What is your experience with the HE280 hotend?

[MrThing246]

I'm planning on constructing my second Rostock Max in the near future. I built the V2 a couple years ago, and would like to build the V3 now. I'm running through all of the potential issues I might have with my build so that I may target them beforehand. On my V2, I've upgraded the hotend to the E3D V6 because of its ability to print at higher temperatures, and because I've heard that the stock hotend was unreliable. How that the printer comes with the HE280, which can print at higher temperatures and comes with the accelerometer, I'm wondering what people's experiences with the hotend are. If it truly causes many problems, then my alternative preference would be to install the E3D chimera for dual extrusion.

[Dale Eason]

Once I worked out the self induced bugs like not installing the PDFE in far enough and having the retract too large it has worked very well for me. Oh, and after I install some Kapton tape to block the hot end cooling fan from spilling air onto the bed causing lift problems with ABS. I only print ABS.

Dale

[joe]

Build a Cartesian style printer and enjoy both worlds. You could be biprinter

[frminio]

HE280 prints just fine and the mod is worth even if just for the calibration capability.
I experienced clogging issues right from the start and it took me sometimes to address it. Mandatory, the Bowden tube seating inside the HotEnd. It is now well highlighted in the instructions but it is really critical. Measure with attention the length of the Bowden that need to be seated down inside the Hot End. If you are off of few millimetres it will clog!! I recently added the Dual Kit from SeeMeCNC, I am loving it.

[DeltaCon]

There was a time that I most definitely would have chosen NO delta again. My first delta was secondhand so already built. The machine had so many quirks and defects that by now I have built the machine twice my self. It is doing very nicely now, and I really began to appreciate the machine after converting to duet and FSR's. The V3 has a different approach to calibrating, but seems to do fine too under most circumstances.

As Joe says above, you could be a biprinter I think I would have a hard time to decide between another Delta or a CoreXY design. I think I would like a directdrive extruder, but there are multiple possibilities for that on Delta's too. I would not easily buy pre-built kit again.

[Francisco]

My experience was great for the first two or three months until I decided to switch to a smaller nozzle made by a third party. Then the nightmare begun and I didn't have too much time to solve the under extrusion problems so I just gave up and switched to a E3D v6 using the accelerometer probe.
Its a good hotend in my opinion but you should not mess with it much, if you get it working just leave it like that and maybe get another hotend for a different nozzle diameter. You should check the guide at the troubleshooting section of the forum about the underextrusion problems with this hotend just to be aware.
I am currently using the E3Dv6 but looking foward to fix the HE280 with a stainless barrel and give it another try.
Also my second printer is on the way and I decided to get a cheap TEVO Tarantula kit. So I'll have some fun with a cheap cartesian and planning to get a Core XY nexto lol.

[djkirkendall]

I ditched the stock hotend for an E3D once I realized SMCNC would not be making a .35 nozzle.

I printed my own mount, and it has been my top machine of the 4 I own.

Here's the upgrade: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2122793

No problems with the Calibration using the octoprint plugin, and it just works. If it weren't for the CR-10, I'd roll this upgrade into my other deltas.

[Concrete Head]

Go With the E3D V6 or for Wicked fast printing go with the Volcano, the only difference is the heat chamber s bigger and is not much more money.
If you are printing a lot of detail that needs slower speeds anyway go with the V6 you will not be sorry either way. For what I am doing time is money I will give up perfect surface quality for a fast print. As much plastic as you can push through a Volcano it is worth it. You can always slow things down and, print slow and detailed just as well but, slow in E3D terms is still 25-50% faster than a HE280. I have never had SOOOOOOO much of a problem printing as I have had with the HE280. The Volcano has not let me down after printing over 300 lbs of filament through one.

One last suggestion get a good print bed I use Lokbuild, watch out though PLA sticks like a SOB I broke my 36" Sq bed glass plate it stuck so hard went with an alum one. Printing at high speeds if your print comes loose from the bed things get ugly real QUICK, not that I would know.

Hope this helps.

[Juicy]

I was very unsuccessful with the HE280. I would not recommend it. I ended up upgrading to the e3d v6 volcano and it is 10x better.

[DeweyOxberger]

I just changed to the E3D V6 and I can tell it's going to work much better. Some of the trouble with my HE280 was likely a chain of problems caused by my assembly. Some of the improvement might also be coming from the 0.4mm nozzle instead of the 0.5mm on the HE280.

I used this mount it was spot on perfect:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2098268