Cut 4 strips of paper, each about an inch wide and maybe 4 inches long. Put one diagonally under each corner of the build plate. Once you tighten the screws, this makes it easy to make sure each corner is evenly leveled. With a single sheet of paper, you can't really tell if one of the corners is up a little.
This comment and this video changed my resin printer I got earlier this year (2022) from a piece of trash to a reliable tool! I learned that it's not very easy to ensure there's tension on all 4 corners on my printer, but by fiddling with the screws in just the right way, using the 4 strips of paper as a guide, I was able to finally achieve flatness. I also learned that overexposure of the resin on the bottom layers can harden the resin too much, breaking the vacuum seal that's required throughout the print. On my Anycubic Photon Mono, just 3 bottom layers at 40-45 seconds each seems to work much better than the defaults. Also, I added a magnetic stainless steel bed. The stainless steel is much smoother and flatter than the aluminum, so it seems to seal better. Thanks to this community for posting all of this great information.
@@PatriciaEstrada88 That's not going to happen. Just put a small piece of paper under each corner instead of one big sheet under the whole thing. This makes it easy to tell the status of each corner. I don't know what else I can say.
I have done infinite hours of research about 3d resin printing but all my serious questions and insecurities have been solved thanks to this guy , truly great information in this channel
To be honest, the first time I saw you I thought "he comes across a bit arrogant" ….. and boy was I wrong. This channel is one of the most informative and non biased channels on 3d printing. I have been printing with FDM for over 7 years and tomorrow my first resin printer will arrive ( hopefully) , and I have learnt so much already from this channel, as well as a few others. Thank you for your time, effort and knowledge.
I had a similar thought but with a feeling of relief. He seems like a jerk. At least jerk enough to tell the truth about a printer instead of being nice just to not piss off a manufacturer.
I had a similar thought but with a feeling of relief. He seems like a jerk. At least jerk enough to tell the truth about a printer instead of being nice just to not piss off a manufacturer.
@@thanostoao7408 i think its because our brains often see brutal honesty as bad... When it really isnt. But he is a great guy, i am learning so much from him, things I assumed i already knew being in FDM world for 7 years, but the resin game is completely different.
Seeing you make a cross bolting made me happy, so many people dont know about it, but it is just the bedst trick to precission screw things together.. Thumbs up 😊
That method is just another (usual last resort method), both work but with my method after leveling you then back off 3 tenths of a mm to give the correct expansion space for a 60 second burn in on the regular photon, But these days the spring loaded ball joints on the Saturn and such make my method obsolete. It does seem to help people who can't seem to level with the paper but you do have to be careful for all the reasons you gave in another great video. Thanks for your excellent tutorials on Lychee lately to. Best wishes from the UK.
I think the breakthrough of your method isn't the use of the VAT for leveling, but the manual move of tenths of mm to reach the correct zero spot. It helped me a lot when I started and still do. Even when I use a piece of paper, sometimes I manually shift the Z motor before setting Z=0.
UGH! I never even THOUGHT about the fact that I sometimes leave resin sitting out for a day and then go back and try to print. Thanks for pointing that out!
Hey there. Just wanted to take a moment to thank you so much for these videos you did demystifying the resin printer. I was ready to get rid of mine as I was getting a 95% failure rate. I watched so many videos but nothing seemed to work. Watched your videos and followed everything and now I'm currently on 100% success rate on 6 or 7 prints in a row!!! I am right now hunting your patreon down and ensuring you get my thanks in a way that keeps you making great videos like these. Thank you again!!
I apricate this greatly. I've been printing for a year and honestly, I've spent more time unlearning bad habits I've been told are "the way" than I have printing.
Thankyou very much for this video, tried both methods with irregular results, however that gold nugget of information about how the plate should press the feb made all the difference! Epic!
This was really useful. Thanks for taking the time to explain things simply. My take away is to use the paper because as you said you can basically check your level. It is not a longer process and i see no downside. I just ordered the Phrozen Sonic Mighty 4k off of your review. It is a great upgrade over my Elegoo Mars. Thank much and i really enjoy your channel. Take Care!
Alright. I will not give up hope! This was an excellent video that explains a LOT! Thank you for "showing the way"! This along with making sure that my FEP will "release" nicely should FINALLY get me PRINTING! YAY! Seek and Ye Shall Find! I SURE AM GLAD I FOUND YOU! Amazing info.! Interestingly, this is ALMOST what I came up with just from an intuitive approach to my issue but NOW I see EVERYTHING from a new perspective regarding this and my other problem! I'm sure this will work out now after all... Great I can finally get some sleep knowing that you've got my issues covered Can't wait to check out lots more or your videos! GREAT!
I think this is the most sound, fool proof method of leveling your build plate and I love it, well explained, accurate, and will work for anyone. What I do is different, and I think its mainly machine or brand specific. I have a Mars Elegoo Pro with 4 bottoms layers at 60 second exposure (thank you Uncle Jesse for the 4 layers tip a year ago). I have two strips of clear tape mounted on either side of my screen which the build plate sites on, proud of the screen on the most raised edges. I level the plate with resin in the vat and make no Z-height adjustments on my zero. I have not had a single failure from peeling or bottom exposure in two years since I started doing this. I still have plenty of failures from supports and user error, but the technique has held true at least from bed adhesion for a many different resin types and its super easy. I think i've had the same pieces of tape from the first time i've applied them. I think my method is not as sound as yours, especially given the variance and thickness of tape depending on locale, but it has worked for me. I live in California and the temperature is pretty calm compared to most so that may be a lot of my success. I personally enjoy being able to relevel very quickly in a full vat of resin (checking for cured resin just in case), but its a nice confidence boost when you're trying to print non-stop. Always heartily recommend your caution though!
I Level with the build vat and it works very well. Never had a Model not stickig to the build plate. When the paper is in fact thinner than the vat, you are compressing the vat with every print more than with the one leveling process. The vat and the plate must be clean, but that is also the case on every printing. Also there are a lot of different papers out there with different thickness. You are can not check if you levels right... But if you work slow and precise that should not be the Problem. Works for me very well.
