1 Topic by Heartlander

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Topic: This will sound nutty but (Filament Splicing)

does anyone know of a way to glue or weld or otherwise connect pieces of filament, end-to-end?

I want to attach various types of one plastic type (like all ABS) maybe different colors, metallic, clear, etc. so the printed object is a composite, layers of aesthetically complimentary stuff.

Ideally, someone would make multi-material filaments  maybe multi-color, multi-transparents/translucent and multi-metals.

I envision an object made of layers of aluminum, brass, iron, bronze, silver maybe interspersed with blacks and clear or maybe stone and wood.

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2 Reply by Kronikabuse

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Re: This will sound nutty but (Filament Splicing)

They do make a filament splicer . I have a project for one I've been working on, but it's currently on a back burner.

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3 Reply by heartless

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Re: This will sound nutty but (Filament Splicing)

there are all kinds of "ideas" out there for splicing filaments - a simple google search will give you lots of results

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4 Reply by Heartlander

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Re: This will sound nutty but (Filament Splicing)

Well, I've been googling around. Of course, like most of my brainchilds, it is an old idea. I don't see any using a low heat laser. Seems like that would be a natural, doesn't it? Push both ends into a PTFE tube with a hole in the top center where the laser zaps both ends for a second before allowing it to cool? Have the laser on a foot pedal switch.

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5 Reply by heartless

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Re: This will sound nutty but (Filament Splicing)

lasers come with their own set of issues - safety being #1... not sure I would go there myself.

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SD4 #3 - in the works ~ Folgertech FT-5, rev 1
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6 Reply by Heartlander

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Re: This will sound nutty but (Filament Splicing)

I understand but it fits the requirement well. Quick, precise heat followed by immediate cooling.

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7 Reply by elmoret

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Re: This will sound nutty but (Filament Splicing)

A laser would not heat the filament evenly, one side would be well above melting temperature while the other side was just above room temperature. You need to heat from all sides evenly.

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8 Reply by mdrVB6

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Re: This will sound nutty but (Filament Splicing)

I wonder what the success rate is for any of the filament splicers out there?  If you leave much of any blob or diameter irregularity in the filament, it can easily clog the hot end.  IMO, if you must do a multiple material print from a single nozzle, the best way is to build in a pause, manually swap it out, and resume.

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9 Reply by Weekend Avenger

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Re: This will sound nutty but (Filament Splicing)

The splicer I have works every time. It's called "Fuse". It's fairly small and they are for sale for a not totally unreasonable price, but it does do what it claims to.

Downside is that it is cumbersome and attempts to burn your fingers. "Theoretically" you can fuse multiple colors and just keep pushing them through the thing. Practically, you can't do that because you won't have the thing mounted anywhere useful, so you'll have to take it apart to get your filament out of it.

When I need to use mine, I set it on the stove's metal top so no matter how long I leave it on it won't scorch anything. I then fuse  my leftovers from one spool to a new spool, unplug and wait for it to cool down, then take it apart to get my filament out. It's only the three "wheeled nuts" that hold it together, so it does come apart easily.

10 Reply by n2ri

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Re: This will sound nutty but (Filament Splicing)

Weekend Avenger wrote:

The splicer I have works every time. It's called "Fuse". It's fairly small and they are for sale for a not totally unreasonable price, but it does do what it claims to.

Downside is that it is cumbersome and attempts to burn your fingers. "Theoretically" you can fuse multiple colors and just keep pushing them through the thing. Practically, you can't do that because you won't have the thing mounted anywhere useful, so you'll have to take it apart to get your filament out of it.

When I need to use mine, I set it on the stove's metal top so no matter how long I leave it on it won't scorch anything. I then fuse  my leftovers from one spool to a new spool, unplug and wait for it to cool down, then take it apart to get my filament out. It's only the three "wheeled nuts" that hold it together, so it does come apart easily.


I bet they could modify that tool to mount on like a Vise Grip pliers with long handls to keep heat off hands. then you could just clamp it on and release it off with the 2 halfs each mounted on 1 jaw/side. I have seen other such designs of tools for special use.

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11 Reply by Kronikabuse

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Re: This will sound nutty but (Filament Splicing)

I got a little farther on mine. need to plug it in and try it still. but it did work before i wired out the notch. Thanks to Heartlander for reminding me about the project lol

http://soliforum.com/i/?iZw1As3.jpg
http://soliforum.com/i/?ztLGCix.jpg

Sd4 #9080 with a glass bed. E3d chimera duel extruder. Paste extruder , duet wifi.
Lawsy carriages. linear bearings. Y axis direct drive, Kinect scanner
SD4#8188 glass bed, lawsly carriages, E3d v6, octoprint http://www.ustream.tv/channel/hotrod96z28
Filastruder/filawinder, Custom Delta 300mm x 600mm

12 Reply by n2ri

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Re: This will sound nutty but (Filament Splicing)

yes! thats it. cool... or rather Hot! lol

Solidoodle 2 with Deluxe kit cover & glass bed with heater. and 2nd board SD2 used not 3rd and alum platform not installed yet still wood. also need cooling fan installed to board. use Repetier Host couple vers. Slic3r also have all free ware STL programs

13 Reply by n2ri

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Re: This will sound nutty but (Filament Splicing)

also could get a clamp for "unistrut' (the green brackets used in commercial buildings to hang pipes etc from cielings) and attach it to the pliers in a way that the screw clamp could be fastened to frame of 3D printer like that other maker done on video using a rainbow of ABS sticks.

Solidoodle 2 with Deluxe kit cover & glass bed with heater. and 2nd board SD2 used not 3rd and alum platform not installed yet still wood. also need cooling fan installed to board. use Repetier Host couple vers. Slic3r also have all free ware STL programs