Clogged Nozzle???

[Capt Jack]

If you have what appears to be a clogged nozzle, make sure you check your push-to-connect coupler at the print head. Mine was clogged up and I couldn't figure out what was going on. Well, the 3rd time I took the print head apart, I found some tiny metal pieces inside the tube just before the nozzle. It turns out that they were to little "springs" that grab on to the tube inside the push-to-connect coupler. I noticed that it wasn't holding the tube anymore and realized what had happened.

[Eaglezsoar]

That is good advice because this is a common occurrence that people forget to check.
I wish that they would come out with better PTC connectors that fit everything like the kind they use on the bowden E3D hotend.

[mhackney]

Agreed, the PTC fittings with the E3D are really nice and don't seem as likely to fail. I'm going to retrofit them to the EZStruder side too. The E3D comes with 2 of them, the Kraken came with 8!

cheers,
Michael

[Batteau62]

I been thinking about this one. Here is as good a thread as any to discuss it. Ok with you Capt Jack?
Here is the idea
I haven't researched fits, but I'm thinking of taking a helicoil (or the like), threading it onto the PTFE tube, then source or make a fitting that allows you to attach one end to the helicoil and the other to whatever fitting male/female is needed at the hotend or extruder. I think the helicoil wouldn't be a problem? It's the fittings for it I'm not to sure about? It would need to be like a hose fitting, allowing you to tighten it on without imparting twist in the tube.
Thoughts, constructive criticisms and discussion welcome.

[mhackney]

Not a bad direction at all.

The threads on the OUTSIDE of a helicoil are non standard and I don't think you could find a tap or fitting that matches it. However, what about simply threading the outside of the PTFE with a die - I saw that RichRap does that with the ends of the PTFE tubes on his multi color mixing hot end. This then could be threaded into anything with suitable threads.

[dpmacri]

Would this also take some of the hysteresis out of the Bowden? I've though about printing little clips to slide under the lip of the push fit to keep it from pulling in on retracts, but I haven't gotten around to it .

[mhackney]

Yes it would. That's one of the reasons I want to swap out the fitting on my EZStruder end - it moves several mms on retreats.

[Batteau62]

What size die? 8/32" looks like it will not leave enough wall on the tube? Metric? Does RichRap use heavier walled tube? So many questions, so little time

[mhackney]

I think he uses standard tubing. I suspect he used a metric die too. The tubing is 5mm so I'm guessing a 5mm die would do it.

[Capt Jack]

After cleaning out the metal bits, I am now unable to print...at all!

The hot end keeps jamming up, and I have no idea what is going on. I've switched out the nozzles (to a brand new, never used one), and it still jams. If I take off the feed tube, and manually push filament into the hotend, it feeds just fine....smooth as silk. I can also run the extruder just fine: it pushes filament perfectly through the tube and out the end by the push connect.

once I reassemble everything, the filament will feed for a bit, then jam up. So, obviously something is happening once I screw the PTC back onto the hot end. I have some new PTC's on order, but I dont' think that's the issue. Unless there's something going on between the exit of the filament into the hotend. Is it possible that there is a gap between the PFE in the hotend and the PTC that would cause an issue?

Any suggestions/ideas?

If not, I may just buy a new E3D hotend and replace the stock MAX one.

[Eaglezsoar]

If you are using the same PTC that lost some of the little teeth, that is the most like source of the problem. The little teeth that are left could be bent scratching the side of the
filament thus restricting it's movement. Hopefully the new PTCs that you have on order will be there soon. You could try swapping the PTC on the hotend with the one on the
EZstruder and see if it makes a difference.

[Capt Jack]

If you are using the same PTC that lost some of the little teeth, that is the most like source of the problem. The little teeth that are left could be bent scratching the side of the
filament thus restricting it's movement. Hopefully the new PTCs that you have on order will be there soon. You could try swapping the PTC on the hotend with the one on the
EZstruder and see if it makes a difference.

Did that, still happening. Sigh...

[Eaglezsoar]

If you are using the same PTC that lost some of the little teeth, that is the most like source of the problem. The little teeth that are left could be bent scratching the side of the
filament thus restricting it's movement. Hopefully the new PTCs that you have on order will be there soon. You could try swapping the PTC on the hotend with the one on the
EZstruder and see if it makes a difference.

Did that, still happening. Sigh...

Did you completely dis-assemble the hotend to check the PTFE tubes inside of it?

[Capt Jack]

If you are using the same PTC that lost some of the little teeth, that is the most like source of the problem. The little teeth that are left could be bent scratching the side of the
filament thus restricting it's movement. Hopefully the new PTCs that you have on order will be there soon. You could try swapping the PTC on the hotend with the one on the
EZstruder and see if it makes a difference.

Did that, still happening. Sigh...

Did you completely dis-assemble the hotend to check the PTFE tubes inside of it?

