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Hello from MA

Discussion in 'United States of America' started by Michael Hackney, Nov 22, 2015.

  1. Michael Hackney

    Michael Hackney New Member

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    Hi all, I'm from MA with lots of 3D printer experience. I actually joined here because a search turned up some folks using an extruder I'm interested in learning more about.

    cheers,
    Michael
     
  2. Michael Hackney

    Michael Hackney New Member

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    The extruder is the Micron3DP filament feeder (not the hot ends) and I was unable to post directly about this so I'll try here. I'm looking for someone who owns one and has some experience using it.

    thanks!
     
  3. Printed Solid

    Printed Solid Volunteer Admin
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    HI Michael! Good to hear from you. I was surprised to see your name pop up, but looking for information makes more sense than as an owner :)

    @Mike Kelly @jbigler1986 @toy have any of you worked with the extruder that Michael is asking about?

    I'd also suggest asking around in the shoutbox. There seems to be a lot of mods and upgrades or new printer builds discussion there.
     
  4. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    @NFOsec is the only one I know using it
     
  5. Michael Hackney

    Michael Hackney New Member

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    I chatted with NFOsec this morning and he referred me to Mike Kelly!

    I'm looking for an extruder (filament drive), all metal, geared stepper drive for Bowden feed on delta printers. My go to extruder is not up to the job with the E3D Cyclops dual-through-one nozzle hot end.
     
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  6. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    Why do you want all metal? I'd suggest the Bondtech QR instead of something as ridiculously expensive as the micron
     
  7. Michael Hackney

    Michael Hackney New Member

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    Hi Matt, yeah, I get around when I'm looking for information!
     
  8. Michael Hackney

    Michael Hackney New Member

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    Because the plastic (injection molded and printed) feeders I use flex enough to cause problems. Realize, I print 8+ hours a day and demand as near perfection as possible. Even 1 mis feed a day is too much. I have been using modified ezStruders and one all metal unit from china. The all metal extruder has NEVER had a hiccup. Problem with it though is it's a pain in the rear to start a new filament. Otherwise I would just stick with it. With a geared Kysan and the extruder, it ran about $75 to set up. I'd gladly pay twice that for one that fded easily and was as reliable.
     
  9. Michael Hackney

    Michael Hackney New Member

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    Bondtech v2 is $120 and QR is $130 EACH.

    The Micron3DP dual feeder (two built into a single body) is $199, their single feed model is $159.95 so it is a little more than a QR but if it works even .0001% better it would pay for itself!
     
  10. Michael Hackney

    Michael Hackney New Member

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    Wow, that Bondtech QR is not only really expensive, it has a 3D printed body. Mike, why would you call the Micron 3DP ridiculously expensive (at $159.95 and all CNC machined) vs the Bondtech ($130 and 3D printed body)? I'd call that ridiculously expensive!
     
  11. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    Because the bondtech is dual grip. It doesn't use a bearing which can slip like the micron.

    The bondtech also uses a Nema17 geared stepper instead of a nema11 (14?). So it has much greater torque.

    The body has very little to do with the drives performance. Matters more between the contact point of the hobbed section. Since the bondtech is being gripped from both sides you'll see significantly improved performance over the best metal body bearing extruder.
     
  12. Michael Hackney

    Michael Hackney New Member

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    Thanks Mike. I read a little more on the Bondtech. The body is printed Nylon and then laser sintered. I know what you mean about the body not having much if any influence on performance - as long as it is rigid enough. I like the two driven gears. Do you (or anyone else here) have any experience with Bondtech? V2 most likely since it looks like the QR has not yet shipped.
     
  13. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    Yup I've been using the bondtech since May on my chimera. I love it. Only issues I had with it were caused by the filaments feeding into it, which has since been fixed.

    A few users on here are running it as well. Someone was saying that their filament spool got tangled and the bondtech had enough torque to lift up the entire printer.

    It's got serious amount of supplied pressure
     
  14. Michael Hackney

    Michael Hackney New Member

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    I presume you're running the V2 then? And you must have 2 of them with the Chimera. I've had a Kraken since Jan, 2014. I run it with 4 modified ezStruders (geared steppers, full length filament path support, stronger spring tension). But the Cyclops has 2 filaments into 1 nozzle and each filament makes two 90° turns in the melt zone. I can print with the ezStruders but it is a constant chore to keep them moving. A double drive like this would probably be just the ticket. Big bucks for two though! I hate waiting for things and it looks like "week 46" was last week but the QR is still preorder. So they have likely slipped release date.
     
  15. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    The QR is available now. I have been running dual V2's yes, and am currently in the process of upgrading to the V2.

    I started with the EZstruder and really didn't like that either. I ended up upgrading to the Hercustruder while waiting for the bondtechs to be available. The Hercustruder was pretty good but the bondtech blows it out of the water

    I was running the cyclops for a while before the bondtech, but accidentally left the heater on and cooked out the inside. Need to get around to fixing it at some point and trying it with the bondtech.

    Yeah they're pretty expensive. I ended up just buying the hardware and sourcing my own Nema 17 geared steppers/printing my enclosures.
     
  16. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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  17. Michael Hackney

    Michael Hackney New Member

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    Thanks, I've been spending more time on their site and see that they offer the hardware and STLs to print your own V2. I have plenty of geared Kysan steppers and the kits even with printed parts are pretty reasonable. Unfortunately they are not the QR.

    Their site still says pre-order for the QR. I'm guessing they are not planning to release STLs for these. I see they have V2->QR upgrade kits but you have to own a V2 (I presume that means you bought a complete unit and did not make your own).

    This is very compelling as the unit would drop into the mount that I made for the TAZ printer I have my Cyclops mounted on. I really like the design of the teeth on the gears and the traction drive. SeeMeCNC's first extruder was called Steve's extruder and had dual traction. I always liked that but the extruder had other issues.

    How does one change filament on the V2? I am considering just going that route for now.
     
  18. Michael Hackney

    Michael Hackney New Member

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    We crossed posts!

    I don't know that they would allow you to buy the QR upgrade if you only bought the V2 kit.
     
  19. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    He might be offering them for your own printing, but if you bought the hardware kit you'd still need to cut down the 25mm rod to 22mm, which I'm still trying to figure out how to do. I guess I need to throw it on a lathe that has a a 0 size chuck.

    I'm not sure his timeline on "make your own" QR enclosure. I'll try and find out from him.

    Filament change is using a retraction/extrude command. It's pretty annoying which is why I'm working on the QR upgrade

    edit: yup you were right about the upgrade kit "This kit is sold only to existing V2 owners!"
     
  20. Michael Hackney

    Michael Hackney New Member

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    Conveniently, I have a complete machine shop with CNC lathes, mills, router - as well as my printers. I could make short work of that shaft.

    I see how the QR works now, clever. I think I'm going to pull the trigger on 2 V2 kits w/o steppers but with the printed bodies and see if I can order the QR upgrades at the same time. That seems like it would be reasonable and would save me a little $ since I have the steppers. If not, then maybe I'll try the V2 and hope he offers QR STLs or worse case, design my own.
     

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