Why prints fail, and which failures are mine
Layer separation, warped bases, missed supports and stringing — what each one means, and where the line sits between a defect I reprint and normal print texture.
Every printed piece has evidence of how it was made on its surface. Some of that is texture, some of it is failure, and the difference matters because one of them gets reprinted free and the other doesn't.
Layer separation — always a defect
If you can see or feel a gap between two layers, or the piece comes apart cleanly along a horizontal line, the layers never bonded properly. That's a temperature or a flow problem on my end. It's a defect, and it gets reprinted, no time limit, no return needed.
A lifted or warped base — a defect
The first layer shrank away from the bed and pulled a corner up with it. A piece that doesn't sit flat on a table was never going to. Same deal: send a photo and I'll reprint it.
Support scars — depends
Anything printed with an overhang needs supports, and where they touch the piece they leave a mark. On a sanded finish those should be gone entirely; if you can find one, that's on me. On a raw print, small witness marks in support areas are expected and are part of what "raw" means in the listing.
Visible layer lines — not a defect
This is the one people are surprised by. Filament pieces are built from 0.12mm layers and you can see them under a raking light. That's not a flaw, that's the process. If you want a surface with no visible layering, order the sanded finish or ask me before you buy — it's extra hand time, not a different printer.
Stringing and blobs — a defect
Fine wisps between features, or small raised blobs on a surface, mean retraction wasn't tuned for that material. I clean these off by hand before anything ships, so if one reached you, one got past me. Photo, reprint.
What I do about it
Every piece gets photographed before it's boxed, and you get that photo. If something's visible in it that you're not happy with, that's the cheapest possible moment for both of us to catch it. After that, the reprint guarantee on genuine defects doesn't expire.