Great advice! I've been knocking out some fantastic prints with mine and I'm a total noob at this. At the end of every big print or filament change I always check the rollers and belt tensions
Sounds like some blue loctite would help all parts from loosening up so you don't have to tighten them every week. Figured once the belts and v-wheels are broken in, it should be set it and forget it for awhile. Thanks for pointing all this out. Still on the fence about getting one. Hard to beat it for the price even with all the little issues.
I have the same printer, and I absolutely love it. It's my first printer, and I find that it works really well. Every time I have an issue, I am able to solve it pretty easily with general maintenance. I dont really understand why the reviews are so bad. The one thing i did that improved my prints massively was to switch to Orca slicer. Im honestly not sure what it is, but my prints look better, and my machine runs a lot smoother as well.
Thanks for sharing! I love mine too. I actually bought a second one I loved it so much. The linear raid and silicone bushings are a huge help as well. A bit of blue Loctite on the knobs helps them from giggling loose all the time. I went a step further and replaced the bed knobs with locking nuts. It’s a bitch to manually level the first time but I haven’t had to manually level the bed since and it’s been months.
Appreciated your video and subscribed! These upgrades and maintenance reminded me of my very first Ender 3 which wasn’t good until you replaced the entire control board, upgraded the springs, added cable chains, and updated the firmware. These kids today! (This was in 2019 lol, hardly the days of old but still)
@@BlazeT3DI believe combing is in Cura if you’re using Cura then it’s under Travel settings. Enabling Z Hop should also help. It’s in the same section in Cura. If you’re using another slicer software I can look up where Z Hop is and let you know.
Hey man, I just wanna say thank you for sharing the results of your patient endurance. I'm at the end of my first week honeymoon with a N4Pro and it's stuff like this that helps
This is so spot on! I think, one of the major problems is, that manufacturers suggest to their customers that 3D printing is as easy as 'normal' printing, but there is so much more to it. 3D printing is high maintenance. Next to the daily and weekly routines come tasks like replacing the nozzle or the ptfe-tube where you can easily destroy parts of your printer if you are not careful enough (i.e. breaking the ceramic heater when grabbing the hot end in order to unscrew the nozzle... been there, done that, no T-Shirt...). And yes, there are tutorials from Elegoo for those tasks here on YT, but yeah, if you got two left hands, all thumbs you end up breaking things. But that's not a marketing message to increase sales ;-)
Thanks for the confirmation that’s it’s not just me having bad luck. I swear I’m always fixing one of my printers. I’ve owned 4 different brands of printers and they all break eventually.
@@OuterRimArmoreryeah I've passed the last 15 days recalibrating every possible thing everyday without ever obtaining a decent first layer on bigger prints. Not even elegoo can properly address the cause and they keep sending me replacement parts, i feel like an unpaid RnD bug tester at this point
Good video. I took my large fan off too. It causes clogs. If a print started to fail it would hold everything right by the nozel. I felt like it was safer to run without out it and just go a tiny bit slower.
@@OuterRimArmorer What would be extremely nice is showing the actual steps for maintenance (i.e tensioning bolts), or belt tensioning etc. instead of an active print :) Otherwise great advice
Great vid, I agree with most things but I'd add a couple of things that slightly change your process. I also hadn't though about the amount of vibration kicking things out of alignment and so will be checking those more frequently but like you I got into a per print, weekly and monthly check of the machine when I had an Ender 3v2NEO until it finally broke (motherboard power fire) but post repair it kept having intermittent issues. First, don't bother with manual bed tramming, alternatively set and use Screws_Tilt_Adjust. Do an internet search for it. You can get the machine to go to the six tramming points, it then works out the amount of clockwise and counter clockwise turns needed to get it trammed. The only thing to watch is that it is based of the first screw point. You can, as a result, get a ridge as the level screws pull the sides down over the ridge (the carrier plate). It is so much quicker and without the need to use the nozzle and paper, as it uses the in built probe. So my MO is 1Tram the bed using screws_tilt_calculate (you need to set up screw_tilt_adjust first). 2 Do a 36 point bed mesh, review to see if vaguely flat (no ridge or hollow in the mddle of the bed). If not ok adjust all points equally up or down to remove issue, then check, repeat 2. Then go back to 1, if needed, and retram the bed and then check mesh again until happy. 3 Change bed mesh granularity to 121 points and do a final bed mesh 4 Review new bad mesh and confirm you are happy, if not jump into process again but I've never needed to. 5 Recheck your z offset 6 Save and you're done My Neptune also arrived with Orcaslicer linked. In Orcaslicer they have a series of calibration prints for the machine and filament. I've used those as well as the website Ellis3dp to tune the printer and filaments. I'm getting stunning prints, used it for just over 2 weeks (> 260 print hours) and it's like night and day between it and my old Ender 3. So much quicker and better (the better comes from having a fast machine and thus not spending 24 hours dialling in an new filament). Dialling in new filaments can now be done in a few hours. Finally although not neccessary, I had issues when stitching large models together when using the Ender 3, there were skew errors, x,yand z not being perpendicular to each other. So I used calilantern. It uses a calibration lantern to determine skew. It gives you adjustments for the config file. It rates your printer on a scale of 0 to 1000. My Ender 3 started with 450 and I got it to 850. My EN4P started at 573 and currently sits at 926 after 1 iteration. On a 100mm print the biggest error I have in any direction including diagonals is now 0.15mm, most are 0.05mm or less. I've put the corrections in but haven't reprinted the lantern to verify, I trust it and needed to get some models out.
I’ve got the plus and max. Straight outta the box my eccentric nuts on the bed was all out of what. Middle ones was severely over tightened. Took days but my max is printing now. I about threw the wrench in lol.
That sounds like my experience with 3D printing. When you feel like smashing it, walk away and try again later. I swapped out the Pom wheels for linear rails and ditched the eccentric nuts. Life is so much nicer now. I was getting about 6 weeks out of my Pom wheels before having to replace them. Someone said it was probably because I had them to tight but I’ve been doing this along time and I really don’t think that’s why. These new machines print so damn fast that they just wear out quickly.
There are settings in the printer setup where you can set the distance the head travels so that it wont hit on the side when it homes. These machines where not properly set when it came to dimensions.
I got the N4+. Is my first journey into printing and so far has been pretty good. I have had a couple of failed prints but due to user error and we all have to learn sometime. I am still running stock firmware I think like .28 and have not upgraded the firmware yet as things just seem to be working nice. I do have an issue when I turn the printer off and later back on and also when I change filament, I have got into the habbit rightly or wrongly of doing a small first layer test prob 10cm diameter and find that the first one i do every time looks like the z is too low and for a while i would go up and down until I found it good again but it sometimes took a good few tries. Now I run a small first layer and rather than making adjustment I wait till it's complete and then run it again straigt away or just start a print and get a great first layer every time. Sorry for all my woes. Anyway thanks for the informative notes to take heed of. I am curious as to whether there is a specific type or brand of white grease you recomend and also I have noticed the pom wheels on the gantry wearing a bit and wondered when they need replaced and whether the generic vpoms like the unes used on creality printers would be the thing to get or are they manufacturer specific? cheers, look forward to more ;)
Thank you for watching and I hope the information is useful. I have had similar experiences with both the EN4M and the AK2M. Sometimes I start a print and adjust the z height on the fly. Once I get it right I stop the print and restart it right away with the z height. Seems to help. I noticed a firmware update is available for the 4 Max but I’m waiting to see how other people’s updates go first. I’d hate to update and make things worse. I do believe they are a standard size POM wheel. I have some extra ones so maybe I should check. 🤔
Thanks for the video, I am starting to gain some experience with an Elegoo Neptune 4 Max, and I experience 3 or 4 issues, now I will apply what you teach in the video to reduce the future issues.
