1 Topic by jovielynne

  • jovielynne
  • Newbie
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  • Registered: 2019-06-10
  • Posts: 1

Topic: Assembly tips for a noob?

Hey all! I recently purchased the Filastruder + Filawinder kits and have been struggling quite a bit with assembly. I strongly suspect I am missing some basic knowledge about a lot of this stuff which it seems the instructions require, so I am hoping there are some kind souls on here who would be willing to help fill in the gaps for me.

I have gotten through most of the mechanical assembly steps but have quite a few questions to make sure I did it right:

  • My feed screw fits tightly into the barrel/flange but I saw a video where someone was pushing the screw back and forth through the barrel with ease. Should mine fit more smoothly? If so, how should I fix that?

  • Step 18 says to thread the nozzle onto the coupling but doesn't mention the filter which some other videos/posts have mentioned. I am assuming the filter needs to be there and that it goes on like this, can anyone confirm? http://soliforum.com/i/?yT8bUvR.jpg

  • The picture next to Step 1 of the pre-electrical assembly (for the heating band + insulation) is a bit unclear - should the wires be on top or on bottom of the machine? Is it important that the tightening screw line up with the wires? Mine now looks like this after watching someone's assembly video, does this look correct? http://soliforum.com/i/?ywGKTNl.jpg

  • Any tips for the insulation itself? I.E. should the open side be oriented in a specific direction or does it need to be completely closed around as best as possible? Should the heaterband wires be inside the insulation as well or should they be pulled out? An assembly video I watched recommended I leave the insulation off until a later step, can anyone confirm if waiting to do the insulation until the end is a good idea?

  • I'm not sure my stall protection board is installed correctly as the instructions picture shows some dark black things (maybe screws? hard to tell) holding it on which I don't think I have in my kit. As you can see from my picture below I have small M3 screws -> acrylic plate -> metal spacers -> stall protection board -> nuts. Is that order correct and does it look like it is positioned correctly on the chassis? Also as you can see I had 2 extra metal spacers and 2 extra nuts...should those have been used somewhere?http://soliforum.com/i/?WkDu8Lq.jpg

  • I found the white bracket for the PID controller in my kit but don't understand anything about it. Is it intended to help the PID controller attach more securely to the acrylic face? Or is it so other parts in the future can attach more securely to the PID controller? The instructions say to "trim the plastic clips"...I think that's talking about the arms with the little rounded bits, but does that mean I should break them off completely? Mine also has screws on it which I also don't see in the instructions picture...should I take those out before attaching it to the PID controller? And how does it actually fit on the PID controller? I temporarily tried attaching mine like this but feel like I am doing everything wrong here!http://soliforum.com/i/?52l9zOp.jpg


That's as far as I've gotten so I'll stop there. I'm sure I will have a million more questions when I go to do the electronics but I would love to feel confident in the mechanical assembly at least before I start in on that.

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can provide! I desperately want to make my own filament for my many 3D printers but I am apparently in WAY over my head here!

2 Reply by elmoret

  • elmoret
  • Filastruder
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  • Registered: 2012-10-11
  • Posts: 6,048

Re: Assembly tips for a noob?

My feed screw fits tightly into the barrel/flange but I saw a video where someone was pushing the screw back and forth through the barrel with ease. Should mine fit more smoothly? If so, how should I fix that?

As long as you can get it to rotate by hand, the gear motor will happy knock off any burrs etc during the initial purge run.


Step 18 says to thread the nozzle onto the coupling but doesn't mention the filter which some other videos/posts have mentioned. I am assuming the filter needs to be there and that it goes on like this, can anyone confirm? http://soliforum.com/i/?yT8bUvR.jpg

Best practice is to add the filter after purging, though you can do it before if you like - just means a cfilter leaning is needed after purging.

The picture next to Step 1 of the pre-electrical assembly (for the heating band + insulation) is a bit unclear - should the wires be on top or on bottom of the machine?

Doesn't matter, however you want to route them is fine.

Is it important that the tightening screw line up with the wires? Mine now looks like this after watching someone's assembly video, does this look correct?

It is best practice for the clamping screw to be positioned over the opening in the band, but not required.

Any tips for the insulation itself? I.E. should the open side be oriented in a specific direction or does it need to be completely closed around as best as possible? Should the heaterband wires be inside the insulation as well or should they be pulled out?

Doesn't matter.

An assembly video I watched recommended I leave the insulation off until a later step, can anyone confirm if waiting to do the insulation until the end is a good idea?

Either is OK.

I'm not sure my stall protection board is installed correctly as the instructions picture shows some dark black things (maybe screws? hard to tell) holding it on which I don't think I have in my kit. As you can see from my picture below I have small M3 screws -> acrylic plate -> metal spacers -> stall protection board -> nuts. Is that order correct and does it look like it is positioned correctly on the chassis? Also as you can see I had 2 extra metal spacers and 2 extra nuts...should those have been used somewhere?

The screw color changed, what you show is fine, the spare standoffs and nuts are to be expected.

I found the white bracket for the PID controller in my kit but don't understand anything about it. Is it intended to help the PID controller attach more securely to the acrylic face?

Yes

The instructions say to "trim the plastic clips"...I think that's talking about the arms with the little rounded bits, but does that mean I should break them off completely?

Mine also has screws on it which I also don't see in the instructions picture...should I take those out before attaching it to the PID controller? And how does it actually fit on the PID controller?

The part where the screws would go gets trimmed off.

I temporarily tried attaching mine like this but feel like I am doing everything wrong here!

You have the bracket facing the wrong way, otherwise photo is OK.

That's as far as I've gotten so I'll stop there. I'm sure I will have a million more questions when I go to do the electronics but I would love to feel confident in the mechanical assembly at least before I start in on that.

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