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Topic: Nozzle Diameter

Is there a simple and easy way to get a finer nozzle for a stock solidoodle print head?   

I am starting to try and print some of my intricate models and the diameter of filament just isn't small enough.  Is there a place where I can just buy a smaller diameter one and screw it on, or is it not that easy?

This is the model I'm trying to print.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4963246/spectral%20print/SimLab_45.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4963246/spectral%20print/spectral%20print%20ready.jpg

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Re: Nozzle Diameter

I use a .25 on one of my printers, it's a bit finickier with the smaller orifice but works ok.

http://store.qu-bd.com/category.php?id_category=21

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Re: Nozzle Diameter

.25 is definitely a bit more difficult to use. You will need some patience and some dead on calibration practices. I use one for one of my E3D hotends. It produces some awesome prints.

SD3 w/ mods:
Glass bed with QU-BD heat pad upgrade, threadless ballscrew w/ 8mm smooth rod, spectra line belt replacement, lawsy MK5 extruder, Lawsy replacement carriage, E3D hotend, Ramps 1.4 w/ reprap discount controller, DRV8825 drivers, 12v 30A PS, Acrylic case, Overkill Y-idlers, Filament alarm, Extruder fan + more.

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Re: Nozzle Diameter

you have any recommendations on good calibration prints? any good literature?

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Re: Nozzle Diameter

How hard are they to change on the fly?

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Re: Nozzle Diameter

Mine comes off pretty easy as long as the hotend is up to temp... how many times during a print are you thinking about changing it?

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Re: Nozzle Diameter

Not during a print at all, just wondering if I have to take apart the jigsaw puzzle to change the nozzle or not, aha.

Now all I need to do is source the nuts nessisary for 2n2r5's version of the M3 Z screw slop-nut thing mod, and then get a more powerful heated bed.

Also, my printer was acting weird earlier.  Has anyone ever had their machine just like.. epic fail?  The thing would get to temp and then freak out and go TEMP ERROR CALL M999 WHEN RESET or something and then fail hard and bump the stepper endlessly into the end stop.  I rebooted it and that fixed it, but it was weird.  It kept shutting off the heaters.

8 (edited by 2n2r5 2013-07-29 04:17:20)

Re: Nozzle Diameter

MolecularConcept wrote:

you have any recommendations on good calibration prints? any good literature?

With some advice from adrian and Ian I created the file attached to test print quality for everything but roundness. The single wall lets you test your flow rate. The half .3 bottom layer lets you inspect extrusion, flow rate, z-tab height and bed level. The 2mm floor half is further proof of extrusion and flow rate. The missing wall helps show accuracy and also encourages lifting. Banding will show easily on the corners and long flat vertical sides. This is a picture from the guide that I need to finish.

http://2n2r5.com/pictures/printer/show-n-tell/cal_guide_pictures/1.JPG

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SD3 w/ mods:
Glass bed with QU-BD heat pad upgrade, threadless ballscrew w/ 8mm smooth rod, spectra line belt replacement, lawsy MK5 extruder, Lawsy replacement carriage, E3D hotend, Ramps 1.4 w/ reprap discount controller, DRV8825 drivers, 12v 30A PS, Acrylic case, Overkill Y-idlers, Filament alarm, Extruder fan + more.

9

Re: Nozzle Diameter

I have no idea about calibration prints, I still have yet to even try one on my printer.  Uh. If that's why you requoted it. I just didn't answer because I could not give a good one.  I saw someone earlier had one that printed a nickel sized object, I think?

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Re: Nozzle Diameter

Sweet I'll try printing that. Is that two different layer heights in the same print?

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Re: Nozzle Diameter

Oh I am definitely gonna try to print this, too. I hope it works!

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Re: Nozzle Diameter

MolecularConcept wrote:

Sweet I'll try printing that. Is that two different layer heights in the same print?

No it just tests different challenges for a normal print.

