Introduction and printer problems

[Kendric Ruark]

Hi everyone! I learned about this group via the Makerfaire. I hail from the east bay and am experiencing trouble with my Micro3d Printer (that tiny one from kickstarter a year ago.) 

I'm having routine jams with the extruder, and the combo of "heat up the head, and clear it with 1.5mm wire" isn't fixing the problem. Plus I'm having to resort to some extremes to get it to "work" to the point where it jams physically. (Heating Shaxton PLA using ABS settings at 285c for a consistent print that should take place at 210-215c without jam) Given the fact that it's jamming quite early on at a higher temperature, I'm beginning to believe that there's a piece of carbon or something incredibly heat resistant and wide enough stuck in the extruder nozzle. The feeding apparatus (gear with teeth) just keeps clicking and twiching while the filament doesn't go into the machine at the 285C temperature.

I'm almost tempted to pour Acetone into the feedport (probably a bad idea) in an attempt to liquify whatever's clogging the machine.

That all said, when's/where's the next reprap meeting? I'd like to attend and bring my little printer to diagnose and get it back up to working order.

Thanks,

Kendric

[Elliot]

Kendric,

The next meeting is this Wednesday (day after tomorrow) at the San Jose Tech Shop.

As far as your problems go: does that little printer have an all-metal hotend?  Maybe you melted some sort of liner that is in the hotend to such a point that it is deformed and will now jam?  I would suggest trying to look at the inside of the nozzle and feeder tube.

I'm watching https://www.youtube.com/embed/8mnKiRsFx7M at the moment.  :)

Elliot

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[John England]

Hey Kendric,

That sounds like the Shaxon ABS they carry at places like Fry's. It's given me nothing but grief, and yet I always tempt fate with another roll because I can source it locally. Sometimes I get good prints out of it, even multi-hour prints, and then I'll get a clog almost every other time after that.

I know it's been covered before, but I'd be curious to hear what brands others have had the most luck with for both PLA and ABS.

Cheers,
John

[Jon Pannell]

If I need to print something and not worry about it I use Protoparadigm or Ultimachine but I don't do a whole lot of printing recently and have no input on current low cost brands.

-Jon

[Kendric Ruark]

Thanks Elliot. I found out that my problem was that the plastic was cooling before it exited the extruder. I wrapped a little bit of tinfoil between the head and the heater for better conductivity, and that seems to have fixed it.

Also the meeting is today, but at what time?

[Ken Snyder]

7pm at Tech Shop SJ

[Elliot]

I'm happy to hear you've found a solution!

Tonight's meeting is at seven o clock.

Maybe we'll see you there.  :)

Elliot