1 Topic by insta

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Topic: Clogged feed screw?

This is something I'd never had before with my Filastruder.  The feed screw itself gummed up (using MG94!) and wouldn't feed anymore.

I took the nozzle off at temp and picked out all the plastic I could with needlenose pliers, and tried ramming pellets in from the back, but the poor thing was too constipated to move.

In the end this required a huge disassembly down to bare components and a good healthy soaking in fire and acetone to remove, but I'm wondering if there was something I could have done that wasn't so ... aggressive?

2 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Clogged feed screw?

I haven't seen this happen myself, but I've heard of it happening with a few others - though usually, the plastic sticks to the feed screw and the feed screw will rotate. Are you saying the motor stalled? Which motor (Kickstarter or post-KS?) Were you using master batch?

The only think I can thing to do besides disassembly is to let it cool down completely, then heat it up again to the previous temperature + 20C or so.

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

3 Reply by insta (edited by insta 2014-03-17 14:44:09)

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Re: Clogged feed screw?

This was a KS kit with the post-KS motor (my original one shredded itself).  The motor had not stalled and was dutifully turning along.  I had the barrel at 190C after a round of cool-to-20-and-reheat.  This was straight MG94 from osprinting and no colorant.

It really was pretty bizarre.  I'm wondering if I've bent the pipe somewhat.  I noticed a lot of pitting on the outside of the auger where it scraped on the pipe walls.  If it's removed the rough inner surface I could see the plastic having less to bite onto.

4 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Clogged feed screw?

Ah - "too constipated to move" implied to me that the feed screw wasn't even turning.

I don't think wear is much of an issue, as I've run a barrel/auger combo over 1000 hours with no decrease in output. One thing I've been experimenting with lately is insulating the whole barrel, you could try that.

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

5 Reply by insta

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Re: Clogged feed screw?

I had replaced the included insulation with fiberglass header wrap.  It works very well, the pipe is 80C by the time it gets to the hopper.  Would that cause a problem?

Also, a somewhat unrelated question, but I managed to destroy my plywood pieces trying to disassemble the machine.  Is oak a suitable alternative?  I have oak.

6 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Clogged feed screw?

I've only run a fully insulated barrel for about 100 hours so far, but I haven't had any problems yet.

Any wood is fine, I think I used pine to start before I had them CNC cut.

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