1 Topic by icecats (edited by icecats 2014-08-04 02:08:30)

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Topic: How to keep filament from kinking and bending?

Dear Soliforum and Filastruder Community,
I am having a fair amount of difficulty getting the filament from my Filastruder to coil on the floor. It just seems to fall in random patterns with loads of kinks and bends. This also causes inconsistent diameter. Any help and suggestions on a way to get the filament to coil neatly would be much appreciated. Thanks, icecats
Please check out the video that I added of my problem...

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2 Reply by elmoret

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Re: How to keep filament from kinking and bending?

The filament needs an unobstructed path to the floor, it's gonna hit the leg of your table sitting like that - slide it further off the table. You also need to start the first 6-12 inches by hand so they stay straight. Once waves start, they won't stop. Its hard to tell if your filament guide is in the right place from those pictures, and the board definitely isn't long enough.

If the filament guide is set up correctly and there's no obstructions on the way down, your filament will be just as straight as commercial filament. This was made on a Filastruder:

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0239/9287/files/DSC03644_large.JPG?276

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

3 Reply by icecats

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Re: How to keep filament from kinking and bending?

Alright, thanks for the tips. Also, is there any advantage to mounting the Filastruder vertically? Thanks, icecats

4 Reply by IanJohnson

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Re: How to keep filament from kinking and bending?

The filament will tend to coil in a circle with the nozzle at the center, so it works best if there is open space under the table under and behind the filastruder.

5 Reply by icecats

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Re: How to keep filament from kinking and bending?

I have moved the Filastruder so that it is overhung from the table, but the winding effect is still not happening. I think that my problem is at the beginning of the struding. Please check out my video of the beginning and close up of the filament guide.

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6 Reply by elmoret

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Re: How to keep filament from kinking and bending?

That start looks fine. What material, what temperature?

What do you mean by "winding effect"? It won't auto-coil, it just makes a pile of (straight, not kinked) filament. Like in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFE--SPejaQ

This pile of filament can then be spooled with a drill. It shouldn't tangle - it is rare if it does for me at least. Maybe every 5kg or so.

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

7 Reply by icecats

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Re: How to keep filament from kinking and bending?

I am using ABS at 180c. I guess that when the filament touches the floor, it starts to get bendy, and it eventually ramens. Should the filament be immediately hardened after exiting the nozzle? Thanks, icecats