I learned from motorcycles and RC helicopters that blue locktite is pretty much required for all metal-to-metal bolts if you don't want them shaking free.
I can help you with the layer shift issue. In your printer.cfg for klipper find the macro that activates when the filament runout sensor triggers. Comment out the line that tells it to home during filament change. A proper filament change macro should tell the printer to move to the front center of the print volume thenm return without homing. Sesnorless homing is great but this is the primary shortcoming of it.
I am still setting up my new Neptune 4 Max printer but I also have been watching various videos such as yours. When I ordered the printer I also ordered Multi-Sizes Nozzles for Neptune 4PLUS/4MAX. I am wondering if you would be willing to do another video talking about the advantages and disadvantages when using the different sized nozzles?
I really needed to hear someone say to just not try to level every part of the bed . I was driving myself insane trying to get every corner perfect and struggling greatly.
I totally understand. My current Sovol SV08 has a bed mesh shaped like a taco and I can’t get it flat and yet it’s printing fine. 🤦♂️ I have spent hours trying to fix it and it’s working fine with a taco shaped bed. 😂😂👍😂😂
Top tip I have heard as regards your remark about the printer hitting the side of printer after you change filament causing layer shift . I believe that's down to the firmware needs updating on the main unit and the touch screen . That's the word I have heard because there are no end stops it's done in the units software/ firmware... So I was told the fix is update the firmware on both the main unit and also the touch screen . The it won't hit the side . . . Just a bit of info for you all .
Mine will be delivered in a few days.. i was thinking about the silicone 😊bushings. I am also considering to get the oldham couplers for the z screws. I saw a huge improvement on my Ender 3v2 when i swapped them out.
I leveled it 1-3 and 4-6 a few times hit the auto level tolerances were okay, printed the buddah then leved it 1-3 and 4-6 while the bed was hot got the level even better and haven't had any crazy issues yet. This video is great thanks for the helpful tips.
Hello so I got a neptune 4 max about a month ago and was wondering in ur video u don't have the big fans on the back so r the fans not needed or why do u not have them on ur printer
While I expect that printers of a certain price range seem to fall into the "hobby spec for upgrades" end, having that happen either out of the box or within a week of ownership means the thing was adapted from a smaller platform with the same parts and is wearing itself out Real quick. I have a fairly steep maintenance regime with a 6 year old delta that's two meters tall, at this point it burns through hot ends about once a year and is due for a bottom-up rebuild this year. If I were getting _that_ experience from new, I think I'd be swinging an axe or flaming pitchfork too!
My problem with n4max is that it seems to ignore my mesh. I added screw tilt adjust. added center as base, because i cant align that. 6 corners are compared to center. i adjust all the screws so its max 00:01. i go autolevel. i get 0.4 tolerance. no idea how, z heights simply change from the screw adjust test to the mesh test. its okay, we have autolevel. i get my mesh, but it doesnt seem to apply it. if edges are ok (z height ok), middle is almost touching the nozzle. if z height is adjusted on the middle, filament wont touch the edges.
I added the M600 macro and tried a color swap that would work all day on my Cr10 but got the same layer shift you mentioned. I'm going to try the M600 with and without the filament runout sensor enabled and see if it makes a difference.
I wonder if a removeable thread locker like Vibra-Tite would help? I am an aerospace engineer and we used to use the stuff to secure bolts on stuff we made to ride into space on the Space Shuttle in the payload bay. Therefore I think that it is a good candidate for keeping stuff tight under heavy vibration.
On my new Elegoo Neptune 4 Max I’ve switched out the springs for silicone bushings and switched out the knobs for locking nuts and I did add a little bit of blue locktite. So far it’s been printing great.
Can I ask in the video what's the supports are you using is that tree support around the whole base of model . And if so what type of tree support . As I have noticed if you use normal support touching build plate they can be a pain to get off print sometimes . Cheers just want to make it as easy as possible to end up with clean prints .
I just got the neptune 4 pro and it is grinding when it goes down and then stops. Can't find anything getting in the way and updated all my firmware. All the belts seem perfect too and lubed everything up.
that printers runs on klipper right. The way it movies out for a filament change can be redon in the software. And you could even add a machine base measurement so it does not even touch the side. Klipper is awesome for that. And you can easy add or remove scripts.
@@OuterRimArmorer Thank you I also got the linear rails for y and x axis I haven’t even turned it on yet I assembled it and went to take the play out of the y axis and was unable to then seen this upgrade for 150 figured I’d wait to turn it on until I get the machine as close to level and no play as possible
"Great video, thanks. I have a question: when I am calibrating the bed and it's calibrated in Klipper, I see that the mesh is not completely flat. How can I calibrate it? When it starts printing the purge line and moves toward the print area, I see that it scrapes the bed a bit. How can I fix this? Thank you very much for your response."
Go into klipper and find your pause macro in your cfg files. Then you will find the line that moves the print head to a safe location during the pause. My guess is the X value for the pause is at X0 and that's why it's hitting the gantry, change it to like X5 or something so it won't bottom out
So I’m looking into this because both of my printers seem to layer shift after filament changes. One printer shows M601 and the other Shows M0. Both basically mean pause but neither of them show anything else as far as gcode is concerned in the Pause Print G-Code section.
this could have saved me some time had I found it a month ago... You are 100% correct! great printer but requires regular upkeep! I have no problem with that but I suffered from the Z leveling issues which caused a thermal runaway, get new printhead it clogged almost immediately after not sensing or saving the Z height, which also gouged two beds ( I used my n3pro's as well). So in fixing that tried to replace the nozzle and it snapped off the neck in the heating block. .then the first update came out. Thought it was fixed, nope. Printhead grabbed the top of a very well adhered PETG CF print..... holy hell. snapped the bottom of the frame right off the printhead! but with my trusty three I managed to print a hero me upgrade and wired up the stock fan to get it working again only to struggle for a few weeks of checking this or that to go through most of what you did until I realized it wasn't just a hardware issue. that was about three days before the update; which has resolved most of my issues. I guess I'm saying I understand why people gave up but with how good my three was I knew it could be great and it is, now anyway.I still love it you Won't get a better bang for your buck! oh and F the nozzles ! do yourself a favor and just order volcano nozzles and adjust your Z height for the difference. upgraded to 5015 blower fans printing at 200mm/s.... now waiting on .08 and 1.0mm nozzles! I must be in a cult, I still love it
Holly hell that sucks. I’m like you though and I eventually work through the issue. Overcoming it all feels like a great accomplishment but the process is still very frustrating. Glad yours is working better now. I’m interested in that volcano swap. Need to learn more about that. I did just receive my order for .6 and .8 nozzles so I’m going to give those a try soon.
@@OuterRimArmorer this is where I learned about it. this guy does some really interesting testing +breaks it down really well. Been using a .08 on my three minor adjustment on outter wall inset and wow ua-cam.com/video/RWDErj-pE1c/v-deo.html&ab_channel=CNCKitchen
hmm, my 4 max randomly stops printing mid-print...then i upgraded the firmware it seems to help. but it still stops sometime for some reason...but no one seems to have the same problem..
