3D Printer Nozzle Wear

[Stub Mandrel]

3D aficionados may find this comparison interesting. Swapping in a new nozzle has demonstrated just how much my print quality had degraded with the worn one.

[Gina]

How do you manage to wear out nozzles???  They shouldn't touch the print bed.  You have a leak too!  My nozzles don't have that sort of size marking - just tiny hollows with the number indicating the size.  My "Pilot" printer has a V6 hotend and I'm using a 0.25mm nozzle in that for small accurate items.  My "Titan" printer uses the Volcano for faster printing and a 0.6mm nozzle.  I use this printer for general print and items up to nearly a foot across (300mm square bed).

[Dr_Ju_ju]

I agree with Gina, to get the filament build up on the thread, you have a leak between the nozzle & the heater block... What hot end are you using ?? a pucka E3D or a knock off clone ? 

That's why these days, I forgo the dubious cheaper end and buy the quality\checked items.

[Gina]

Me too Julian.  Works out cheaper in the end too.

[Stub Mandrel]

I cured the leak a while ago (loose) but didn't get it all off the nozzle.

The wear isn't from rubbing the bed, just cheap nozzle=soft brass and lots of printing. Factory 3D recommend a change after a maximum of two reels but I think I put four or five through that nozzle

[Dave_D]

this'll fix all your nozzle woes... and empty your bank

http://olssonruby.com/

[Stub Mandrel]

LOL!

When all I have to do is remember to change it every couple of reels @ 11p each...

[Gina]

I've lost count of how many reels of filament I've put through my nozzles

[Chriske]

1 hour ago, Gina said:

I've lost count of how many reels of filament I've put through my nozzles

yep, me to....

[Chriske]

As a matter of fact I haven't changed any nozzle at all during my 4 years printing adventure.
And I do print lots of stuff every single day.

Stub Mandrel, compared to the one on the left, the nozzle's diameter one on the right has enlarged by at least 10%, maybe more. So you could keep on printing with that enlarged one, only you have to change settings in your slicer. Try set it to 'nozzle diameter 0.5' or '0.55'(even higher) and see what happens. Your print quality should improve drastically when you set it to the 'renewed' nozzle diameter.
And as mentioned before by the other posters, solve that leaking problem.

[Gina]

You need to tighten the nozzle once it has reached working temperature (but not too tight as to break it!).

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, Chriske said:

Try set it to 'nozzle diameter 0.5' or '0.55'(even higher) and see what happens.

Yes, but it means a less crisp print, even if set correctly. Cheap enough to change.

20 minutes ago, Gina said:

You need to tighten the nozzle once it has reached working temperature (but not too tight as to break it!).

My problems was I put the heat break tube in upside down and believe it or not that appeared to cause the leak.

 

I have ordered some stainless tips, including 0.25mm ones as I want to try printing some jewellery for lost wax casting. This is a part of a steam engine about an inch and a half high cast in brass from a PLA print. The print was done at 0.025mm layers:

[Chriske]

Woow...!! steam engines...I'm drooling all over my laptop....
I myself made some Stirling Engines.(own design)

[Gina]

I'm interested in steam engines too

[Stub Mandrel]

Here's one I made earlier

[Chriske]

What about Stirling engines Gina... Not interested...?

[Gina]

Oh yes, interested in those too   I think they're fascinating   And much less hazardous than steam

[Chriske]

This one is the most powerfull I made so far. A 2-cilinder Stirling engine.
In the movie it runs at about 1000rpm but after some additional tuning it got as fast as 1250rpm.

 

 

[Gina]

Very impressive   What size is it?

[Chriske]

Length 270mm(about 11")
Weight : 900gr(about 2lbs)
Cylinders :  31cc

[Gina]

I thought it looked quite small - nice job