@3DPrintSOS Awesome, thanks for the response! I just ended up getting the yellow Springs. Wishing you and your loved ones well,
I've been trying to figure this out for almost a week now, but I keep ending up with the rear left corner being too loose. Even if I unscrew the leveling screw all the way.
Could it be something I'm doing wrong or do you think the machine could be defective?
Try this: m.ruclips.net/video/Q7Mu05fZNsk/видео.html
Hey Federer, seemingly my success was short lived, My little shapes test thing and benchy worked but since then I can get nothing to print, trying to get a BLTouch holder printed but it's going to pot after the first couple of layers, the PLA gets moved and then the whole print goes south. is there anything you can suggest, I've got glue stick to keep the prints to the bed and I think (he says) I'm level, what am I doing wrong :(
So it sounds like it’s not sticking? Or getting popped off the bed? What are your temperatures set to?
Great work, keep videos coming! I get lots of questions about slicers, what basic stuff means, what hidden stuff (,in CURA means) so maybe you can cover that and i can just send them links... XD
Thank you! Those are great suggestions. I've been using Cura for years now, so going over it should be a nice progression for someone just getting into it. :) Thanks.
@@3DPrintSOS fantastic!!! It would be awesome for me to... i just send them link and we are good to go
I have two Voxelab Aquila Pro printers, I bought second because I was impressed with the first and the results, however, now I'm struggling to level and despite following your video's a few times the print keeps detaching from the bed. I'm printing with PETG, the extruder temperature I've set to 245 degrees and the bed to 87 degrees, can you help please?
I got my printer second-hand, and the filament is not sticking to the plate. Do you have any tips to help with that?
I would start by cleaning the bed with dishsoap and warm water. Make sure it’s fully dry. Then do a bed level procedure (I have some videos on that) and give it another go. 70c on the bed should be good. You can let it warm up for a few minutes before printing. That will help.
@3DPrintSOS Thank you, sir. Got it to stick, some spots were popping up, so I slowed the print rate and increase flow and that worked. Just finished my first print. Your help is much appreciated.
How do you center the print in the middle of the glass plate?
You should be able to put the print in the middle in your slicer. Do you have a modified machine? If not, then it’s just settings in your slicer. Sounds like your bed is bigger than what the slicer thinks it is.
@@3DPrintSOS how do you use the slicer?
Did you have any issues with yellow residue coming off the bed after wiping with isopropyl alcohol? My bed turned from its original finish into a more matte/foggy look after taking off this yellow residue.
Yep. That’s normal. Some people say that it’s the coating coming off because it doesn’t like isopropyl, some people say it’s oils from manufacturing. Not sure who to trust honesty. I chose to flip the bed over to the smooth surface and I use iso before every print. When I did use the other side, I still cleaned it every time and eventually the yellowing stopped coming off.
Can I use your PLA profile with PLA+ filement?
Yup. :)
@@3DPrintSOS
It’s up and printing. Thanks to your videos.
Awesome and no problem. Glad I could help.
I am having trouble getting my axis to move and to respond to the auto home command. Any advice?
Using the menus make sure you can move it. If you can’t, something must be unplugged.
I’m assuming this isn’t normal, but I thought I’d ask. There is a section on my y axis that causes my printer to stop for a second, like a dent or bump that it has to go past. Is that normal, and if not how do I fix it?
No definitely not normal. But I actually fixed this same problem in this video. Check out printer number two, here: ruclips.net/video/DfueVgnn13E/видео.html
My nozzle doesnt go down far enough & I have the levelers all the way tight?
Try this one Stacey: ruclips.net/video/Q7Mu05fZNsk/видео.html You likely have to move the z limit switch down a bit but that video will help you. :)
I hit the bed leveling in the instruction manual and just watched your video instead.
Smart move ;)
Having a problem starting off when I press auto home the bed moves to the right position but neither does the nozzle move across the gantry and the gantry does not descend to the bed my screen just says returning to zero please wait and this is going on for a good 30 min what could I be doing wrong?
