Help with Printer filament jamming up

SummersideGuy · 2016-02-05T04:17:15.000Z

Ok I cut 2 10 meter sections off the roll. I then spent 5-10 minutes pull the twist out of each section. I was able to get 2 successful prints from both pieces after doing this, so maybe the roll is salvageable

SummersideGuy · 2016-02-05T04:21:17.000Z

On their website the majority of their pla is sold out

ldanut · 2016-02-05T07:56:25.000Z

I would do two things:

- check if extruder gear is not filled with grinded filament that will make it slip

- try a good quality filament since yours looks like a low quality one

Namekkural · 2016-02-05T08:03:58.000Z

I also bought a Chinese brand printer and had problems with hot end jamming from the start. I finally replaced the nozzle with a different brand and everything is fine now. Cost me 8 $ but was totally worth it. Don’t buy cheap extruded nozzles.

shane_simon_779 · 2016-02-05T08:05:57.000Z

I had constant jams on my generic MK8 hotend plus a stripping drive wheel / clicking. I fixed it on mine by adding an oil wipe / vegetable oil drops on the filament while it is printing. This works for both ABS and PLA.

If your hotend is really buggered up, you may have to clean it using acetone first. Also, you may need to put a stronger or weaker spring in your tensioner - the default that came with mine was very weak and allowed the hob to slide.

Finally, double check that your extrusion rate is correct for your stepper / motor. My default setup was pushing slightly too much per turn and would instantly overload the head. Raising your heat a bit might also help, especially when using the oil.

jimmyvonsnipe · 2016-02-05T08:08:07.000Z

I use the Micromake Mini Kossels a lot, and they work flawlessly. Your printer looks quite similar. Definitely try some new filament. I use esun in my machines as it is easy to attain here in Australia, and works very well!

Regards,

James.

dramaprint · 2016-02-05T08:08:26.000Z

Hi, Filament problems could be caused by inconsistent diametar, you could change the spool and try again. Try to push the filament trough by hand and you should get consistent flow, if not nozzle needs cleaning. You could thy the cold plug method for cleaning. Also try to tighten the part that holds the filament against the hobbed bolt, hope this helps

CALLMEBIGGPAPA · 2016-02-05T08:23:51.000Z

I would honestly return the spool for that much of a variance in diameter. Double check that your extruder gear is aligned and properly tightened as well! Ps. I run a filament oiler/duster to help reduce the chance of jams and clogs.

primaltalk · 2016-02-05T09:34:26.000Z

I’d agree with the others that the most likely cause of the inconsistencies in feed rates is caused by inconsistent filament diameter. Where the blockage is concerned, it may also be that the filament gets too wide and jams, but I’d also look to heat creep as a possible culprit. You’re printing at a high temperature for PLA and, if the heat sink on your hot end isn’t that great, heat can flow up, cause the filament to expand and you’ll get a jam. From the looks of your hot end, the heat sink doesn’t look that great (compare it with a picture of an E3D from e3d-online).

PepCo_Parker · 2016-02-05T12:37:38.000Z

Ok, for the most part I order abs, haven’t really payed attention to pla on there. They normally keep quite good stock but lately every time they get stock it’s sold before I even get the email notification, guess the word about their quality has started getting out…

SammamishHub · 2016-02-05T16:32:51.000Z

I think I misunderstood what you guys mean by twisting. The more a filament sits out in the open air the more it holds it’s curl and gets brittle. Hard to see what’s causing the waviness in the photo, but I suppose I could see my little stock mini kossel extruder struggling to pull that through consistently.

I was talking about where you can’t pull the filament off the spool because it’s tangled up in the other windings; maybe it’s more common on large spools. Once a spool does it to me, it’s a repeating problem. Sometimes it clears with a tug, others it needs more TLC - so I just wind spools onto new ones once this happens, working through all the knots.

