Vase mode with forward movement only

[siva]

Today I tried the vase mode and found that the printing happens clockwise, then raises z-axis, prints counter-clockwise and the process repeats. This resulted in a clearly visible line at the place where the direction reverses. I am wondering if the print would have been even better if it just keeps going forward after rising the z-axis.

[jimc]

ok your not getting true vase mode. what is going in is you probably have a normal model there with a thin wall. s3d even in vase mode must print all outer perimeters so its jumping to the outer wall surface then doing a direction change and doing the inner wall surface. for vase mode to work right you need a solid model or vase. in other words, the part cannot be shelled. it needs an outer surface then a cap on each end. sort of like a 6 sided solid cube. if its right then vase mode wont even have any layer changes. it works like a corkscrew and the z height ever so slightly changes as the part prints. vase mode for me has very limited use. only once in a blue moon will it be the right option for the job. it needs to be just the right model. when it is the right option its a really killer feature giving flawless prints.

[siva]

Hmm, I was hoping to print this bracelet (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:416336) in vase mode. This seems like a candidate for vase mode right?

[jimc]

sorry i forgot to reply. no its not really because of how it is modeled. if you modeled it yourself specifically for base mode then yes. that bracelet would need to be a solid round part with a top and a bottom. sort of like a deformed solid cylinder. if it was like that then s3d will slice correctly for vase mode and print one continuous strand of filament from bottom to top with just 1 start and 1 stop.

[siva]

I first did the end caps and that didn't work. Then I made the whole thing solid and it worked. I really don't know what is the purpose of the vase mode if the object has to be solid but no complaints since it works . Thanks jimc for the solution.