fhein

Are you saying what we’re seeing in the photo is supposed to be the same layer? Can you upload the exact gcode file you were using when printing, if you haven’t solved it since posting this?

Cheap nozzles from Amazon etc. can also have the wrong diameter, or just be generally poorly machined. Perhaps not relevant for OP’s case, but could be useful to know when helping people debug printing issues.

Thinking that I could do my own research using Google and find a good printer (which I have always been able to do when purchasing electronics in the past), but not realizing how widespread fake reviews had become, and that most youtubers produce heavily biased reviews to stay on good terms with the manufacturers who are sending them free stuff.

If you look at the edge above the lifted corner, isn’t that supposed to be straight, or are the walls not meant to be flat?

My guess is that you need to print slower and/or increase nozzle temp. If the filament isn’t properly melted that also leaves tension in the material, which can cause corners to be pulled off the bed. I.e. cooling issues is not the only thing that can cause warping. What are your current slicer settings? I assume your high-flow nozzle isn’t PTFE-lined, so printing hotter should be safe.

Those kind of uneven layers can also be caused by a mechanical issue on the vertical axis, but I don’t think that would increase the risk of warping.

If your printer is fully stock, replacing the bed springs either with silicone spacers or stiffer springs can be a good value upgrade. Keeps the bed from unleveling itself while printing, and IMO it also makes the initial adjustment a tiny bit easier. A bed probe is an immense quality of life improvement though, if you can afford to spend a little more money, since it both compensates for less-than-perfect bed leveling and also for any unevenness in the bed surface.

On the subject of upgrades, stay away from the “all-metal extruder” which used to be popular on Amazon etc. The stock Ender 3/v2 extruder is poorly designed and breaks easily. The metal version of it doesn’t break, but it’s still has the same bad design. If you’re going to invest money in a new extruder there are better options.

You mean with a closed enclosure? Maybe try printing with it open then, PLA generally want as much cooling as you can muster. I don’t have an enclosure myself, but I’ve heard that some people who do have to print with their doors open when using PLA.

Also does it print straight, and then later start bulging while its printing other layers on top? Or did it print the bulge that way?

Right now, around 50% RH indoors. I leave my spools of PLA on the printer for months or even years, and I’ve never had any humidity issues. If I were to speculate, my guess would be differences in additives being the main reason that only some people need to dry their PLA filament.

First of all, flash the firmware and reset eeprom on your found printers. Previous owners might have disabled safety features.

Common e3v2 problems: frame not assembled with square angles. Invisible crack in the extruder arm. Flat spot on wheel. Gantry sag. Bed unleveling itself over time. Bed not flat (not an issue if you’re getting a probe)

as much as I like this idea, I assume it would also magnify the punishment if you get caught.