SammamishHub · 2016-02-05T16:47:39.000Z

Thumbs up on the ESun cleaning filament. I just got some this week (ordered thru Amazon), and manually pushed about an inch worth through each 0.4mm hot end and then just pulled it back out. They were both printing hairlines that would curl up around the nozzle, even after I cleaned the nozzles and the heat break tubes with a blow torch (probably leaving some carbon traces behind.) Apparently PVA can really clog things up. Then after the cleaning filament, they were squeezing out straight 0.4mm extrusions and printing nicely again. I was truly amazed.

SummersideGuy · 2016-02-05T19:13:27.000Z

I printed a little filter container for the filament, put a small sponge in with a few drops of vegetable oil and closed the lid, there is a small hole to feed the filament through, Besides cutting sections of the poor roll I added this to help ensure less jams. Dont know if it actually helps or not

adiab · 2016-02-05T19:26:54.000Z

I had a problem like this and it turned out the hot end thermistor was shorting out. This was causing the hot end to cool and then it would jam. Run it until it starts to jam and then check the temp of the hot end.

adiab · 2016-02-05T19:28:41.000Z

I have never had to clean my filament and I print alot. I think jams are generally due to the nozzle being too close to the build platform or incorrect temp.

Deaner3D · 2016-02-06T03:24:06.000Z

I’ll suggest some of the various issues that come to mind.

1: Are you using ABS or PLA? - Most PLA filament I know of prints at 190-200c. ABS prints at 230c, so the 205-220 range you listed doesn’t really fit either of them very well. If you’re printing at too high a temp for PLA it might liquefy too soon in the hotend, expanding into areas and jamming the whole operation up. Additionally, pick up a spool of Hatchbox PLA from Amazon. It’s cheap, and known-good plastic to work with.

2: If it came with an “E3D V6” clone, that might be the issue right there. I only have experience with the E3D V6 and it’s important to get the PTFE tube (bowden style or direct drive) seated into the metal heatbreak connector tube. Sometimes you might think it’s in, but it’s not. Thus allowing filament to miss the nozzle hole and jam up.

3: Clean the nozzle and any metal parts with fire! I routinely get the steel heatbreak and brass nozzle up to red-orange temps with a torch for cleaning. Then I’ll drown them in veggie oil to “season” (lubricate) the metal parts before putting it all back together. I’ve also had to lightly push a needle point into the tip of the brass nozzle when something was jamming it up.

4: Get a filament filter. The simplest version is just running the filament through a piece of dish sponge. The one I use encloses the sponge and allows for application of veggie oil periodically.

5: Check out the extruder hobbed gear and clean it. Filament will get worn into the little teeth and reduce your grip. Upgrading to a “Mk8 gear” increased the reliability for me and I can even run it without a gear reduction at moderate print speeds.

markqvist · 2016-02-06T11:18:51.000Z

Throw that crap out! That much variance is sure to jam your hot-end! After three years of printing, I’ve found it’s more than worth it to buy some good-quality, consistent filament. The few bucks saved on the cheap stuff will only make you pay in all the hassles and horrible print quality.

KeithM · 2016-02-07T04:57:46.000Z

Contact me...Keith@coexllc.com I will get a sample of our PLA filament to you so you can rule out the filament you are currently using. coex3d.com

Flavio_Camus · 2016-02-10T12:29:06.000Z

It seems a filament issue here. less material in the sample photos, alternating with extra in some layers.

Change the filament with a consister diameter one.

I have a Prusa I3 with upgraded e3d v6 and had the same problem with nylon taulman ,what supoused to be accurate, but no, 1.8 mm and more a recurrent jam in the high quality hot end.

Also check if the filament is getting hot before the hot end, so is getting soft and jams. Check the tiny fan who cools down the hot end’s tube.

You should try speed down the printing, really slow (30), and check again.

SummersideGuy · 2016-02-10T16:44:15.000Z

It was definitely the filament, as I said not only is it inconsistent but it is twisted like a twizzler. I have been taking so many meters off at a time and untwisting and using the piece I have cut to print. However I would say that half the roll is a loos due to the poor quality of it.