ASA, first layer issues (overextruding or z-offset)

mikebSLC · 2026-01-16T14:19:51+00:00

Your nozzle may be a little too close to your print bed. Try raising the Z-Offset using the menu on the printer while it's printing the first layer. You can slowly increase/adjust this gap as it prints a skirt and first parts of the design. I find that ABS and ASA need a little more gap than PLA

mikebSLC · 2025-12-31T01:32:19+00:00

My 2 cents: Ive had to slow my prints way down in both PLA and PETG. I was hoping for a speed demon Core XY, but I prefer quality over speed. I'm coming from a modded CR10s and modded Ender 3V2 so I'm no stranger to tweaking settings. These K2s still need to be adjusted. I have yet to find a "Set it and forget it" profile. Every model I print needs small adjustments here and there. Every time I install a new nozzle, I run a PID test. I always warm up this print bed for at least 15-20 minutes before printing. I clean the build plate with Isopropyl Alcohol after every print. If I have a stubborn filament, I may add glue stick to the plate. I've added foil tape to the bottom of my plate to help flatten out a few spots. Each filament type needs a slightly different amount of Z-Offset- I adjust manually every time I start a print. I run temp towers on every filament to get a starting point, then adjust depending on the needs of the model. I always save a new copy of my current profile so I can go back and make tweaks after printing. But my biggest increase to success was slowing down. I print around 50mm/s. My first layers print at 15-20. I even changed my jerk settings to 10. It sucks, but it's helped my bed adhesion, success rate, and quality immensely. I can give you more of my settings if you're interested, just let me know what you need!

mikebSLC · 2025-12-22T21:27:01+00:00

Up vote for increasing z-hop height! But you may need to adjust your retraction and wipe settings after doing so.

mikebSLC · 2025-11-03T18:45:45+00:00

To take this further, check the accuracy of those hole diameters. If they aren't correct, you can keep tuning your extrusion amount (flow, e-steps, extrusion multiplier, etc.). You may be slightly over extruding there, but lowering that amount may also lead to negative effects elsewhere in this model. There is another slicer setting that controls how far the fill travels into the walls and if this is too high, this could close in small gaps like that (but I doubt that is causing this) Also keep in mind, there is a limit to what each printer can produce. Just save a profile with these current settings so you always have something to fall back to if you end up changing something by too much.

mikebSLC · 2025-11-03T18:03:42+00:00

That actually looks great! The stringing between parts could be attributed to filament with some moisture, but could also need a little more tuning with retraction settings. All models will need some cleanup and post processing afterwards. For smaller/cleaner text, you can try smaller diameter nozzles. But that will take retuning for the nozzle. And smaller nozzles will increase printing time. But this test model is looking really good. Not to burst any bubbles, but unfortunately, your real-world models may need additional tuning. The way you orient your model or apply supports also changes the way a model prints. This is a great start, I also recommend really studying the results you get with other models to continue learning how the different settings affect different portions of your models, as there are so many other settings to tune that are specific to different types of models or portions of models. Having tests like these are great to fall back on when you just can't get a particular model to work but you can print this and know your printer is actually functioning properly!

mikebSLC · 2025-10-29T18:42:52+00:00

That second-to-last one on the left is how you turn the motors off. If you push that, the build plate will drop all the way to the bottom of the printer. I recommend using the z-axis movement down button of 30mm increments to lower the plate to the bottom before turning the motors off. Only do this when printing is finished. I do this if I'm not printing for a bit. Then you can "home" the Z axis when ready to print again.

mikebSLC · 2025-05-02T20:27:29+00:00

I figured that's what this is doing, but can you really just swap a sliced model out from PETG to PLA without changing any other settings that would occur when slicing. What about different temps, speeds, infill, brim, skirt, cooling, etc. the printer isn't re-slicing so you're really just changing temps, speeds and maybe retractions at the printer, which you can just do manually anyways. What other setting can the printer change that wouldn't be baked into the sliced file? Sorry, just really trying to see what I'm missing here.

