Peter, the only way to print that part horizontal to the base is to actually print it without any supports. You will have a very thin lip on the attachment layers, but you can sand that out. Also, there will be compression of the part on the Z axis (don’t ask me why), so you may want to scale your model on the z axis a bit to compensate.
Assuming I understand correctly, the Z compression is designed into the printing process so the base/raft is formed correctly and is firmly secured to the build platform. If I am correct a base is set to be 2mm thick and it is compressed to ~1.7mm plus or minus 0.05. So if you add ~.2 - .3mm to the base (just measure a base that you printed) you will get the bottom thickness back that will be lost due to this compression.
@ Thomas, i don’t really understand why you paid for the shipping return … i’m a bit upset because few weeks ago i especially ask her if we will have to paid for the shipping fee if we get a problem during the warranty, on kickstarter :
deschaud on Sep 9
Thanks for the update about shipping for international backers.
I have one question : You said that we will be responsable for the shipping returns. I understand that we have to paid, but not during the warrantly… Could you confirm me that the shipping will be free during the 90 days.
and here is the answer :
Creator Formlabs on Sep 10
@deschaud, if your printer arrives DOA or otherwise suffers from a manufacturing defect while under warranty, we’ll replace it, shipping on us.
You should ask formlabs for a refund, because i’m sure many of international backers will have problems and if we paid during the warranty, it’s like a nonsense
@Gilles-alexandre deschaud: I didn’t pay yet and to be honest, I can’t this month… But thank you for this information which makes sens in my opinion.
Hey Thomas, I’m an international backer myself and my printer was partially broken on arrival. Finally after 3 weeks they are going to set up a return shipment. They are going to pay for the shipping but NOT for the custom fees. I paid 360 dollars custom fees and if I have to pay for it twice to get a single working printer I’ll be extremely upset. I hope the fee will be substantially lower the second time through customs.
I forgot to mention, sorry for hijacking your thread Catherine, I really like your doll and hope that your printer issues will be worked out soon.
Custom fees are at your charge, but you shouldn’t have to pay them twice. If you did, you need to provide the proof of payment to your customs. (Private messages are missing :p)
This photo looks like about the best print that I have ever gotten from my Form 1. I wasted hundreds of dollars on resin and dozens of hours trying to fix it but have not been able to get a useable print since I preordered. I have been going back and forth with the support team for the past 2.5 months switching out one thing after another. I seriously think that there is a major problem with this machine and I wish they would let me send it to them to look at.
Can you post up pictures of your prints and elaborate on what was parts were changed during the timeline and what changed with the prints. This will help us help you.
-David
Hi David,
Thanks for your response. Nothing has changed. I have never gotten any usable parts from this machine and I still don’t.
When I finally rolled up my sleeves to try to get this Form 1 to work again after shelving it for a year<img I updated the firmware and was able to print the test print. Unfortunately it was too soft to get off the build platform without falling apart but here she was.
After that I tried a print and got this thing. It was suppossed to be a cone about the size of a thimble.
And those were the good old days!
These days I just get a small pool of slightly harder resin left in the bottom of the tank where the part was “printing”.
I have updated software and firmware, recalibrated the Z height and switched it back, changed the thickness of the base, new tank, new build platform, new resin, cleaned the mirror, replaced the mirror, new USB cable… oh… and I have now gotten to the point of begging the support people to let me send this bottomless pit back to them.
My ticket has been opened since January 9 this time around and I just get shuffled from support person to person. 1 email every 24 hours in response is no form of support at all. Usually the support person only says " Hi, I am your new support person (insert small talk about how quickly I will be up and running again here)…
This purchase has been a waste of time and money and I will never support a Kickstarter campaign again.
Now then… Does anyone have an address to send this paper weight? From the opened box on delivery to the stripped screw on the side of the machine while trying to replace a mirror that was fine to begin with… this “printer” is a piece of garbage.
Oh…
Actually now that I think of it…
The machine that I have has never been able to print anything at medium or high resolution.
That last photo is actually the same test file printed at medium resolution, not a cone as previously stated.
This might be a clue as to what is going on with it, but I am about done with tinkering with this thing at this point.
I would rather just let the good people at Formlabs take it from here.
Sooooo… Here are some more photos. One is of the test file printed at medium resolution and the other one is the cone that I spoke of earlier.
I love how after over two months of “support” the last person spends one of the precious emails (only sent out at 5:00 PM ET every day) to ask me the serial number on the resin I am using… Ummm if you scrolled back in the long list of emails then you will notice that I was told to dump all of my resin and start with a new bottle (generously furnished by Formlabs). That bottle is almost done now and this is what my printer makes with it.
See the amoeba shape near the front?
Waiting anxiously for my email from support at 5:00 to hear if begging helped to get an address to send this printer. I spoke with sales and they asked for the ticket number and said support would email me the address if it needs it.
The Pony Express seems to move quicker. I have owned a Universal Laser cutter for over 10 years and when anything wears out or needs replacing on it I am back in business in 2-3 days. This has taken years and I have gotten nowhere.
Why is there no chat available?
Hi Joseph,
I understand your frustration with the trouble-shooting process. I just wanted to let you know that we have been working on your case internally and you should expect a resolution from us this afternoon! Formlabs’ wants you to have a working printer asap. Please hold for a direct response from Roxanne through your ticket 
Kara
1 Like
Thanks Kara!
It was so nice to hear from Roxanne again. I have not heard from her since June of 2015 so I was worried that you may have lost her to the competition.
While I have you here I really need to tell you about the most pleasant dream I had last night.
I was walking around Coney Island and it was a beautiful summer day…
Suddenly I was back in my workshop and sitting on my desk was the most fantastic thing that I have ever seen.
It was a sparkling new Form2 and I practically burst into tears and its beauty.
I gazed next to it and saw 5 bottles of resin and thought to myself the amazing things that I could create with that resin on my Form2 with full warranty and Pro Service plan.
It was truly awe- inspiring and I awoke with a goal in mind.
Someday I will own these things.
It may take some hard work and sacrifice but I am sure that I can achieve it if I set my mind to it.
but enough about me and my aspirations.
I hope that you have a Happy Easter if you happen to celebrate the holiday.
Thanks again for your help with things.
Joe