Hi everyone! I'm new here. I'm very excited about the idea of making own filament! I was thinking to buy one of available extruders but considering shipping to my country it would be quite expensive. So i decided to build one myself and i would be grateful for answering few of my questions. I've managed with all of electonical parts, i do have a pid controller, gear motor power supply, cartridge heater. I have it all wired and working correctly. So here is my first question, what do you think about using cartiridge heater? I saw this in the Filabot extuder and i liked this solution.
I still have to struggle with all of the mechanical parts. I have an auger 18mm diameter, so i based (maybe incorrectly) search for remaining parts on it. I purchased a pipe 3/4" and brass plug 3/4". So here is my doubt, in Lyman version it is used 1/2" for a pipe and plug, is this difference may matter in an extrusion? I'm also wondering about a plug, how thick should it be? I've found one that i can drill a hole 7mm long, is it fine? How the thickness of a nozzle affects extruding? I sense that thin nozzle means faster extrusion and worse filament quality, what is an accurate size?
Another thing is a nozzle diameter, what diameter for 3mm filament, is it 3mm?
I saw in the Filastruder a fan for cooling a filament, in Lyman it is water. I was excited by the Filastruder solution, it is simpler, although i have seen a video of the professional production, wow it required A LOT of water coolng! Is it neccesary to make a good quality filament?
I will be thankful for any advices!