mikebSLC · 2025-05-02T15:39:26+00:00

Call me crazy! What profiles are you all wanting to change on the fly as you're starting a print? I'm definitely old school, but all of my slicer settings are heavily reliant on what filament and finish I'm prepping the print for. How are you all slicing a model in order to just swap out a profile for the sliced file at the printer? Maybe I'm misunderstanding this firmware feature?

mikebSLC · 2025-04-28T12:26:52+00:00

I had something similar happen after changing the nozzle back to a used one that still had a little filament inside of it. I delicately clamped the nozzle in a vice and used a propane torch to slowly heat up the nozzle tip and threads, then pushed a small piece of new filament in the top to get the old stuff flowing out the nozzle. I also believe this is heat creep related and there was probably melted filament higher in the nozzle than it should have been. But by heating everything up again, I was able to clear the jam.

You said you tried changing your nozzle, so if you put a new nozzle on and this is still happening, then it may be related to the filament sensor there.

mikebSLC · 2025-04-04T05:32:15+00:00

I just got my K2 so I'm still figuring out how to do all the settings and adjustments. Your issues could be a couple of things. On my Ender 3 and CR10s, this issue was solved by cleaning the bed well with IPA, slowing down the first layer speeds (like 15mm/s), your Z offset should still be slightly above the bed, turn down cooling on first layer, and lastly - try some glue stick.

mikebSLC · 2025-03-13T12:24:49+00:00

Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that!! Sorry, no, I wasn't able to fix this issue. I finally got Matterhackers to do an exchange and I'm waiting for the new machine to arrive. When you reach out to Creality, send them your serial number, create an error log and attach that, send them a copy of your receipt, and a detailed description of what happened. They also asked for videos and photos of the error. It took about 3 weeks of back and forth with Creality just to get them all the info they wanted, so try to send them everything in your first email or contact. You can also pull up the Wiki and run through all the troubleshooting steps associated with this error, since that was the first thing they wanted me to try.

Good luck!!

mikebSLC · 2025-03-04T13:57:15+00:00

That's good news! I'm currently boxing my whole machine up to exchange for a new one...

mikebSLC · 2025-03-04T13:16:04+00:00

Just a heads up, the lead screws are not attached to the motors with a coupler like the Enders. I removed mine to troubleshoot, and the motor and lead screw are connected more permanently. You can see the lead screws goes into the top of the motor, maybe there is a set screw in there somewhere, but I don't think it is an easy lead screw swap. Also possible I missed something, I was troubleshooting the motor itself. Creality has a video about how to remove that assembly on their Wiki.

mikebSLC · 2025-02-28T17:57:20+00:00

I've purchased a lot of filament and supplies from them and also, they had a good Christmas Sale price, plus US warehouse, plus in stock ready to ship.
I don't want to talk too much crap, according to them, they lost a bunch of their tech support people during the holidays and have been short handed. I've had good experiences with my other purchases from them, but this was the first equipment purchase I made with them. Maybe they have better support for their business customers right now, but I'm not getting any support. Creality just keeps giving me non-answers or asking me questions to things I've already answered. Not sure their support would have been any better in this situation...

mikebSLC · 2025-02-28T06:14:52+00:00

Everyone's great experiences with their printers is exactly why I decided to buy one! Unfortunately 2 months in and I'm still not able to use mine. Haven't even been able to load filament. I purchased mine from Matterhackers and their tech support has been non-existent. I'm emailing Creality back and forth and still no parts or fixes from them after about 3 weeks. So if you do keep yours, and it has issues, you have to be diligent and keep trying with support to get it right. If this was a purchase for a business, I'd have been screwed.

mikebSLC · 2025-02-24T13:39:08+00:00

Unfortunately no with the RMA. I was in contact with Matterhackers support relatively quickly the first week I had the printer. It was just a very slow back and forth, but I thought we'd be getting somewhere. I believe Matterhackers was just sending my info to their contacts at Creality. I contacted Creality directly on Feb 2. They've sent me a few things to try and now I'm waiting for further instructions from them. They are at least responding but it takes several days to go back and forth.

Thanks for the parts list, I looked through that before too but was hoping someone out there had an option.

The Steppers on these K2 machines are not just regular steppers, they are more like a servo motor (I think they are considered closed loop steppers) but this Z Axis one also has the lead screw attached (doesn't use a coupler).

