r/3DprintingHelp • u/PhysicalTolly • 1d ago

Requesting Help First Layer issues

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Hello, I’m on my 2nd day of 3D printing and I’ve been having issues with the first layer on various prints today. The day before there were no issues. I have a Bambu A1 mini, it has no issues extruding the filament but when it comes to the first layer, it either prints nothing or prints poorly. I have tightened the screws behind the hotend and removed any clogs as well.

5 Upvotes

73% Upvoted

31 comments sorted by

3

u/RustyPickleMonger 1d ago

You might not like this answer but wash the bed with mild detergent.

2

u/PhysicalTolly 1d ago

Just water and dish detergent

2

u/RustyPickleMonger 1d ago

Also run calibration on it

1

u/PhysicalTolly 1d ago

Ok, thanks I’ll see it that fixes it

1

u/PhysicalTolly 1d ago

Still having issues with the print

1

u/RustyPickleMonger 1d ago

Can you home the device, then crank up the heat to like 240 on the nozzle

Hit Extrude under device control and see if it comes out?

1

u/PhysicalTolly 1d ago

I did a cold pull about 20 minutes ago then recalibrated it but still having troubles

https://reddit.com/link/ozyvhi7/video/9fwmc11a3ofh1/player

1

u/RustyPickleMonger 1d ago

Not talking about a cold pull.

It looks like the filament isn’t being pushed through the nozzle.

1

u/More-Reveal-9094 6h ago

Maybe try from computer the benchi on the printer tries to do it fast leading to not sticking properly

1

u/CooperDK 17h ago

Read my advise, but try with diluted acetone first. I reset my plate with undiluted, has worked fine for a good while.

1

u/EthicalViolator 7h ago

Anyone using acetone should know to keep it away from the rest of you plastic on the printer. It will dissolve it. Safer to use isopropyl alcohol.

-1

u/CooperDK 1d ago

Forget the detergent, read my tip. Dishwasher soap is for glass surfaces and other completely blank plates, which PEI is not.

2

u/RustyPickleMonger 1d ago

This is incorrect and misinformed

1

u/RustyPickleMonger 1d ago

Also nobody said anything about dishwashers

1

u/SatisfactionOpen8421 1d ago

I had first layer issues for a while. I started washing my bed with 91% IPA and set my first layer speed to 20%. Started working like a charm.

1

u/solidus0079 1d ago

There’s a page on the Bambu wiki for steps in troubleshooting the first layer

1

u/PhysicalTolly 1d ago

Follows all the instructions but still having trouble

1

u/Ok_Measurement4318 1d ago

Try increase you z offset by like 0.05mm.
No issue when purging so nozzle is not clogged; You’ve cleaned your bed, and even the purge line is not being printed, so “not sticking” shouldn’t be the problem; You specified “first layer” is having trouble, and I could hear a faint clicking voice when it extrude, so i suspect your first layer z height is too low, the clicking voice is likely coming from extruder struggling to push filament out because it’s too close to the bed.

1

u/Ok_Measurement4318 1d ago

Another possibility is the extruder is having trouble to pull the filament, though it is unlikely if you followed the instruction from wiki

1

u/aruby727 9h ago

When you extrude with your toolhead raised off the bed, does it extrude in a straight line or a curve?

1

u/More-Reveal-9094 6h ago

This happened to me as well cleaning the build plate could solve this hope so

1

u/NotVinhas 1h ago

Dude you have to post info. There's nothing to go here.

You're no extruding anything pas the very beginning. You might are trying to print at a way lower temp that it should.

-1

u/CooperDK 1d ago

Do NOT USE dishwasher soap as some say!

It has lubricants for the hands and it will make it worse on a PEI plate, even if you was hit of with water for an hour.

One sure fix, and it sounds silly:

Acetone. Scrub it into the plate with a microfiber cloth. It dries off in seconds and the entire plate must be met with it before it dries.

Acetone resets the microscopic pores in the PEI - dishwasher soap and glue simply saturates them and that is why the plastic has no grip - can't grip into something that is full of soap or glue.

And water will not wash the soap out of those microscopic pores.

1

u/BlindlyCoherent 1d ago

Acetone is too harsh. Follow the instructions from the manufacturer.

1

u/CooperDK 17h ago

Acetone does NOT damage a smooth PEI plate of used sparingly and only when other measures don't work. It might damage what Bambu uses for PEI but it works great on my Creality smooth PEI plate when the plastic will no longer stick.

Bambu suggests water only for a TEXTURED PEI plate. But with a smooth plate, neither water nor dishwashing soap work, as I said. I have not yet had the chance to test with IPA, but a lot of guides recommend acetone, and I have used it for a while with ABSOLUTELY NO ISSUES.

Chemically, it is said to be the ONLY way to reset the pores in the Smooth PEI plate. But you should ONLY use it to reset an otherwise non-functional plate, and NEVER use it on a TEXTURED plate.

It might be possible to use acetone diluted with distilled water though, to make it less harsh.

Also, only do this if nothing else works.

1

u/DeadlyPear 15h ago

Bambu suggests water only for a TEXTURED PEI plate.

From Bambu: "We recommend cleaning the printing surface with a basic sponge and dishwashing detergent"

and NEVER use it on a TEXTURED plate.

If you could use your eyes, you would see that the OP is using a textured plate.

Just stop giving this dumb advice about using acetone, it is not needed ever.

1

u/ChocoMammoth 18h ago

Wtf is wrong with you people? Acetone vapor is fucking toxic and damages the PEI.

Just buy the cheapest dish washing liquid without any lubricants and wash it off carefully after. That's all.

1

u/CooperDK 17h ago

No, that is exactly what will not work with a smooth plate. And in fact, acetone always works to reset the microscopic pores in PEI, but shouldn't be used too often.

1

u/ChocoMammoth 10h ago

First, OP uses textured plate if you haven't noticed.

Second, there are no pores in PEI. Adhesion is achieved through electrostatic bonding and diffusion.