Amazing advice as always, I levelled my photon yesterday and wasn't sure how tight the paper should be. I was still able to slide the paper under the build plate and thought it would be OK. Nope. Failed prints. I'll relevel it now and see how we go, plus our nights have just dropped down to 12c so may need to add a space heater to the room.
Thanks for the paper tug point. i was not sure about that. I've been printing for about a year and have had a couple months in a row of good prints, and a couple of bad. I think I need to pay more attention to the paper tug.
I use the Flint Read method because when I started his was the only video that really showed a good step by step on how to do it, after watching this if/when I have to relevel, I think I'll go back the paper. The paper just didn't make sense before because I was also very paranoid about breaking the screen. I've since learned that the screens not that brittle.
Bro - there's a reason why you are "The Pro" - you do the work, you consider alternatives and most importantly you experiment - this is the mark of a scientist. Confidence is derived from experience and learning from failure Also - I've seen you debate on multiple platforms with people who are spouting stuff they've read but not done themselves - they tend to go quiet after about 5 posts lol Make no apologies to the internet for who you are - you are awesome Check your patreon because I'm buying you a beer - this video really helped me understand where my most recent failures may have derived from Cheers
I definitely don't think you come across as arrogant. The work you put into this channel and videos being unbiased, is noticed by me atleast. Keep up the dope work mate
Stirring tip. One of those cheap plastic fake credit cards is PERFECT for this. What happens is the pigment settles to the bottom. If you leave resin in the vat it's pure pigment at the bottom after sitting overnight. You know it's a good Credit card to use if the resin does not begin to melt the surface of card after first use. Some cards will degrade from the resin, but some will not and last forever, just wipe down after use. Wont' damage the FEP and you can wipe it off on the inside top of the vat to save the resin that sticks to it. : )
When I started out I had real problems with the paper method because I simply had no experience and people saying pulling papers was not exact enough. The Flint Read method saved my sanity and got me starting, now I do it with a paper because I know how it should feel.
The only thing that adhesion problem got fixed on my Sonic 4k white was increase light off to 17seconds, before that i used to have huge suction pop sounds, and i think it was actually the suction that was pulling parts of the build plate. I dunno how it work but the 17sec light off delay and 30mm/sec lift speed removed the suction pop sounds and now my prints stick perfectly.
Something I am now just starting to appreciate is where to place heavy supports. I just started placing my heavy support tips in the same plane. Meaning that I place one heavy at its lowest point and then add others along with the same layer (using the white ring to help its placement). It might be obvious but I used the ring to help find islands more-so than to use it to place support's that share the load. This seems to be a very important factor in getting successful prints = share the load!
1:53 When I have existing resin in the vat that's been sitting their a whole I notice that the opaque part had settled so I use a plastic scraper to stir it up but I also scraper the FEP with it until it's clear, then mix it done more and I only use that scraper for this purpose, nothing else. Been doing this for life 9 months and have had no problems.
I own both an Anycubic Mono SE and Mono X. The Mono X instructions say to level using paper like you have demonstrated. The Mono SE interestingly say to install the vat, then place paper in the vat before leveling.
@ 3DPrintingPro, very nice video thanks! can you talk in your future video, about the Aliasing in slicers? maybe lychee? the concept of the AA in general, do we need to put everytime AA on etc..? :)
My current level method is a variation of the corner fdm method i used on my tronxy: - I cut four strips of the level paper and place them in the four corner of the plate. - Then i unscrew and lower the plate. - Tighten one of the screws a little and see if the paper on the four corners behave the same. - Usually the opposite corner paper might be more loose or pressured. - If pressured tighten that side screw and loosen the other screw. - If loose try to make a little pressure on that corner of the plate and then tighten screw. Check if the papers behave same on all corners. - Tighten four screws and check the papers still behave same. - When papers behave same on all corners raise Z till they continue pressured but you can slide then under the plate.
Oh thank you. I just bought a Mono X 6K printer and the seller told me to level the build screen with the FEP. Now I saw this video and re-leveled the build screen with the paper inside the box. Thanks for your tips
In my experience Temperature is the main cause for failures. I need to expose layers 50% longer than the bottle recommends because there's nowhere in my house that I can maintain 25c, provide sufficient ventilation and not have the noise irritate the people I live with. Also while Flint Read works, using the version I learned via the internet can result in a cracked screen if you don't have a bone dry vat and print bed, just fyi.
2:19 with the Sonic Mini 4K I can not print in my garage every since late fall. Oddly the Epax E6 prints totally fine in the garage, even over night in the winter. Maybe it warms itself up enough. Interestingly the Epax is leveled in the factory. It worked right out of the box and I haven't even attempted to level it since.
Great instructional video. Another very common flaw is that the plate is warped. To test, draw a grid with a sharpie on the plate. Get a sheet of fine (600 grit or finer) wet and dry paper, soak it, lay on FLAT surface and polish plate with gentle circular motion. Keep even pressure. Check after a few passes. If sharpie wears off unevenly, then the plate is warped. Rinse, repeat until all sharpie lines gone. Plate is now flat.
This just confirmed a suspicion of mine. I had a successful print, but a part of my support raft did not adhere correctly to the build plate. I will be very diligently making sure I level properly now. This hobby is dependant on such specific tolerances that we really do need to adapt an engineer's mindset.
Love your videos , i use the fep and it has been fine , the paper method marked my fep. So i trust more the fep leveling , i also noticed not all the build plates are perfectly flat , it can be the case of uneven leveled plates . i sanded my build plate against a table with 300 and 3000 sand paper plus water ( in that order) then when it was perfectly flat i sanded it with 80 in one direction ( to leave marks) and had better results.
There is more than one way to do things most times. This will depend on the skill of the user. Im mechanically inclined. Woodshed as a kid, then cars, metal work and weilding. Now my hands don't work so good, so 3d printing is a way to keep creating. I flint reed it in the vat and don't push down. The plate is plenty heavy for gravity to do the job if you don't mess with it. Tightening slowing on each screw is important, especially with printers like the OG Mars that only has 2 screws. The MonoX definitely has the weight to stay in place. Gravity is on your side, and it's the law.