Hi. I purchased a 4 Max and everyone is saying how fast the printer is and everything I print has a hard time sticking to the plate and then it's super slow. Any suggestions?
@@OuterRimArmorerI have Neptune 3 pro Neptune 4 and 4 max I do it almost every day I think there is a video on UA-cam showing how to do it good luck happy printing
Any chance we can have a instruction or tutorial on how to replace the springs with the silicone bushing upgrades? I just got my N4max and haven't assembled it yet. or is it hard to replace? thanks
Your POM wheels may just need some adjusting. If you find that no matter which way you turn the eccentric nuts/spacers the wobble doesn’t go away, then you may have worn down POM wheels. Mine were grooved pretty bad when I replaced mine. Also it doesn’t matter which what you turn the eccentric nut. It’s really just a lopsided spacer that’s thicker on one side. It will either tighten or loosen. If it never tightens then it could be time for new wheels or linear rails.
It’s called that in Cura Slicer. I believe Orca calls it something else. In Orca slicer look under the “Others” section I believe it’s called something like “Reduce Infill Retraction”. If I’m not mistaken it does the same exact concept as Combing in Cura. I turn that shit off too and no more support or print failures from being knocked off the bed.
@@OuterRimArmorer ahhh I saw that on Reddit too but couldn't find it. I was on the "Object" tab instead of "Global" where this setting lives under Others > G-code ouput. Hopefully this helps someone else! I followed all of this in your guide, updated the firmware and some other suggestions but some models I just can't get proper adhesion even with warming everything up for 25minutes, using a gluestick, leveling beforehand, prayer, thoughts - everything so I'm hoping this works. I also kinda worry it's not looking at the right bed_mesh profile - I switched to advanced levelling mode which I think updates bed_mesh 11 it doesn't feel clear which mesh preset gets used when printing. I think the day I spent working on the eccentric nuts broke my brain a little. Edit: Some added context - this is my first FDM printer. Honestly for the price I don't mind it. This is a fun hobby. I've gone through almost 10kg of filament over just a few months so I've used it a LOT and despite some of the issues most everything has turned out OK. I learnt a hard lesson with a blob of death but had been warned to almost watch the first layer and didn't. The replacement print head was only $50 - I've spent far more than that when factoring in my time so it was fine - I'm really just lucky and happy that it didn't start a fire or something else.
for the adhesion issues I would suggest cleaning the flex plate really well with soap and water. Then while the first layer is printing adjust the z height. While you’re watching it you’ll see the difference in the way the first layer goes down. Do this step repeatedly until you think it looks good. I would pick a model that has a big base so you have lots of time adjusting the first layer. I do this step now on all my printers after every bed leveling I do.
@@OuterRimArmorer thanks again! Watching the first layer and dialing in the z offset worked. I may try turning "reduce infill retraction" / combing back on to see what happens, it seems like it would really help reduce wear/tear. I have caught it clipping models in the past but I'm curious if it was related to poorly set z-offset as my retraction tests have all performed really well. I wish there was a better way than the "paper method" for z-offset. Also the magnetic auto leveling overall really is iffy - even with lower variance thresholds and more samples. Overall - this has been fun but it also makes me really appreciate resin printing.
I finally got around to washing the plate with soap/water (then wipe down with a micro fiber cloth). It seems to make a huuuuge difference. It's like there were some dead zones from fingerprints or PLA crust or something that no amount of ISA/wipe downs was getting rid of. I also noticed dead center the print nozzle must have been pressed into the bed enough to flatten out the contours... It sure would be nice to actual touch sensors (but then again that'd be another thing that could break)
Thanks for the video, this is great! I recently bought a Neptune 4 plus as my first printer and this is very helpful. Are there any videos or guides on installing the silicone buffers? I think I would like to try that but am nervous to mess around too much with the hardware.
I have bought this printer last month, but from a week or something more I my prints have some layer separation, on the other printers that i have I haven't experienced this problem yet, is it a common problem? how can i fix that?
I’m experiencing this very same thing right now on my Neptune 4 Max. I switched to a different roll of filament and it sort of helped but now I’m testing PrusaSlicer instead of Cura to see if maybe it’s my slicing software or settings. Orca has a profile for the Neptune 4 Max and that software is similar to Prusa so maybe I’ll try that as well. 🤔
A friend just told me that normally separation only happens if your print is not hot enough or cools down too fast. I print in my garage and I’ve been printing around 200 so I might bump it up to 215 or 220 and see how my prints look.
@@OuterRimArmorerthank you so much for the answer! I’m trying right now, I have also imported a file from an Anycubic, maybe is this also part of the problem🙏🏻
@@Visionbygtif the file is an STL you sliced using Neptune profile it should be fine. If it’s a file sliced for an Anycubic it could cause errors only because different machines tend to have slightly different gcode. That being said I have done it myself with little to no problems. It’s just safer to stick to the gcode designed for your printer.
@@OuterRimArmorer yea for sure safer, I’m running a small 3d printing farm for a racing team and I have 4 anycubic and now the Neptune 4… I wished that I could use the same gcode to save some time…
Thanks for the tips! I think your comment on combing may be the issue I'm having with my N4P! I've been trying to print a large, flat platform for a lamp, and the infill always gets ruined. It's like it is scraping the surface despite the z height being perfect. Hopefully turning it off will remedy that.
@@OuterRimArmorer It did fix it! That was driving me nuts. I guess I had combing on by default. I was printing with cubic sub, but I had tried grid and it was even worse. I haven't touched z hop, but I'll look into it as well. Thanks again!
Hey man, just bought a neptune 4 max. I also looked at the files which you dropped the link but I saw there are more than one file. Which one am I gonna print?
Great video- I have a 3 MAX and almost no issues. The SUNLU pla+ I got off Amazon is great and settings between black and silk copper are basically the same. I put my pla in humidity controlled boxes - which could also effect people’s prints. Week one - fresh pla then week 2 the pla could be full of humidity and dust…so one other thing to watch for. Great tip on the belt dial locks and cable chain. There’s a z axis cleaning tool to get crud out of the big up n down screws. Still trying to find the slicer settings for the supplied Buddha print cus those print perfect every time. Gonna watch more of your videos now.
I am having the z offset issue super bad, did you tighten up the bolts that hold the little brass pieces that the Z rods run through? Originally tightened mine up because they come loose.. When I started having issues I loosened them up back how they came and my problems are worse than ever. I can have a layer perfectly level and uniform looking then half way through its seems like the Z offset is way too low. Sometimes I go to print and the z offset is way to high sometimes its way too low. could these problems be associated with the bed being unlevel because those knobs under bed are coming loose?
Those little brass pieces on the z rods are meant to be loose. Make sure your z rods are greased. The bed screws loosen up all the time on me. I just printed some bed screw locks to give them a try. My concern from what you mentioned would be the z gantry changing. You definitely want that thing to stay level.
@@OuterRimArmorer okay 👍… so maybe worth a firmware update to see if that fixes my random z offset problem… otherwise keep those brass things loose and everything else pretty tight and mechanically I should be okay?, my issue probably lies in the software or something.
Love the video. Thanks for sharing. I am curious...how to you actually "level" the gantry. If the right side of the gantry is a bit higher than the left side....how do you lower the right side to match the left? Both Zrods spin at the same time. Thanks for the help.
It does and I did. I wanted to see if it was helping or not. So far I haven’t noticed a difference other than it’s quieter now. I’m printing around 250mms using Sunlu Silk PLA. Maybe a different filament or more speed would justify the big fan but so far it’s working great for me without it.
