Printing Filaflex

[Labern 774]

Hey

Has anyone found any decient settings for Filaflex on the UM2?

Im using Roberts feeder and oiled the filament with sewing machine oil.

I have tried the recomended settings and another I found on another topic.

It will print fine but will still under extrude on a few layers every now and again and the finish is pretty rough. ( will Post pix later )

 

[Blizz 53]

Dunno if there is some magic formula.

For me it's a love/hate relationship in any case

I've had 1 time where everything worked great, the second time I loaded it I had massive underextrusion (with the same settings). The last time I wanted to print with it I couldn't even get it to start extruding. (also Roberts feeder with the snap-on btw).

 

[Labern 774]

Yeah it looks like I will just have to just keep trying different things.

I was going to mod Roberts snap - on attachment as I've had the filament pop off the side of the bearing a few times.

[bez 9]

Yeah it looks like I will just have to just keep trying different things.

I was going to mod Roberts snap - on attachment as I've had the filament pop off the side of the bearing a few times.

 

I've had a similar thing with ninjaflex. I found by moving the knurled nut further in on the shaft (about 2-3mm so the textured part was more central to the filament) stopped the filament from slipping off

 

[Labern 774]

I've had a similar thing with ninjaflex. I found by moving the knurled nut further in on the shaft (about 2-3mm so the textured part was more central to the filament) stopped the filament from slipping off

 

Thanks, I'll give that a go first.

[dgsharp 0]

I found the same thing with NinjaFlex (I had to move the knurled pinchwheel onto the shaft further). Even with the snap-on part of Robert's feeder the filament still squishes through sometimes, so I have to watch the first 2 layers or so. If it fails I check things over, maybe add a touch of oil to the bowden (not very frequently), just check everything over. Cut off that section of filament if it gets really permanently kinked up at the feeder. Maybe pull the bowden out of the hotend and do a cold pull with PLA to clean out anything that might be getting held up in there. Usually I have to do this sort of thing a couple of times before it starts printing, and then it's printing fine as long as it's running (12 hours or more), but when I go to start up another print, I might have to do the whole thing again. Kind of a drag. I haven't totally figured out the tension on the Robert's feeder, I will sometimes try loosening or tightening it some and eventually it starts printing. I'm not super happy with the feeder though. I often use 30 mm/s, 0.15mm layer height, 20-50% infill, 2 shells, 225C head / 50C bed, and 120-140% extrusion. I wish there were fewer knobs to tweak!

 

[Labern 774]

I'll try and jump on solid works at work and see if I can come up with something a little bit better for the snap-on piece. I have had it pop off both side of the bearing now. There must be a way to getting it printing a bit more reliable and having prints look more like ones on YouTube.

I was thinking of having a auto oil wipe just after the knurled drive somehow. As long as it doesn't add any more restriction.

[Blizz 53]

I can't find the topic right away but I know a a couple people putting the sewing machine oil on a pipe cleaner to continuously lubricate the filaflex. You can even drill a hole through the snap-on and put the pipe cleaner in there so that it doesn't mess up your knurled wheel.

 

[Labern 774]

Yeah I have seen this. Good cheap idea. I have found the chamfer on the snap on bit is to big and allows for much bendage. A bit of Bowden tube in there might help reduce the friction if there is enough room for it to. I'll see if I can make room for a bit of pipe cleaner. Not sure where they sell them here though.

[Blizz 53]

Not sure where they sell them here though.

 

That is the only reason I don't have one yet either

 

[Labern 774]

Just on the net that one of the local craft stores has them. I guess the $2 shop might have them to.

[pm_dude 27]

This topic ?

http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/topic/3904-flexible-filaments-comparison/

My ninja flex print are also not very consistent one from another. One day I'll get it working...

 

I've had the filament pop off the side of the bearing a few times

I got that issue only once. Must have been lucky.

 

[Blizz 53]

This topic ?

 

Yeah indeed, this is the post I was referring to.

[IRobertI 520]

You want it tight huh? Well, here's a tighter version that looks like it's borderline rubbing up against the feeder wheel and bearing. I also removed the chamfer for you. This was a quick five minute thing, it's not tested at all.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dd4xcp5h727czvp/feeder_v6_snapOnGuide_tight.STL

 

[Labern 774]

You want it tight huh? Well, here's a tighter version that looks like it's borderline rubbing up against the feeder wheel and bearing. I also removed the chamfer for you. This was a quick five minute thing, it's not tested at all.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dd4xcp5h727czvp/feeder_v6_snapOnGuide_tight.STL

 

Thanks a lot Robert

Just what i wanted to try.

Ill give it a go and let you know how it goes.

 

[Labern 774]

So I tried out the new snap-on bit and it was a massive improvement. With no oil I have just tiny amounts of under extrusion. Will try again with other settings before trying with oil.

[Blizz 53]

Good to know, going to try it as well then

 

[tony-canning 0]

Hello all,

I'm having my first go at printing Filalex on Ultimaker original (with heated bed)

First, I haven't yet tried the sewing machine oil and was wondering if anyone had any images of drilling the snap on to insert a pipe cleaner?

Without that, I've been having under extrusion problems. The best settings I've used so far are:

Nozzle - 235 deg

Bed - 90 deg

Speed - 8mm/s

0.2mm layer height

I haven't tried messing with the flow rate as yet (until the 2 hr print which is currently on) for any underextrustion troubleshooting advice I've seen before, advice has always been to leave this alone. I'm guessing the material's compress-ability is why it could be an answer here?

Tony

 

[Labern 774]

First, I haven't yet tried the sewing machine oil and was wondering if anyone had any images of drilling the snap on to insert a pipe cleaner?

 

only image i have is here https://www.youmagine.com/designs/feeder-snap-on-guide-with-oiler

I have tried heaps of things to get the quality good but I thing unless you have direct drive or flex drive I don't think it will ever be that great.. I have had some reasonable prints and will try again with my new nozzle soon.

 

[tony-canning 0]

Thanks!

I just took a look at some of the direct drive work that people have done - I think it could be done without scrapping so much of what's there already.

If I get a design together, it'll be shared.

Tony

 

[zxen 4]

Where can I buy filaflex please? (And all the other things I'll need to overcome the problems you have been discussing.) Thanks