Cura is a good option and I know it has the config you need. I would try to figure out why it won't work. However I had problems with Cura 15 - so I suggest you try Cura v2:
I tried Cura 3 with no luck (wouldn't even recognise my printer was connected)
Oh, i'll point out that I kinda need to print via USB, which isn't a problem for me. the SD card slot... well.. it notices a card is in there, but never notices anything on the card. minor annoyance only.
nope.. can't get it to recognise I have a printer attached..
apart from this problem appearing, and what seams to be slightly limited settings, I've been happy with makerware so i'll see about leaving it.. There are more settings if you manually edit but I don't understand some of them ^_^
I decided to have a quick look at the drive gear for the head itself. the filament I took out seamed a little bit more stripped then I would have liked (but not by a huge amount, just more natural gear movement), and there was somehow, some fuzz in there.. that was annoying.. I took the gear off the motor, realigned it a bit and put it back on, but I might have put it on backwards and want to adjust that, but then did a print. I'm not sure if its the same or better... but right now a few bits that look like under extruding.. I'll swap that gear around anyway and print a bit later..
if it is overextruding bits like it seams to be, then the gear being a bit too loose might create it (letting through more then it should)
damn.. okay, like I said, did the drive gear.. for some reason though, i'm printing a box now and there are... layer gaps... I did turn down the hotend to 200... but that should have been okay.. maybe i'll check to relayer the plate.. but still same annoying problem ¬_¬
It looks a bot like your over extruding.
As to layer shift, the abruptness of it looks like a mechanical issue. it doesn't look so much like a belt problem it looks like a physical impediment to movement and the pressure be released suddenly so that the print heads jars. Check that your axis are able to run smoothly. Also check you filament spool. It can be that it is wound too tight and so the extruder as it pulls the filament through builds up tension that then gets released.
iDig3DPrinting -
Your source for 3D printers, 3D printing accessories and filament.
I don't think the spool is too tight, and effecting just things like the top and bottom where more is required is odd in that case, but i'll check.
I'll re-oil and clean the axis rods to make sure of them. the only thing that kinda jumps out at me when it comes to the rods is the back and front that hold the belts have a slight bend in the middle, and I think one seams to move oddly around the bearing but not enough that I think there is any real issue with the belt going slack or anything too much and as you said, doesn't seam to be a belt problem.
It is difficult to diagnose from afar but a mechanical issue seems likely. you could try moving the model about to see if it is limited to a specific area of the xy space and also if it is occurring at the same height always.
if it was a gradual continuous movement in one direction then it is possible a calibration issue but as it is a sudden shift it does seem that it is likely a mechanical problem.
iDig3DPrinting -
Your source for 3D printers, 3D printing accessories and filament.
I have cleaned and re-oiled (lightly) the rods, checked the filament flow, checked the screws and most of the things I can think of and i'll try to run a couple of test prints tonight. I don't think it's doing it at a set height only cause when I print a taller box the walls are fine till the top (and the bottom again) and when it's a more 'detailed' print (I wanna try a ball or half ball to test something) it seams to varie a bit per layer.. i'm pretty sure the filament isn't too tight but I think I noticed when I was doing the quick servicing that it MIGHT have been a bit caught up with something (I think the hooks for the power cable etc to the head).. again, i'm gonna have to see how tonight's prints turns out.
okay, no new pictures just now.. didn't think much of how they turned out for a start and nothing really new..
Found out the filament was slipping into the U clip for the cables for the print head, so it was getting a bit tight. sorted that out now but seams to have some (quite a few) layer gaps.. possible but I'm not quite sure they are under extrusion.
had to realign the build plate, so I need to print off/make a new cooling fan duct. the printer was one of these that didn't come with one. I had to change one not long ago and lead to a couple of tweaks with it today and it's just not working out quite right. So I just need to do a couple of tweaks to put it much more like an older one I had which worked well but didn't hold on that well..
but either way, there is still a slight problem.. but it's making me more think... it's off-setting the thicker layers... it might be all down to cooling... I'll run up the new duct design and then try it out and see what happens.. might be a couple of days through.