I use regular Cura but I just started using Prusa slicing software and I’ve checked out Orca. Prusa and Orca are almost identical. Mostly just user interface that’s different. I might make a video on using Prusa next.
Wow, a lot goes into this one. I will be honest, I am horrible at maintenance. My last printer I ran it for over a year straight and did not do any of this. I releveled it a few times, maybe once every few months, and aside from the nozzle that was all I did. If it wasn't for the machine getting water damage and messing up the main board (I think) I would still use the N2S.
This is the first time I’ve had to do this much maintenance on a 3D printer buts it’s also my first 3D printer that can print at 250mms and looks amazing. Plus it’s a massive bed slinger. I’m testing the Anycubic Kobra 2 Max right now and working on a comparison video. So far it’s less maintenance but I did just experience a glitch in the firmware or something that ruined my print. The review was looking good for Anycubic until this happened. Lol
@@OuterRimArmorer That is a good point, the faster the machine goes, presumably, more maintenance should go into it. My biggest issue is the nozzles though. Look forward to the AK2M, even with the firmware issue, review.
Thanks for this! Wish i'd seen this sooner, never heard of the "blob of death" or any issues with the neptune 4 series, I got my neptune 4 last friday, come monday night I do a long print and now my print head is fucked :/
I got the N4 Pro. While assembling I used blue locktite. I use this every time I assemble a printer. The problem I ran into was not cleaning and greasing the linear rods on X and Y axis. I used Superlube silicone PTFE grease and it works great. Need to get a bed kit for mine. Leveling isn't hard, but I seen to do it way more often on the Neptune than my other printer. More speed, more vibration, goes out of adjustment quicker...
@@John-of3urI used red Loctite on a couple bed screws just to test it out. It was not helpful and it kind of made things worse. Maybe blue would work better? I’m still playing around with the silicon bushings to try and tighten them enough to make them work better.
@@OuterRimArmorer 1. Check build plate heat. Most 3D printers come with a heated build plate these days. 2. Level your bed. The most important layer in any print is the very first... 3. Clean the build plate.... 4. Ensure the model lies flat.
Did you put silicone spacers in the center or just leave the metal ones? Also did you have to trim the insulation to get the spacers in there? The holes in the insulation look smaller than the spacer and would possibly crush the insulation.
Assuming you followed all the suggested info in the video and checked everything is properly adjusted and you’re still are having issues, have to tried updating the firmware? That’s helped some other people.
I updated my firmware and I’m having more issues than BEFORE updating it. When I do get it printing, it seems like its doing great, then my print pops off and causes it to fail. I’m using their same textures pei plate. I have it on all my other printers and had zero issues. Any suggestions?
I had similar issues at first. Mine turned out to be weak supports that kept breaking. The bed adhesion was good but my supports needed to be beefed up.
refreshing to hear a review from someone who actually tries to solve the problems and doesnt just cry about them, thanks! buying one tomorrow
Thank you for the encouragement. I do cry about them but then I put my big boy pants on and try to solve the problem. LoL
Is that you, Elegoo?
Fantastic video! I need to order some of those silicone pads
I’m also testing some bed mods to hopefully help keep the bed leveled longer.
@@OuterRimArmorer Is it possible to buy more tensioned springs for the bed as an upgrade so it stays leveled longer?
@@OuterRimArmorerwhat if I'm a maniac and I level it before every print?
@@monetary_episode494That's how I always saw FDM printers as needing anyways, so I'm just gonna continue levelling before every print anyways
Great advice! I've been knocking out some fantastic prints with mine and I'm a total noob at this. At the end of every big print or filament change I always check the rollers and belt tensions
Great to hear!
Sounds like some blue loctite would help all parts from loosening up so you don't have to tighten them every week. Figured once the belts and v-wheels are broken in, it should be set it and forget it for awhile. Thanks for pointing all this out. Still on the fence about getting one. Hard to beat it for the price even with all the little issues.
I am 72 young I just got the max one omg I love it only doing little items but so cool ❤ thanks for the video
I have the same printer, and I absolutely love it. It's my first printer, and I find that it works really well. Every time I have an issue, I am able to solve it pretty easily with general maintenance. I dont really understand why the reviews are so bad.
The one thing i did that improved my prints massively was to switch to Orca slicer. Im honestly not sure what it is, but my prints look better, and my machine runs a lot smoother as well.
Thanks for sharing! I love mine too. I actually bought a second one I loved it so much. The linear raid and silicone bushings are a huge help as well. A bit of blue Loctite on the knobs helps them from giggling loose all the time. I went a step further and replaced the bed knobs with locking nuts. It’s a bitch to manually level the first time but I haven’t had to manually level the bed since and it’s been months.
@@OuterRimArmorer I figure regular levelling wheels that incorporate nyloc nuts would be the best option, but noone has produced them.
I have found the exact same thing. I've been printing for years, and Cura has always been awful (at least with the stock configs)
You need to take a break, get a Bambu printer.!
Appreciated your video and subscribed! These upgrades and maintenance reminded me of my very first Ender 3 which wasn’t good until you replaced the entire control board, upgraded the springs, added cable chains, and updated the firmware. These kids today! (This was in 2019 lol, hardly the days of old but still)
I have the 4 plus but that tip on turning off combing really helped. I also had a few prints get kicked off the bed before making the adjustment.
Glad it helped! I had to beef up supports as well.
Is combing in the slicer settings or the actual printer?
Mine is now getting a dragging type sound , but that's not it. Any suggestions?
@@BlazeT3DI believe combing is in Cura if you’re using Cura then it’s under Travel settings. Enabling Z Hop should also help. It’s in the same section in Cura. If you’re using another slicer software I can look up where Z Hop is and let you know.
@Extreme4x4Dude I'm using the elegoo cura.
The sound I'm now getting sounds like a lube issue along the z axis. What can I safely use there?
@@BlazeT3Dif it’s coming from the Z Rod then I would say White Grease. This is what I use on my Z Rods. amzn.to/3NuHcrg
Hey man, I just wanna say thank you for sharing the results of your patient endurance. I'm at the end of my first week honeymoon with a N4Pro and it's stuff like this that helps
This is so spot on!
I think, one of the major problems is, that manufacturers suggest to their customers that 3D printing is as easy as 'normal' printing, but there is so much more to it.
3D printing is high maintenance. Next to the daily and weekly routines come tasks like replacing the nozzle or the ptfe-tube where you can easily destroy parts of your printer if you are not careful enough (i.e. breaking the ceramic heater when grabbing the hot end in order to unscrew the nozzle... been there, done that, no T-Shirt...). And yes, there are tutorials from Elegoo for those tasks here on YT, but yeah, if you got two left hands, all thumbs you end up breaking things. But that's not a marketing message to increase sales ;-)
Thanks for the confirmation that’s it’s not just me having bad luck. I swear I’m always fixing one of my printers. I’ve owned 4 different brands of printers and they all break eventually.
Not if you get a Bambu or Prusa printer! Their competition, not so much.
@@joeking433 Correct, there someone else did the thinking for you.
A guide for what to tighten would be amazing.
I’ll try and put something together.
@@OuterRimArmoreryeah I've passed the last 15 days recalibrating every possible thing everyday without ever obtaining a decent first layer on bigger prints.
Not even elegoo can properly address the cause and they keep sending me replacement parts, i feel like an unpaid RnD bug tester at this point
Hey I wanted to say thanks you solved a lot of my issues… I was still having issues but the firmware update fixed everything now!
