The smooth columns on the left were with fan on and the rest , most on the right print are without the fan. All the other settings were the same here.

These little things seem to have a dramatic impact so it's worth me trying them.

Here is the instructions from solidoodle but I'm not using the fancy controller pictured unless I see further benefits I may get one of them but the stock board has a fan controller anyways I hear.

http://www.soliforum.com/topic/204/fan-installation/

So here's a short TO - DO list for solidoodle.

• get rubber gasket for z backlash -get fan for extruder fan mod (already Ordered) -resolve warped bed issue- get glass 6x6 inch bed build plates , clips and thermal pads -print stepper motor 40mm fan mounts for cooling -Print fan mount for the solidoodle stepper controller +60mm fan -layer height adjustments, update firmware -Team Viewer chat to help calibrate the printer with solidoodle tech.

At family dollar I got 3, 6x6 mirrors for $6. they came side by side in the pack and were in black plastic decorative frames. They just unscrewed from the back and Bam!, 3 flat glass pieces. I read/watched that mirrors are best to use because they HAVE to be flat in order to reflect properly. So swing by Family Dollar. I've heard of other dollar stores have even better deals but I scoured my town looking until I finally found what I did. I'm looking forward to using them. I'm still going to do a print right out of the box first, just to have the comparison.

Thanks for sharing all of this info and pics Josh. You've saved me a lot of trial and error time. I'll definitely be doing the fan mod then too.

honestly after all the mods I may consider selling the solidoodle for what I have in it with all the cool upgrades and get a makerbot. It's not the hardware so much as the easier to use software. Base on it being a 500 dollar printer I would still recommend it just take in mind you need patience to learn how to calibrate it and learn the software settings because there are a billion... or more like couple hundred.

Alright guys the proof is in the pudding. I set this print for zero raft and no support material. The anti backlash neoprene gasket has NOT been installed yet and the fan and fan duct also not yet installed and this is before any optimization from solidoodle. The is the most level and consistent first layer the machine has put down. It's TRUE mirrors so work well as a build plate.

Awesome news about the glass. I can't wait to see the finished print.

I didn't finish the print , it was just a test to see if the first layer was balanced like in the picture or if it would still print with the middle thick and the front and back super thin. You can see what i mean in this pic.

See the edges of the bed are higher than the center and it's obvious. Closer you get to the edge the thinner the layers are.

This is a BEFORE picture printing to tape on the aluminum bed , no glass used in this pic so you can see the obvious problem.

try using just 2 clips opposite each other in the center instead of four corners. it looks like your bed goes ?/---. like its bowed up in the center. clipping the glass on in the center at the top of the bowing should give you an even surface. just more info ive absorbed. hope it helps.