(HOW) I fixed the Ugly Layers on my 3D Printer

For the last two years, I had problems with inconsistent extrusions on my CETUS MK3. With this simple fix, it now prints better than most of my other machines!

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Lumpy Bumpy Vase by
Mini Stefan by Wekster (no download, yet)

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🔴 LIVE STREAMING

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:55 Cetus MK3
02:14 What are rough layers?
03:27 Inconsistent layer height
04:58 Play in the axes
05:39 Extrusion inconsistencies
07:20 The Wobbly Extruder Gear
08:17 The Fix
09:48 Summary

#3Dprinting #tips #fixed

[isprithul]

I just tested 2 of my extruders and both had extremely wobbly gear. All this time I have been tightening my belts and changing Z lead screw couplers for nothing. Great find Stefan and danke!

[MirageC]

FANTASTIC! this video contains everything that a hobbyist building a printer should know/check when performing the firsts prints of any new build! Thank you!

[fenrir]

Bravo! I went and checked my Titan copies and there it was, the gears are all off-center.

I don't print aesthetics, but I'm very happy about finally finding out the reason for inconsistencies!

[rklauco]

I had some weird gray PLA with some sticky surface. I've printed just few grams using it, but the sticky residue remain on the extruder gear. Over time, small shavings literally glued to the gear, changing the diameter on one side - got similar results to your prints. Simple wire brush and 2 minutes later, my prints became smooth again. Off went the PLA 2kg package.

[marsgizmo]

Excellent video Stefan! And love your new amazon shop, just ordered the 1/4 inch thread inserts for camera mounts 😎 I can finally finish a small camera adapter now.

[safttv]

I had the exact same problem with my CR-10 four years ago when I bought it. The extruder gear bore was also off-center. I realized it when I printed larger top layers where I could see gaps between the extrusion lines on some parts and perfect extrusion on other parts of the top layer with a consistent alternating pattern. I fixed it by just buying an Bondtech BMG and haven't had that problem since.

[dpopov]

The amount of attention to detail and thoroughness you put into making research and solving problems makes your channel so brilliant. Thank you for all the wonderful content!

[YourPersonalArt]

A friend put together his Voron kit and discovered, after 100's of hours of fiddling, that the culprit was the wrong size gear delivered with the kit!
Again the best quality of video! Thank you!

[edumaker-alexgibson]

Stefan I really appreciate you laying out your issue diagnostics here, and I'm glad your methodical approach rewarded you with this unusual root cause! I've never seen an offset extruder gear in 100+ printers, but you've opened me up to new avenues, and given me a pep right when I need to troubleshoot a CR10 S5 with a gnarly lurch on its huge Y moving bed.

[stephanwelz]

"Guten Tag everybody, I am Stefan"
Das ist einfach die mit Abstand beste Begrüßung auf YouTube.

[LostCylon]

I am extremely impressed by your thorough and professional examination of this problem, and taking the time not only to show all the steps you went through to finally find a solution, but to make it sound so easy to rectify. Thank you for such a wonderful and informative explanation :)

[avejst]

wow, great find.
Great walkthrough of the problems relating to"Z layer shift"
Thanks for sharing your experience with all of us 👍😀

[ameliabuns]

I had a very slight version of this Issue on my BMG clone. I had sinewave extrusion. Due to the high hearing it was very visable on a single wall. I figure it out by printing rectangle/cylinders with the same mm of filament usrd every layer and then, designing a shape with less Filament used every 5mm-10mm etc. These shapes really help you figure out what kind of issue you have. sine eaves /ripples for example mean circular components like idlers etc
Random patterns mean lose components usually. I had a long guide on inconsistent layers and how to fix them but noone saw it and it's lost in the forums

[shawnrains]

This video really does a good job at demonstrating that even the smallest part of the machine can have a major impact on the final print.

[istvanmaasz]

I think these incosistencies are the last bit of imperfections which for years I thought are undefeatable. Maybe not, you got my hopes up :) Excellent work. Your videos are by far the most useful ones for more serious hobbyists!

[mtaod]

I have a Cetus MK3 with exactly the same issue. There are definitely more than one out in the wild.

I've easily spent 100 hours dialing in every detail, rail, & cura parameter to achieve dimensionally accurate prints.

I've been racking my brain trying to figure out what the source of the layer inconsistency could be. I was about ready to concede it was my inexperience, switch to a smaller nozzle to minimize the effect, & accept longer print times.
I had looked at everything except the extruder gear.

I'm so happy someone with so much experience was able to look at the same problem & solve it.
You're the best.

[aidangillett]

Yep, my CR10 Mini had an offset extruder gear that caused both under AND over extrusion symptoms simultaneously. This was my first printer and it's a really bad way to learn when you have people telling you random and incorrect advice at the same time. Lots will tell you to adjust so-and-so settings, followed by more adjustments. Others will tell you to 'take it back to stock' without a 2nd thought and ignore you when you proclaim it doesn't help because it wasn't right whilst 'stock'
When I eventually found the problem, I made it a small personal mission to attempt to instill in as many people as possible that a stock creality machine (really only CR10 and Ender3 at the time) is capable of near perfect results whilst stock, and that you MUST check all mechanical aspects 1 by 1 because until you achieve that near perfect result, you are wasting your time with adjustments and modifications that will only bandaid a problem and don't address the actual cause

Unfortunately there's so much noise from people who will just instantly blurt out common bandaid 'fixes' and modification advice that it often does a disservice to people and leads to even more frustration. The one thing I desperately wished for was a proper step-by-step guide to checking every aspect, establishing known baselines and targets and only then moving on from there to actually understand and dial in settings. Not just shotgun random suggestions until it seems to work. It's a very inefficient methodology for having consistent reliable results and improvements

[CostlyFiddle]

I get a kick out of creators who comment that they COULD make a video about something, but it would be hours I look over and my cat, who's watching a 12 hour long video of birds eating seeds in a park, and I question, who wouldn't want to listen to Stefan's angelic voice for several hours?

[medienmond]

A new way to start looking at the extrusion system of any 3D printer, i have not thought about before. Thank you very much for your input.

[streetguru]

Should totally have a 2nd channel just for hours long rambling, would love to watch that