Yup. All clear! I also hand fed filament through them just to see if there was any resistance. Everything is fine until I reassemble it. I'll see if new PTC will fix the issue...otherwise I'll get a new hotend. Still considering the E3D.

[Eaglezsoar]

Don't you just hate the ones that make no sense?

[lordbinky]

When you say you hand feed it, have you hooked everything up and fed it through the EZ struder by hand while holding the red lever? I dunno if there might be something you can feel. Also, is it clogging with the nozzle just in the air, or is it clogging during the print? Movement may be a variable in causing the problem.

[Capt Jack]

Ok, well I've got it working....for the most part.
It appears (strong emphasis) that the temperature might be off. By using my handheld temp reader, it looks like it's up to 30 degrees F...depending on where I check. SO, I upped the temp on a print and it's working OK. Not sure what would have caused this.

[Eaglezsoar]

Ok, well I've got it working....for the most part.
It appears (strong emphasis) that the temperature might be off. By using my handheld temp reader, it looks like it's up to 30 degrees F...depending on where I check. SO, I upped the temp on a print and it's working OK. Not sure what would have caused this.

That is the exact reason I push for 3D printer owners to purchase those thermocouple meters. I do hope that you have found the problem. I still wish we had something
written up that tells the user what to do in firmware when he discovers that the actual temperature is off so much. Instead of compensating for it manually there has to be
a way to adjust the firmware so that the adjustments are applied automatically. I haven't seen a procedure written up on how to adjust the thermistor tables or whatever
you have to do.

[Captain Starfish]

Thermocouple saved me a million nightmares.

I have similar feed problems occasionally, seems there's a step somewhere near the PTC. Possibly the double tube is a little short, possibly I've not got the PTC deep enough into the hot end, I don't know. But if I cut the filament end square it often jams, cut it on an angle so it tapers to a point and it usually feeds through super easy.

[lordbinky]

I wrote thermistor tables for my hotend once, I'll write down what I do the next time I do it which isn't likely to be too soon. With my limited time I'm trying to figure out why my hotend is high and low all over the place on the radius print when it goes through the paper calibration perfectly. I was so happy when I had the towers within 1mm of equal distance to (0,0,0), I didn't forsee this crazyness. The tower angle adjustments aren't fixing it either. Maddening. Once that's done though...Still, the last time I did it I went through the preset profiles and picked the one that was closest. If you do that, you HAVE to pay attention and be ready to stop heating/kill power quick. Some profiles are for a different type of thermistor and you'll run your hotend fulldrive while reporting a low temp, and you don't want to melt your hotend or other various and worse bad things.

[Capt Jack]

We'll, I've pulled my entire hot end apart and still can't figure out the problem. So, I purchased a J-Head from hotends.com and the laser cut mount from tricklaser. I'm done screwing around and figured a fresh start would be best.

Does anyone know if the threads on the j-head are the same as the stock Rostock MAX for the PTC for the tube? Any other tips for the j-head?

[Eaglezsoar]

We'll, I've pulled my entire hot end apart and still can't figure out the problem. So, I purchased a J-Head from hotends.com and the laser cut mount from tricklaser. I'm done screwing around and figured a fresh start would be best.

Does anyone know if the threads on the j-head are the same as the stock Rostock MAX for the PTC for the tube? Any other tips for the j-head?

The j-head does not have any threads at the top, simply a 2mm hole. It relies on the mount to have the threads for the PTC.
I think the one you bought from Trick Laser uses the 5mm PTC - the same ones used for the RMax.
I do recommend that you put a fan on the mount to cool the peek of the j-head.

[Capt Jack]

Thanks! After I posted the question, I saw the threads on the mount I bought. I planned on adding the fan, and the mount has a slot for it. Do I need to run the fan all the time, or just for PLA?

I want to keep my fans on my print as well. Do I hook the PEEK fan to a different spot on my RAMBO than my print cooling fans?

[Eaglezsoar]

Thanks! After I posted the question, I saw the threads on the mount I bought. I planned on adding the fan, and the mount has a slot for it. Do I need to run the fan all the time, or just for PLA?

I want to keep my fans on my print as well. Do I hook the PEEK fan to a different spot on my RAMBO than my print cooling fans?

You could wire it to FAN1 as per this link http://forum.seemecnc.com/viewtopic.php ... 3&start=10
Or you can connect it directly to a 12V source so that when the printer is on, that fan is on. This link is for the E3D but
applies to a peek based hotend as well - http://forum.seemecnc.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=2132

[bvandiepenbos]

I have blown apart so many of the Seeme PTC fittings that I have lost count! The ones they use are not the highest quality...
Seeme *may* be shipping better PTC fittings soon.... I stopped by this week and got some different ones from Steve to test out. They quality looks better, we will see how they perform. Steve & John are always working up something new, It is so much fun to stop in and see the latest goodies.!
Great work Guys!

I got some other new parts hot off the press to play with.
Can't tell you what just yet, but it sure looks great.
"that" part should be shipping soon.
<grin>