Preventing PLA clogging the Hot End request

Dear 3D printers,

I have a request to you all but first my little story.

I was using PLA for a while until I was fully fed-up with clogging my Hot End no matter what I did.
I start using nGen from ColorFabb and I had no problem anymore regarding the clogging but .... it's quite expensive.

Reading some blogs about PLA and the clogging problem I found some 3D printer guys talking about oiling the PLA. I thought it's to wild, to crazy to check on that possibility but, guess what, ... it works, at least for the last 6 hours I had no problems with PLA printing. I do get a nice dense layer surface with super good adhesion.
And yes I oiled my PLA with Bike Oil in a spray bush.
I applied a very thin oil dust on the top windings of my coil and it works well.

My request is now, could you guys try the same and would you be so kind to post this as a reply on this post?
I just need to know if it works in general or maybe I'm just a lucky guy?

Thanks


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/2016 08:26AM by evandene.

Er, I don't have a problem with PLA clogging the hot end. I never did with the original hot end supplied in the Mendel kit by RepRapPro. Then I upgraded it to a tri-colour with3 hot ends - still no clogging. Since then I've changed again to a Diamond hot end (3 filaments, 3 heat sinks, one nozzle and heater). Still no clogging - even when mixing filaments (all 3 extruders running at different speeds). I've used all sorts of PLA from all sorts of suppliers. Had some dodgy print quality but never any clogging. So maybe the problem is with your hot end or settings and while voodoo oil might be a fix, it'd probably better to find and rectify the root cause? No offence intended.

You're most probably right, ...... but not that helpful

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/2016 06:05AM by evandene.

Even if it is not used for oiling filament, it is useful to clean the dust on filament to have a sponge box (here printed in PETG):


Thread tube with a M4 nut

Thread box with a M4 screw

Clean tube with a 2mm bit - beware to well remove shavings




And the STL file
Spongebox.stl

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/2016 03:27PM by PRZ.

Super thanks for the STL file.
I will implement this tool immediately, good job.

Using release agent is as old as the extrusion techniques exist; I should know after 40 years of experiences, I was curious if other 3D printers are using it too.
Oiling for me it's a blessing in my home made super light extruder in my Delta mounted on my Effector. I needed to eliminate as much as possible friction in the melting chamber as well as in the cold tube.
The tube is from ceramic in order to eliminate heat transport and for eliminating the need of a Hot End fan.
It's not the fastest printer but a nice modern Delta Printer with all kind of extended boundaries. Only for the brave and proud ones.

See attached picture.
Thanks again.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/2016 06:02AM by evandene.

I assume that these are two PG35 running simultaneously ?
Never broke a ceramic tube ?

What is the overall weight of this extruder/hotend setup?

De two steppers are 2 Euro steppers 28JYB-48 modified to bipolar. Both on ONE 8825 driver
The total weight including effector and hot end is 162 grams.
See attached Delta Printer spec I designed in 2014. Of course I needed to deviate from my original spec but it did help me with my final design and for finding my way in this fun project.

best regards
Ed

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/2016 10:49AM by evandene.