Filament grinding

[skinny-kid 65]

Good day, recent new owner of a UM2 and been having an excellent time learning the machine and printing things out. Have worked my way through my first roll of UM silver PLA. I had a few issues with underextrusion that I was able to remedy after playing with settings and produced some very nice prints.

This is where the issue arises. I am trying to use another filament from Gizmo Dorks and have been having grinding issues with the feeder. I have tried two different rolls of filament and have had the same problem.

I am able to get filament loaded and run a successful print but when I try to run a second print, it fails. I end up having to open the feeder, undo the bowden tube from the extruder, get the filament out, do a few atomic pulls, verify pathway is clear and then close it all up. I have had to do it 4 times this afternoon already.

Rolls of PLA are on a bearing spool located under the table from the printer to minimize stress at that entry. Any advice is greatly appreciated. I know I will be getting other filament to try. I would also love to know how to fine tune the feeder? I plan on printing out iroberts feeder when I am able.

Anyone care to shed some light on all things filament loading related, please feel free.

 

[skinny-kid 65]

I am also curious about the tension on the feeder and making adjustments and also about how you guys change material if you don't use the UM menu? Do you just push new filament up the bowden tube?

 

[peetersm 124]

Are the new filament rolls 3.00mm or 2.85mm ? I have had horrible issues with some PLA vendors rolls that are 3.00mm causing friction in the Bowden tube, I basically had to toss them. I only use 2.85mm filament now. It actually takes some searching to find 2.85mm filament , but it's worth it. ColorFabb makes it and I have pretty much migrated exclusively to their PLA. ultimaker brand is also 2.85mm but the colors may not be consistent from roll to roll and the price is usually much more per Kg than colorFabb

[titanoid 4]

Actually most filaments announced with 3mm are in fact about 2.85mm. What says the caliper?

And yes: Print IRobertI's feeder. Even for atomic pulls you don't have to remove the bowden.

 

[skinny-kid 65]

Thanks for input guys. Caliper readings keep coming out at 2.48-2.54 so these spools are actually a bit thinner than the 2.85. I am currently printing a second object after successfully running a 3 hour print. Played with tension on feeder and after a few trials seem to have found the sweet spot for these PLA rolls.

After this current print is done I will be printing out lRobertl's feeder.

 

[titanoid 4]

Glad you got it working!

Just make sure to adjust filament diameter in the material settings of your printer, otherwise there might be other extrusion issues.

Happy printing!