filament chunker

[bubbasnow]

for those who have been making their own filament and when it doesn't come out quite right.

or for us who always seem to have too little filament left over on a spool for the next print.

i used the 1 3/8in bit in this kit
http://www.grainger.com/product/PORTER- ... -Set-6VED9

with this bearing
https://www.grainger.com/product/DAYTON-%20-1ZGC4?

[img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Bpjm ... 193340.jpg[/img]

[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7ami ... 193324.jpg[/img]

[img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-E7if ... 193313.jpg[/img]

[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0oZv ... 193136.jpg[/img]

[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-jfk9 ... 192752.jpg[/img]

[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-3_S1 ... 192810.jpg[/img]

[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-SJwq ... 193112.jpg[/img]

things im working to improve:

need to add a second bearing higher on the bit for more stable high speed rotation (will help/eliminate wear on plastic from rubbing)

need to add a bowden style connector w/tube and stepper motor to the feed port. This should give it a uniform size of pellet chunk and eliminate any effort to the user.

[barry99705]

Might want to change that bearing link to https://www.grainger.com/product/DAYTON-%20-1ZGC4?

[Demolishun]

This is VERY cool!

Thanks for sharing your progress. Keep posting on this!

[Generic Default]

Nice idea, I like how it only needs a few simple parts and a power drill. Maybe try making a big hopper so it can recycle printed parts instead of just filament. How well does it perform with ABS, PLA, Nylon, and more flexible filaments? Test how well it grinds with really soft stuff.

And definitely put another bearing on the shaft. Ball bearings are always wobbly unless you have two of them lined up on an axis. Maybe needle roller bearings might work better, I don't know as much about them.

608 bearings would be a lot cheaper for most people if you can make geometry that couples them to the drill and the drill bit.

[bubbasnow]

Might want to change that bearing link to https://www.grainger.com/product/DAYTON-%20-1ZGC4?

good call !

[barry99705]

Might want to change that bearing link to https://www.grainger.com/product/DAYTON-%20-1ZGC4?

good call !

If you start getting emails about Russian brides, it totally wasn't me!


Just kidding.

[Flateric]

Nice, I will use this to produce the pellets for my catgenie litter box as well since they charge an fortune for small boxes of the stuff.

I had been using the GF blender with ice water in it to prevent the filament from heating during blending.

(then ever so carefully sneaking the blender back after cleaning thourghly! )