Happy to hear this helped.
Good video. I took my large fan off too. It causes clogs. If a print started to fail it would hold everything right by the nozel. I felt like it was safer to run without out it and just go a tiny bit slower.
I am looking at buying one and your video is very helpful. Definitely getting one when there's a deal, Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Would love to see a full weekly maintenance guide.
I’ll see what I can come up with. 😉👍
@@OuterRimArmorer What would be extremely nice is showing the actual steps for maintenance (i.e tensioning bolts), or belt tensioning etc. instead of an active print :) Otherwise great advice
@@noahchav I’m actually working on posting a video that does this very thing. 😉👍
@@OuterRimArmorerawesome! Looking forward to it. The wife gifted me one for Christmas, and the first thing I looked into was maintenance.
Orca slicer has a bunch of calibration prints built in. They are in the top menu furthest one to the right
Great vid, I agree with most things but I'd add a couple of things that slightly change your process. I also hadn't though about the amount of vibration kicking things out of alignment and so will be checking those more frequently but like you I got into a per print, weekly and monthly check of the machine when I had an Ender 3v2NEO until it finally broke (motherboard power fire) but post repair it kept having intermittent issues.
First, don't bother with manual bed tramming, alternatively set and use Screws_Tilt_Adjust. Do an internet search for it. You can get the machine to go to the six tramming points, it then works out the amount of clockwise and counter clockwise turns needed to get it trammed. The only thing to watch is that it is based of the first screw point. You can, as a result, get a ridge as the level screws pull the sides down over the ridge (the carrier plate). It is so much quicker and without the need to use the nozzle and paper, as it uses the in built probe.
So my MO is
1Tram the bed using screws_tilt_calculate (you need to set up screw_tilt_adjust first).
2 Do a 36 point bed mesh, review to see if vaguely flat (no ridge or hollow in the mddle of the bed). If not ok adjust all points equally up or down to remove issue, then check, repeat 2. Then go back to 1, if needed, and retram the bed and then check mesh again until happy.
3 Change bed mesh granularity to 121 points and do a final bed mesh
4 Review new bad mesh and confirm you are happy, if not jump into process again but I've never needed to.
5 Recheck your z offset
6 Save and you're done
My Neptune also arrived with Orcaslicer linked. In Orcaslicer they have a series of calibration prints for the machine and filament. I've used those as well as the website Ellis3dp to tune the printer and filaments.
I'm getting stunning prints, used it for just over 2 weeks (> 260 print hours) and it's like night and day between it and my old Ender 3. So much quicker and better (the better comes from having a fast machine and thus not spending 24 hours dialling in an new filament). Dialling in new filaments can now be done in a few hours.
Finally although not neccessary, I had issues when stitching large models together when using the Ender 3, there were skew errors, x,yand z not being perpendicular to each other. So I used calilantern. It uses a calibration lantern to determine skew. It gives you adjustments for the config file. It rates your printer on a scale of 0 to 1000. My Ender 3 started with 450 and I got it to 850. My EN4P started at 573 and currently sits at 926 after 1 iteration. On a 100mm print the biggest error I have in any direction including diagonals is now 0.15mm, most are 0.05mm or less. I've put the corrections in but haven't reprinted the lantern to verify, I trust it and needed to get some models out.
I’ve got the plus and max. Straight outta the box my eccentric nuts on the bed was all out of what. Middle ones was severely over tightened. Took days but my max is printing now. I about threw the wrench in lol.
That sounds like my experience with 3D printing. When you feel like smashing it, walk away and try again later. I swapped out the Pom wheels for linear rails and ditched the eccentric nuts. Life is so much nicer now. I was getting about 6 weeks out of my Pom wheels before having to replace them. Someone said it was probably because I had them to tight but I’ve been doing this along time and I really don’t think that’s why. These new machines print so damn fast that they just wear out quickly.
Great video, just bought the 4 max and will be going through your steps. Just wondering was the layer shift during a reel change ever resolved?
Holy crap, yours is flying!
I’m printing around 250mms and .2 layer height.
There are settings in the printer setup where you can set the distance the head travels so that it wont hit on the side when it homes. These machines where not properly set when it came to dimensions.
I’ve heard this before but never found where it was or how to change it.
@@OuterRimArmorer The newest updates should have done this now automatically
I got the N4+. Is my first journey into printing and so far has been pretty good. I have had a couple of failed prints but due to user error and we all have to learn sometime. I am still running stock firmware I think like .28 and have not upgraded the firmware yet as things just seem to be working nice. I do have an issue when I turn the printer off and later back on and also when I change filament, I have got into the habbit rightly or wrongly of doing a small first layer test prob 10cm diameter and find that the first one i do every time looks like the z is too low and for a while i would go up and down until I found it good again but it sometimes took a good few tries. Now I run a small first layer and rather than making adjustment I wait till it's complete and then run it again straigt away or just start a print and get a great first layer every time. Sorry for all my woes. Anyway thanks for the informative notes to take heed of. I am curious as to whether there is a specific type or brand of white grease you recomend and also I have noticed the pom wheels on the gantry wearing a bit and wondered when they need replaced and whether the generic vpoms like the unes used on creality printers would be the thing to get or are they manufacturer specific? cheers, look forward to more ;)
Thank you for watching and I hope the information is useful. I have had similar experiences with both the EN4M and the AK2M. Sometimes I start a print and adjust the z height on the fly. Once I get it right I stop the print and restart it right away with the z height. Seems to help. I noticed a firmware update is available for the 4 Max but I’m waiting to see how other people’s updates go first. I’d hate to update and make things worse. I do believe they are a standard size POM wheel. I have some extra ones so maybe I should check. 🤔
Thanks for the video, I am starting to gain some experience with an Elegoo Neptune 4 Max, and I experience 3 or 4 issues, now I will apply what you teach in the video to reduce the future issues.
Glad it helped.
Thanks Man!!! I Just Got Mine Sunday 6-23-24!!! Excellent Video!!! Also Thanks For The Links Much Appreciated!!! 👍😎💯😀
No problem 👍
This is a great video and has helped me with my Neptune 4 Max
I wonder if for the screws for some of that could be maintained by putting some low level lock tight.
I learned from motorcycles and RC helicopters that blue locktite is pretty much required for all metal-to-metal bolts if you don't want them shaking free.
I can help you with the layer shift issue. In your printer.cfg for klipper find the macro that activates when the filament runout sensor triggers. Comment out the line that tells it to home during filament change. A proper filament change macro should tell the printer to move to the front center of the print volume thenm return without homing. Sesnorless homing is great but this is the primary shortcoming of it.
wow, great advice..... after almost 2 months of owning neptune 4 pro I just realized the wheels and some screws weren't tight enough.
Glad it helped!
I am still setting up my new Neptune 4 Max printer but I also have been watching various videos such as yours. When I ordered the printer I also ordered Multi-Sizes Nozzles for Neptune 4PLUS/4MAX. I am wondering if you would be willing to do another video talking about the advantages and disadvantages when using the different sized nozzles?
That’s not a bad idea. Thank you 🙏
I really needed to hear someone say to just not try to level every part of the bed . I was driving myself insane trying to get every corner perfect and struggling greatly.
