today's project.change that filament drive gear.

[toranarod]

its time to look at a new drive to replace the CubeX drive because of its specific filament size requirements. 

this is one of the cheap units you can get on Ebay.   if this works i will buy one of theses.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ALL-METAL-STATE-OF-THE-ART-3D-PRINTER-EXTRUDER-1-75-FILAMENT-HOT-END-REPRAP-/171203633804?ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123

[toranarod]

The new drive block fits Well . No real serious modification.  looks factory 

[toranarod]

Fitted and printing. works well done a few prints.I can now use some of the under size filament i purchased.

Apart from the gain setting in KISSlicer, Work s like the original no change in print quality    

On Saturday, 26 April 2014 09:31:43 UTC+10, toranarod wrote:

[Peter Gregory]

I've been wanting to change out that filament drive for a while now.

I always get a "filament flow" error - and it always seems to be an air bubble or thick bulb in the filament that does it.

Your design has a floating tensioner that would let the filament flow on through.

Did you design your own feed motor system?

How does it bypass the optical feedback system that monitors the RPM and gives "filament flow" errors?

Are you offering a kit for others to upgrade? :)

[giovanni...@gmail.com]

Hi toranarod,

on the original extruder the the rotational frequencies of the motor and the encoder are with a ratio 1:1 ?

other 3d printers also have a system to check the flow ?

[toranarod]

I use this Firm Ware in my CubeX Machine V542. It works great. But it requires a Small wiring change . I will post the details once I have complexly tested it. and documented it

http://cubify.com/en/Products/LegacyDownloads

FIRMWARE V5.4.2

The extruder is an over the counter E bay item 

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/0-4mm-Nozzle-MK8-Latest-Upgrade-3D-Printer-Extruder-Print-Head-for-3D-Printer-/131163286052?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item1e89f0ea24&_uhb=1

[Ryan]

Any progress on this?  I am interested in seeing this.  Just had my first flow error about 9 hours into a 12 hour print...

[Isaac Thompson]

Are you printing in PLA?
If so, do you use canola oil? Just a small drop on the filament once a day or so has eliminated my flow problems. PLA seems to have horrible lubricity by itself, but a very small touch of oil seems to fix it.

[Ryan]

I was doing ABS.  Filament had issues & diameter went as high as 2mm.

[toranarod]

filament is difficult to manufacturer in constant size I think that's why some of the guaranteed sizes are expensive.   Manufacturing cost go up.  

2 mm is a big up size.   that's a long way out.  an adjustable extruder is helpful.  but ti fit one to the CubeX it requires fooling the software or replicating there pick up system.

[Peter Gregory]

I was thinking of a design with the stepper motor with a universal filament gear, floating tensioner and attach two wheels to the top to emulate the current optical rollers.

The wheels on top will have the same black / white pattern but will touch each other so whenever the main wheel spins, the other wheel spins too - regardless of the tensioner.

That will "fool" the stepper board so it will think the filament is flowing properly, but it would loose the ability to detect slipping filament.

[toranarod]

I like your thinking.

This brings a question to the table i have pondered for a while. How helpful is filament flow detection really. On the the CubeX all it seem to do is remind us we are not using there plastic, If the the Filament stops flowing being informed by the machine is to late and it doesn't fix the problem. it halts the print this is helpful, apart from moving the head around once again no flow stops the print. Would loosing flow detection will not be an inconvenience? If the extruder is a better performer it wouldn't stop anyway. Well not as much.

So good idea. Now to give making it some thought. Are you going to have a go?  My new Lathe arrived today.Now all I need is the time to use it. 

[Peter Gregory]

Oooooh!  New toys!

Have fun with your new lathe!

I'm slowly getting my toys together.

I've been shopping around for a cheap CNC 3020 milling machine.

It's been a HUGE step up for me going from working with wood to 3D printing and plastics.

I was going to build a prototype head mount using PLA (I think the hot end mount doesn't get too hot for PLA).

However, it is low on my list.  I have a couple of other projects ahead of it.

My 2 cents:  Even the existing system fails to detect filament flow issues.

I've had a print run for hours with no filament at all making it out the hot end.

Worse:  it can falsely detects filament feed errors and abort the print.

A more reliable filament feed system would virtually eliminate the problem.

If it does fail, the worst you get is no filament - it will ruin the build but not the printer.

[toranarod]

Yes I am with you. I have always been a hobby guy building stuff the hard way drill saw filling nothing you could ever make just right.

 I purchased a 3D printer 18 months ago and my world just opened up. Being able making things I could only dream about, having your every whim manufactured at your finger tips blew my mind, It got so sick i purchased 3 3d printer. No good reason I was just addicted. 

Just bought MY first Lathe. So look out.   I to have looked many times at the CNC mill you are talking about. 

This industry was made for people like us.  

I will have a go at the extruder. Anything of interest i will post.