SD3 w/ mods:
Glass bed with QU-BD heat pad upgrade, threadless ballscrew w/ 8mm smooth rod, spectra line belt replacement, lawsy MK5 extruder, Lawsy replacement carriage, E3D hotend, Ramps 1.4 w/ reprap discount controller, DRV8825 drivers, 12v 30A PS, Acrylic case, Overkill Y-idlers, Filament alarm, Extruder fan + more.

13

Re: Nozzle Diameter

Smaller nozzle diameter can produce better resolution as a result of the ability to go to smaller width/height ratio's - but it does come at the expense of print speed as you can only deliver a smaller volume of filament..

The best exploitation of a small nozzle is dual+ printing, where you have a .25mm nozzle for 'external perimeters' and a .4 or .5 or even .6 for use with inner perimeters and infill, thus providing the highest print speed/quality ratio...

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Re: Nozzle Diameter

adrian wrote:

Smaller nozzle diameter can produce better resolution as a result of the ability to go to smaller width/height ratio's - but it does come at the expense of print speed as you can only deliver a smaller volume of filament..

The best exploitation of a small nozzle is dual+ printing, where you have a .25mm nozzle for 'external perimeters' and a .4 or .5 or even .6 for use with inner perimeters and infill, thus providing the highest print speed/quality ratio...

Does any firmware currently support this? That would mean Extruder 1 for perimeters, and Extruder 2 for infill at only so many layers. This is an awesome concept.

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Sign Chuck Bittners petition

15 (edited by adrian 2013-07-29 12:27:51)

Re: Nozzle Diameter

Hazer wrote:

Does any firmware currently support this? That would mean Extruder 1 for perimeters, and Extruder 2 for infill at only so many layers. This is an awesome concept.

Yup, and to be detailed in response:
Marlin, at the firmware level, understands multiple extruders. It doesn't care other than being told which extruder to be printing with at any point in time.
Repetier-Host/Slic3r, at the slicing/printpreprocess stages, understand multiple extruders and yes, multiple nozzle sizes. You can then assign extruders to different material types (say one loaded with HIPS for dissolveable support material) and print stages.

EDIT: Oh, and as pointed out, 250 micron nozzles come with their own unique issues... and keep in mind it doesn't need much to get blocked .. its just over the width of 2 'average' human hairs, or about the length of a dust mite... so if you are one of the people that suffer regular blockages (which for whatever reason, there seems to be a handful of users that suffer 'repeated' blockages...) at 350 micron or 400 micron, then you can be certain that 250 micron there will be no end of problems for you. If however you rarely experience a blockage, then its really just a matter of readjusting your filament multiplier and nozzle size...

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Re: Nozzle Diameter

Has anyone ever modded two extruders onto a solidoodle?

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Re: Nozzle Diameter

so I gave your calibration print a go here are some pics

single perimeter wall measures .55 , the tall half of the floor measures 2.35   the first layer looks like it needs to pressed down more (use z offset maybe?) other than that it looks like im over extruding?  these are just guesses on my part. open to advice on how to get this printer dialed in

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Re: Nozzle Diameter

If you go into your slicer > print settings > advanced  your wall thickness should match the Perimeters. so you will need to set your extrusion multiplier accordingly.

.42 is default for extrusion width but check what you have and do the calculations based on that. The formula is:

(setting width/measured width)*current extrusion multiplier = New Extrusion Multplier

So assuming your current extrusion multiplier is set to 1 and the width setting is .42 then it will look like this.

(.42/.55)*1= .76 ....

Other things that I notice from the test print. I looks like you bed isn't level and your z needs to come up some still like you said. I would check those 3 things but I would say it looks pretty good otherwise.

SD3 w/ mods:
Glass bed with QU-BD heat pad upgrade, threadless ballscrew w/ 8mm smooth rod, spectra line belt replacement, lawsy MK5 extruder, Lawsy replacement carriage, E3D hotend, Ramps 1.4 w/ reprap discount controller, DRV8825 drivers, 12v 30A PS, Acrylic case, Overkill Y-idlers, Filament alarm, Extruder fan + more.

