Best way to clean old nozzle?

[tinydancer 0]

Looking into cleaning up the old nozzle so I'll be able to use it again in the future. It's full of PLA and I was wondering what's the best way to clean it? Blowtorch? Boiling it in water? Acetone? Witchcraft?

Thanks!

 

[pm_dude 27]

Acetone is of no use on PLA. Ethyl acetate is used instead.

Blowtorch seems to work but it leaves the inside black. I haven't tryed boiling water but you'll have to scrup with something to get the burns out.

[eldrick 64]

Use a q-tip and Brasso (metal polish) to finish cleaning and to polish the inside smooth and shiny. You'll have to remove some of the cotton on the tip to get it to fit.

 

[pm_dude 27]

Wow that worked great.

I also drilled the teflon piece with a 1/8" bit. I don't know if the piece that came out is PLA or part of the insulator.

 

[ultiarjan 1,221]

I used a blowtorche a few times, also pushed some pla trough a few times while cleaning with the blowtorch (when its still hot). Did not do any polishing after this, printed fine again even though the inside looks black (not saying polishing isn't a good thing, just did not do it myself).

I use a grip vice + glove to hold the hotend.

 

[mnis 11]

- I use a soldering iron adjustable up to 400 degrees, burn all PLA residues.

- Then I use carefully matching Dremel tools with max. 3.17mm, such as drills and other attachments (without engine), so I remove any residue.

- To conclude I Roll fine sandpaper (500 grit and finer) into a kind of tube and clean the heating chamber.

- With a proper injection needle (0.4mm gray) I make the nozzle orifice free of remains.

- And sometimes I polish the entire Hotend with a small brass brush on the Dremel.

The last cleaning was probably very successful, there are already many weeks passed and everything works smoothly.

 

[tinydancer 0]

Great advice all around, thanks for the tips.

 

[chrisp 10]

I occasionally use a heat gun for removing the leftover plastics stuck inside. haven't dealt with the black burnt inside yet.

 

[3dw 1]

 

Wow that worked great.

 

Exactly WHAT worked great ???. I didn't understand. Please use a few more words for us "slower" ones?

 

Thx

3Dw

 

[pm_dude 27]

Use a q-tip and Brasso (metal polish) to finish cleaning and to polish the inside smooth and shiny. You'll have to remove some of the cotton on the tip to get it to fit.

 

[moldovan-marius 1]

How do you clean the outside of the nozzle? mine is all black now, and i cant really find anything to clean it with without taking it off.

 

[pm_dude 27]

Well to do adeep clean you need to take it off. If you just want to clean the surface while its on the printer you can do the following:

- head the nozzle to about 200C

- using pliers you can remove the black stuff by GENTLY scrubbing the surface of the nozzle.

- or use a brass wire brush to brush the durt off

- or use a cleaning tissue, fold it two three times and rub the nozzle to wipe it.