Great video! It's actually convinced me to try leveling in my vat. I'm having issues with lines running parallel to the build plate because of too much surface tension. I'm hoping that a looser fit will help with those lines. There's no way I can orient the STL in such a way that there is less suction.
HUGE, HUGE THANKS for this. I didn't get the paper anywhere near as tight as that. AND I forgot to shake the resin bottle first (spot the newbie!). Using the vat to level the plate does seem to be a recipe for disaster - risking damage to, and needing to replace, the FEP even before making a single successful print is a risk too far for me.
The calibration card that came with my halot one pro was very thick. So I used the extra FEP that came with the printer for leveling. Even with the protection layers, it is thinner than the calibration card.
I have used the paper leveling method on my Mono 4K, and works great, use multiple build plates with it etc., Got an M3 and that thing is a finicky SOB, have leveled using the paper so many times, tore several FEPs with failed prints and nearly destroyed the screen with a leak. I am going to try the "Flint Read" method might help me.
One thing I've learned from running a little 3d printing side gig and having 7 resin printers. I use a paper tower in a plastic bin to scrape my models in to, little plastic bits find there way on to the build plate, so I no have a habit of checking my build plates for ANY tiny plastic pieces from the supports, they have ruined prints and FEP film. I run my metal scraper over the build plate. Oh other great piece of advice....Epax metal spatula is AMAZING, it's so thin it gets under every print, anything from Phrozen, Elegoo, Creality, Volexal etc etc are the standard paint ones and they are dog crap, absolute garbage. Find a very very thin one, I can get everything off in one swipe with the Epax one.
I've found temperature to be super important, far more than most would think. I was printing a batch of identical minis, success after success, until I Iet the temperature get too high. Read your MSDS and instructional manual folks. It almost never hurts.
True, I've build my Photons an insulated box with those tiny heaters you can directly plug into a socket and have temperature control. Constant 30°C (for my resin), works like a charm. Enough space to store my resin at the right temperature as well.
I guess I should re-level my build plate because I have been leveling it right to the screen, seems to print fine but I've only done a few prints so far? Ive got a Saturn by the way.
I think there's one other aspect that could cause a print to not stick to the build plate: wrong supports. I tried to print a part and use all small supports when I should have used medium and large ones. The base ended up sticking to the vat and I could see where the supports failed due to not being strong enough to overcome the suction. And thanks for this one video. It actually showed me how I was doing it wrong and now I'm able to actually print something! yeah for me.
I get the "arrogant" thing all the time as well (Born and raised in Brooklyn, and you and I are about the same age, so we are from teh same city...) The rest of the nation just doesn't know how to deal with us. :-)
Thank you for speaking so plainly about this. No arrogance coming across whatsoever. So many people want to debate this... it's not rocket science. It's definitely partly the manufacturers faults, they are not exactly clear about it. For example, the Creality LD-002R simply shows leveling against the glass cover over the LCD, and all the folks on the creality LD FB page debate whether to use paper all the time. It's pretty tedious. The other reason to use paper, instead of leveling against the glass or the dry FEP, is that a dry scratchy piece of aluminum is not exactly what you want rubbing against a surface you want to keep clear. All it takes, is a little bit of sliding around, or grabbing that build plate too quickly, and you've got little nicks and scrapes on your FEP or glass. Even a nice slick WAMBAM steel flexplate is relatively risky to slide around on bare FEP or glass. Paper is the way.
I think the first thing you should do is actually see if the build plate is actually flat. Out of my admittedly small sample of 5, 4 actually had some surface bulging so that no amount of pressure was causing all the corners to actually make good contact and using carbon paper and a surface plate you could actually see high spots
Brand new here. I just bought an Anycubic 6k, I'm here to learn how to use it. But I do want to point out one reason the paper method may not work. The table. The surface. It should go without saying to use a flat surface for the paper-test. But some people may not think of everything... The vat method may prove a better option when people are testing the paper on rickety tables. Maybe the vat and the FEP was the 'more' level option. Personally I think the paper method is better, but it's worth being the devil's advocate and showing (not telling) those other options.
I wouldn't say it's the only way but recently we're seeing a lot of gaskets, sovol vats, homemade screen protectors, bad manufacturers that are lifting the feps slightly. The paper level method ignores the possibility of any inconsistencies in the vat/fep. Some of these gaskets are thick and if you level on the paper your first few layers are 100% against the fep with no space. Thats why some only get good prints with the flint read method
Love the content and love your Bottom Line Up Front style. Any reviews or thoughts on the Elegoo Mars 2 Mono. For almost $100 less than the Mars 2 Pro it seems like it;s too good to be true.
My Sonic Mini 4k had issues with adhesion due to the manufacturer's tape around the LCD being way too thick. I also ended up changing to the epax nFEP, so it could have been a combination of both.
I’ve been using elegoo water washable resin. I have to comment about temperature because my printer sits in my spare room, with the window open in the Scottish highlands. My room isn’t heated, so it can’t have been more than 15degrees Celsius over December/january, and my prints have all been fine - with an exposure time of 2.5 seconds normal layer.
Leveling in the vat will bring you .003 inches (approx paper thickness)closer to the light source. If your printer (build plate ) does not have a way to drop down another .003 inches after leveling with a piece of paper well then the first bottom layer will be .003 inches further away from the light source. The closer the better versus further away. But YES, both methods work. My build plate can be easily adjusted while in the vat because it is a custom design from Blue Cast offered on the Phrozen machines.
I love these videos...have searched for leveling videos, but I think the process is a bit different on the Anycubic Photon SE. The thing is the build plate is spring loaded and when it bottoms out it applies constant pressure on the build plate...I wonder if this requires different methods?
I would love to see a video showing a similar issue releveling with a whambam plate on the Epax E10 - the sensor adjustment etc. this process is not documented well anywhere! Some say just relevel normally sometimes you need to move the cutoff plate...this 2nd part seems like a good way to crack your screen
So funny story with the IBEE: following the manufacturer's instructions, I could not get this machine to level consistently from print to print without the machine trying to grind its way through the screen without manual intervention (i.e. killing the power). One day it decided to do this DIRECTLY after I'd just leveled it via the instructions and had inserted the tank and naturally filled it for a print. I said eff this, leveled it at the bottom of the tank with resin in; presto! It activates the optical z-stop now every time and hasn't tried to destroy itself since doing it 'my way'.
