Just gotta say, of all the videos on RUclips, I love your explanations and detailed descriptions. Calming and feel like you are trying to help and not just some RUclips talking head. Thanks!! Love your guides. Hope your arm is ok!
Thanks man... this was just what I needed. I just took delivery on an Ender 3 v2, my first 3D printer. After assembling the Z axis and snugging everything up, the Z axis was bound up tighter than me the morning after eating a one pound rib eye. :-) After learning that this is not an uncommon problem and watching your video, I ended up fabricating a 1.26 mm aluminum spacer for behind the motor bracket. Now the Z rod is aligned perfectly and all is right with the world. I'm going to feed my dogs and then take this baby for a spin. Thanks again.
thanks for posting this. it helped me. I was having binding when i tried to do my first print above 230mm.. once i executed these steps and tuned my Z, life was good.
Amazing thanks for the help, i have just had a problem with my Z binding and i did not know what to do about it. until now after watching your Tutorial, very much appreciated for your work in explaining this so well.
7:02 is normal, the coupler is split half and half with the two stems of different sizes. If you allow the coupler to sit flush with the motor the motor stem would've taken up space on the other half of the coupler making it too short to grip the Z screw properly, I fit the Z screw into the coupler first before the other side. That ensures both sides got their half of the coupler.
At 7:10 you say: "just make sure there is 2mm space between your z-rod and your coupler on the inside." What does that mean? Is this 2mm space between the steppers rod and the z-rod?
It is well known issue that the Ender 3 z binding is caused by the defective extruder mount plate. The plate should have exactly 90 degree right angle. The factory quality control sometimes misses and let it slip through the shipment. You need to check the right angle with the square as naked eye ball isn't good enough to detect the error. When you bend the defective part back into exactly 90 degree angle, you will no longer need shim spacer for the z motor and now able to push the motor all the way into its place as it was designed to be.
8:35 My CR10 binds on that brass piece if tightened like you think it "should" be. I had to move the Z up and down and adjust it while it was moving until it smoothed out.
Thank you so much for your help on this. I was stuck on this issue for a good 3h thinking it was a firmware or wiring issue. I also switched the ends of my z rod that went into the coupler, just incase there was a bit of a bend that I could not see from the "roll" test you showed. Keep up the amazing videos :)
So im just got an Ender 3 pro and i noticed the first 3-5 layers are being squished. Z axis isnt going up enough to lay the next layer at proper height which is causing extruder to skip and prints to be a little shorter.. this is only happening mostly in the beginning. any tips?
I've been struggling with my prints being perfect for 2 layers and then not moving up. Pretty sure this is the fix. Thanks for taking the time to make this dude. Good stuff. Pretty sure you saved my ender 3's life today.😁
Thanks for making this video - I had a lead screw problem on my CR10 Mini, My vertical heights in my prints were nowhere near the height it supposed to be, turns out that adjusting the lead screw guide, by loosening the 2 screws made my lead screw much easier to turn, it was way too still to rotate, so your tip at about 10:00 in your video solved my problem, I am printing now, and the vertical height seems to be where it should be. I was also experiencing the stepper motor slipping as it was too tight. So Thanks!
Thanks (in advance). I'm going to have to go through this tomorrow with my printed as I've had for a while what I believe to be z-binding issues, where some layers are sort of like vague gaps, bit not entirely, so it's not like missing layers, they are just, shoddy, and appear as vague inward-dented lines at various heights. With a couple of millimeters to sometimes centimeters between the lines. I have already gone through cleaning and lubing the z-rod, and tinkering with the eccentric nuts on the x-gantry, which seemed to help at first when those 2cm calibration cubes finally came out nice. So i printed something taller, aaand after about 3-4 cm it came back.. So i only got it fixed at the lowest centimeters. So now when alive ruled out dirt and eccentric nuts, I have this entire video (and a bunch of comments to this video) to help me further as I had forgotten about these fixes. So thanks. I really hope your video will help me find the cause. I was wondering thou. When you talked avout the stepper motor, and being flush or potentially needing a spacer... How do I know that? Since I saw yoy could move the motor around... So... If it can be moved back and forth, how do I really know if I need a spacer, since IF there is a gap, why not just move it flush to the wall? How do I know where to place the stepper motor so that the z-rod will be straight, and properly 90 degrees so that the distance at the bottom (at coupler) AND the top of the z-rod (right below filament spool holder) has the same equal distance to the aluminium frame? Aka straight? Any easy way to check that? I also saw something about an L thing on the stepper motor that should be exactly 90 degrees bit sometimes isn't... What part is that? How do I check it? What so I do? And so on. Sorry for the massive post, I just have so many questions, and I wish ypu pros lived in the same city so i could ask someone to pop over and physically check my machine. 😅
At 5:33 of this video my stepper motor is actually lifted off the bottom rail enough to put maybe a 1mm washer completely underneath it. I can easily pass a piece of paper underneath it from front to back....is this normal? as i have 2 ender 3 v2's and their both like this
Easy fix for a spacer is buy a set of auto feeler gauges from like harbor freights. Should on be couple of bucks and be able to measure and space the difference by thousands of inch measurements. Just a suggestion
*ProTip*: Place the smallest allen wrench that comes with an Ender 3 UNDER the coupling for a spacer, tighten the grub screws then slide the wrench out.
