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Post by jennifer on Mar 6, 2016 6:27:57 GMT
It's time to change the filament on my printer -- just finished the first roll.
I've read more than 1 person have had problems doing this. So I was wondering if I could get some tips first before I attempt to do this.
E.g. do I do it after the extruder head has been warmed up or cold? etc..
TIA!
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Post by curufin on Mar 6, 2016 12:52:12 GMT
Yeah, I had a problem too. A little tiny piece of filament got stuck between the extruder and the gear. I had to fully disassemble the extruder to get it out.
I would preheat the extruder, and use the change filament option in the menu. I would try extracting the filament before the extruder gets to full temp. You just want it to be warm enough to release the filament but not hot enough to melt it.
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Post by jennifer on Mar 6, 2016 13:32:48 GMT
Yeah, I had a problem too. A little tiny piece of filament got stuck between the extruder and the gear. I had to fully disassemble the extruder to get it out. I would preheat the extruder, and use the change filament option in the menu. I would try extracting the filament before the extruder gets to full temp. You just want it to be warm enough to release the filament but not hot enough to melt it. When you say extract it, do you mean pulling on the filament from from behind or the excess from the front/bottom?
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Post by curufin on Mar 6, 2016 13:49:58 GMT
There is a setting the the change filament menu option. You used it the first time you inserted the filament you make your first print. There is an option to either add filament or retract the stuff already in the machine. you want to retract it. The machine will pull the filament out, you shouldn't pull on it.
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Post by jennifer on Mar 6, 2016 20:15:19 GMT
There is a setting the the change filament menu option. You used it the first time you inserted the filament you make your first print. There is an option to either add filament or retract the stuff already in the machine. you want to retract it. The machine will pull the filament out, you shouldn't pull on it. Thanks my boyfriend loaded it initially. He's really mechanically inclined so I let him do it. I told him to hold off on changing it though until I figure out why you guys were having problems. I really don't want to have to take the extruder off and take it apart.
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Post by jennifer on Mar 7, 2016 4:22:21 GMT
Just tried to change the filament. Did unload in the menu. It heated up then said to pull back tube then gently pull out filament. The tube slid back no problem. I tried to gently pull out filament and it wouldn't come out.. I applied much more force and still didn't come out. The machine started making a loud knocking noise as well during this unload phase.
What the heck is going on. I turned it off.. so I failed to remove the filament. Didn't want to screw it up.
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Post by jennifer on Mar 7, 2016 7:44:07 GMT
Finally got it out.. I started a new print job.. let it go for a minute .. then while hot , turned it off, and then went to "unload" again.. it came out then.
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Post by wilmanric on Mar 7, 2016 14:29:33 GMT
The last time I changed the filament, I just cut it off and used the "load filament" option. It pulled the small piece through, extruded it, then I inserted the new roll of filament. It grabbed it and started extruding. A little bit of waste, but no tugging on the filament.
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Post by jennifer on Mar 8, 2016 9:47:55 GMT
The last time I changed the filament, I just cut it off and used the "load filament" option. It pulled the small piece through, extruded it, then I inserted the new roll of filament. It grabbed it and started extruding. A little bit of waste, but no tugging on the filament. This is precisely what "JF Kansas" (on youtube) told me to do today. He's the guy that made an extruder head replacement piece on thingiverse: www.thingiverse.com/thing:857200Sounds like a very good idea. My question to him was: I just bough this Monoprice Maker Architect 3D printer which I hear is a FlashForge Creator 3D clone.. looks like the CTC printers too. Anyways I used up my very first spool and am trying to unload the filament. It warms it up and says to unload. I start to hear knocking.. and I try and pull on it and no matter how much force it won't come out. Is it jammed? If so, how do I take the head off? And he replied: You really don't need to take the whole print head off. One thing to try is to only load filament, never unload. To unload just cut the filament above where it enters the print head and feed the new filament in right after it. So whatever printer I get in the future, this is how I'm going to do it.
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