@@3dprintingpro212 Thankyou Greg. Can I ask your opinion of _this_ method? (4 minute video): ruclips.net/video/oYuE_nMvRzY/видео.html I did read the manual that came with Elegoo Mars 3 when I bought it a few months ago, but the text isn't very well translated into English so I didn't quite understand what the instructions meant, by reading it again now, it looks like Elegoo recommend the same method the guy in the video uses; he doesn't actually go tight to the screen. Oh, and now I've realized I missed a step! I didn't press "set Z=0" when I leveled. I am not so good at reading manuals.
22c sounds very, very warm. I'm wondering if that includes the temperature generated by the machine? I guess the only way to check for sure that the resin is above 22c would be to dip a thermometer in it.
Hmm, actually "to the vat" method was the only one described in my Sparkmaker FHD operating guide. Up until now I didn't even know you could do bed leveling the other way...
When I first got my Mars (tiny setcrews and the swivel head on the build table) I got several failures. I also noticed that no matter how many times I re-leveled, at least one corner was still up in the air (you could stick a piece of paper under the corner and it went in a ways (at home position after paper removed). Obviously the build table itself was not perfectly flat. What did I do? I leveled without anything- directly on the glass. Results? Have not had a failed print yet since then, and I print in a freezing cold room with no heat in the winter. : ) Just saying.
Creality LD series printers are leveled without anything covering the screen. Least that is how the instruction videos that come with the printer shows it done.
Greg, any thoughts when using a thicker FEP? I ended up with .2mm on my Anycubic PMX. I tried 2 sheets of paper, is that sufficient? What about adding a .1mm bump before setting zero?
I would not be that much crazy with what manufacturer suggest. If they where perfect we would not have all those mods available. Paper which I got with my Mono X was thicker than typical office paper is from 80g -100g. Judging by eye it was around 150g - 170g. So your regular paper is almost twice as thin as "recommended" (included with printer) paper. But who knows what type of paper others have at home. This is why people may fail multiple times at leveling with paper. And when you level to the vat, you press FEP to the screen, and even if it is not exactly correct, you are still good as long as build plate touches screen. So maybe it is not perfect way of doing it, but it is easier and fool proof as you always level to thickness you need and you have room for error as FEP is elastic.
For my printer, manufacturer instructions say the final tension on the paper should be: possible to pull out but not push back in under. So, basically, would you recommend nudging up a micrometer or so in the software after leveling the printhead?
Yes a micrometer is a better alternative for precision most people that don't show measurements means they have little trade experience. Watching people like this gives me so much confidence lol
GOD,,, Thank you. I have been having fail after fail. I have trolled the internet which till now was another fail. Now I think I have it... I have leveled the bed 20 to 30 times BUT, try not to laugh. IN THE VAT WHICH I HAD ON TOP OF PAPER!!! What do you recon? Problem found? 🤣🤣🤣
Do you recommend to put pressure on the build plate for leveling the Photon Mono 4K as well? Here in your video you say the paper shouldnt move, but a friend told me that for the 4K the paper should offer "some resistance" but must be "somewhat loosely". Im having lots of fails with my prints since I bought this 4K, most of the time sticking to the FEP and nothing gets printed unless I use 45 seconds of exposition time on the bottom layers. Would love to have your feedback, your channel rocks!
Well it depends how thick your paper is...and comapnies give different thickness papers for levelling...I have high quality digital calipers and I've seen "paper" as thick as 0.4mm been given by a comapny for levelling...and some say just "use a piece of paper", and the standard 80GSM printer paper is about 0.1mm thick...only 25% the thickness of the company I mentioned above. The Phrozen nFep is 0.15mm thick...I've found, if I level with a single piece of paper straight onto the LCD, I end up with compressed prints, elephants foot, and dimples in my nFep. If I level with the vat on AND that same piece of paper...I don't get compressed prints, I don't get elephants foot and I don't get dimples in my nFep...and all my prints stick to the plate perfectly...if you don't want to use the vat, then use 3 sheets of 80gms printer paper instead of 1...
Игры
Cut 4 strips of paper, each about an inch wide and maybe 4 inches long. Put one diagonally under each corner of the build plate. Once you tighten the screws, this makes it easy to make sure each corner is evenly leveled. With a single sheet of paper, you can't really tell if one of the corners is up a little.
Would you risk damaging the screen with the build plate directly on it?
@@Currandog754 The strips of paper under each corner produce a slight air gap between the screen and the build plate, so there's no actual contact.
This comment and this video changed my resin printer I got earlier this year (2022) from a piece of trash to a reliable tool! I learned that it's not very easy to ensure there's tension on all 4 corners on my printer, but by fiddling with the screws in just the right way, using the 4 strips of paper as a guide, I was able to finally achieve flatness.
I also learned that overexposure of the resin on the bottom layers can harden the resin too much, breaking the vacuum seal that's required throughout the print. On my Anycubic Photon Mono, just 3 bottom layers at 40-45 seconds each seems to work much better than the defaults. Also, I added a magnetic stainless steel bed. The stainless steel is much smoother and flatter than the aluminum, so it seems to seal better.
Thanks to this community for posting all of this great information.
You should upload a video demonstrating your method.
@@PatriciaEstrada88 That's not going to happen. Just put a small piece of paper under each corner instead of one big sheet under the whole thing. This makes it easy to tell the status of each corner. I don't know what else I can say.
I have done infinite hours of research about 3d resin printing but all my serious questions and insecurities have been solved thanks to this guy , truly great information in this channel
To be honest, the first time I saw you I thought "he comes across a bit arrogant" ….. and boy was I wrong. This channel is one of the most informative and non biased channels on 3d printing. I have been printing with FDM for over 7 years and tomorrow my first resin printer will arrive ( hopefully) , and I have learnt so much already from this channel, as well as a few others. Thank you for your time, effort and knowledge.