Thanks for taking the Time and Effort to make these Videos...they are Wonderful! Did everything in the Video, my rod lined up perfectly with the motor shaft, but it takes a 'substantial' force to push the gantry down or up with one finger. Maybe the Ganty wheels are adjusted too tight? What do you think? And what would that equate to in my prints? I'm looking for a fix to my 'Regular' Horizontal bands every 1/4" or so on my prints...
Hi nice video, good job. I want to ask you if you can give the stl file of the white part on the z axle that prevent the filament touch the spiral iron? Thanks for the help.
I just did it. And Z axis seems quite a bit smoother to move down. Although it feels hard to move up. Maybe more than it previously used to. Is that normal?
Hey man love your stuff. I recently had an issue with my E3 Pro. I had watched a video of yours a few years back configuring TH3D with my CR Touch and it ran smooth as butter before this happened. I'm trying to locate the video but having difficulty. Could you point me in the right direction so I can properly configure my firmware? I have the 4.2.7 board and configuring on a MAC.
@Gabriel - Yea, my Z-rod seems to be functioning smoother now but I was just worried if screwing the Z-rod in would put additional pressure on the coupler, which may cause binding after some time.
Thank you for this! Fixed my binding issue. Your other video also helped me level my gantry! Well done! Question. I noticed my left roller w/centric is chewed up on both the inside. Was this due to it being to tight or when the gantry wasn't properly leveled?
In doing this, i found that the stepper wanted to rest closer to the rail instead of further (where it would require a shim). What would be the solution in this case? Filing down the mount to bring the motor closer to the rail?
If I understand, the lead screw is angles closer to the extrusion at the bottom. Depending on how far off it is, the bracket that the lead screw comes through the brass fitting could be bent slightly. If that bracket is off, that will cause that issues.
Your L-bracket with the extruder is malaligned bend it so the Z-screw slides into the coupler! The bracket metal is soft and two cresant wrenches will do the trick.
Does part with fixed distance is available? I tried set how you see in video, but my Z screw isn't let stable in trapeze screw... i can rotate it in trapeze screw
In relation to threaded rod alignment, Luke's document and your video addressed a front-to-back non parallel problem. I have a side-to-side non parallel problem on my Ender 3 Pro. When viewed from back to front, the threaded rod slants towards the right side. To make the rod parallel to the vertical strut when viewed from back to front, the motor has to be mounted around 2 to 3mm more towards the center of the printer. A motor mounting bracket with oval screw hole may work, but I haven't located one in Thinkiverse. Do you have a recommendation to fix the problem on my printer?
I don't think I have seen that issue yet. Did you make sure your frame is straight? If the uprights are not straight, it would cause the rod to be out of alignment side to side.
Great video Jim, love your work. Good morning Jim, my ender 3 pro has a dual z gantry z rods with one stepper motor running the gantry, and the z gantry only goes up half way up the z rods before clicking and basically won’t go any further. Although the printer continues to print, how can I resolve this? Thank you in advance.
No hagas esto amigo, necesitas enderezar el bracket que agarra el tornillo y el extruder, ese bracket esta mal de fabrica y necesita enderezar a 90 grados exactos, lo que el hace pone más estrés en tu motor y tornillo. Checa el bracket con una escuadra y verás que no está correcto.
If the horizontal axis doesn't move to finger pressure how do you fix this. I've loosened the wheels and still can get the axis to move to finger pressure
If your spacing was Ok, then doesn't it make this adjustment pointless as there would be no binding because the screw is straight and aligned with the stepper motor? I ask because I am having a Z axis issue. I have great adhesion, good solid flow but as the print goes upwards it seems like the nozzle does not go up enough to clear the previous layer. The nozzle impacts the previous layer and if it doesn't tear the model off is severely damages it at that point. If is survives the impacts it will eventually resume and complete, leaving a section that is badly blemished. Is this Z axis binding or something else? I'm using an Ender 3 Pro if it matters.
I would definitely walk through this because then maybe it will reset it for you. Even if you think it's working okay and no spacer is needed, just by taking it apart and putting it back together it could fix your issue. Also check your Z screw and make sure it's not worked and have you lubricated it at all? Thanks for watching!
@@TheEdgeofTech I agree. I decided last night to go thru it before I read your response. I also was looking up lubrication. My Ender is less than 3 weeks old, but that doesn't mean it doesn't need lube. What would you recommend? I've seen grease, oil, silicone based, non-silicone based and even teflon......too many choices. lol
@@TheEdgeofTech Going thru the motions really enlightened me as to how this thing works and got me thinking in other directions. Following the directions in your video showed me that my Z stepper is in line with the screw. I adjusted the coupling a bit as it was not all the way down, but the screw was mashed up against the steeper shaft. They are now separated. But I also found that the Z Axis support I installed at the top with a bearing was too tight and pushing the rod out slightly adding drag. I tried to file it (maybe 1-2mm) to fit perfectly at the BOTTOM near the stepper it was off when I placed it at the top. It was now correct for the bottom but left a gap at the top where it belonged. This told me my screw was sitting at a slight angle. (greater at top). I checked the screw - dead straight as far as I can tell on my glass table. I did all this with the this with the brass threaded part tight. So I believe the bracket that mounts the brass screw treads and extruder stepper is not square. Shimming the motor in this case would bind the screw as much if not more. The bracket needs to be completely disassembled and checked for square. However, removing the top Z axis support I added, lubricating the screw and loosening the brass part that the screw goes thru has improved performance greatly. I just finished a 116 mm tall cylinder and it went perfectly. So YES this video did help. It led me down a path that helped me successfully print but got me thinking about other areas to focus on. THANKS!
