Close Those Top Layer Gaps

Get rid of those top layer gaps and gain incredible results with your 3D prints! Just a few simple settings in Cura and you can take your 3D Prints to the next level without increasing print time!

[studiojamescao]

Another video from you explaining EXACTLY what I was looking for. I wanted to "iron" the very last layer of my prints, or at least make it "flat" because complete ironing method looks different. Just tested out your method on the calibration cube and, wow. It works ! Will test on actual 3D models that could receive such process.

[wooviee]

Appreciate the video. I'm fairly uninformed on 3D printing and I find even if I don't know a situation I could use this, simply becoming more familiar with how various parameters work will help in the long run. Keep doing what you do.

[SianaGearz]

No print examples? How do the dense top skin lines look in real?

[InvokingTheFlames]

Wow, thank you so much for this tutorial! Just perfectly solved my problem.

[marcomello]

Hello Bill, my name is Marco, thanks for your teaching.
My question is, I must do all those tricks together or testing one by one looking what's is good or not?
Sorry my English im from Brasil.

[kyleruddock]

Thats brilliant help. Thanks. Will this help with the rings on the top of domed prints?

[ElevenDs]

Oh my goodness! I've been noticing this issue on my prints for months and didn't even know how to ask the question! Thank you!!

[Aashka_The_Mystic]

Thanks man, I'm going to give this a try. I'm losing my mind with my Tronxy and it's top layers looking like crap lol.

[MrRwillis]

Thanks for the helpful videos. I’m a newby to 3D printing so I hope you don’t mind a basic question. I have a Finder-3 and I slice with the manufacturer’s software “Flashprint”. However, I’d like to use Cura so I can follow along with your videos. Would the G-code from Cura cause any problems with my Finder-3print?

[st.johnslutheranchurchlcms]

I'm not so worried about the top layer as I am the bottom layer. I have tried everything to get a smooth bottom layer. nothing seems to work until somehow I started printing a paper thin raft. Wow I thought that my problems were over. I'm not sure what happened but I'm back to square one. The bottom layers are always very rough stringy, and uneven.

[SubBass]

Using Orca, I set Top Surface to 50% and much success thank you for the info

[jasonBrown-zfsw]

Tried this and worked out well, but I’ve been getting a line/gap/separation on the outside side wall when it goes to start the top layer from main infill 15% density to start of Top solid layer. Any ideas? I’m using Cura.

[andyb]

Good information, I'll give it a try. Thank you. By the way Bill, the haircut looks good!! LOL!

[fiveminutetechtime]

Can you do the same for the bottom layer skin?

[computergeek]

Pushing P! Learned so much from your videos!

[daynafost]

I want better bottom layers between support and print.

[dieterbulcke]

To be honest, I think if your infill is showing, you have bigger issues. Fix those first instead of trying to hide the imperfections.
Also, don't try to save time in 3D printing by reducing top layers too much. Four top layers at 0.2mm height is only 0.8mm. For parts where some strenght matters, that's just too weak.
As for the suggested settings to improve top layer quality: You're almost mimicing ironing (line width, overlap). Why not just go with that?

[paullucas]

i used to be able to print 65 degree over hang but after haveing to changeing hot end now can only print 30 degree can't fix the problem can't finf videos on it and can't get no help on it so if enyone sees this please contact me

[freeemailssuck]

Hate to be that guy and here it comes, but, you should really try the process you are recommending to people to "fix" an issue before you post your video so you can show what the actual results are. I know this video is 7 months old now and you may not still operate your channel in the same manner anymore, however I really think that without knowing and/or showing a result, preferably with video of the actual affected print in motion, I personally wouldn't post a something I "think" will work without first testing it, especially seeing as it's only a half hour print (26 minutes for the fussy people who want to pick this comment apart)