Some Days Nothing Goes Right

I bet I'm not alone in having days that go from one mishap to another.  One wrong step to the next.  One thing broken only to find when that's fixed that another thing is kaput.   3D printing can feel like that sometimes.    It's hardware that is all working in concert to turn little strands of melted plastic into something recognizable.   All those parts can rebel on you when you least expect them to. 

I have some new hardware in the 3D printing realm here at the house.   Some of it has been put together and is working in the print room (mechanical room, workshop, pinball room,or as I think of it, the fun room.)  Some days are decidedly not fun, though. 

We had a timing belt that was loose on the new chidren't printer.  It came that way from the manufacturer. I looked online for instructions on how to adjust it but there were none.   There was a video for another one of the timing belts, but it was an easy one to adjust, not the difficult to reach one I needed to fix.   I sent an email to the company asking for instructions, saying I could do it myself if they'd tell me the best way to access it. 

There are components all connected together.   They have wires.   Some of the parts get very hot so they can melt plastic.   Tolerances are tight so that the plastic is melted just right.   But I could do it, I told myself.  

With no word back, and my patience on the thin side, I started taking the extruder apart.   Thirty careful minutes later and I discovered everything I'd done was for naught because the spot I needed to reach was below where I could reach with the current disassembly.  

I won't go into the details, but getting everything happy again was a bear.   And a mean bear at that.   I'm tired so I'm writing this short little blog post and going to bed.  I'll figure out the belt tomorrow.   And I hopefully won't cause more trouble in the process. 

The Big Boy Update:  My son has created several more games as he avoids reading the three books he needs to read in order to get any screens back.  He did ask if he could take the largest of the books to school to read during their reading time there.   Maybe he'll be ready for screens this weekend.   I'm still in no hurry. 

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  Today we said goodbye to Mrs. Sample, my daughter's TVI or Teacher of the Visually Impaired.   This is the teacher who taught her braille and many of the other skills she's learned specific to her blindness while at school.  Mrs. Sample retired, and while we're happy for her, I'm also sad to see her go.    I think we all are.   She was much beloved.