What Next?

I have to admit that I don't remember what I printed next. It's a good thing that I kept a log book! Yes, I log EVERYTHING (so far) I print so I'm able to look back at my successes and failures to see the progress I've made. It's also a good source of what NOT to do.

Consulting the log ... surprise! It was a 3D Benchy - the standard benchmark test for all 3D printers. There were problems as you would expect. I was printing too hot (210) with too cold of a bed (30) and nothing was adhering right. I adjusted the temps (190/40) but still a failure. Tweaked some more startup things and it's printing but the first couple of layers were too close to the bed. It did print though. I had altered the starting gcode per info from the wiki and hadn't fine tuned it yet. Not a great print - lots of stringing but otherwise pretty good.

The red PolyLite arrived on Monday and I decided to print a test cube (20mm) to see how the calibration was. Several adjustments of the Z offset and I got a good print.

I printed a filament clip for the HatchBox reels OK but it had some stringing. Not a real problem. I also printed a couple of different sizes of a cable clamp. The skirt (and part probably) squished out too much and became attached. Turns out the distance to the skirt was too close (1mm) along with the high squish. I tried a raft and glue stick and that worked ... but.

Next print was the Razor Blade Handle. This is a handle that you put a single edge razor blade in. It makes a great part removal tool for small parts (and for starting on larger parts). More tweaking of the start gcode and finally got the Z offset close. It ended up too small (as I should have known from the test cube) and I ended up reprinting after upsizing by 2% in Cura. There are still issues with the finished print but it is still functional.

Next was the filament guide. Watched for the first 5 minutes and all was well. I checked it every 20 minutes thereafter. I took 4 1/2 hours to complete but produced a functional, if not perfect (needed support!) part.

Over the next day or so days I printed test cubes and a stringing test. I printed the first Delta Shield (to keep junk out of the bottom compartment) and there were issues but nothing that would affect function. I printed two more that were less than perfect but functional.