@@broderp Awesome! That's great to hear! We don't suggest adding bearing guides at the top because it could cause drag as you found out. But I'm so glad it got you thinking and looking more indep at how it all works, and in the end getting it to work as it should!
So i just put mine together and i cant manually push the bar up and down. I see other videos and it seems everyone else can. Is this a problem. Its seems to work when powered
It should go down with 1 finger and up with 2-3 fingers. If you already did this part, make sure your carriages are rolling nicely on either side, and not overtighten.
@@TheEdgeofTech I threw in the towel lol. But so far prints are coming out fantastic so until it becomes an issue I’m not overly concerned. I’m a week into this hobby lol
I was having every single print fail and stick to the nozzle after like 5mm and I found out this was my issue the Z axis was binding at the +5mm Z axis and couldn't elevate past it.
Hi I just started using my printer and I’ve been noticing my prints in the a axis have been failing after a certain height. And I’ve noticed my rod doesn’t do well going up. Noticed there’s a screw missing on the stepper motor and I think that’s the issue. Do you know where I could find that ?
I have tried multiple times to do this. Mine is still skipping. It goes down just fine, but up it starts doing this. Weirdly, if I hold the extruder down manually it is fine. If I put pressure on the little thing above the Z-motor that holds the Z rod (not sure how it is called) it also works just fine. Of course I can't stand there for 6 hours. The motor also spins just fine without the rod inserted. Tried adjusting motor's position, no luck. Tried the screws around the extruder, tight/loose (in many steps), no luck. It seems like the extruder is too heavy for the rod. Which is weird because the printer worked fine for almost a week, I got a couple of models out of it.
I have an issue with z height. no matter the adjustment made on the z-rod position i can't print anything tall unless i sit and add baby steps to the height. it's like the stepper motor isn't calibrated correctly for a full 360 degrees. and i can't sit their all night adding baby steps to keep the nozzle from knocking over my print. any Ideas how to fix it. i've used my calipers to check spacing of my z-rod and it's almost perfectly vertical and doesn't bind anywhere. i'm at a loss and need some help. (skr mini e3 v1.2 - bltouch v3) and the latest marlin software.
hello! I just got my Ender 3 Pro and have been printing some suggested upgrades. I also printed the Z-axis-spacers, but I'm wondering if they will actually benefit me, because my prints are fine. Should I still install them? (stupid question, I know)
Oh yeah, Mine's messed haha. I have to really crank the screw while pulling up on the gantry just to get it to go up and down. I guess I know what I'll be doing tonight lol.
@@TheEdgeofTech Thanks! Turns out it was actually the eccentric nuts on the Z axis trunnion that was way too tight. Took the Z rod out and it just stayed put...yikes. Thanks for all your videos. Keep up the great work :)
Hi, I don't seem to be having binding, but as the print height increases above a certain height, it regularly slips down as if it can't hold itself in the correct position. I'm therefore getting major banding, if not failures, where the print gets squashed. Any ideas would be much appreciated - I've tightened every sort of nut and screw I could find 😆
I have a similar problem, where the first 8mm of the print in z direction seem overextruded/squeezed with elephants foot, after that the quality is almost perfect. i found out that my z rod only binds very the home point.
@@jimswan9572 My final fix was to use an anti backlash nut for the threaded rod. The brass threads have some slack, this means that after moving down, the first movements upward have no effect- this is more or less a problem with every threaded z axis. While the Backlash nut fixed most of this Problem, i modified the starting gcode to copensate the remaining slack. My prints are now flawless in terms of elephantsfooting/slack in Z direction. Here's the code i came up with, you can easiliy edit it in cura(Added only four lines in total) G1 X0.1 Y20 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to start position G1 Z0.4 G92 Z0.3 After moving to the start position, the G1 line tells it to move up to 0.4, the G92 line tells the printer that the current height is 0.3. (basically, we made an extra 0.1 move the machine doens't know about) G1 X5 Y20Z0.1 F5000.0 ; Move over to prevent blob squish G1 Z0.2 G92 Z0.1 ; 0.1 After the the second plastic line on the print bed, we do the same thing. You can play around with different values until it fits perfectly.
I do not agree that this is how to fix Z Binding Issues, The Z rod needs to be aligned in both verticals not just front to back. You need to measure with the X gantry in the top of the z screw the distance it is from the upright top and bottom and then shim or adjust until it is, not just look for a gap. Then do the same for the left to right so it too is aligned with the upright. Then you do not leave the the the nut that raises and lowers the x gantry loose, as this will cause layer height issues. If every thing is aligned correctly you will not get z banding and you don't need to leave things loose to compensate for your pore assembly of you printer. Every thing on my ender 3 is aligned, squared and tighten up and I get not even a whiff of z banding, it also helps that my z rod is straight and not bent and if yours is it really needs to be replaced.
Hello, I have a problem, the X gantry slides very easily but the nozzle literally bumps into the print when its doing travel moves, like bumping into infill and such, BUT the really weird thing is that this happens on like half of the layers. For example on the first two layers it doesn't occur but after it does this for 10 layers straight and then stop after. Like HOW?
