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Best and Easiest To Use Flexible Filament

Discussion in 'Printing Filament' started by cybershipley, Mar 25, 2016.

  1. cybershipley

    cybershipley Member

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    Hi everyone. I've had my Robo3D printer for about a month now. It seems to work great. Previously had a Cube3 which was horrible imho. This is my first post, so I apologize if the following question has been asked and answered already.

    My question is what filament gives the best mixture of flexibility and ease of use on the Robo3D R1+? I thought it would be easier to start with something besides Ninjaflex until I'm more comfortable with the machine and modifying it. I currently use PLA and ABS, but would like to branch out to something more flexible without having to modify the extruder with a tube, etc. right now. I don't have a problem with modifying temperatures and speed, and I'm looking for something to make phone cases, etc. that have some give to them. Suggestions?

    Thank you all for your input in advance.
     
    #1 cybershipley, Mar 25, 2016
  2. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    SemiFlex is easier to use than NinjaFlex IMHO simply because it is flexible, but not extremely so.
    You may still want to review the NinjaFlex threads for the PTFE tube mod. I use that on all flexible filaments regardless.
     
    #2 mark tomlinson, Mar 26, 2016
  3. cybershipley

    cybershipley Member

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    Thanks for the info. I was just wondering whether something like Bendlay would be a better first choice that wouldn't require a tube mod and have enough vertical rigidity not to buckle past the hobbed bolt to get me started.
     
    #3 cybershipley, Mar 26, 2016
  4. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Well, I seldom can say this (really!) but that is not a filament I have tried :(

    Assuming it is less flexible than SemiFlex, but more flexible than your average PLA... you might* be able to avoid needing a modification.
    However, it is actually flexible in filament form then the Gregs Wade extruder is going to have issues with it unmodified.

    If you need flexible filament then add the tube**.


    * you would probably have to print really slow if it would work at all

    ** or switch to a different extruder type as others on here have done, BUT the tube is easier :)
     
    #4 mark tomlinson, Mar 26, 2016
  5. cybershipley

    cybershipley Member

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    I guess I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and get some PTFE tubing and modify the extruder. Is there a good tutorial somewhere?
     
    #5 cybershipley, Mar 26, 2016
  6. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Not that I am aware of, but it is really not so much an extruder mod as a filament mod :)
    I used to leave the PTFE tube on the tail of the flexible filament spool so I could just open up the extruder and put it back. Now I pretty much just leave it in all the time on the Robo I use for that.

    You just need a small notch in the tube where the hobbed bolt can get in and grab it and push it down. The tube can extend above the hobbed bolt (mine do and in fact I like that best). It should extend down all the way into the top (cold section) of the hotend. Look at the pictures in the other threads:

    http://community.robo3d.com/index.php?threads/ninjaflex-filament.1589/page-3#post-36307
    http://community.robo3d.com/index.php?threads/flexible-filaments.2557/#post-19693
     
    #6 mark tomlinson, Mar 26, 2016
  7. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    P.S. as with all flexible filaments you will want to print slower than 'normal' filaments. Experiment.
    NinjaFlex needed to be done really slow, SemiFlex maybe only half-speed.
     
    #7 mark tomlinson, Mar 26, 2016
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  8. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    I use an e3dv6 and just swap the tubes (have to drop the hot end out but hey I works!) lol. I run semi flex between 45-60mm/s and ninja flex at 20-30mm/s
     
    #8 Geof, Mar 26, 2016
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  9. DavidTheNerd

    DavidTheNerd New Member

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    #9 DavidTheNerd, Jun 11, 2016
  10. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    Never tried it
     
    #10 Geof, Jun 11, 2016
  11. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    I found if I extended the PTFE tube to just above the hobb with a notch for the hobb it works well for Semiflex and even Ninjflex (at slow speeds). This adapter looks interesting, but also have never tried it.
     
    #11 mark tomlinson, Jun 11, 2016
  12. TomerO

    TomerO Member

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    I just upgraded to v6 and added this. Printed with soft PLA at 80mm/s haven't tried with ninjaflex yet (planning to)

    Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
     
    #12 TomerO, Jun 11, 2016
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