It seems like over the last couple months/half year there’s been this new fixation with printing a huge perfect single layer of plastic all cross the entire bed of one’s printer. I see lots of folks asking about calibration issues when they are trying to do this. It seems like it’s sorta become a standard of sorts.

I just ask why?

It seems to use a huge amount of plastic and honestly I don’t think it probably effects real world results that much.

I feel like the 3d printing community has a lot of shilling going on for companies and the information you get might not be entirely reliable. Look into the issues with this FLSUN S1 if you want to know what I mean.

But anyway, I have never had an impulse or see the need to print a single layer across the entire build surface of my printer. because I feel like that’s a huge waste and doesn’t actually matter when it comes to real world results.

Am I missing something? I kinda wonder if this kinda test is being pushed by the folks selling us filament, to sell us more filament. Is there a good reason to actually do this?

Please enlighten me!

  • hendrik@palaver.p3x.deEnglish
    2·
    7 days ago

    Idk. I’ve been fine just printing a thin perimeter line to see if it’s level. And maybe a smaller thing to see if I get the correct amount of squish for the first layer. I don’t think there’s any benefit in having it plaster the whole bed for 30 minutes.

    • drexy_rexy@programming.devOPEnglish
      2·
      7 days ago

      I agree with you but I’m constantly getting bombarded by folks who seem to think the contrarian and I just want to know if there is something I’m missing.

      • hendrik@palaver.p3x.deEnglish
        2·
        7 days ago

        Well, I’d say probably not. I mean if you’re watching YouTube videos, it may very well just look enticing on camera and have no other value besides that. I’m not 100% up to date, but I haven’t seen any authority in the field do it. And it doesn’t even tell you a lot, like if it’s going to lead to elephants foot or accuracy with the dimensions or anything like that. I really don’t see any value. And I mean if you do it like me, you can see if the lines get thicker or more flat, so you’ll see the levelling on close inspection. And I really doubt you can see any of that with just the whole bed covered. That’s missing all the nuance and just tells you if something goes horribly wrong and the nozzle starts smearing everything around or buries itself into the bed or is badly under-extruding or very far away… I really doubt it’s a meaningful thing to do.