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Solved PLEASE READ - Hotend Jam/Clogs? - Seasoning and an Oiler

Discussion in 'Troubleshooting' started by Galaxius, Nov 15, 2014.

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  1. Galaxius

    Galaxius Well-Known Member

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    The benefits of seasoning and and oiler, the picture speaks for itself. This is Minecraft Steve's head, 30mm cube, printed at 50mm/s and 30mm/s for outside perimeters at 210C on a heated bed at 65C with hairspray and 2 cooling fans. Sliced with Slic3r.
    Left side: Started with clean hobbed bolt with filament running through a dry filament cleaner. FAILED. (This was after printing with PLA for some time).
    Right side: (Immediately after the failed print) cleaned the hobbed bolt again, seasoned the hotend with cooking oil with the hotend at 230C, added 2 small drops of cooking oil to filament cleaner (if you make the filament too oily you'll have issues with it sticking to the bed, trust me. Start with 1 drop and see how oily the filament is coming out after 30cm has run through, if it's dry add another, you only want the slightest bit of oil applied to the filament). SUCCESS. With many other successful prints following.

    IMG_3182.JPG

    Additional reading: http://johnridley.blogspot.com/2014/06/nozzle-seasoning.html
     
    #1 Galaxius, Nov 15, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 20, 2015
  2. Thomas Bowman

    Thomas Bowman New Member

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    Can the oiler be printed? Could you post an image or 2 for me to see and maybe a link to the one you are using if you purchased it? I've only been at this a few day so far, getting good results already for sure but I'm looking for any and all advantages and improvements.

    Also, could you explain "Seasoning" a bit more. Sounds like starting from a clean hotend, heat to 230 and give it a drip of oil? Sounds like new cookware so thats how im asking, haha. Also, "filament cleaner", is this something already on the R1 model with enclosed bottom or is that an upgrade?

    Thanks.
     
  3. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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  4. Thomas Bowman

    Thomas Bowman New Member

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    Thanks, seasoning when my son goes to bed, then print oiler. Love it but theres just one thing....

    This thing can't self replicate can it? Will I wake up and find I now have three of them and that they have demands? lol
     
  5. Galaxius

    Galaxius Well-Known Member

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    Don't add too much oil to the sponge to start with or you could have bed adhesion problems. Start with 2 drops and monitor how oily the filament it's coming out of the oiler and another drop our 2 as necessary. You only want the slightest bit of oil applied to the filament.
    It's like science, awesome science.

    My printer keeps wanting upgrades too. I fear it will become a terminator in the not too distant future.
     
  6. Thomas Bowman

    Thomas Bowman New Member

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    Got one more question about the oiler, where do I install it? I am guessing as I watch it print that it would slot in nicely in the top opening the filament goes in. Anyone post a pic or two?
     
  7. Galaxius

    Galaxius Well-Known Member

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    Some people have it sitting against the extruder and some sitting on top of the Robo. I prefer it sitting higher so I can monitor how much oil is being applied to the filament. Do a search on Thingiverse for Filament Oiler or Filament Cleaner and you'll find heaps and see how people have set them up, including mine.
     
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  8. Peter Krska

    Peter Krska Active Member

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    What kind of oil is best: canola, vegetable, extra virgin olive?
     
  9. Galaxius

    Galaxius Well-Known Member

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    Canola. Definitely not olive oil, it's smoke point is too low.
     
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  10. Peter Krska

    Peter Krska Active Member

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    Peanut oil is made for high heat. Canola is not for human consumption, (Monsanto made), but I guess is good for 3D printing.
     
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  11. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    Avacado oil actually has the highest smoke point of them all.
     
  12. Peter Krska

    Peter Krska Active Member

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    My concern is that the oil will leave residue organic stuff behind when the extruder cools down. This will eventually build up causing blocking issues later. Would this be the case?
     
  13. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    Nope quite the opposite actually. Seasoning works by coating scalding hot metal with oil. The oil breaks down and polymerizes and creates a super slick coating for the filament to ride on. You want this coating to stay consistent that's why you have a light oil in line to keep replenishing it.
     
  14. wthierry

    wthierry Active Member

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    I would recommend you edit the title of this thread to PLEASE READ, it is a savior!!!
     
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  15. Ben R

    Ben R Active Member

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    Yea.. same as seasoning anything..pots and pans, gas grill..to include your engine. Though, I have not found it to be helpful. Oiling or not. bad settings cause problems.
    I was oiling religiously. ended up removing it for some work, forgot to put it back on.. new nozzle... no probs. Maybe its very filament brand dependent?
     
  16. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    New nozzles have oil on them from machining. It will eventually wear off and cause jamming.
     
  17. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    So very true. PLA really needs an oiler (or at least occasional re-seasoning).
     
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  18. Ben R

    Ben R Active Member

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    and I rarely print PLA so who would know? I have gone through bouts of constant clogs... but I've always solved it with calipers.
    I did notice the oil getting included into the project and I wondered about its impact on it.

    I believe I've seen both of you posting the "doesn't hurt not needed" on ABS. Seems like adding another oil into these hot polymers could be damaging?
    I've sprayed PAM cooking spray on PC before to watch it shatter before my eyes a day later. Think the oil in the pam absorbed into the PC expanding it past its breaking point. An interesting lesson.

    ((It might have been "plexiglass" or some other sort of hard clear plastic... was an aquarium that a gecko kept climbing out of. They can't climb on PAM it turns out.

    there's a lot of asterisks in this table http://www.plasticsintl.com/plastics_chemical_resistence_chart.html
     
    #18 Ben R, Feb 5, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 5, 2015
  19. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    I have yet to find any other filament type (ABS, Nylon, PET, ...) that the oiler has an adverse effect on.
     
  20. Stephen Capistron

    Stephen Capistron Active Member

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    It may have been the propellent or some other additive used in the PAM that attacked the PC.

    One other note about PC is it is susceptible to environmental stress cracking. This is a phenomena with plastics where they only exhibit degradation when an environment (be it the temperature and humidity or a chemical exposure) and a physical stress are applied to the material. If only one of these conditions is present the material is fine.
     
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