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Topic: Modifications - transparent extrusion pipe????

I was looking to make the extruder tubing glass so I can see through to the auger and watch it working (inefficient I know but I want to do it). Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to achieve this i.e. which transparent material would be best to use and how best to heat this.

Many thanks in advance

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Re: Modifications - transparent extrusion pipe????

after8 wrote:

I was looking to make the extruder tubing glass so I can see through to the auger and watch it working (inefficient I know but I want to do it). Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to achieve this i.e. which transparent material would be best to use and how best to heat this.

Many thanks in advance

Heat would not be the issue, you would heat it the same way you heat metal. The issue is a material that can stand the internal force exerted on it. Pyrex would be the best option but getting it in the proper diameter tube with thick enough walls to handle the pressure would require a very expensive custom order.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.

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Re: Modifications - transparent extrusion pipe????

As Carl said, the difficulty will be in managing the internal stresses. The steel barrel is already loaded to about 50% of its yield strength. Glass has a strength roughly 1/10th of steel.

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Re: Modifications - transparent extrusion pipe????

Thank you for your responses! I was considering Pyrex also and was considering using 2 (or more) Pyrex tubes of different diamters with a glass fibre-epoxy filler layer between them to join them and get the required thickness to try to avoid the custom order scenario ...

5 (edited by dubbsd 2017-07-27 09:42:00)

Re: Modifications - transparent extrusion pipe????

Try this Transparent Aluminum.
http://dornob.com/transparent-aluminum- … ugh-metal/

Ultimaker S3.

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Re: Modifications - transparent extrusion pipe????

dubbsd wrote:

Try this Transparent Aluminum.
http://dornob.com/transparent-aluminum- … ugh-metal/

Only ten dollars per square inch.. And he though custom Pyrex would be expensive.

Printing since 2009 and still love it!
Anycubic 4MAX best $225 ever invested.
Voxelabs Proxima SLA. 6 inch 2k Mono LCD.
Anycubic Predator, massive Delta machine. 450 x 370 print envelope.