I mean you were right the first time...but he’s more than just that, he is also patient, helpful, kind. He still comes across as a bit arrogant 😂
Thanks man, I like to think I'm not arrogant, I make fun of myself all the time irl :)
I had a similar thought but with a feeling of relief. He seems like a jerk. At least jerk enough to tell the truth about a printer instead of being nice just to not piss off a manufacturer.
I had a similar thought but with a feeling of relief. He seems like a jerk. At least jerk enough to tell the truth about a printer instead of being nice just to not piss off a manufacturer.
@@thanostoao7408 i think its because our brains often see brutal honesty as bad... When it really isnt. But he is a great guy, i am learning so much from him, things I assumed i already knew being in FDM world for 7 years, but the resin game is completely different.
Seeing you make a cross bolting made me happy, so many people dont know about it, but it is just the bedst trick to precission screw things together.. Thumbs up 😊
That method is just another (usual last resort method), both work but with my method after leveling you then back off 3 tenths of a mm to give the correct expansion space for a 60 second burn in on the regular photon, But these days the spring loaded ball joints on the Saturn and such make my method obsolete. It does seem to help people who can't seem to level with the paper but you do have to be careful for all the reasons you gave in another great video. Thanks for your excellent tutorials on Lychee lately to. Best wishes from the UK.
I think the breakthrough of your method isn't the use of the VAT for leveling, but the manual move of tenths of mm to reach the correct zero spot. It helped me a lot when I started and still do. Even when I use a piece of paper, sometimes I manually shift the Z motor before setting Z=0.
UGH! I never even THOUGHT about the fact that I sometimes leave resin sitting out for a day and then go back and try to print. Thanks for pointing that out!
Hey there. Just wanted to take a moment to thank you so much for these videos you did demystifying the resin printer. I was ready to get rid of mine as I was getting a 95% failure rate. I watched so many videos but nothing seemed to work. Watched your videos and followed everything and now I'm currently on 100% success rate on 6 or 7 prints in a row!!! I am right now hunting your patreon down and ensuring you get my thanks in a way that keeps you making great videos like these. Thank you again!!
Thank you for the kind words!
It's nice to have somebody who seems like they've got a steady hand when it comes to this stuff, explaining the basics in a way that's clear.
Once again, a brilliant instructional video that is practical to learn and apply! Thank you
I apricate this greatly. I've been printing for a year and honestly, I've spent more time unlearning bad habits I've been told are "the way" than I have printing.
brilliantly explained. makes so much sense. Also, theres a small difference between arrogance and confidence. Thank you for a great video.
I’m a resin printing noob and this us SUPER helpful. Please keep making content, especially for noobs. We “don’t know, what we don’t know.” Thanks!
Can I just say... your awesome and I watch every video you produce. Please keep them coming. Have a great day.
Your videos are amazing! Such a wonderful resource! Thank you!
this guy is the best. Good video. Thank you
Thankyou very much for this video, tried both methods with irregular results, however that gold nugget of information about how the plate should press the feb made all the difference! Epic!
This was really useful. Thanks for taking the time to explain things simply. My take away is to use the paper because as you said you can basically check your level. It is not a longer process and i see no downside. I just ordered the Phrozen Sonic Mighty 4k off of your review. It is a great upgrade over my Elegoo Mars. Thank much and i really enjoy your channel. Take Care!
THANK you so much for this fixed my problem, so happy I found you on youtube
you sir are heavensent! thank you for doing these for us...
Alright. I will not give up hope! This was an excellent video that explains a LOT! Thank you for "showing the way"! This along with making sure that my FEP will "release" nicely should FINALLY get me PRINTING! YAY! Seek and Ye Shall Find! I SURE AM GLAD I FOUND YOU! Amazing info.! Interestingly, this is ALMOST what I came up with just from an intuitive approach to my issue but NOW I see EVERYTHING from a new perspective regarding this and my other problem! I'm sure this will work out now after all... Great I can finally get some sleep knowing that you've got my issues covered Can't wait to check out lots more or your videos! GREAT!
Thanks some great tips here. Hope my third print sticks!!
Great video as always. Thanks for your knowledge
I think this is the most sound, fool proof method of leveling your build plate and I love it, well explained, accurate, and will work for anyone.
What I do is different, and I think its mainly machine or brand specific. I have a Mars Elegoo Pro with 4 bottoms layers at 60 second exposure (thank you Uncle Jesse for the 4 layers tip a year ago). I have two strips of clear tape mounted on either side of my screen which the build plate sites on, proud of the screen on the most raised edges. I level the plate with resin in the vat and make no Z-height adjustments on my zero.
I have not had a single failure from peeling or bottom exposure in two years since I started doing this. I still have plenty of failures from supports and user error, but the technique has held true at least from bed adhesion for a many different resin types and its super easy. I think i've had the same pieces of tape from the first time i've applied them. I think my method is not as sound as yours, especially given the variance and thickness of tape depending on locale, but it has worked for me. I live in California and the temperature is pretty calm compared to most so that may be a lot of my success.
I personally enjoy being able to relevel very quickly in a full vat of resin (checking for cured resin just in case), but its a nice confidence boost when you're trying to print non-stop. Always heartily recommend your caution though!
dude, you are teh vin diesel of resin printers! dang!
Hell yeah! Great tips as always. Thanks dude!
This clarified a lot. Thank you.
I Level with the build vat and it works very well. Never had a Model not stickig to the build plate. When the paper is in fact thinner than the vat, you are compressing the vat with every print more than with the one leveling process. The vat and the plate must be clean, but that is also the case on every printing. Also there are a lot of different papers out there with different thickness. You are can not check if you levels right... But if you work slow and precise that should not be the Problem. Works for me very well.
I always level with the vat.. never had any problems doing it that way.
Dude. Big big help. Thank you!
Thanks for the tutorial. 👍
Amazing advice as always, I levelled my photon yesterday and wasn't sure how tight the paper should be. I was still able to slide the paper under the build plate and thought it would be OK. Nope. Failed prints. I'll relevel it now and see how we go, plus our nights have just dropped down to 12c so may need to add a space heater to the room.