Sounds like something may be unplugged or plugged into the wrong spot. If you go to the settings, can you move each axis individually?
My top right corner won't rise high enough to level with the rest of the bed, do you have any idea what could be causing that? I can't loosen it anymore because the knob will actually fall off
You need to evenly tighten all the wheels to about the middle of the springs travel. Then move the z stop switch down some. It’s held together with two bolts on the left side of the printer
are there any printable upgrades for this?
There are TONS of Ender components that would fit on this printer. Just depends on what you are trying to upgrade. Are you having issues with something or just want to make it look cooler? I have suggestions for both. ;)
@@3DPrintSOS Suggest and print away, I say ! :}
@@user-sv7cb6so1d I would raise the printer up with some riser feet. I have a set on my thingiverse you can try at thingiverse.com/fedorsosnin/designs. If you want to try flexible filament or are having problems with the PTFE couplers, you should print my extruder block and lever. A bed handle is also very useful so you dont always touch the bed. Additionally I would find knobs for both the Z and the extruder for easier handling of the filament and z height.
My bed and my nozzle are way too far apart just adjust the bed is not an option. Do you have any other way to do it?
Yep, you need to follow along here: ruclips.net/video/Q7Mu05fZNsk/видео.html
The part where you move down your z limit switch.
Ive been struggling with bed leveling for a couple hours the friction is perfect but when I print something the extruder filament doesnt touch the plate and the second time I tried it was too low so my print came out terrible. Im struggling here
This one is for you. Take a look. ruclips.net/video/Q7Mu05fZNsk/видео.html
How do you adjust the bed when it's still hot?
Yep. Always set the bed temperature to what you print at.
My bed now sits way to low I've tried tightening and goes all the way but my nozzle even in auto home is about a 1cm away from the bed so pmtest prints aren't working any ideas
You can lower the z stop switch by loosening two bolts on the left side of the machine.
Here’s some extended help: ruclips.net/video/Q7Mu05fZNsk/видео.html
HI. i have a problem with my voxelab aquila x3 printer. I updated the firmware and now I have problems with the automatic leveling of the pan and I can not solve the problem. with your kindness you could help me. A thousand thanks
I would love to help, but I don't have an X3 so I’m afraid I won't be able to. I think your best bet would be to head to the Official Voxelab Facebook Group.
I have just build my firts 3D printer. An Aquila X2.
When i wanted to level my bed i noticed that, when moving it back and forth, i felt some heavy spots. It's like the rollers under the bed go over some small bumps.
Do i need to change the rollers or is this ok?
Sometimes these flat spots develop in shipping. You need to retention the wheels using the eccentric nut on the bottom. Make sure it’s not too lose to wobble and not to tight to leave flat spots.
@@3DPrintSOS Thanks for your response. So changing the rollers is not necessary. Thats good to know...👍🏻
Not always. Sometimes they are clamped too tight and need to be rolled around back and forth to form back into shape.
@@3DPrintSOS Thanks, i wil try that first.
So I have the voxelab Aquila and I'm getting a error the nozzle and bed temp maybe to low and I getting this loud beeping sound please help
Hmm. Sometimes this happens when the thermistor isn’t seated properly in the hotend block. I would remote it and reinstall it and try again.
Hi, I just bout Aquila 2 days ago. I like it but my alignment is almost alway off because the bed feels like it slants overall to one side regardless of the spring position. I feel like my bed is too low. How can I fix that.
Hmm. I would start by checking the wheels under the bed. The left side has eccentric nuts that can be tightened. The entire bed is then controlled via the springs. Now sure how it’s possible for it to slant regardless of spring position. :/.
If the bed is too low, you can move the z axis limit switch down some to print the head down closer to the bed. There are two bolts holding that sensor on, on the left side of the printer.
@@3DPrintSOS do you maybe have an Instagram so I can message you a short video showing you the wobble
@@Leo57081 For sure. @3DPrintSOS
@@3DPrintSOS thank you, I sent a few messages. Thank you.