@@iFireender yes, a long time ago actually. The nozzle wasn't perpendicular to the bed, and since it doesn't do the same moves on every layer, it doesn't smack in to the print every time. It only hits the layer for example when it's moving left. Undo the 2 screws holding in the hotend heatsink and adjust it for it to be more perpendicular to the bed
Holy… I’ve been printing perfectly without screwing in my z rod. By that I mean if I tried to manually move the x axis fast upwards the z rod would normally come out. I saw this video not because I have a problem but I was just interested what problems someone would have. I might fix mine but in all honesty it’s printing perfectly.
Non-sense, the Z-rod and extruder bracket is a soft metal that can be bent easily with two crescent wrenches. Simply move the screw out of the coupling and bend the L-bracket so that it lines up in the coupling hole. I did that to mine and now the extruder and X-axis bar coast almost down to the bed when I turn off the steppers.
I have the stupid default problem the ender 3 V2’s have. We’re the stepper motor is raised at the back end as soon as you tighten the screws. I’ve tried a cardboard shim at the back, and that worked ok. But then, I noticed , the first few layers were poor, yet the rest was perfection. Driving me crazy, anyone point me to get this fixed.
My z axis isn't binding, but slipping! I tightened everything up, but even when I'm not touching it, my x gantry just starts drifting lower and lower, just from gravity. What would be the troubleshooting for that?
There are a few names for it, bit you are right, one of them is the lead screw. There also is Z Rod, Z Screw etc. I referred to it as the Z Rod in the video. Thanks for the feedback, and Thanks for watching!
I've seen users print out a support part on top of the Z-rod (with or without a bearing). Like this one www.thingiverse.com/thing:3080912 Do you think it helps with stability?
I talked to Luke, and he advised against it. He said that it could cause defects if used. Since the machines are not perfectly straight it could cause a binding issue itself.
ah, I see you did so many thumbs up you overloaded your forearm coupler.. its even stuck in the thumbs up position! - you might need a firmware update and a new forearm bar.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Just gotta say, of all the videos on RUclips, I love your explanations and detailed descriptions. Calming and feel like you are trying to help and not just some RUclips talking head. Thanks!! Love your guides. Hope your arm is ok!
Thanks man... this was just what I needed. I just took delivery on an Ender 3 v2, my first 3D printer. After assembling the Z axis and snugging everything up, the Z axis was bound up tighter than me the morning after eating a one pound rib eye. :-) After learning that this is not an uncommon problem and watching your video, I ended up fabricating a 1.26 mm aluminum spacer for behind the motor bracket. Now the Z rod is aligned perfectly and all is right with the world. I'm going to feed my dogs and then take this baby for a spin. Thanks again.
Placing a washer in between the z motor and the frame fixed all my woes. You're the man.
I love this channel. This has to be one of the best intros ever!
thanks for posting this. it helped me. I was having binding when i tried to do my first print above 230mm.. once i executed these steps and tuned my Z, life was good.
Amazing thanks for the help, i have just had a problem with my Z binding and i did not know what to do about it. until now after watching your Tutorial, very much appreciated for your work in explaining this so well.
7:02 is normal, the coupler is split half and half with the two stems of different sizes. If you allow the coupler to sit flush with the motor the motor stem would've taken up space on the other half of the coupler making it too short to grip the Z screw properly, I fit the Z screw into the coupler first before the other side. That ensures both sides got their half of the coupler.
great video man! by just removing and putting back the stepper motor again, the thing got fixed magically. now its working fine
It worked....THANKS!!!!! Now I know what to do in the future if the Z binding issues reappears!
Glad it worked! Thanks for watching!
At 7:10 you say: "just make sure there is 2mm space between your z-rod and your coupler on the inside."
What does that mean? Is this 2mm space between the steppers rod and the z-rod?
Yes between stepper rod and Z rod
Outstanding, I’m a newbie and couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Subbed!
It is well known issue that the Ender 3 z binding is caused by the defective extruder mount plate. The plate should have exactly 90 degree right angle. The factory quality control sometimes misses and let it slip through the shipment. You need to check the right angle with the square as naked eye ball isn't good enough to detect the error. When you bend the defective part back into exactly 90 degree angle, you will no longer need shim spacer for the z motor and now able to push the motor all the way into its place as it was designed to be.
It's much better to align the L-bracket to the coupler than to add spacers to the Z stepper motor to compensate for a misaligned extruder L-bracket.
Exactly. i just noticed that on my printer. hell man what a mess of quallity ensurance. ;(
@@pulponair Which mount plate is this? Connecting which part to which part?
@@joellajoie-corriveau477 Are you asking for the L-Bracket?
@@pulponair I ended up figuring it out but yeah. It's the bracket that connects the printing head to the z screw and the X gantry.
Thanks! Fixed my minor issue ... did not use a washer like suggested a chunk of bristle board ... Thanks again. No binding and all prints swell.
8:35 My CR10 binds on that brass piece if tightened like you think it "should" be. I had to move the Z up and down and adjust it while it was moving until it smoothed out.
It's a good idea to keep those screws loose on the brass, and to move up and down all the way at least once to make sure it's not binding.