I totally understand. My current Sovol SV08 has a bed mesh shaped like a taco and I can’t get it flat and yet it’s printing fine. 🤦♂️ I have spent hours trying to fix it and it’s working fine with a taco shaped bed. 😂😂👍😂😂
Top tip I have heard as regards your remark about the printer hitting the side of printer after you change filament causing layer shift . I believe that's down to the firmware needs updating on the main unit and the touch screen . That's the word I have heard because there are no end stops it's done in the units software/ firmware... So I was told the fix is update the firmware on both the main unit and also the touch screen . The it won't hit the side . . . Just a bit of info for you all .
Mine will be delivered in a few days.. i was thinking about the silicone 😊bushings. I am also considering to get the oldham couplers for the z screws. I saw a huge improvement on my Ender 3v2 when i swapped them out.
I leveled it 1-3 and 4-6 a few times hit the auto level tolerances were okay, printed the buddah then leved it 1-3 and 4-6 while the bed was hot got the level even better and haven't had any crazy issues yet. This video is great thanks for the helpful tips.
Thanks for the feedback, I think I might have to pick up one of these.
I wanna figure out how to get some liner rails on this thing, I think that would vastly improve the print quality
Hello so I got a neptune 4 max about a month ago and was wondering in ur video u don't have the big fans on the back so r the fans not needed or why do u not have them on ur printer
While I expect that printers of a certain price range seem to fall into the "hobby spec for upgrades" end, having that happen either out of the box or within a week of ownership means the thing was adapted from a smaller platform with the same parts and is wearing itself out Real quick. I have a fairly steep maintenance regime with a 6 year old delta that's two meters tall, at this point it burns through hot ends about once a year and is due for a bottom-up rebuild this year. If I were getting _that_ experience from new, I think I'd be swinging an axe or flaming pitchfork too!
My problem with n4max is that it seems to ignore my mesh. I added screw tilt adjust. added center as base, because i cant align that. 6 corners are compared to center. i adjust all the screws so its max 00:01. i go autolevel. i get 0.4 tolerance. no idea how, z heights simply change from the screw adjust test to the mesh test. its okay, we have autolevel. i get my mesh, but it doesnt seem to apply it. if edges are ok (z height ok), middle is almost touching the nozzle. if z height is adjusted on the middle, filament wont touch the edges.
Dont turn on the heat bed in slicer. It make you easier to print pla or petg. Use hair gum to sticky.
I added the M600 macro and tried a color swap that would work all day on my Cr10 but got the same layer shift you mentioned. I'm going to try the M600 with and without the filament runout sensor enabled and see if it makes a difference.
Did you ever come to any conclusions with this? Are you able to do a klipper macro to disable and reenable the runout sensor?
I wonder if a removeable thread locker like Vibra-Tite would help? I am an aerospace engineer and we used to use the stuff to secure bolts on stuff we made to ride into space on the Space Shuttle in the payload bay. Therefore I think that it is a good candidate for keeping stuff tight under heavy vibration.
On my new Elegoo Neptune 4 Max I’ve switched out the springs for silicone bushings and switched out the knobs for locking nuts and I did add a little bit of blue locktite. So far it’s been printing great.
Can I ask in the video what's the supports are you using is that tree support around the whole base of model . And if so what type of tree support . As I have noticed if you use normal support touching build plate they can be a pain to get off print sometimes . Cheers just want to make it as easy as possible to end up with clean prints .
I just got the neptune 4 pro and it is grinding when it goes down and then stops. Can't find anything getting in the way and updated all my firmware. All the belts seem perfect too and lubed everything up.
That’s odd. Grinding is not a good sound. I think I would get in touch with support for that one. Have you joined their discord or Facebook group yet?
hay my neptune 4 max. is not printing good. when i start a print it comes out all string and dose not stick to the bed. and get stuck to the nosse?
I have a video for that!😉👍 ua-cam.com/video/_PjAUaImt4M/v-deo.htmlsi=3F18trRMaf2kmkrt
@@OuterRimArmorer thank you so much i didn’t kown what that z access thing did
@@OuterRimArmorergot my sub
is there a reason you dont put blue locktight on it
Could you use / print tpu pads for the knob's?
that printers runs on klipper right.
The way it movies out for a filament change can be redon in the software.
And you could even add a machine base measurement so it does not even touch the side.
Klipper is awesome for that.
And you can easy add or remove scripts.
Where can I find the setting you talked about that you turned off in Orcaslicer? THank you so much
How are you measuring the proper belt tension?
can u do a video of installing the silicon heat bed bushing upgrade Please
Yes I can. I’ve had the bed apart a few times. I should have done one at that time. 🤦♂️
@@OuterRimArmorer Thank you I also got the linear rails for y and x axis I haven’t even turned it on yet I assembled it and went to take the play out of the y axis and was unable to then seen this upgrade for 150 figured I’d wait to turn it on until I get the machine as close to level and no play as possible
"Great video, thanks. I have a question: when I am calibrating the bed and it's calibrated in Klipper, I see that the mesh is not completely flat. How can I calibrate it? When it starts printing the purge line and moves toward the print area, I see that it scrapes the bed a bit. How can I fix this? Thank you very much for your response."
Would locktite not help that things dont loosen up by vibrations?
first thing i did when i got mine i ran it made a great print then i put the blue loktight on all screws
Smart choice! 👍
Go into klipper and find your pause macro in your cfg files. Then you will find the line that moves the print head to a safe location during the pause. My guess is the X value for the pause is at X0 and that's why it's hitting the gantry, change it to like X5 or something so it won't bottom out
Maybe slow the movement for the pause down too. If it is slamming into endstop.....
So I’m looking into this because both of my printers seem to layer shift after filament changes. One printer shows M601 and the other Shows M0. Both basically mean pause but neither of them show anything else as far as gcode is concerned in the Pause Print G-Code section.
do you have an amazon link to the right white grease?
Here’s a spray version I’ve used.
amzn.to/473lAZS
Here’s a non spray version that I’m using now.
amzn.to/41qw1pi
@@OuterRimArmorer thank you! I went to buy some last month and my brain went into analysis paralysis
this could have saved me some time had I found it a month ago... You are 100% correct! great printer but requires regular upkeep! I have no problem with that but I suffered from the Z leveling issues which caused a thermal runaway, get new printhead it clogged almost immediately after not sensing or saving the Z height, which also gouged two beds ( I used my n3pro's as well). So in fixing that tried to replace the nozzle and it snapped off the neck in the heating block. .then the first update came out. Thought it was fixed, nope. Printhead grabbed the top of a very well adhered PETG CF print..... holy hell. snapped the bottom of the frame right off the printhead! but with my trusty three I managed to print a hero me upgrade and wired up the stock fan to get it working again only to struggle for a few weeks of checking this or that to go through most of what you did until I realized it wasn't just a hardware issue. that was about three days before the update; which has resolved most of my issues.
I guess I'm saying I understand why people gave up but with how good my three was I knew it could be great and it is, now anyway.I still love it you Won't get a better bang for your buck! oh and F the nozzles ! do yourself a favor and just order volcano nozzles and adjust your Z height for the difference. upgraded to 5015 blower fans printing at 200mm/s.... now waiting on .08 and 1.0mm nozzles!
I must be in a cult, I still love it
And I'm off to order silicon spacers and print the cable chain that I've been putting off. keep up the good work!
Holly hell that sucks. I’m like you though and I eventually work through the issue. Overcoming it all feels like a great accomplishment but the process is still very frustrating. Glad yours is working better now. I’m interested in that volcano swap. Need to learn more about that. I did just receive my order for .6 and .8 nozzles so I’m going to give those a try soon.