Thanks for the paper tug point. i was not sure about that. I've been printing for about a year and have had a couple months in a row of good prints, and a couple of bad. I think I need to pay more attention to the paper tug.
I use the Flint Read method because when I started his was the only video that really showed a good step by step on how to do it, after watching this if/when I have to relevel, I think I'll go back the paper. The paper just didn't make sense before because I was also very paranoid about breaking the screen. I've since learned that the screens not that brittle.
Very good info. Thank you for clarifying.
thank you so much for this explanation... exactly what i needed to know
Bro - there's a reason why you are "The Pro" - you do the work, you consider alternatives and most importantly you experiment - this is the mark of a scientist.
Confidence is derived from experience and learning from failure
Also - I've seen you debate on multiple platforms with people who are spouting stuff they've read but not done themselves - they tend to go quiet after about 5 posts lol
Make no apologies to the internet for who you are - you are awesome
Check your patreon because I'm buying you a beer - this video really helped me understand where my most recent failures may have derived from
Cheers
I definitely don't think you come across as arrogant. The work you put into this channel and videos being unbiased, is noticed by me atleast. Keep up the dope work mate
Stirring tip. One of those cheap plastic fake credit cards is PERFECT for this. What happens is the pigment settles to the bottom. If you leave resin in the vat it's pure pigment at the bottom after sitting overnight. You know it's a good Credit card to use if the resin does not begin to melt the surface of card after first use. Some cards will degrade from the resin, but some will not and last forever, just wipe down after use. Wont' damage the FEP and you can wipe it off on the inside top of the vat to save the resin that sticks to it. : )
When I started out I had real problems with the paper method because I simply had no experience and people saying pulling papers was not exact enough. The Flint Read method saved my sanity and got me starting, now I do it with a paper because I know how it should feel.
Awesome video thanks from a newbie
The only thing that adhesion problem got fixed on my Sonic 4k white was increase light off to 17seconds, before that i used to have huge suction pop sounds, and i think it was actually the suction that was pulling parts of the build plate. I dunno how it work but the 17sec light off delay and 30mm/sec lift speed removed the suction pop sounds and now my prints stick perfectly.
Great vid.
Something I am now just starting to appreciate is where to place heavy supports. I just started placing my heavy support tips in the same plane. Meaning that I place one heavy at its lowest point and then add others along with the same layer (using the white ring to help its placement). It might be obvious but I used the ring to help find islands more-so than to use it to place support's that share the load. This seems to be a very important factor in getting successful prints = share the load!
1:53 When I have existing resin in the vat that's been sitting their a whole I notice that the opaque part had settled so I use a plastic scraper to stir it up but I also scraper the FEP with it until it's clear, then mix it done more and I only use that scraper for this purpose, nothing else. Been doing this for life 9 months and have had no problems.
Same, plastic scraper is the Way.
Hold the build plate like Spiderman shooting a web. Got it.
I own both an Anycubic Mono SE and Mono X. The Mono X instructions say to level using paper like you have demonstrated. The Mono SE interestingly say to install the vat, then place paper in the vat before leveling.
thats explain a lot.. thanks man...
wow.. ok cool.. Thank you lots man...
More great info! Underexposed layers can cause non stick fails too, not just underexposed bottom layers.
@
3DPrintingPro, very nice video thanks!
can you talk in your future video, about the Aliasing in slicers? maybe lychee? the concept of the AA in general, do we need to put everytime AA on etc..? :)
My current level method is a variation of the corner fdm method i used on my tronxy:
- I cut four strips of the level paper and place them in the four corner of the plate.
- Then i unscrew and lower the plate.
- Tighten one of the screws a little and see if the paper on the four corners behave the same.
- Usually the opposite corner paper might be more loose or pressured.
- If pressured tighten that side screw and loosen the other screw.
- If loose try to make a little pressure on that corner of the plate and then tighten screw. Check if the papers behave same on all corners.
- Tighten four screws and check the papers still behave same.
- When papers behave same on all corners raise Z till they continue pressured but you can slide then under the plate.
Oh thank you. I just bought a Mono X 6K printer and the seller told me to level the build screen with the FEP. Now I saw this video and re-leveled the build screen with the paper inside the box. Thanks for your tips
In my experience Temperature is the main cause for failures. I need to expose layers 50% longer than the bottle recommends because there's nowhere in my house that I can maintain 25c, provide sufficient ventilation and not have the noise irritate the people I live with. Also while Flint Read works, using the version I learned via the internet can result in a cracked screen if you don't have a bone dry vat and print bed, just fyi.
2:19 with the Sonic Mini 4K I can not print in my garage every since late fall. Oddly the Epax E6 prints totally fine in the garage, even over night in the winter. Maybe it warms itself up enough.
Interestingly the Epax is leveled in the factory. It worked right out of the box and I haven't even attempted to level it since.
Great instructional video. Another very common flaw is that the plate is warped. To test, draw a grid with a sharpie on the plate. Get a sheet of fine (600 grit or finer) wet and dry paper, soak it, lay on FLAT surface and polish plate with gentle circular motion. Keep even pressure. Check after a few passes. If sharpie wears off unevenly, then the plate is warped. Rinse, repeat until all sharpie lines gone. Plate is now flat.
This just confirmed a suspicion of mine. I had a successful print, but a part of my support raft did not adhere correctly to the build plate. I will be very diligently making sure I level properly now. This hobby is dependant on such specific tolerances that we really do need to adapt an engineer's mindset.
Cheers!
Love your videos , i use the fep and it has been fine , the paper method marked my fep. So i trust more the fep leveling , i also noticed not all the build plates are perfectly flat , it can be the case of uneven leveled plates . i sanded my build plate against a table with 300 and 3000 sand paper plus water ( in that order) then when it was perfectly flat i sanded it with 80 in one direction ( to leave marks) and had better results.
Nice tip!
