1 Topic by puskinu

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Topic: Questions about my DIY filament extruder, pls!

Hi elmoret!
First I'm sorry for my bad English. I'm from Viet Nam...I'm making a diy filament extruder. I've made all everything. But there're some problems with my extruder. When I fill pellets into hopper, the motor runs slowlier then stop, although I can hear the sounds from my motor ( it means the motor still runs). I will post video link later. Could you tell me some solutions for this case.
I use 12v - 350w motor. And use a gear box at 1:60 ratio.
Hope to hear from you soon!
Thank you very much.

2 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Questions about my DIY filament extruder, pls!

Moved to projects, as the Filastruder sub forum is for discussion of Filastruders and accessories only.

You say the motor has stopped, but also say that it still runs. This doesn't make any sense. I am assuming it is a translation problem. It sounds like you do not have enough torque, as 60:1 is not a very high gear ratio. I use 1269:1 with a 4500RPM motor.

Also, 350w is way more power than is needed. A 350w 12vdc gear motor is worth more than a Filastruder. Out of curiosity, why not just sell the gear motor and buy a Filastruder? Are you certain it is a 350w motor?

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

3 Reply by puskinu

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Re: Questions about my DIY filament extruder, pls!

Thank you very much for your quick reply. Honestly, I greatly appreciate your kindness. I'm sure that my motor is 350w type, I have an old ones, moreover, as I told I'm from Viet Nam, hard to buy thing from oversea. Sorry for wrong explanation about the motor, . As u told I think that it doesn't have enough torque. So could you pls give me some ideas to solve this.

Here is my link about my extruder:
youtube.com/watch?v=lxJKvmO_XDk&feature=youtu.be

4 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Questions about my DIY filament extruder, pls!

Yup. insufficient torque is my guess. You could use some gears, or a chain drive, or a belt...

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

5 Reply by puskinu (edited by puskinu 2014-06-24 03:43:40)

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Re: Questions about my DIY filament extruder, pls!

Thank again, but I'm not really understand you much. You mean use chain drive with or without gear box, or I just need a higher ratio gear box as u told. I have tried bycyle chain, swiper motor but it 's still the same.
here are my barrel and drill. Do you have any solutions to increase torque by shorten or lenghten the drill or barrel too?

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6 Reply by Tomek (edited by Tomek 2014-06-24 03:57:39)

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Re: Questions about my DIY filament extruder, pls!

puskinu wrote:

Thank again, but I'm not really understand you much. You mean use chain drive with or without gear box, or I just need a higher ratio gear box as u told. I have tried bycyle chain, swiper motor but it 's still the same.
here are my barrel and drill. Do you have any solutions to increase torque by shorten or lenghten the drill or barrel too?


Right now you have Motor ---> Gearbox --> Plastic
Maybe you can do Motor ---> bicycle gear ratio ---> gearbox --> plastic.

Changing drill barrel length will not likely help much. The barrel friction is not big.

but if your drill has less pitch (pushes less plastic for each circle turn) then it could *maybe* work better.


Remember gear ratio multiplies. So if you have 60:1 now and want 1200:1, you need only 20:1 for a new gear change.

7 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Questions about my DIY filament extruder, pls!

Changing barrel length doesn't change required torque. The torque required comes from the melt zone.

You need an additional stage of gear reduction, either though another gearbox or chain+sprocket. If the gearbox is rated for 50Nm of torque on the output, then you can put the new parts between the motor and gearbox if you like. Otherwise, it needs to go between gearbox and auger.

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

8 Reply by puskinu

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Re: Questions about my DIY filament extruder, pls!

Tomek wrote:
puskinu wrote:

Thank again, but I'm not really understand you much. You mean use chain drive with or without gear box, or I just need a higher ratio gear box as u told. I have tried bycyle chain, swiper motor but it 's still the same.
here are my barrel and drill. Do you have any solutions to increase torque by shorten or lenghten the drill or barrel too?


Right now you have Motor ---> Gearbox --> Plastic
Maybe you can do Motor ---> bicycle gear ratio ---> gearbox --> plastic.

Changing drill barrel length will not likely help much. The barrel friction is not big.

but if your drill has less pitch (pushes less plastic for each circle turn) then it could *maybe* work better.


Remember gear ratio multiplies. So if you have 60:1 now and want 1200:1, you need only 20:1 for a new gear change.

Thank Tomek very much. I'll try with gear motor -> gear box -> plastic ...It takes me two month to solve this, then I know this forum, hope everything will be ok...I'll tell you the result.
But Is there any standard dimension between the nozzle and the drill ?

9 Reply by puskinu

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Re: Questions about my DIY filament extruder, pls!

It works! Thank Elmoret and Tomek very much...I use your advice with gear motor -> gear box -> plastic..and it works...But seem it runs slowly...
When I see Elmoret's filament extruder, you only use a gear motor. How can it work with just a gear motor? Do you have any ideas about a suitable gear motor for my project ( use 20 mm drill )

10 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Questions about my DIY filament extruder, pls!

Sure, I sell them here:

http://www.filastruder.com/collections/ … /gearmotor

By the way, this doesn't make sense to me:

.I use your advice with gear motor -> gear box -> plastic..and it works..

By "plastic", Tomek meant the drill bit driving the plastic. Can you post a photo of your current setup?

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

11 Reply by puskinu

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Re: Questions about my DIY filament extruder, pls!

Hi elmoret!
As I was sorry before for my bad English, I can't explanation much. And my major is accountant, so I know less in mechanic.
I know that the "plastic" Tomek said is the drill bit driving the plastic. Tomorrow I will post my video, because I'm at home now.
As I said, in Viet Nam hard to buy anything from oversea. So I have to buy in my country or do it by myself.
I have a motor :24V , 40W , 10rpm , ratio gear 1: 664k
torque 45N.m
weight : 1.1kg
Is it suitable ?
Thanks for your supports again!

12 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Questions about my DIY filament extruder, pls!

10RPM, 45Nm is suitable. That's about the same torque as I use, but a little faster.

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

13 Reply by puskinu

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Re: Questions about my DIY filament extruder, pls!

Hi Elmoret !
Here is my link about my extruder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFYz9Hl … e=youtu.be
It runs seem slow but it works. Sorry for the mess !

14 Reply by Tomek (edited by Tomek 2014-06-25 04:27:27)

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Re: Questions about my DIY filament extruder, pls!

I'm impressed with your work. I don't know how to speak Vietnamese ^_^.  (I am saying your effort in english is great too.)


But, I am not 100% understanding your gear ratio. When I looked at the video, it looks like you have 1:644 motor...Then 1:60 gearbox. This is a very big total gear ratio. but if it is working now....then it is ok.  Maybe I do not understand.

If it is maybe many times slower than you want , that is because the gear ratio is too big now big_smile. When you have two gearboxes connecting, the 'gear ratio' is multiplied. 1:644*1:60 = 1:38640. I am sorry it is not very easy to manage.

15 Reply by puskinu

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Re: Questions about my DIY filament extruder, pls!

Hi Tomek!
Thanks for your supports! Vietnamese is not too hard to learn but maybe it's hard to speak smile. If you have time to travel, why not visit Viet Nam. And I always welcome you.
As I said at #11 post, I'm trying a new gear motor with that gear ratio. All I want now is understand clearly how the filament extruder operate, then I will make a good version.
Besides, 3D printing community in Viet Nam does not develope much. So thank to people like you, I could make my dream comes true.