Hello! Can you add the link to the little guide you printed to prevent the filament from hitting the rod? Thank you :)
Thanks man ! I just had a Z-axis issue last few days, and will use your guides to fix it.
did u fix it?
Thank you so much for your help on this. I was stuck on this issue for a good 3h thinking it was a firmware or wiring issue. I also switched the ends of my z rod that went into the coupler, just incase there was a bit of a bend that I could not see from the "roll" test you showed. Keep up the amazing videos :)
So im just got an Ender 3 pro and i noticed the first 3-5 layers are being squished. Z axis isnt going up enough to lay the next layer at proper height which is causing extruder to skip and prints to be a little shorter.. this is only happening mostly in the beginning. any tips?
Thanks so much!!! I was trying to fix my ender 3 for a looong time, now I could do it! you saved me!!!
Awesome! Thanks for watching!! I hope it goes well and you get it fixed!
I've been struggling with my prints being perfect for 2 layers and then not moving up. Pretty sure this is the fix. Thanks for taking the time to make this dude. Good stuff. Pretty sure you saved my ender 3's life today.😁
did it solve your problem? I'm having this issue too
This Video helped me so much!!! Thankyou from Germany 👍😎✌
Thanks Mankind!
LOL
Thank you so much. Just checking some part I got it working. Thought I'd have to replace stuff
thx, i was stuck with this problem for hours
Thanks for making this video - I had a lead screw problem on my CR10 Mini, My vertical heights in my prints were nowhere near the height it supposed to be, turns out that adjusting the lead screw guide, by loosening the 2 screws made my lead screw much easier to turn, it was way too still to rotate, so your tip at about 10:00 in your video solved my problem, I am printing now, and the vertical height seems to be where it should be. I was also experiencing the stepper motor slipping as it was too tight. So Thanks!
He looks like he did the same as me with his left arm. Give the ender 3 a swift crack when it kept binding
Thanks (in advance). I'm going to have to go through this tomorrow with my printed as I've had for a while what I believe to be z-binding issues, where some layers are sort of like vague gaps, bit not entirely, so it's not like missing layers, they are just, shoddy, and appear as vague inward-dented lines at various heights. With a couple of millimeters to sometimes centimeters between the lines.
I have already gone through cleaning and lubing the z-rod, and tinkering with the eccentric nuts on the x-gantry, which seemed to help at first when those 2cm calibration cubes finally came out nice.
So i printed something taller, aaand after about 3-4 cm it came back.. So i only got it fixed at the lowest centimeters.
So now when alive ruled out dirt and eccentric nuts, I have this entire video (and a bunch of comments to this video) to help me further as I had forgotten about these fixes.
So thanks. I really hope your video will help me find the cause.
I was wondering thou.
When you talked avout the stepper motor, and being flush or potentially needing a spacer... How do I know that? Since I saw yoy could move the motor around... So... If it can be moved back and forth, how do I really know if I need a spacer, since IF there is a gap, why not just move it flush to the wall? How do I know where to place the stepper motor so that the z-rod will be straight, and properly 90 degrees so that the distance at the bottom (at coupler) AND the top of the z-rod (right below filament spool holder) has the same equal distance to the aluminium frame? Aka straight?
Any easy way to check that?
I also saw something about an L thing on the stepper motor that should be exactly 90 degrees bit sometimes isn't... What part is that? How do I check it? What so I do? And so on.
Sorry for the massive post, I just have so many questions, and I wish ypu pros lived in the same city so i could ask someone to pop over and physically check my machine. 😅
Thanks for the informative video and nice to see your arm miraculously repaires itself mid video too 😆
Can you share the link in Thingiverse which is a filament guide
At 5:33 of this video my stepper motor is actually lifted off the bottom rail enough to put maybe a 1mm washer completely underneath it. I can easily pass a piece of paper underneath it from front to back....is this normal? as i have 2 ender 3 v2's and their both like this
still useful 4 years later 👍 helped me with my 3v2
Thank you. Exactly what i was searching for!
I appreciate your videos. Videos like this are simply amazing. Thank you
This video was so helpful thank you
Saved my life thank you
Easy fix for a spacer is buy a set of auto feeler gauges from like harbor freights. Should on be couple of bucks and be able to measure and space the difference by thousands of inch measurements. Just a suggestion
Nice Idea! I may have to get a set of spacers!
*ProTip*: Place the smallest allen wrench that comes with an Ender 3 UNDER the coupling for a spacer, tighten the grub screws then slide the wrench out.
Thanks for taking the Time and Effort to make these Videos...they are Wonderful! Did everything in the Video, my rod lined up perfectly with the motor shaft, but it takes a 'substantial' force to push the gantry down or up with one finger. Maybe the Ganty wheels are adjusted too tight? What do you think? And what would that equate to in my prints? I'm looking for a fix to my 'Regular' Horizontal bands every 1/4" or so on my prints...
Very helpful, thank you.
Hi nice video, good job. I want to ask you if you can give the stl file of the white part on the z axle that prevent the filament touch the spiral iron? Thanks for the help.
It's been a while so I'm not sure which one that was, but this is the one I like to use! For the Ender 3 at least! www.thingiverse.com/thing:3184816
@@TheEdgeofTech thanks keep the good work
Many thanks. Helped a lot.
Your a lifesaver man, thx so much.
Glad to help Thanks for watching!!