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Re: Nozzle Diameter

thanks.  you use  a piece of paper or a card to level?

20 (edited by 2n2r5 2013-07-30 03:06:11)

Re: Nozzle Diameter

I actually use my trusty steel pocket ruler which I measured to be ~.74 mm.

  • tighten all my leveling screws a couple turns

  • bring bed to home position

  • set bed to .8mm

  • move extruder near back middle screw

  • place my ruler flat between the extruder and the bed

  • loosen the back leveling until the ruler barely touches the extruder

  • tighten 1/8 turn then remove ruler

  • repeat this process for the other 2 leveling screws

  • After you finish the last then double check to make sure the others are still good

The metal ruler makes sure that I get consistent results. You don't really need to tighten the 1/8th of a turn, in fact, if you leave it .05-.1 mm high it will help flatten that first layer and give you good adhesion on your bed. You can use anything you want as a "feeler gauge". You just need to make sure you measure it and set your height according to the size of your gauge.

SD3 w/ mods:
Glass bed with QU-BD heat pad upgrade, threadless ballscrew w/ 8mm smooth rod, spectra line belt replacement, lawsy MK5 extruder, Lawsy replacement carriage, E3D hotend, Ramps 1.4 w/ reprap discount controller, DRV8825 drivers, 12v 30A PS, Acrylic case, Overkill Y-idlers, Filament alarm, Extruder fan + more.

21 (edited by MolecularConcept 2013-07-30 03:39:33)

Re: Nozzle Diameter

I used a thick piece of paper .14 it still looks to far away looks better, level but still have gaps in my first layer.

"set bed to 8m" how do you tell z to do that?

should I start a new thread I totally hijacked this one ? lol

layer thickness is .41 and the taller floor is .2

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Re: Nozzle Diameter

MolecularConcept wrote:

(1)I used a thick piece of paper .14 it still looks to far away looks better, level but still have gaps in my first layer.

(2)"set bed to 8m" how do you tell z to do that?

(3)should I start a new thread I totally hijacked this one ? lol

(4)layer thickness is .41 and the taller floor is .2

(1).14mm paper you should set the bed to .2 for this proceedure

(2)to set the bed use the manual tab in Repetier-Host and hit +Z .1mm until you get to .2

(3)Yes but in help/repair/maintenance

(4) So you perimeter is .42 and your measured is .41? That sounds good to me. Is .2 supposed to be 2mm (which would be great)?

SD3 w/ mods:
Glass bed with QU-BD heat pad upgrade, threadless ballscrew w/ 8mm smooth rod, spectra line belt replacement, lawsy MK5 extruder, Lawsy replacement carriage, E3D hotend, Ramps 1.4 w/ reprap discount controller, DRV8825 drivers, 12v 30A PS, Acrylic case, Overkill Y-idlers, Filament alarm, Extruder fan + more.

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Re: Nozzle Diameter

Yeah .2 is supposed to be 2.
Do you mean to move the bed down.2 manually(after it homes) then level it ? to give me .06 ?

thanks for babying me through it lol

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Re: Nozzle Diameter

Do you mean to move the bed down.2 manually(after it homes) then level it ? to give me .06 ?

Yes, and the .06 will help your first layer squash a little.

SD3 w/ mods:
Glass bed with QU-BD heat pad upgrade, threadless ballscrew w/ 8mm smooth rod, spectra line belt replacement, lawsy MK5 extruder, Lawsy replacement carriage, E3D hotend, Ramps 1.4 w/ reprap discount controller, DRV8825 drivers, 12v 30A PS, Acrylic case, Overkill Y-idlers, Filament alarm, Extruder fan + more.

25 (edited by MolecularConcept 2013-07-31 01:12:33)

Re: Nozzle Diameter

sweet that method of leveling worked a treat ! my first layer no longer has gaps but not the Z axis is off. can I do the math and correct it like the others? I assume yes but id like  to double check.

gonna re do the nickel calibration

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