SoliForum - 3D Printing Community — Clogged feed screw?

Re: Clogged feed screw?

2014-03-17T16:05:16Z

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.

Re: Clogged feed screw?

2014-03-17T16:00:54Z

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.

Re: Clogged feed screw?

2014-03-17T15:37:54Z

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.

Re: Clogged feed screw?

2014-03-17T14:43:30Z

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.

Re: Clogged feed screw?

2014-03-17T14:34:34Z

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.

Clogged feed screw?

2014-03-17T14:29:50Z

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?