Thanks for your videos man!
It's my pleasure! Thanks for watching!
I just did it. And Z axis seems quite a bit smoother to move down. Although it feels hard to move up. Maybe more than it previously used to. Is that normal?
Yes. If you get it adjusted correctly, it will be harder to move up than down. As long as it's all straight at the coupler and screw you are good.
@@TheEdgeofTech Got it. Thanks
Hey man love your stuff. I recently had an issue with my E3 Pro. I had watched a video of yours a few years back configuring TH3D with my CR Touch and it ran smooth as butter before this happened. I'm trying to locate the video but having difficulty. Could you point me in the right direction so I can properly configure my firmware? I have the 4.2.7 board and configuring on a MAC.
Is it normal for my Z-rod to have to be screwed back in instead of simply being dropped into the coupler at 4:21?
@Gabriel - Yea, my Z-rod seems to be functioning smoother now but I was just worried if screwing the Z-rod in would put additional pressure on the coupler, which may cause binding after some time.
hi that help but can not get it to move down at all.
ty I get it now. our awesome
Glad you got it!
Thank you for this! Fixed my binding issue. Your other video also helped me level my gantry! Well done! Question. I noticed my left roller w/centric is chewed up on both the inside. Was this due to it being to tight or when the gantry wasn't properly leveled?
Thanks dude, great video.
Thanks!
In doing this, i found that the stepper wanted to rest closer to the rail instead of further (where it would require a shim). What would be the solution in this case? Filing down the mount to bring the motor closer to the rail?
If I understand, the lead screw is angles closer to the extrusion at the bottom. Depending on how far off it is, the bracket that the lead screw comes through the brass fitting could be bent slightly. If that bracket is off, that will cause that issues.
@@TheEdgeofTechYou are correct! I do believe there is a video on this. Ill have to try bending it back. Thank you!
Your L-bracket with the extruder is malaligned bend it so the Z-screw slides into the coupler! The bracket metal is soft and two cresant wrenches will do the trick.
Stanford Douglas Crescent wrench
Omg- after doing all this, and going to screw the Z stop back in, i noticed i'd never wired the Z stop in the first place. lol 🤦♀️
Lol
it be like that homie
Does part with fixed distance is available? I tried set how you see in video, but my Z screw isn't let stable in trapeze screw... i can rotate it in trapeze screw
In relation to threaded rod alignment, Luke's document and your video addressed a front-to-back non parallel problem. I have a side-to-side non parallel problem on my Ender 3 Pro. When viewed from back to front, the threaded rod slants towards the right side. To make the rod parallel to the vertical strut when viewed from back to front, the motor has to be mounted around 2 to 3mm more towards the center of the printer. A motor mounting bracket with oval screw hole may work, but I haven't located one in Thinkiverse. Do you have a recommendation to fix the problem on my printer?
I don't think I have seen that issue yet. Did you make sure your frame is straight? If the uprights are not straight, it would cause the rod to be out of alignment side to side.
my z axis is crooked and i want to put in a spacer. What's a washer?
Great video Jim, love your work.
Good morning Jim, my ender 3 pro has a dual z gantry z rods with one stepper motor running the gantry, and the z gantry only goes up half way up the z rods before clicking and basically won’t go any further. Although the printer continues to print, how can I resolve this? Thank you in advance.
Definitely sounds like you have some binding going on. Will it go further if you twist the couplers with your hands?
Esto es el que estaba buscando! Muchas Gracias.
No hagas esto amigo, necesitas enderezar el bracket que agarra el tornillo y el extruder, ese bracket esta mal de fabrica y necesita enderezar a 90 grados exactos, lo que el hace pone más estrés en tu motor y tornillo. Checa el bracket con una escuadra y verás que no está correcto.
what is the distance that you should have between the coupler and the z motor?
If the horizontal axis doesn't move to finger pressure how do you fix this. I've loosened the wheels and still can get the axis to move to finger pressure
May be a stupid question but, have you ensured stepper motors are disabled?
Are you saying up or down?
Not a stupid question, always make sure your steppers are off before moving them manually.
Belt tension too high?
If your spacing was Ok, then doesn't it make this adjustment pointless as there would be no binding because the screw is straight and aligned with the stepper motor? I ask because I am having a Z axis issue. I have great adhesion, good solid flow but as the print goes upwards it seems like the nozzle does not go up enough to clear the previous layer. The nozzle impacts the previous layer and if it doesn't tear the model off is severely damages it at that point. If is survives the impacts it will eventually resume and complete, leaving a section that is badly blemished. Is this Z axis binding or something else?
I'm using an Ender 3 Pro if it matters.
I would definitely walk through this because then maybe it will reset it for you. Even if you think it's working okay and no spacer is needed, just by taking it apart and putting it back together it could fix your issue. Also check your Z screw and make sure it's not worked and have you lubricated it at all? Thanks for watching!
@@TheEdgeofTech I agree. I decided last night to go thru it before I read your response. I also was looking up lubrication. My Ender is less than 3 weeks old, but that doesn't mean it doesn't need lube. What would you recommend? I've seen grease, oil, silicone based, non-silicone based and even teflon......too many choices. lol
@@broderp Awesome! Did it help? You probably don't need it yet, but I use PTFE (Teflon) lube. I think it's called Super Lube.
