576 Reply by supraflyer

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

I got my filastruder working saturday. I ran for 7.5 hours and cleaned out the system of contaminates. I purchased some clear for a final test next weekend. My temp was set at 200 and I needed two fans to get real nice filament to extrude.(12 inches per minute and good tolerances). It seems that the material extrusion limit is significantly higher than 200 degrees. Cooling instantly is the trick.
I had alot of observation time to watch the curling of the plastic. It would coil clockwise for a while and then change to counterclockwise. Naturally when this occured the filament would kink.
There seems like there is a sweet spot in the time line when the filament is moving straight away from the nozzle. I started to purchase the parts for a winder. I hope I can skill up and get it completed.
I have about 1/2 pound of grey that I can use. I will try to print with it this week. The tolerances I got on diameter were very tight. .170 +/- .004. I will get a set of data across fifty feet when I am printing.
I stopped extruding when my coupling started eating the auger shaft. I need to grind the hex portion off and put a flat on it to hold the set screw correctly.
I have a video of the machine running but I can not upload it yet. I will send it to utube shortly.
Tm/Ian thanks for the fun and cheap filament.........

577 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

I don't think your kit used a setscrew shaft coupling. You should have had a 9mm socket included - this is your shaft coupling. Can you upload a picture of what has the slipping setscrew?

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578 Reply by IanJohnson

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

That change in direction has kept me from spooling it indirectly from the table top or a hanging loop.   I'll get it into a groove, then it twists and changes the pressure points.   I'm guessing that the twisting is related to the turning motion of the plastic before it goes through the die.  If adding a mesh strainer works out, I wonder if the straightening of the molecules will make the filament stay straight.   When I stretch the filament through the spooler, it lays flat when it unwinds.

579 Reply by supraflyer

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

Starting from the science I think the coiling is from the polymerization process. Like most long molecules plastics tries to curl.
If this is wrong there may be a way to align the molecules. Roll forming metal aligns the outer layers but it is the inner layers that are causing the coiling?
If this is not correct science(probable) then there may be a way to force the coil to coil in the same direction. I will keep looking.
I think right now I will place the winder about two feet from the extruder and moniter the speed with a light curtain.
I cabbaged the coupling from Ians photograph. I can not upload photos or videos yet.

580 Reply by dubbsd

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

I have talked to a couple of chemical engineers at work and they said any moisture in the pellets or process at all
will cause curling.

Ultimaker S3.

581 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

supraflyer wrote:

I cabbaged the coupling from Ians photograph.

Which photo of his?

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582 Reply by blixem

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

elmoret,  do you still have any kits available or another revision you need tested?  I'm very interested in building one and testing myself.

583 Reply by DePartedPrinter

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

dubbsd wrote:

I have talked to a couple of chemical engineers at work and they said any moisture in the pellets or process at all
will cause curling.


I have also heard this from people who work in the plastics industry.  They say to dry all of you pellets right before your going to work with them. 

Moisture will also cause air bubbles.

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584 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

blixem wrote:

elmoret,  do you still have any kits available or another revision you need tested?  I'm very interested in building one and testing myself.

shoot me an email - [email protected]

Filastruder - the robust, inexpensive filament extruder
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585 Reply by blixem

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

elmoret wrote:
blixem wrote:

elmoret,  do you still have any kits available or another revision you need tested?  I'm very interested in building one and testing myself.

shoot me an email - [email protected]

Done.

586 Reply by blixem (edited by blixem 2013-01-28 20:28:54)

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

DePartedPrinter wrote:
dubbsd wrote:

I have talked to a couple of chemical engineers at work and they said any moisture in the pellets or process at all
will cause curling.


I have also heard this from people who work in the plastics industry.  They say to dry all of you pellets right before your going to work with them. 

Moisture will also cause air bubbles.

Home brew way to do this is put them in a mesh laundry bag (gotten from most major department stores) and toss them in the clothes dryer on the lowest heat setting.  You get fairly even drying as long as you don't pack them into the bag tightly.  I would recommend something with a zipper versus a drawstring.

Sorry, not enough posts yet or I'd given an example link.  If you google "Mesh Zippered Laundry Bag" you'll get tons of links.

587 Reply by dubbsd

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

I have a food dehidrator i am going to try.

Ultimaker S3.

588 Reply by wayn

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

I just put my 3D printer - it still needs some tuning. But even before I got it I was thinking of building a filament extruder. So, if you are looking for another beta tester I'm ready.

Let me know

[email protected]

589 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

Wayn - the beta program is full, but I added you to the waitlist! When the release version is ready, you'll get an email with more details.

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590 Reply by IanJohnson

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

If you do the mesh bag in the dryer, sew a bit of thread through the zipper tab to hold it down.  I had a bag on hand and gave it a try.  The zipper slid down about 1/2" and let a lot of pellets out.  There was so much static built up on  the drum I thought I was going to be electrocuted just from sweeping the pellets up.

591 Reply by supraflyer

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

I tried to print the home brew filament and had some problems. I am going to assume that there was water in the mix. It makes sense as the filament is made by cooling it in water. ABS has a .05% moisture absorbtion rate at 50% relative humidity but I don t know how much it can hold in cold water.
I purchased some clear ABS and a popcorn popper(1500 watts of power, fan and heater) I would like some help with the experiments to determine how long it will take to dry the filament to an acceptable coiling and printing state.
Please let me know your thoughts

592 Reply by IanJohnson

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

The specs for one formula of ABS often used in filament recommended drying the pellets for 3 hours at 80C.  Filament might be the same, or it might need more time since it is coiled up.

Did you run your filament through a water bath?  Do you have a winder set up already?

593 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

Supraflyer - what kind of problems? I've been printing quite a bit without issue. Sometimes pellets are even left out overnight.

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594 Reply by supraflyer

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

sorry I meant resin beads....

595 Reply by blixem

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

Too quiet, is this a good thing?

596 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

Not sure! I haven't heard too much via email, assuming people are busy with other things. It's been working well for me, about to fire it up for an afternoon of extruding, actually.

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597 Reply by Randavian

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

@elmoret - First off, I've enjoyed this thread and the ingenuity and the progress everyone has made.  Been lurking here for the last couple weeks trying to decide if I am going to get a SD2 or SD3. 

Which ever machine that I choose, I am pretty sure I will be interested in one of your kits, once you get to that stage.  I was wondering if you had a ballpark figure on what you will sell them for?

I won't be in any big rush since I have yet to order a machine and delivery times are what they are. 

Keep up the great work!

598 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

$200 shipped.

Filastruder - the robust, inexpensive filament extruder
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599 Reply by DePartedPrinter

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

elmoret wrote:

Not sure! I haven't heard too much via email, assuming people are busy with other things. It's been working well for me, about to fire it up for an afternoon of extruding, actually.


I finally got around to making some more spools.  I Plan on running the extruder this weekend followed by some test prints next week.

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600 Reply by Randavian

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Re: Filament Extruder - Convert pellets to filament

Ok.  Sounds like a winner.  Just let me know when you get set to sell.

Thanks.

elmoret wrote:

$200 shipped.