Melting PLA under scope cover

[david_taurus83]

Sorry if I've missed it but what scope covers are we talking about that get hot underneath when the sun is out? I have a Telegizmo 365 cover I'm planning to use on my pier setup so just wondering if I'll have the same issues. My autofocuser is setup on a 3D printed bracket. Mini PC will also be under the cover.

[AbsolutelyN]

1 hour ago, david_taurus83 said:

Sorry if I've missed it but what scope covers are we talking about that get hot underneath when the sun is out? I have a Telegizmo 365 cover I'm planning to use on my pier setup so just wondering if I'll have the same issues. My autofocuser is setup on a 3D printed bracket. Mini PC will also be under the cover.

Black ones. One day I might invest in some kind of white or reflective one.  

[teoria_del_big_bang]

For the few times I need to cover up (not often as I normally bring all my gear back inside after a session) I have one of the gold reflective ones and it can get hot under there but probably not hot enough to melt PLA .

Steve

[AbsolutelyN]

I had a go with PTEG but have finally given up. After much experimenting I thought I'd cracked it with the settings below, it was printed ok for first 30 mins so I left it for a while ... and came back to a big tangled ball of threaded plastic. Will try again one day but for now just bought a replacement spool of PLA which is fine for what I'm printing. 

Nozzle 245c
Bed 70c
Fan 20%

 

[teoria_del_big_bang]

30 minutes ago, AbsolutelyN said:

I had a go with PTEG but have finally given up. After much experimenting I thought I'd cracked it with the settings below, it was printed ok for first 30 mins so I left it for a while ... and came back to a big tangled ball of threaded plastic. Will try again one day but for now just bought a replacement spool of PLA which is fine for what I'm printing. 

Nozzle 245c
Bed 70c
Fan 20%

 

I would say the temperature is too high and fan speed too low.

Most of my printing is with PETG and cheap stuff from Amazon and print at 225 C, 80 C bed and fan 50% first layer then 70%.

I too have had some similar instances but usually due to over extrusion or printing to high temp and it puts some big blobs down on the print then next pass the extruder hits the blobs and knocks the print off the bed and then continues to just spool out filament into thin air.

If you wan I would be more than happy to have a go at printing it in PETG is you attach the STL file then either pick it up when passing through Skipton or I can post it.

Steve

[AbsolutelyN]

3 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

I would say the temperature is too high and fan speed too low.

Most of my printing is with PETG and cheap stuff from Amazon and print at 225 C, 80 C bed and fan 50% first layer then 70%.

I too have had some similar instances but usually due to over extrusion or printing to high temp and it puts some big blobs down on the print then next pass the extruder hits the blobs and knocks the print off the bed and then continues to just spool out filament into thin air.

If you wan I would be more than happy to have a go at printing it in PETG is you attach the STL file then either pick it up when passing through Skipton or I can post it.

Steve

Thanks Steve - I'll give those settings a quick go now before I switch filament tomorrow.  The offer of printing is really appreciated but I'm not skilled enough to create a model without lots of test prints to tweak the design and it's also nearly 300mm wide so will take a least a day to print once I get it right. Thank you  

[teoria_del_big_bang]

Make sure it sticks well to bed as well.
Not sure how your printer works but if you can adjust temperatures whilst running then if the surface of the print is not nice and clean without blobs or strings then try reducing temp of nozzle a tad more.
I also use 0.95 extrusion multiplier which seems to help if you can adjust in your slicer. 

Offer still stands if you change your mind, if it is a big print then maybe just cost of filament replacement and postage.
If you don't have a STL you are happy with then I can work from a drawing and create the STL in CAD.

Good luck with the print but honestly I am happy to help out if needed 🙂 

Steve