@@TheEdgeofTech Going thru the motions really enlightened me as to how this thing works and got me thinking in other directions. Following the directions in your video showed me that my Z stepper is in line with the screw. I adjusted the coupling a bit as it was not all the way down, but the screw was mashed up against the steeper shaft. They are now separated. But I also found that the Z Axis support I installed at the top with a bearing was too tight and pushing the rod out slightly adding drag. I tried to file it (maybe 1-2mm) to fit perfectly at the BOTTOM near the stepper it was off when I placed it at the top. It was now correct for the bottom but left a gap at the top where it belonged. This told me my screw was sitting at a slight angle. (greater at top). I checked the screw - dead straight as far as I can tell on my glass table. I did all this with the this with the brass threaded part tight.
So I believe the bracket that mounts the brass screw treads and extruder stepper is not square. Shimming the motor in this case would bind the screw as much if not more. The bracket needs to be completely disassembled and checked for square. However, removing the top Z axis support I added, lubricating the screw and loosening the brass part that the screw goes thru has improved performance greatly. I just finished a 116 mm tall cylinder and it went perfectly.
So YES this video did help. It led me down a path that helped me successfully print but got me thinking about other areas to focus on. THANKS!
@@broderp Awesome! That's great to hear! We don't suggest adding bearing guides at the top because it could cause drag as you found out. But I'm so glad it got you thinking and looking more indep at how it all works, and in the end getting it to work as it should!
So if i understand correctly , you should tune yourself something that you paid for and should be done at the factory ?
You can't expect 100% working and adjusted printer for such price
Could this be causing my super tiny almost imperceptible layer shift every 2 to 30mm in the z axis?
It could if there is a small wobble
I love the way you put things in laymans terms for the complete idiot like me!
Haha Thanks for watching!
Where did you order your tools. I need them 4 the # of times I have had to add and remove everything yo try aligning
any idea why my z axis will only rise even when i auto home it only rises?
Thanks
It worked yeah
Greetings from Germany
Awesome!
So i just put mine together and i cant manually push the bar up and down. I see other videos and it seems everyone else can. Is this a problem. Its seems to work when powered
It should go down with 1 finger and up with 2-3 fingers. If you already did this part, make sure your carriages are rolling nicely on either side, and not overtighten.
@@TheEdgeofTech I threw in the towel lol. But so far prints are coming out fantastic so until it becomes an issue I’m not overly concerned. I’m a week into this hobby lol
I'm getting shaking because after like two hours somewhere on the print something us scrubbing
New to 3d printing! Love the videos! Shouldn't you be building bikes with your family though, Michael Joseph Teutul! Lol
I had this Issue my threaded rod was super loose .
helped me. thanks
Glad it helped, thanks for watching!!
I was having every single print fail and stick to the nozzle after like 5mm and I found out this was my issue the Z axis was binding at the +5mm Z axis and couldn't elevate past it.
Awesome! I am glad it helped! Thanks for watching!!
Hi I just started using my printer and I’ve been noticing my prints in the a axis have been failing after a certain height. And I’ve noticed my rod doesn’t do well going up. Noticed there’s a screw missing on the stepper motor and I think that’s the issue. Do you know where I could find that ?
What if I cant push it down with one finger
And what do you do when neither of this and the Gantry Rework fail to address ones issues?
What's the issue you are having?
I have tried multiple times to do this. Mine is still skipping. It goes down just fine, but up it starts doing this. Weirdly, if I hold the extruder down manually it is fine. If I put pressure on the little thing above the Z-motor that holds the Z rod (not sure how it is called) it also works just fine. Of course I can't stand there for 6 hours. The motor also spins just fine without the rod inserted. Tried adjusting motor's position, no luck. Tried the screws around the extruder, tight/loose (in many steps), no luck. It seems like the extruder is too heavy for the rod. Which is weird because the printer worked fine for almost a week, I got a couple of models out of it.
I have issues with my printer bed locking up and grinds when powered up some one help
I have an issue with z height. no matter the adjustment made on the z-rod position i can't print anything tall unless i sit and add baby steps to the height. it's like the stepper motor isn't calibrated correctly for a full 360 degrees. and i can't sit their all night adding baby steps to keep the nozzle from knocking over my print.
any Ideas how to fix it. i've used my calipers to check spacing of my z-rod and it's almost perfectly vertical and doesn't bind anywhere.
i'm at a loss and need some help. (skr mini e3 v1.2 - bltouch v3) and the latest marlin software.
Can’t find anything that defines binding so that I can ensure that binding is my issue?
Can somebody help
hello! I just got my Ender 3 Pro and have been printing some suggested upgrades. I also printed the Z-axis-spacers, but I'm wondering if they will actually benefit me, because my prints are fine. Should I still install them? (stupid question, I know)
Awesome! There isn't any stupid questions! I would not do anything with the z spacing if you are not seeing any issues! Thanks for watching!
@@TheEdgeofTech Thank you!
Oh yeah, Mine's messed haha. I have to really crank the screw while pulling up on the gantry just to get it to go up and down. I guess I know what I'll be doing tonight lol.
Glad you caught it and I hope this helps!
@@TheEdgeofTech Thanks! Turns out it was actually the eccentric nuts on the Z axis trunnion that was way too tight. Took the Z rod out and it just stayed put...yikes.