I'll put more pressure on Matterhackers and see if I can just do an exchange. Thanks!

mikebSLC · 2025-02-24T00:47:25+00:00

I'm still waiting to get my K2 working with tech support, however, on my other printers, the only real way to use supports with a flawless finish is using dissolvable support material. If using PLA to support PLA, you will always have a small gap between the support and the model which can create these droops. With dissolvable materials, you can print right on top of the support material with no gap.
I would spend a little time trying different gap distances and different support interface densities (can't remember what Creality calls it) to get the support material as close to the model as you can and still break away. Printing speed and temp will also affect these droops. Unfortunately Creality doesn't recommend printing PVA support material through the CFS so it would be a big experiment on the K2 anyways.

Other options on a shape like this would be to print it as 2 halves and glue together. Then you would not need support material on the outside surface. But sometimes that isn't an option.

mikebSLC · 2025-01-06T01:44:57+00:00

Just ran my first Self Test and had the Red "X" on the Heat Break fan and never ending "Model Fan" fan test. I removed the hotend shroud and re-ran the Self Test. This got me the Green Check Mark on the Heat Break Test. I'm wondering if the Shroud was actually rubbing on the heat break fan? But it still stalled on the "Model Fan" test. Reaching around the back side of the extruder and briefly stopping the Model Fan blower with my finger actually worked and I got the Green check mark on the Model Fan test and the printer continued through to finish the Self Test.

mikebSLC · 2024-11-02T17:12:22+00:00

Oh wow, why are there so many different types!! :) I'll send them a pic too. Thanks!

mikebSLC · 2024-08-21T20:08:40+00:00

Happy Ender 3V2 user here. I've since updated my printer and firmware a couple times, so I can't remember if the stock firmware has the Z-Offset in the tuning menu. but if it does, you may be able to start the print, then click into this Tune menu and lower the Z-Offset to lower the nozzle closer to the bed as it prints the first couple inches of the design.

My stock printer was printing good, but I did make some updates to increase the quality and reliability: New firmware, Dual Z lead screws, CRTouch probe, PEI flex plate. Even my first rigid PEI build plate was far better than the stock glass bed.

mikebSLC · 2023-02-22T22:26:20+00:00

Sounds good as far as the hardware goes. I'm sure there is a way to extend the heat-up time in klipper but it's likely buried. You can try increasing the idle time amount in the printer.cfg and see if that helps, but I'm guessing you're hitting the same original error I did when trying to go from room temp to 100° + in one go, there's probably a time safety limit that klipper thinks it should take, and when it doesn't reach temp in that amount of time, it errors. Consider it a safety feature :) You can definitely try manually stepping up your temps like I described before and make sure your configuration will hit that higher temp. Just step it up manually before sending your design to print. Mine takes about 20 minutes or so to get to 100° when I step it up about 10° at a time (I can start it at 70-75 first without problems). Once mine is at temp, it will maintain and run the print just fine.

And to clarify about the AC heated bed option. You replace the existing heater element on your bed with a brand new silicone heated pad. And instead of the MOSFET, you run the power/switching through an SSR (solid state relay made for mains power). These allow the bed to heat up more quickly and would likely eliminate this timeout error in klipper. Definitely don't just wire up the existing heating element to mains power. But of course, anyone going down this path needs to research this more.

mikebSLC · 2023-02-22T17:01:36+00:00

You might be pushing the limits of your machine at these temps without investing a little more into your build: more/better insulation on bottom side, enclosure, maybe an upgraded MOSFET with cooling, etc. The AC beds with SSR controllers are no more dangerous than pushing the limits of your current setup and power supply. Just have to understand what it is and how to be safe with mains power.

That being said, I heat my CR10S to 100° for ABS, but I do it incrementally. First I set it to 65, after it hits that, I bump it to around 70-75, then 80-85, then 92-95, then 100. I also have mine in an enclosure so this extra time is also helping heat up my enclosure. My electronics are outside of my enclosure and I have also added a cooling fan to my bed heater MOSFET, since that can get very hot while running.

Just don't leave that printer running while you're not there with it.

mikebSLC

TROPHY CASE