1 Topic by kutch2001 (edited by kutch2001 2013-11-22 05:45:00)

  • kutch2001
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Topic: Reducing size of 3 mm to 1.75 mm filament

Have a ton, well, about 30 pounds, of 3 mm filament which hate to throw away or resell.

Anyone know of a way can feed it through, or reduce the size somehow, to be about 1.75mm?

My new 3D printer is coming soon, and while have the starter plastic to melt would really like to reuse all this excess filament.  Think have some other 1.75mm samples floating around.

Have posted about this on the MakerGear google group (with not much luck) and was 1/2 thinking about messing around with their extruder nozzle (drilling out the size), but would really like to use my FilaStruder for this if it's not too much work!

FilaStruder Build #151

2 Reply by Tomek

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Re: Reducing size of 3 mm to 1.75 mm filament

Best option: Get a 3mm setup for your printer.  You can easily switch between 1.75mm and 3mm, as long as you have a strong enough extruder motor. 30 pounds is a loootttttt of plastic.

3 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Reducing size of 3 mm to 1.75 mm filament

Better option: sell it, and get the right size for your printer.

Filastruder - the robust, inexpensive filament extruder
E3Dv6 All Metal Hotend - the premier 3D printing hotend

4 Reply by notstarman (edited by notstarman 2013-11-22 08:23:53)

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Re: Reducing size of 3 mm to 1.75 mm filament

Which hot end are using it really matters. If your using a J head then most of the hotend will need to be replaced. If you using a maker bot mrk7 clone such as the E3d hot end (http://www.filastruder.com/products/all … e3d-hotend) then you need to replace the heat-break and nozzle with the 3mm versions.

You will most likely need to make changes to your cold end as well. Such as using a gear reduction and accommodating the size difference. But these parts can be printed easily so for ~$25 you can convert your hot end between 3mm and 1.75mm.

5 Reply by kutch2001

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Re: Reducing size of 3 mm to 1.75 mm filament

Am not quite sure the hot-end yet, however, the printer is a RigidBot, from KickStarter.  Looks like I can use most any stepper extruder (or hack one in place).

When get it, will look at it and will probably order the other hotend like everyone recommends.

However, if someone thinks of a quick and easy update could do to the filastruder would still like that.

FilaStruder Build #151

6 Reply by Tomek

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Re: Reducing size of 3 mm to 1.75 mm filament

I agree with elmoret that the best option would be trading or selling it, but that might not be too easy. I'd look on a forum where people use 3mm filament. Maybe reprap forum? A lot of those guys still use 3mm filament.

7 Reply by tealvince

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Re: Reducing size of 3 mm to 1.75 mm filament

Just for the heck of it if you still have your older printer that takes 3mm filament I would try drilling out a nozzle with a 1/16" drill bit to see if you could use it's print head to extrude 1.75mm filament.