Author: Jonathan van Heijzen

For those using Klipper, they just released a pretty major change in the way that they store files. When I updated to the latest version all of my config files disappeared. As I looked into it, there seemed to be a lot of other people experiencing the same issue. It turns out that my files did not disappear at all. They were still there, they just had the incorrect file permissions. Here is how I was able to fix it after some Googling.

First, ssh into your pi and take a look in ~/printer_data/configand ~/klipper_config.

If your files are in one of those places, then you should be fine. If neither of those folders has your config files, then that is a separate issue entirely and you should reinstall moonraker and klipper. If you were able to see the config files in your ssh session, but not from your web access, then run the following commands in ssh.

cd ~/moonraker
git pull
./scripts/data-path-fix.sh

Someone recently wondered why they were losing details on their prints that they were making with their FDM printer. To be fair, the best way to get really good details in 3d prints is to use a resin printer. They are just better at it. However, if your situation dictates that you use a FDM printer, there are a couple of things that you can do to get a little more detail from your prints. 

First of all, reduce the layer height. Many slicers have a default layer height of 0.2mm. This means that you will definitely be able to see the layer lines and lose a significant amount of detail. Each machine is different, I’ve found the best setting for mine to be 0.08mm, but you should experiment with different settings to see what yours is. Most FDM printers are more accurate in X and Y than they are in Z, so this will resolve a lot of your problems.

Another fix that you can try is to reorient the print. Lithopanes, for example, are usually printed vertically. Even though the structure is more stable laying flat, it’s difficult to obtain the detail needed for a lithopane in that orientation.

One side of print looks great, the other looks horrible.

A user recently posted this summary on a help forum. Temperature and cooling play a big role in part quality of 3d prints. The user had their PLA hotend temperature set too high. Additionally, they were underextruding and had their retraction settings incorrect. 

Many 3d printing problems can be resolved by going to the basics. Calibrate X, Y, Z, and your extruder. Make sure your bed is level. Run a retraction tower and a temperature tower. Make sure your filament is dry.

When you get layer shift, check your belt tension first. There are other contributing factors, but this is by far the biggest cause of layer shift. As your printer gets broken in the belts will tend to loosen up. Also, as the weather changes things might move around and loosen up too. Most belts on hobby printers are kept tight with a cam. Each one is different, but they all have the general idea that you tighten it by rotating the cam until the belt is tight. 

I recently stumbled across MobileRaker on the iPhone app store. If you are using Klipper, MobileRaker makes things so easy for you. I would encourage you to use it. And if you aren’t using Klipper, I would encourage you to check it out. I’ve noticed a significant improvement in both the quality of my prints and the speed at which they print. Usually, those two things work against one another, but Klipper has managed to accomplish both.

Sometimes you just need something to put up on your mantle. It has no functional value to you or your family, It’s just for looks. In this case, you can enable “Vase Mode” in Cura. The official setting in Cura is “Spiralize Outer Contour” under the “Special Modes” settings group. This setting gives you no infill and only a single pass wall thickness. It’s not very strong, it really is something that is just for looks.

I saw a question from a new 3d printer who was asking about their filament not being pushed through, but they were definitely able to see the gears on the extruder turning. It is possible that the filament tensioner at the extruder end is not tight enough and not gripping the filament. The other possibility is a clogged nozzle. If you end up with this condition, an easy way to unclog your nozzle that works 75% of the time is to heat up the nozzle to 260 and then push the filament through by hand. Usually this removes the clog. If this doesn’t work, you will need to unclog it by following the steps in one of my previous posts: https://www.3dprinterrx.com/clogged-nozzle/

Winter is coming. If you are new to 3d printing make sure that your machine can hold temperatures properly. If you are in a warm area, you may not need to do anything, but if you are in a cold area you might want to consider getting an enclosure. Enclosures protect your 3d print from drafts, help you hold temperature better, and ensure that the temperature around your print is more consistent.

After a while, everything wears out, 3d printer components included. I noticed, not too long ago, that my bowden tube kept slipping out of the pneumatic fitting attached to the extruder. Whenever the extruder would feed filament it would push the tube out too.

Upon investigation, I found that there are little “teeth” inside of the pneumatic fitting the keep the tube in place. Pushing down the little plastic ring disengages the teeth and allows the tube to slip out. Over time, the teeth had worn out and needed to be replaced. On most extruders, this is a simple fix. Just find the right size pneumatic fitting and replace it.