UM1 Bowden problems

[designsoul 18]

Hi,

I have a few problems regarding a Bowden tube. The printer is an Ultimaker Original.

Firstly, the tube does not stay put. Instead, it is pushed out of its retainer when filament is pushed through. I'm suspecting that the metal element inside the retainer has worn down. Also the Bowden tube is a little scraped at the last two inches or so, so the element does not gain enough traction. I have already cut about half an inch of the tube, which worked for 10 minutes, then the same problem occurred. I am going to try printing a Bowden tube clamp as seen on thingiverse (thing:11864 by owen) and hopefully that works. Or do you have any other suggestions, maybe replacing the tube instead?

The second problem is that I tried to swap filaments while the nozzle was still hot. This seemingly caused the plastic to solidify inside the tube, and formed some kind of edge-like irregularity which makes it now completely impossible to pull/push it through:

Has anyone encountered this issue before? What do I do? I don't want to wait for a few years until the PLA biodegrades. Maybe it dissolves in something or I could heat up a wire or some other tool, try to melt the PLA out?

Thanks,

Ralph

 

[gr5 2,097]

I think your first solution to your first problem will work fine.

As for the second issue - If you put the bowden in boiling hot water (95C is plenty hot - it doesn't actually have to be boiling) then it will be easier to get the extra filament out. Actually 70C might be better so that you can use other PLA to push it out without having that melt also.

Maybe cut off a 4 foot piece of pla, put in freezer, then heat up bowden by dipping the bad spot in hot water, then wait 30 seconds, then remove bowden from water, remove 4 foot cold PLA and slide through quickly while the PLA in the tube is still soft?

I've never actually done this but other people have managed to get their PLA out of the bowden somehow.

 

[designsoul 18]

Thanks, I may try that next time. For now I used a tiny drill bit on a dremel to drill bits off of the filament without trying to damage the tube. After about 10 minutes it came out.