SOLVED Clogging at around 60% finished

Discussion in 'Calibration, Help, and Troubleshooting' started by Duncan Chivers, Sep 17, 2016.

  1. Duncan Chivers

    Duncan Chivers Well-Known Member

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    Pro v1.1, RC6, Titan, Octoprint.

    I was having issues with large temperature variations early on in printing, so I've got some socks and all seemed well initially, the graph line has steadied down massively. But I can't seem to get through a reasonable sized print.

    I have successfully printed a couple of little rj45 caps, which took about 20 minutes with 100% infill, and they came out really is. But now trying to print the middle sections of the lovely LED bridge I found on thingiverse, it gets about 60% through and clogs up, getting all messy inside the sock, and starts printing nothing in mid-air.

    I'm using a 0.4mm nozzle, at 50mm/s with 60mm/s retraction. Sliced in S3D with 3mm support and 25% infill. According to Octoprint the job was due to take a total of 7 hours.

    I can post photos, but I don't know what would be useful to show you!

    Anyone have any suggestions please?
     
  2. PsyVision

    PsyVision Moderator
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    What temp are you printing and what material?

    Have you done any PID tuning?

    I'm not sure how you're getting filament in the sock, it should be tightly fitted such that just the tip of the nozzle pokes through...
     
  3. Duncan Chivers

    Duncan Chivers Well-Known Member

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    Sunlu black PLA at 210, which I have great results with at smaller sizes.

    I wouldn't know where to start with PID tuning, so nothing changed there.

    The sock fits really well, I'm confused too!

    Mine was a pre-build, so I'm not so sure about how the hot end fits together. I noticed a little play in the heat block when I put the sock on, so could that be an issue?
     
  4. PsyVision

    PsyVision Moderator
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    I'd say yes, it should all be tight together. Have a look at the e3d wiki on how the v6 hot end is put together and see if you can tighten it.

    Look into PID tuning, there is a plugin for octoprint: https://github.com/tohara/OctoPrint-Pidtune
     
  5. Kanedias

    Kanedias Well-Known Member

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    It makes sense - if the heater block is loose you'd get material oozing from the top and into your sock. (That's disgusting)

    The final tightening of the nozzle has to be done while its hot so be careful when you're doing it.
     
  6. Duncan Chivers

    Duncan Chivers Well-Known Member

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    Thanks guys, this is really helpful, I'll have a look later.
     
  7. Duncan Chivers

    Duncan Chivers Well-Known Member

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    Well you nailed it. Now, how to go about sorting it out ...
     

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  8. Kanedias

    Kanedias Well-Known Member

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    Eeeh, it's not so bad. I use a pair of vice grips with Kapton tape on the jaws to hold the heater block while working. Heat it up to the melting temp of your material and pull out the filament. Then use one of the failed prints you've got lying about, dab and wick away the stuff on the block.

    Put the nozzle on first, tighten and then back it off a half turn. Then insert the heat break fully and tighten the nozzle up again. Once you've done it a couple of times you'll be a seasoned expert :D
     
  9. Duncan Chivers

    Duncan Chivers Well-Known Member

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    Sounds like a plan! Thanks, I'll report back tomorrow.
     
  10. Duncan Chivers

    Duncan Chivers Well-Known Member

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    Almost there, disassembled, heat block cleaned and now reassembling. Pretty sure that the heat break wasn't engaged with the heat block properly (but I haven't tested yet!)
     
  11. Jasons_BigBox

    Jasons_BigBox Well-Known Member

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    Be careful! The heat break shouldn't be tightened up against the heat block. Read the hot end assembly instructions several times, it took me a while to understand what's going on.

    What you're aiming for is for the nozzle to be tight up to the heat break. That seals one against the other and stops filament leaking. Neither should be tight on the block.
     
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  12. Duncan Chivers

    Duncan Chivers Well-Known Member

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    Good advice, thanks, I'll be careful.
     
  13. Duncan Chivers

    Duncan Chivers Well-Known Member

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    Ok, so far so good. I've got everything back together, re-calibrated (which included having to re-do the Z axis offset because the nozzle obviously wasn't in the same place), and I've just completed a very nice example of this as a test print : http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1630763

    It stands 45mm high and came out with some lovely layering. More importantly, there didn't seem to be any filament discharge (yuk) from anywhere except the end of the nozzle, so I'm hopeful that it's sorted.

    I'll try a full test tomorrow with the original 7 hour print that was failing, and report back.
     

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  14. Kanedias

    Kanedias Well-Known Member

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    Looks good. It's not so bad is it? a handy tool to have is a socket head the size of the nozzle. Even if it's just for changing from.4 to .25 or whatever.
    image.jpg
     
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  15. markoaurelije

    markoaurelije Active Member

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    I like the tool. Can you share the STL for it?
     
  16. Duncan Chivers

    Duncan Chivers Well-Known Member

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    Yes, I'm pleased that it's looking so positive, I guess I'm just slightly apprehensive that a longer print may end up turning bad and sending me back to square one - we'll see later! :D

    Is the toolhead available on thingiverse?
     
  17. Kanedias

    Kanedias Well-Known Member

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  18. Duncan Chivers

    Duncan Chivers Well-Known Member

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    Perfect, thanks.

    I've just kicked off a full version of the original 7 hour print that failed (and allowed me to find the horrible mess of PLA), so fingers crossed! :)
     
  19. Duncan Chivers

    Duncan Chivers Well-Known Member

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    Success!

    Thanks for all your help people!
     

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  20. Kanedias

    Kanedias Well-Known Member

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    Looks good. What is it? :D
     

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