Have I learnt a lesson, or been lucky?

[Erfolg]

Being pretty new to 3d printing, there is a lot which I am unaware of.

 

Also I am a user rather than using one as a hobby.

 

Recently, I have been designing (a bit of an exaggeration) bits for a model I am making. I started having no end of problems in completing a successful print. A bin full of partial prints lie in a basket next to me. Today after some thought I decide to undertake a thorough clean of the print nozzle, with emphasis on the internal bits.

 

Having done this operation I replaced the same nozzle and then started printing. I have now completed a number of prints (including the troublesome one) without hitch. Am I experiencing a bout of good luck? Or is nozzle maintenance/cleaning something that I should do on a regular basis.

 

If maintenance is part of the deal, typically how frequently? If necessary, are there any tips?

Edited November 7, 2022 by Erfolg
sentance not scanning

[leccyflyer]

Life's too short to spend cleaning nozzles -the genuine articles are so inexpensive and easily swapped out. Think I paid less than £10 for 24 brand new Creality nozzles.

Edited November 7, 2022 by leccyflyer

[Ron Gray]

I’ve used 2700m of filament and the printer has been working for 160 days since I bought it. I’ve replaced 1 printer nozzle in that time but agree that they are so cheap so just throw it away and replace it.

[Martian]

Usually when they start having extrusion problems there is burnt filament residue I only clean if in dire need otherwise always use new . One point is if you switch between different types of filaments that require a temp change change the nozzle i.e. pla to petg or flex etc may not cause a problem immediately but chances are it will in the middle of a print.

[leccyflyer]

I did clean the nozzle once on my previous printer, using the cold hard pull technique with some nylon filament kindly provided by someone online. That cleared the crud out of the nozzle and restored it to full health. Having seen how cheap replacements are I'd just swap out for a new one if I was having any difficulties.

[Barryorbik]

The main issue is normally the feed tube gets burnt and allows liquid filament to build up in the nozzle heater.   I changed mine shortly after getting my Ender 3 Pro for the Capricorn version along with a CNC filament feeder, and the only material I have issues with now is a reel of ABS I bought for a project.  Have yet to complete a full print with it as it always seems to break free of the bed around 20mm off the bed.  CHEP who hosts "Filament Friday" on Youtube has loads of tips for improving and maintaining Ender machines.  He runs a 3D printer station and his batch of machines run 24/7, so he has a wealth of real world experience to draw on.  Well worth a watch while the inclement and windy weather is around.

 

Barry

[Erfolg]

I have intended to purchase some spare nozzles, I have never as yet got around to doing so. One reason is that it would perhaps encourage me to just dispose of good nozzles as a consequence of my lasiness.

 

Another issue is that i see a lot of Stainless steel nozzles for sale. My initial thoughts is that SS would wear better. Then I think brass probably conducts more effectively. I guess brass is better.

 

I recently purchased a glass build plate, I find that getting a first layer bind more problematic, requiring a spotlessly grease free  and clean surface. To the extent I have returned back to the original build plate.

 

I dislike making mistakes and yet continue the practice.

[FlyinFlynn]

6 hours ago, Erfolg said:

 

 

I recently purchased a glass build plate, I find that getting a first layer bind more problematic, requiring a spotlessly grease free  and clean surface. To the extent I have returned back to the original build plate.

 

 

I mix up a weak solution of pva glue and water, fire up your build plate heater and squirt the glass (also works with aluminium plate) with a little of the solution and wait for it to dry.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Pritt Stick works well on mine.

[leccyflyer]

Hair lacquer, a quick zzzzt on the build plate before warming it up to working temperature and it works every time.

[Keith Billinge]

I find hair lacquer & regular cleaning of the glass bed and don't be afraid to print with a brim. This always helps me with bed adhesion.

Also, if you want to keep you bed level for longer change out the bed springs for the silicone rubber type.
I keep a few spare nozzles on hand, they are easier to change than they are to properly clean and unclog.

If you are a Creality Ender 3 user then change out the plastic extruder for a metal one. The plastic ones crack and cause all sorts of problems.

£10-12 well spent!

I too changed to a capricorn bowden tube another cheap upgrade well worth the effort.

 

LINK

 

KB

Edited November 8, 2022 by Keith Billinge
Awful spelling

[FlyinFlynn]

Incidently Erflog, was your glass build plate borosilicate?  I used to use borosilicate glass but is does chip quite easily if the bond between the glass and the job it too strong. I switched to using 200x200 mirror tiles which are not borosilicate but are much cheaper and readily available. I only print PLA so bed temperature never gets above 50 degrees, if you print anything which requires a higher bed temperature this might be a problem.