@@OuterRimArmorer this is where I learned about it. this guy does some really interesting testing +breaks it down really well. Been using a .08 on my three minor adjustment on outter wall inset and wow ua-cam.com/video/RWDErj-pE1c/v-deo.html&ab_channel=CNCKitchen
Have you tried thread lock on the screws that aren’t supposed to drift (I.e. not the adjustment knobs)?
can you please make a video showing how the tight your belts are? This would be so so so helpfull
Working on a video now. 😉👍
hmm, my 4 max randomly stops printing mid-print...then i upgraded the firmware it seems to help. but it still stops sometime for some reason...but no one seems to have the same problem..
Hi. I purchased a 4 Max and everyone is saying how fast the printer is and everything I print has a hard time sticking to the plate and then it's super slow. Any suggestions?
I change filament while it’s running so I don’t get layer shift I did find like ur self that rollers loosen often
I tried that once. It didn’t work out well for me. 😞
@@OuterRimArmorerI have Neptune 3 pro Neptune 4 and 4 max I do it almost every day I think there is a video on UA-cam showing how to do it good luck happy printing
Would lock washers fix the nuts becoming loose without causing any other issues?
They might. I don’t have any the correct size so I haven’t tried that yet.
Thanks for sharing your experience with it.
My pleasure!
Any chance we can have a instruction or tutorial on how to replace the springs with the silicone bushing upgrades?
I just got my N4max and haven't assembled it yet. or is it hard to replace? thanks
It’s not that tough but I have taken the bed apart a few times so I don’t see why I couldn’t make a video on the install. 😉👍
Would it help to add loctite to some of those nuts you mention that keep loosening?
I tried red loctite and it worked a little to well. Maybe blue because they still have to be adjustable.
Which slicer do you take? Bambu Slicer? Was there a preset?
One thing I just noticed on my 4max is that the bed is getting wobble, I need to figure out how to tighten that down
Your POM wheels may just need some adjusting. If you find that no matter which way you turn the eccentric nuts/spacers the wobble doesn’t go away, then you may have worn down POM wheels. Mine were grooved pretty bad when I replaced mine. Also it doesn’t matter which what you turn the eccentric nut. It’s really just a lopsided spacer that’s thicker on one side. It will either tighten or loosen. If it never tightens then it could be time for new wheels or linear rails.
I'm so glad I found this video, thanks!
Your welcome!
Great information been struggling with mine 4 plus for weeks
Where is the setting called Combing... I've looked everywhere - klipper, orca slicer, settings I can't find it :D!
It’s called that in Cura Slicer. I believe Orca calls it something else. In Orca slicer look under the “Others” section I believe it’s called something like “Reduce Infill Retraction”. If I’m not mistaken it does the same exact concept as Combing in Cura. I turn that shit off too and no more support or print failures from being knocked off the bed.
@@OuterRimArmorer ahhh I saw that on Reddit too but couldn't find it. I was on the "Object" tab instead of "Global" where this setting lives under Others > G-code ouput. Hopefully this helps someone else!
I followed all of this in your guide, updated the firmware and some other suggestions but some models I just can't get proper adhesion even with warming everything up for 25minutes, using a gluestick, leveling beforehand, prayer, thoughts - everything so I'm hoping this works. I also kinda worry it's not looking at the right bed_mesh profile - I switched to advanced levelling mode which I think updates bed_mesh 11 it doesn't feel clear which mesh preset gets used when printing. I think the day I spent working on the eccentric nuts broke my brain a little.
Edit: Some added context - this is my first FDM printer. Honestly for the price I don't mind it. This is a fun hobby. I've gone through almost 10kg of filament over just a few months so I've used it a LOT and despite some of the issues most everything has turned out OK. I learnt a hard lesson with a blob of death but had been warned to almost watch the first layer and didn't. The replacement print head was only $50 - I've spent far more than that when factoring in my time so it was fine - I'm really just lucky and happy that it didn't start a fire or something else.
for the adhesion issues I would suggest cleaning the flex plate really well with soap and water. Then while the first layer is printing adjust the z height. While you’re watching it you’ll see the difference in the way the first layer goes down. Do this step repeatedly until you think it looks good. I would pick a model that has a big base so you have lots of time adjusting the first layer. I do this step now on all my printers after every bed leveling I do.
@@OuterRimArmorer thanks again! Watching the first layer and dialing in the z offset worked. I may try turning "reduce infill retraction" / combing back on to see what happens, it seems like it would really help reduce wear/tear. I have caught it clipping models in the past but I'm curious if it was related to poorly set z-offset as my retraction tests have all performed really well.
I wish there was a better way than the "paper method" for z-offset. Also the magnetic auto leveling overall really is iffy - even with lower variance thresholds and more samples.
Overall - this has been fun but it also makes me really appreciate resin printing.
I finally got around to washing the plate with soap/water (then wipe down with a micro fiber cloth).
It seems to make a huuuuge difference. It's like there were some dead zones from fingerprints or PLA crust or something that no amount of ISA/wipe downs was getting rid of. I also noticed dead center the print nozzle must have been pressed into the bed enough to flatten out the contours... It sure would be nice to actual touch sensors (but then again that'd be another thing that could break)
Thanks for the video, this is great! I recently bought a Neptune 4 plus as my first printer and this is very helpful. Are there any videos or guides on installing the silicone buffers? I think I would like to try that but am nervous to mess around too much with the hardware.
Made a video on removing the bed for adding silicone bushings so I’ll get that loaded today.
@@OuterRimArmorer I'll keep an eye out, thank you!
I turned off combing because my print got knocked down, but then I got a mcu shutdown error. What can I do to fix this
Is this error on your printer or your computer? Slicer software has a tendency to take a lot of CPU.
I have bought this printer last month, but from a week or something more I my prints have some layer separation, on the other printers that i have I haven't experienced this problem yet, is it a common problem? how can i fix that?
I’m experiencing this very same thing right now on my Neptune 4 Max. I switched to a different roll of filament and it sort of helped but now I’m testing PrusaSlicer instead of Cura to see if maybe it’s my slicing software or settings. Orca has a profile for the Neptune 4 Max and that software is similar to Prusa so maybe I’ll try that as well. 🤔
A friend just told me that normally separation only happens if your print is not hot enough or cools down too fast. I print in my garage and I’ve been printing around 200 so I might bump it up to 215 or 220 and see how my prints look.
@@OuterRimArmorerthank you so much for the answer! I’m trying right now, I have also imported a file from an Anycubic, maybe is this also part of the problem🙏🏻
@@Visionbygtif the file is an STL you sliced using Neptune profile it should be fine. If it’s a file sliced for an Anycubic it could cause errors only because different machines tend to have slightly different gcode. That being said I have done it myself with little to no problems. It’s just safer to stick to the gcode designed for your printer.
@@OuterRimArmorer yea for sure safer, I’m running a small 3d printing farm for a racing team and I have 4 anycubic and now the Neptune 4… I wished that I could use the same gcode to save some time…
Thanks for the tips! I think your comment on combing may be the issue I'm having with my N4P! I've been trying to print a large, flat platform for a lamp, and the infill always gets ruined. It's like it is scraping the surface despite the z height being perfect. Hopefully turning it off will remedy that.
Glad it was helpful! Make sure z hope is enabled and you don’t use grid infill as well.
@@OuterRimArmorer It did fix it! That was driving me nuts. I guess I had combing on by default. I was printing with cubic sub, but I had tried grid and it was even worse. I haven't touched z hop, but I'll look into it as well. Thanks again!
