Anyone using ABS ?

Discussion in 'BigBox General Chat' started by Montague Flange, Aug 8, 2016.

  1. Montague Flange

    Montague Flange Well-Known Member

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    Has anyone printed in ABS ? Any problems. Did it work etc ?
     
  2. Stian Indal Haugseth

    Stian Indal Haugseth Well-Known Member

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    Printed ASA which is very similar. Most of us are printing PETG type materials and no problems. ABS should work fine.
     
  3. Montague Flange

    Montague Flange Well-Known Member

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    Just wondering about the heat and getting it enclosed.
     
  4. Stian Indal Haugseth

    Stian Indal Haugseth Well-Known Member

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    Heat is no problem. Both bed and extruder can do more than required. Enclosure you would have to make your self. Depends on how tight you want it. You could just add the included side panels. Then you need to make a front panel and some top cover. It would still be lots of small holes. Then you have lots of cooling fans creating some air circulation.

    Putting the whole thing in a closet of some kind maybe.
     
  5. Montague Flange

    Montague Flange Well-Known Member

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    Top and front cover would be nice.
     
  6. Steven

    Steven Well-Known Member

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    No issues with ABS. If you concerned about warping, use a wide Brim or even a raft to hold the part down.

    My successes have been ABS printed onto Blue Painters tape with UHU glue on it. Some parts stick too well.
     
  7. Montague Flange

    Montague Flange Well-Known Member

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    I use glass and hairspray on my Flashforge . That sticks like the proverbial to a blanket :)
     
  8. Old_Tafr

    Old_Tafr Well-Known Member

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    ABS works fine but is hygroscopic which apparently causes the absorbed water to become steam in or around the nozzle. I found that I had to reduce the flow rate using the front panel control. This of course can also be done via s3d, but via the front panel you can change the flow rate on the fly!

    The main symptom, which I assume is due to it being hydroscopic was for a blob to form in front of the nozzle, this blob eventually detaches. Changing flow on the fly needs a few layers to take effect.

    Sarah I think it was designed a sealed box containing desiccant to hold the spool to prevent it absorbing water, a quick search should find the post.

    Sticks to Kapton tape well, but wide Kapton is a pig to get smooth without air bubbles, various posts on using soapy water on the glass to lubricate it which takes a while to dry out before use. I found that a small foam paint roller was good to remove the smooth it down and remove the bubbles.

    ABS sticks to UHU glue stick, various techniques for applying it, one of which is to warm the bed first and then apply in strips one way then at right angles. Leave to cool and the contraction of the plastic breaks it from the glass if you are lucky.
     

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