There is more than one way to do things most times. This will depend on the skill of the user. Im mechanically inclined. Woodshed as a kid, then cars, metal work and weilding. Now my hands don't work so good, so 3d printing is a way to keep creating. I flint reed it in the vat and don't push down. The plate is plenty heavy for gravity to do the job if you don't mess with it. Tightening slowing on each screw is important, especially with printers like the OG Mars that only has 2 screws. The MonoX definitely has the weight to stay in place. Gravity is on your side, and it's the law.
Got the Mars 2 and ithas an build in spring to press down the plate. Works great.
Great video! It's actually convinced me to try leveling in my vat. I'm having issues with lines running parallel to the build plate because of too much surface tension. I'm hoping that a looser fit will help with those lines. There's no way I can orient the STL in such a way that there is less suction.
This time of year, temperature is king
How about when to set the Z0 settings after leveling? Should I go one up or 2 up 0.1mm
HUGE, HUGE THANKS for this. I didn't get the paper anywhere near as tight as that. AND I forgot to shake the resin bottle first (spot the newbie!).
Using the vat to level the plate does seem to be a recipe for disaster - risking damage to, and needing to replace, the FEP even before making a single successful print is a risk too far for me.
I used paper for my Photon, Mars 2P and Saturn. No issues ever.
The calibration card that came with my halot one pro was very thick. So I used the extra FEP that came with the printer for leveling. Even with the protection layers, it is thinner than the calibration card.
I have used the paper leveling method on my Mono 4K, and works great, use multiple build plates with it etc., Got an M3 and that thing is a finicky SOB, have leveled using the paper so many times, tore several FEPs with failed prints and nearly destroyed the screen with a leak. I am going to try the "Flint Read" method might help me.
Thanks G
One thing I've learned from running a little 3d printing side gig and having 7 resin printers. I use a paper tower in a plastic bin to scrape my models in to, little plastic bits find there way on to the build plate, so I no have a habit of checking my build plates for ANY tiny plastic pieces from the supports, they have ruined prints and FEP film. I run my metal scraper over the build plate.
Oh other great piece of advice....Epax metal spatula is AMAZING, it's so thin it gets under every print, anything from Phrozen, Elegoo, Creality, Volexal etc etc are the standard paint ones and they are dog crap, absolute garbage. Find a very very thin one, I can get everything off in one swipe with the Epax one.
I've found temperature to be super important, far more than most would think. I was printing a batch of identical minis, success after success, until I Iet the temperature get too high.
Read your MSDS and instructional manual folks. It almost never hurts.
True, I've build my Photons an insulated box with those tiny heaters you can directly plug into a socket and have temperature control. Constant 30°C (for my resin), works like a charm. Enough space to store my resin at the right temperature as well.
I guess I should re-level my build plate because I have been leveling it right to the screen, seems to print fine but I've only done a few prints so far? Ive got a Saturn by the way.
I think there's one other aspect that could cause a print to not stick to the build plate: wrong supports.
I tried to print a part and use all small supports when I should have used medium and large ones. The base ended up sticking to the vat and I could see where the supports failed due to not being strong enough to overcome the suction.
And thanks for this one video. It actually showed me how I was doing it wrong and now I'm able to actually print something! yeah for me.
I get the "arrogant" thing all the time as well (Born and raised in Brooklyn, and you and I are about the same age, so we are from teh same city...)
The rest of the nation just doesn't know how to deal with us. :-)
Going to relevel mine tonight. Amd love the spawn poster the gf has a signed one in the closet.
wait..in the closet??? why?? it's popular to come out the closet these days ;)
@@3dprintingpro212 ya we also got a signed copy of a lady death poster as well if I recall. :)
Thank you for speaking so plainly about this. No arrogance coming across whatsoever. So many people want to debate this... it's not rocket science. It's definitely partly the manufacturers faults, they are not exactly clear about it. For example, the Creality LD-002R simply shows leveling against the glass cover over the LCD, and all the folks on the creality LD FB page debate whether to use paper all the time. It's pretty tedious.
The other reason to use paper, instead of leveling against the glass or the dry FEP, is that a dry scratchy piece of aluminum is not exactly what you want rubbing against a surface you want to keep clear. All it takes, is a little bit of sliding around, or grabbing that build plate too quickly, and you've got little nicks and scrapes on your FEP or glass. Even a nice slick WAMBAM steel flexplate is relatively risky to slide around on bare FEP or glass.
Paper is the way.
I think the first thing you should do is actually see if the build plate is actually flat. Out of my admittedly small sample of 5, 4 actually had some surface bulging so that no amount of pressure was causing all the corners to actually make good contact and using carbon paper and a surface plate you could actually see high spots
Brand new here. I just bought an Anycubic 6k, I'm here to learn how to use it. But I do want to point out one reason the paper method may not work. The table. The surface. It should go without saying to use a flat surface for the paper-test. But some people may not think of everything... The vat method may prove a better option when people are testing the paper on rickety tables. Maybe the vat and the FEP was the 'more' level option.
Personally I think the paper method is better, but it's worth being the devil's advocate and showing (not telling) those other options.
I wouldn't say it's the only way but recently we're seeing a lot of gaskets, sovol vats, homemade screen protectors, bad manufacturers that are lifting the feps slightly. The paper level method ignores the possibility of any inconsistencies in the vat/fep. Some of these gaskets are thick and if you level on the paper your first few layers are 100% against the fep with no space. Thats why some only get good prints with the flint read method
Love the content and love your Bottom Line Up Front style. Any reviews or thoughts on the Elegoo Mars 2 Mono. For almost $100 less than the Mars 2 Pro it seems like it;s too good to be true.
My Sonic Mini 4k had issues with adhesion due to the manufacturer's tape around the LCD being way too thick. I also ended up changing to the epax nFEP, so it could have been a combination of both.
Sonic Mini 4k seems to have quality control issues.
I’ve been using elegoo water washable resin. I have to comment about temperature because my printer sits in my spare room, with the window open in the Scottish highlands. My room isn’t heated, so it can’t have been more than 15degrees Celsius over December/january, and my prints have all been fine - with an exposure time of 2.5 seconds normal layer.