Would it help to slow it down a bit... slower is less vibrations
Slowing it down would help. Plus I print 24/7.
Hey man, just bought a neptune 4 max. I also looked at the files which you dropped the link but I saw there are more than one file. Which one am I gonna print?
Hey, can you please share your prusa slicer setting for Neptune 4 max?
I haven’t used PrusaSlicer for the Elegoo’s. I could try and setup something though.
@@OuterRimArmorer thanks let me know once done
Great video- I have a 3 MAX and almost no issues. The SUNLU pla+ I got off Amazon is great and settings between black and silk copper are basically the same. I put my pla in humidity controlled boxes - which could also effect people’s prints. Week one - fresh pla then week 2 the pla could be full of humidity and dust…so one other thing to watch for. Great tip on the belt dial locks and cable chain. There’s a z axis cleaning tool to get crud out of the big up n down screws. Still trying to find the slicer settings for the supplied Buddha print cus those print perfect every time. Gonna watch more of your videos now.
Where is the back fan?
I took it off. It wasn’t helping anything.
Thank YOU for that 🎉
Can locktight be used on some of it?
I used blue Loctite. Never use red.
What type of grease do you use to lubricate?
I use this grease on my z rods. amzn.to/4bBRLCA
I use this oil on just about everything else. amzn.to/3UWIDTt
A lot of good tips in this video
Thank you!
@@OuterRimArmorer welcome I subscribe!
I am having the z offset issue super bad, did you tighten up the bolts that hold the little brass pieces that the Z rods run through? Originally tightened mine up because they come loose.. When I started having issues I loosened them up back how they came and my problems are worse than ever. I can have a layer perfectly level and uniform looking then half way through its seems like the Z offset is way too low. Sometimes I go to print and the z offset is way to high sometimes its way too low. could these problems be associated with the bed being unlevel because those knobs under bed are coming loose?
Those little brass pieces on the z rods are meant to be loose. Make sure your z rods are greased. The bed screws loosen up all the time on me. I just printed some bed screw locks to give them a try. My concern from what you mentioned would be the z gantry changing. You definitely want that thing to stay level.
@@OuterRimArmorer okay 👍… so maybe worth a firmware update to see if that fixes my random z offset problem… otherwise keep those brass things loose and everything else pretty tight and mechanically I should be okay?, my issue probably lies in the software or something.
would Loctite benefit many of these issues?
Maybe blue. I sued the red because that’s what I had and it made things worse. 🤦♂️
How many links did you print for your max?
Love the video. Thanks for sharing. I am curious...how to you actually "level" the gantry. If the right side of the gantry is a bit higher than the left side....how do you lower the right side to match the left? Both Zrods spin at the same time. Thanks for the help.
If you have not fixed it yet. Loosen a gear on the rods, that will let you adjust each side independently.
Hi, where buy is nozzle for him?
Elegoo said Amazon would have them sometime this month.
@@OuterRimArmorer aliexpress may be?
@@ДмитрийКривицкий-м9ъnot for the Neptune 4 Max unfortunately.
I thought the Neptune 4 Max came with a big fan assembly on the back of the print bar? Did you remove it?
It does and I did. I wanted to see if it was helping or not. So far I haven’t noticed a difference other than it’s quieter now. I’m printing around 250mms using Sunlu Silk PLA. Maybe a different filament or more speed would justify the big fan but so far it’s working great for me without it.
Do you use elagoo cura or cura?
I use regular Cura but I just started using Prusa slicing software and I’ve checked out Orca. Prusa and Orca are almost identical. Mostly just user interface that’s different. I might make a video on using Prusa next.
Wow, a lot goes into this one. I will be honest, I am horrible at maintenance. My last printer I ran it for over a year straight and did not do any of this. I releveled it a few times, maybe once every few months, and aside from the nozzle that was all I did. If it wasn't for the machine getting water damage and messing up the main board (I think) I would still use the N2S.
This is the first time I’ve had to do this much maintenance on a 3D printer buts it’s also my first 3D printer that can print at 250mms and looks amazing. Plus it’s a massive bed slinger. I’m testing the Anycubic Kobra 2 Max right now and working on a comparison video. So far it’s less maintenance but I did just experience a glitch in the firmware or something that ruined my print. The review was looking good for Anycubic until this happened. Lol
@@OuterRimArmorer That is a good point, the faster the machine goes, presumably, more maintenance should go into it. My biggest issue is the nozzles though. Look forward to the AK2M, even with the firmware issue, review.
Thanks for this! Wish i'd seen this sooner, never heard of the "blob of death" or any issues with the neptune 4 series, I got my neptune 4 last friday, come monday night I do a long print and now my print head is fucked :/
That sucks to hear.
@@OuterRimArmorer support have been frictionless and I already have a new print head on the way, I am very grateful
@@m1ghtyboy they’re the best!
I got the N4 Pro. While assembling I used blue locktite. I use this every time I assemble a printer. The problem I ran into was not cleaning and greasing the linear rods on X and Y axis.
I used Superlube silicone PTFE grease and it works great.
Need to get a bed kit for mine. Leveling isn't hard, but I seen to do it way more often on the Neptune than my other printer. More speed, more vibration, goes out of adjustment quicker...
Thanks for sharing
I came here to ask specifically about loctite. Did you use it on all screws?
@@John-of3urI used red Loctite on a couple bed screws just to test it out. It was not helpful and it kind of made things worse. Maybe blue would work better? I’m still playing around with the silicon bushings to try and tighten them enough to make them work better.
@@OuterRimArmorer blue is designed to easily be replaceable with common tools, whereas red is a more permanent fix
@@OuterRimArmorer you definitely don't want red. Blue is what you want
Did you find the wheel bushings work better than the springs to hold the bed level ? Ty
I think only slightly better. I still have to relevel the bed weekly it seems.
@@OuterRimArmorer me to on my Neptune pro 4
@@OuterRimArmorer 1. Check build plate heat. Most 3D printers come with a heated build plate these days.
2. Level your bed. The most important layer in any print is the very first...
3. Clean the build plate....
4. Ensure the model lies flat.
Hm I'm getting ready to get into 3d printing would this one be a bad printer for a first one?
I would say that there are easier printers to learn on.
Did you put silicone spacers in the center or just leave the metal ones?
Also did you have to trim the insulation to get the spacers in there? The holes in the insulation look smaller than the spacer and would possibly crush the insulation.
I did replace the two center spacers with the silicone bushings. I did not trim anything.
I bought Neptune 4 max recently whatever i tried there are layer shifts for every print not able to print anything
Assuming you followed all the suggested info in the video and checked everything is properly adjusted and you’re still are having issues, have to tried updating the firmware? That’s helped some other people.
I updated my firmware and I’m having more issues than BEFORE updating it. When I do get it printing, it seems like its doing great, then my print pops off and causes it to fail. I’m using their same textures pei plate. I have it on all my other printers and had zero issues. Any suggestions?
I had similar issues at first. Mine turned out to be weak supports that kept breaking. The bed adhesion was good but my supports needed to be beefed up.
Orca slicer helped
What size silicone bushels did you buy?
I added links for everything in the video description but here’s the link for just the bushings. amzn.to/3R8UkVf
which nozzle do you use?
I have a .4 Nozzle. Elegoo hasn’t released any other nozzle size than .4 for the 4 Max. Supposed to see some options this month.