I'll agree with this. I went right back to 4.6 after trying out 4.7. Better prints all around.

@Johnny_exe I hope you got your first layer figured out, reading your thread gave the tools to get my printer sorted out. I printed that plate while mutating the Z offset until I got a solid first layer print, took maybe five prints to narrow in on the sweet spot offset. Since then none of my prints have failed due to a cruddy first layer.

Nuked Cura 4.7.1 from my computer and did a fresh install of 4.6.  Set up my usual Ender 3 Pro profile in it, nothing out of the ordinary.  Just got done editing my marlin 2.0.6.1 source and compiled a new firmware copy because with the Hero Me system my x/y offsets have changed and that's done in the firmware.  Once that is sent over to the printer I'll run a freshly sliced 20x20x20mm hollow test cube with brim to see what happens.

Firmware wouldn't upload for some reason, probably formatted the SD card wrong.  Figured out how to set my X and Y offsets via OctoPrint terminal, then ran a z-offset calibration.  It came out to -3.020, previous z-offset with the oem hotend assembly and the popular bltouch bracket from thingiverse was only around -0.60 so this was a big change.

Ran the test cube print, just sliced in Cura 4.6, real bad first line adhesion issue and one of the lines on one of the first layers of the cube didn't stick and created a diagonal across the cube(rarely happens).  Made a full pass around the brim before it started to stick, made a mess of filament on the nozzle.  Did notice some minor gaps in the rest of the brim so I increased z-offset a bit and tried again.

Second attempt, first line was a mess again and bad gaps in brim lines.  Running another z-offset calibration now.  That cr6se is getting real tempting.

Third test first line still didn't stick, first layer after that is looking better, watched it place a diagonal line on one of the first cube layers and no idea why it's doing that.  The rest of the cube layers are looking good, and the last 60% or so of the brim looks great.

I let the third test complete and this is the result.

Attached File


First line didn't stick and the unstuck line got sucked in to the print.  Top left area of brim is acting like the z-offset is wrong/nozzle too far from bed but rest of brim looks line.  Second or third layer up on the cube, printer decides to take a diagonal shortcut.  Maybe 3/4 up the cube and there is a random layer issue.

Replaced the short section of PTFE between the hot end and direct drive with capricorn tubing.  The old tube seemed ok and was down far enough in to the hot end against the nozzle so no filament pooling in there, made sure the new tube is seated the same.  Ran the test cube w/ brim and first inch or so of line still isn't printing.  The last two things I can think of doing is switching back to the oem bowden extruder placement which I don't think will make any difference, or try the micro swiss all metal hot-end which probably won't either.

Hate to admit defeat, but I'm all out of ideas and still at a complete loss as to what I did to cause this after replacing the ptfe tube the first time.  The hot-end/nozzle are square to the bed, I've tried numerous nozzles, different colors and brands of filaments, ptfe and capricon tubing between the hot end direct drive, pulled apart and inspected the hot end and extruder multiple times, made sure my prints are doing the 2-line purge/prime before prints, have gone up and down with temp and z-offset, a dozen or more full calibrations and belt/v-roller adjustments, cleaned the z-rod twice, tried the textured glass bed and the magnetic bed surface, tried with and without aquanet, and upgraded the hot-end/cooling assembly to the Hero Me Gen 5 system.  I guess I'll just deal with the issue until I decide to upgrade to something bigger and better.