[Jason Channing]

bonding to glass etc Magigoo just works,

 

[Erfolg]

My device is a Ender 3

 

It is  3mm Borosilicate glass,

 

I have also replaced my feeder with apparently the same or similar unit. In my case the (mainly) plastic device broke.

 

I have also had to replace the heated head (extruder) as the previous one was gunged up with PLA,it was not viable to effectively clean. I no longer use the heater shroud, to ensure that I can easily see any build up PLA, which I then clean off.

 

I take it that the glass plate is cleaned after each print (or several), if so with what?

[FlyinFlynn]

50 minutes ago, Erfolg said:

 

 

I take it that the glass plate is cleaned after each print (or several), if so with what?

It depends on how smooth you want the bottom of your print to be. I usually just add a bit more solution before each print and only clean the plate when it is really bad!   The PVA solution I use washes off with just water and a windscreen de-icer scraper.

 

Buy yourself a few spare extruders... it is easier to change the whole thing than mess about with a very hot nozzle.

 

Edited November 10, 2022 by FlyinFlynn
additional text

[Erfolg]

Ah! I will need to buy indoor type PVA, as I now use so called weather proof PVA?

 

I bought a can of hair spray to treat the "build plate", then through it away as it did not work with my original  "build plate".

 

I do have "Non Sticky" (Pritt type) glue sticks, in the interim I wonder if they are worth a go? If so do you just rub it on, or is there a preferred technique? 

[Ron Gray]

I use standard Pritt Sticks and just rub it onto the build plate. This was the method recommended by Prusa when I bought my printer.

Edited November 10, 2022 by Ron Gray

[Martian]

If a series of prints are going well I never clean the plate if a minor problem creeps in then an application of pritt original on the weak area is all thats needed but every so often I remove the magnetic plate (prusa original) and give it a good wash with some detergent to degrease when the plate is refitted I run a first layer test and adjust if necessary then apply a thin layer of pritt stick . tall prints are best done on a 3 layer raft. 

[Simon Chaddock]

I use an aluminium bed with 2" masking tape all over. The tape has a limited life but it sticks well.

A tall print.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmPz_5LLiCM

 

 

[Zflyer]

I find a good wipe with acetone between prints does the job

[Andy48]

I've gone through about 5kg of filament on mine and never changed the nozzle or taken it off to clean it.

[FlyinFlynn]

13 hours ago, Andy48 said:

I've gone through about 5kg of filament on mine and never changed the nozzle or taken it off to clean it.

I bet at some point you will!  I guess when will be affected by the quality of the filament you buy but eventually a tiny piece of foreign matter will get into the nozzle and drastically affect the flow of plastic, the easiest solution is just change either the nozzle or the entire hotend. Cleaning the nozzle IMHO is not worth it as it needs to be hot to keep the plastic molten and replacement nozzles are so cheap. 

[Erfolg]

I have now purchased a nice looking box of "Nozzles", containing 25 brass nozzles a plastic phial of nozzle reamers. The cost was very modest delivered, the brand is "Meafeng", made in China.

 

I did consider Stainless Steel, as no one suggested that there was or is any advantage and I had concerns with regard to heat transfer I passed on the option.

 

It could be the quality of the filaments I use, so far I have put 3kg of filament through the printer, I am now onto my 6 th., one red and the other white. I suspect that the main issue if the heater is left on for any length of time without extruding, the filaments I use tend to set as in overheating. The red seems to be the most prone to this issue.

 

When I worked and knew a bit more than now, particularly with relevant up-to-date  knowledge, it was generally accepted that there was little or no pure polymers. At a minimum they would contain colourant, plasticisers, often fillers and so on.

 

I have developed a technique to unblock a nozzle. The first thing was to heat up the extruder head, which easily allows the nozzle to separate from the head and be unscrewed. To be sure I withdraw the filament, and remove about  25mm, before reinserting. I use my Dremel to drill out the polymer from the nozzle chamber (obviously size for size). I then heat up the nozzle with a gas torch, immediately inserting the reaming wire. Now i can make sure that the extrusion nozzle is clean, also the chamber. Yes it is a faff, but now I have spare nozzles.🙂

 

At present I clean the bed with Methylated spirits, which is a alcohol, with colourant and a additive, as it is essentially the same as isopropyl another alcohol, but was or maybe still is much cheaper (at £1). It generally seems to work well, if used after each print. Although It perhaps did not work on the glass, I am using the Ender 3 platter again, having put the glass back into its box.