Thanks for all your videos. Keep up the great work :)
I've done all this and still having issues with Z banding on my prints, not major but enough to plainly see
Full Metal Abacus Try some grease
THANKS JIM!
Hi, I don't seem to be having binding, but as the print height increases above a certain height, it regularly slips down as if it can't hold itself in the correct position. I'm therefore getting major banding, if not failures, where the print gets squashed. Any ideas would be much appreciated - I've tightened every sort of nut and screw I could find 😆
I have a similar problem, where the first 8mm of the print in z direction seem overextruded/squeezed with elephants foot, after that the quality is almost perfect. i found out that my z rod only binds very the home point.
@@leonda4817 Didja put a spacer in behind the z motor bracket? I had this too and it fixed me
@@jimswan9572 My final fix was to use an anti backlash nut for the threaded rod. The brass threads have some slack, this means that after moving down, the first movements upward have no effect- this is more or less a problem with every threaded z axis.
While the Backlash nut fixed most of this Problem, i modified the starting gcode to copensate the remaining slack. My prints are now flawless in terms of elephantsfooting/slack in Z direction.
Here's the code i came up with, you can easiliy edit it in cura(Added only four lines in total)
G1 X0.1 Y20 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to start position
G1 Z0.4
G92 Z0.3
After moving to the start position, the G1 line tells it to move up to 0.4,
the G92 line tells the printer that the current
height is 0.3. (basically, we made an extra 0.1 move the machine doens't know about)
G1 X5 Y20Z0.1 F5000.0 ; Move over to prevent blob squish
G1 Z0.2
G92 Z0.1 ; 0.1
After the the second plastic line on the print bed, we do the same thing.
You can play around with different values until it fits perfectly.
I do not agree that this is how to fix Z Binding Issues, The Z rod needs to be aligned in both verticals not just front to back. You need to measure with the X gantry in the top of the z screw the distance it is from the upright top and bottom and then shim or adjust until it is, not just look for a gap. Then do the same for the left to right so it too is aligned with the upright. Then you do not leave the the the nut that raises and lowers the x gantry loose, as this will cause layer height issues. If every thing is aligned correctly you will not get z banding and you don't need to leave things loose to compensate for your pore assembly of you printer. Every thing on my ender 3 is aligned, squared and tighten up and I get not even a whiff of z banding, it also helps that my z rod is straight and not bent and if yours is it really needs to be replaced.
Hello, I have a problem, the X gantry slides very easily but the nozzle literally bumps into the print when its doing travel moves, like bumping into infill and such, BUT the really weird thing is that this happens on like half of the layers. For example on the first two layers it doesn't occur but after it does this for 10 layers straight and then stop after. Like HOW?
same here. Did you manage to fix your issue?
@@iFireender yes, a long time ago actually. The nozzle wasn't perpendicular to the bed, and since it doesn't do the same moves on every layer, it doesn't smack in to the print every time. It only hits the layer for example when it's moving left. Undo the 2 screws holding in the hotend heatsink and adjust it for it to be more perpendicular to the bed
I'm having the same issue. Will give that a try
Great video! It could do with a 90% reduction in the amount of "go ahead" used, though.
Holy… I’ve been printing perfectly without screwing in my z rod. By that I mean if I tried to manually move the x axis fast upwards the z rod would normally come out. I saw this video not because I have a problem but I was just interested what problems someone would have. I might fix mine but in all honesty it’s printing perfectly.
Non-sense, the Z-rod and extruder bracket is a soft metal that can be bent easily with two crescent wrenches. Simply move the screw out of the coupling and bend the L-bracket so that it lines up in the coupling hole. I did that to mine and now the extruder and X-axis bar coast almost down to the bed when I turn off the steppers.
That is definitely another way to do it! I am glad that worked for you!
I have the stupid default problem the ender 3 V2’s have.
We’re the stepper motor is raised at the back end as soon as you tighten the screws.
I’ve tried a cardboard shim at the back, and that worked ok.
But then, I noticed , the first few layers were poor, yet the rest was perfection.
Driving me crazy, anyone point me to get this fixed.
11:00 is good
Let's see if this fixes my problem!
My z axis doesn't move at all
Thought this was my problem
turns out my printer ripped out the z plug
My z axis isn't binding, but slipping! I tightened everything up, but even when I'm not touching it, my x gantry just starts drifting lower and lower, just from gravity. What would be the troubleshooting for that?
FYI that screw rod that you’re calling a “z” rod is actually called a “lead screw”.
There are a few names for it, bit you are right, one of them is the lead screw. There also is Z Rod, Z Screw etc. I referred to it as the Z Rod in the video. Thanks for the feedback, and Thanks for watching!
The Edge of Tech that’s gotta be hard for you to swallow
6:48
💕👍
I've seen users print out a support part on top of the Z-rod (with or without a bearing). Like this one www.thingiverse.com/thing:3080912 Do you think it helps with stability?
To be honest, I am not sure. But I can ask Luke and see what he thinks!
I talked to Luke, and he advised against it. He said that it could cause defects if used. Since the machines are not perfectly straight it could cause a binding issue itself.
My z rod was refusing to at all hopefully this fixes it. Also i just got it today
ah, I see you did so many thumbs up you overloaded your forearm coupler.. its even stuck in the thumbs up position! - you might need a firmware update and a new forearm bar.