Leveling in the vat will bring you .003 inches (approx paper thickness)closer to the light source. If your printer (build plate ) does not have a way to drop down another .003 inches after leveling with a piece of paper well then the first bottom layer will be .003 inches further away from the light source. The closer the better versus further away. But YES, both methods work. My build plate can be easily adjusted while in the vat because it is a custom design from Blue Cast offered on the Phrozen machines.
I love these videos...have searched for leveling videos, but I think the process is a bit different on the Anycubic Photon SE. The thing is the build plate is spring loaded and when it bottoms out it applies constant pressure on the build plate...I wonder if this requires different methods?
Thanks, I'll try this out. I'm having issues with resin sticking to the FEP and I think it's leveling.....
I would love to see a video showing a similar issue releveling with a whambam plate on the Epax E10 - the sensor adjustment etc. this process is not documented well anywhere! Some say just relevel normally sometimes you need to move the cutoff plate...this 2nd part seems like a good way to crack your screen
whambamsystems.com/fbs-for-resin-support
So funny story with the IBEE: following the manufacturer's instructions, I could not get this machine to level consistently from print to print without the machine trying to grind its way through the screen without manual intervention (i.e. killing the power). One day it decided to do this DIRECTLY after I'd just leveled it via the instructions and had inserted the tank and naturally filled it for a print. I said eff this, leveled it at the bottom of the tank with resin in; presto! It activates the optical z-stop now every time and hasn't tried to destroy itself since doing it 'my way'.
Wow. I will have to take another look at my Mars 3, I thought you were supposed to be able to move the paper - that's what I've read several times.
If it can move, it has to be with great resistance...
@@3dprintingpro212 Thankyou Greg.
Can I ask your opinion of _this_ method? (4 minute video): ruclips.net/video/oYuE_nMvRzY/видео.html
I did read the manual that came with Elegoo Mars 3 when I bought it a few months ago, but the text isn't very well translated into English so I didn't quite understand what the instructions meant, by reading it again now, it looks like Elegoo recommend the same method the guy in the video uses; he doesn't actually go tight to the screen.
Oh, and now I've realized I missed a step! I didn't press "set Z=0" when I leveled. I am not so good at reading manuals.
22c sounds very, very warm. I'm wondering if that includes the temperature generated by the machine? I guess the only way to check for sure that the resin is above 22c would be to dip a thermometer in it.
Hmm, actually "to the vat" method was the only one described in my Sparkmaker FHD operating guide. Up until now I didn't even know you could do bed leveling the other way...
Interesting! I have never had a sparkmaker...
When I first got my Mars (tiny setcrews and the swivel head on the build table) I got several failures. I also noticed that no matter how many times I re-leveled, at least one corner was still up in the air (you could stick a piece of paper under the corner and it went in a ways (at home position after paper removed). Obviously the build table itself was not perfectly flat. What did I do? I leveled without anything- directly on the glass. Results? Have not had a failed print yet since then, and I print in a freezing cold room with no heat in the winter. : ) Just saying.
Creality LD series printers are leveled without anything covering the screen. Least that is how the instruction videos that come with the printer shows it done.
Off to relevel my printer... the Mars 2 says to make sure the paper can move... I am having issues so will definitely try this.
Greg, any thoughts when using a thicker FEP? I ended up with .2mm on my Anycubic PMX. I tried 2 sheets of paper, is that sufficient? What about adding a .1mm bump before setting zero?
GREAT VIDEO!! ... i printed yesterday with plate leveled on fep and my print failed :D
Thanks for this video. Maybe now ppl will actually stop with the voodoo and do check what is needed!
I would not be that much crazy with what manufacturer suggest. If they where perfect we would not have all those mods available.
Paper which I got with my Mono X was thicker than typical office paper is from 80g -100g. Judging by eye it was around 150g - 170g. So your regular paper is almost twice as thin as "recommended" (included with printer) paper. But who knows what type of paper others have at home. This is why people may fail multiple times at leveling with paper. And when you level to the vat, you press FEP to the screen, and even if it is not exactly correct, you are still good as long as build plate touches screen. So maybe it is not perfect way of doing it, but it is easier and fool proof as you always level to thickness you need and you have room for error as FEP is elastic.
For my printer, manufacturer instructions say the final tension on the paper should be: possible to pull out but not push back in under.
So, basically, would you recommend nudging up a micrometer or so in the software after leveling the printhead?
Yes a micrometer is a better alternative for precision most people that don't show measurements means they have little trade experience. Watching people like this gives me so much confidence lol
GOD,,, Thank you. I have been having fail after fail. I have trolled the internet which till now was another fail. Now I think I have it...
I have leveled the bed 20 to 30 times BUT, try not to laugh. IN THE VAT WHICH I HAD ON TOP OF PAPER!!! What do you recon? Problem found? 🤣🤣🤣
You can use a sheet of nFEB.
Creality LD-002H says to level on the glass, from my best understanding.
Do you recommend to put pressure on the build plate for leveling the Photon Mono 4K as well? Here in your video you say the paper shouldnt move, but a friend told me that for the 4K the paper should offer "some resistance" but must be "somewhat loosely". Im having lots of fails with my prints since I bought this 4K, most of the time sticking to the FEP and nothing gets printed unless I use 45 seconds of exposition time on the bottom layers. Would love to have your feedback, your channel rocks!
I do it so paper can just barely move, works on every machine I have ever used (over 60 different ones) :)
Well it depends how thick your paper is...and comapnies give different thickness papers for levelling...I have high quality digital calipers and I've seen "paper" as thick as 0.4mm been given by a comapny for levelling...and some say just "use a piece of paper", and the standard 80GSM printer paper is about 0.1mm thick...only 25% the thickness of the company I mentioned above.
The Phrozen nFep is 0.15mm thick...I've found, if I level with a single piece of paper straight onto the LCD, I end up with compressed prints, elephants foot, and dimples in my nFep. If I level with the vat on AND that same piece of paper...I don't get compressed prints, I don't get elephants foot and I don't get dimples in my nFep...and all my prints stick to the plate perfectly...if you don't want to use the vat, then use 3 sheets of 80gms printer paper instead of 1...