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Struggling with Colorfabb

Discussion in 'Printing Filament' started by gravityisweak, Dec 1, 2015.

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  1. gravityisweak

    gravityisweak Member

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    I've purchased 4 rolls of 750g and 4 boxes of various sample packs of Colorfabb PLA filament. I was shocked to find that its absolutely terrible. As soon as I started using it I was getting clogs. The clogs are easily cleaned, by pulling the filament and blasting some air through the nozzle. As soon as I switch back to my Robo3D filament the problem goes away. I started running the Colorfabb hotter but without success. I'm now running at 210 (the max range on the box) and its still randomly clogging up. It just stops extruding. Thinking it was moisture, I put one roll in the oven on the lowest temp with the door partially open for 3 hours. It seems to have helped a little (maybe) but is still clogging. I can't rely on it to print anything consistently. Am I doing something wrong? Did I get a bad batch? I'd really like not to be stuck with a bunch of filament my printer refuses to print.

    Any tips here?
     
    #1 gravityisweak, Dec 1, 2015
  2. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    PLA? Try seasoning or an oiler (whole thread on that)
     
    #2 mark tomlinson, Dec 1, 2015
  3. gravityisweak

    gravityisweak Member

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    Thanks, I didn't think of the oiler. I've read the threads on them so I'm familiar with the idea but have never needed one. I'll give it a shot. Couldn't hurt.
     
    #3 gravityisweak, Dec 1, 2015
  4. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    No and it is easy as pie to TEST. Just wrap a napkin with some vegetable oil on it around the filament where it feeds into the extruder.

    Either it will help or it won't. If it does then print a more permanent solution.
     
    #4 mark tomlinson, Dec 2, 2015
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  5. Gabriel Moore

    Gabriel Moore Member

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    I hope you get a satisfying result. Because i am in the same boat. Robo brand pla prints like a dream. Colorfab. Not so much. I get constant jams and clogs all the time.

    Sent from my SHIELD Tablet using Tapatalk
     
    #5 Gabriel Moore, Dec 2, 2015
  6. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Well, it is (as I mentioned) really simple and fast to test it. if it really "jams and clogs all the time" you will know pretty quick.
     
    #6 mark tomlinson, Dec 3, 2015
  7. Gabriel Moore

    Gabriel Moore Member

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    So I printed the oiler, it seems to have got rid of the buggers. But now I'm getting lots of gaps. I should say I was before. Thought it was the clogs. Could I have a bad hobbed bolt? Pla prints fine, but the colorfabb when retracted has lots of zig zag bends in it.

    Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
     
    #7 Gabriel Moore, Dec 3, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2015
  8. Pergo

    Pergo Member

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    I've never had a clogged hotend.... yet..
    I use The Robo3D Demo Blue, Foxsmart all colors, and esun. these are all great filaments for the Robo 3D
     
    #8 Pergo, Dec 22, 2015
  9. gravityisweak

    gravityisweak Member

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    Well the oiler is working and seems to have stopped the clogs, but print quality is still pretty rough.

    20151205_225153.jpg
     
    #9 gravityisweak, Dec 22, 2015
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  10. Printed Solid

    Printed Solid Volunteer Admin
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    So, the thing about the oiler, as @mark tomlinson will surely attest, is that you might be doing great without it for a while and then one day everything seems to just go to #$%. Then you add the oiler and it magically gets better. Not sure why. I'm guessing something builds up somewhere over time. I'll also add that the E3D nozzle design has slightly different geometry than the hex, so even just swapping out the hex nozzle for an E3D V6 nozzle (while leaving the rest of the hex installed) will improve things.

    There is no moisture issue. Not with the colorFabb or any other filament you're using. People talk about moisture causing bubbles and rough prints in PLA and talk about baking it out as a correction, but the moisture is actually breaking down the bonds in the PLA... it's not reversible and it takes a long time. So, you might be seeing significant stringing, a need to reduce printing temperature, and have even more brittle parts than usual with plain PLA if it was a moisture issue. Some other filament can be baked out to improve surface: ABS, nylon, certainly PC, but PLA is a different beast.

    I'd advise increasing temperature as a starting point. The colorFabb PLA/PHA has a higher melting temp than Robo and other similar PLAs. Definitely print the oiler (or season from time to time manually)

    @Gabriel Moore From the description of zigzag bends, I'd guess your retraction may be too high. This would also explain consistent clogging. What are you running it at?
     
    #10 Printed Solid, Dec 22, 2015
  11. Gabriel Moore

    Gabriel Moore Member

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    I'm still learning and I assume this is what you mean? @Printed Solid
     

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    #11 Gabriel Moore, Dec 22, 2015
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  12. Printed Solid

    Printed Solid Volunteer Admin
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    Absolutely. These machines are all about learning.
    Those are parameters around retraction, but the one I'm wondering about is just the straight retraction distance setting. upload_2015-12-22_21-30-22.png
     
    #12 Printed Solid, Dec 22, 2015
  13. Gabriel Moore

    Gabriel Moore Member

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    And this is the other setting for expert.
     

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    #13 Gabriel Moore, Dec 22, 2015
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  14. Printed Solid

    Printed Solid Volunteer Admin
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    yup. that's the problem. 4.5 is way too high for an all metal hot end. You want to drop it closer to 1. Maybe 1.5 tops.
     
    #14 Printed Solid, Dec 22, 2015
  15. Printed Solid

    Printed Solid Volunteer Admin
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    Also, try bumping up the speed to 65 or so.
     
    #15 Printed Solid, Dec 22, 2015
  16. Gabriel Moore

    Gabriel Moore Member

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    Going to run a test print. Thanks
     
    #16 Gabriel Moore, Dec 22, 2015
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  17. Printed Solid

    Printed Solid Volunteer Admin
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    no problem. Matter Hackers actually has a really great video explaining retraction on their youtube channel I think. Worth a google and watch.
     
    #17 Printed Solid, Dec 22, 2015
  18. Gabriel Moore

    Gabriel Moore Member

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    Do these look ok for colorfabbxt?
     

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    #18 Gabriel Moore, Dec 22, 2015
  19. Gabriel Moore

    Gabriel Moore Member

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    [​IMG]

    Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
     
    #19 Gabriel Moore, Dec 22, 2015
  20. Gabriel Moore

    Gabriel Moore Member

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    The lower base printed ok. Then the infill went to s#!t. This is what I have been having problems with. Small objects, should I be using a higher infill % or just go 100%

    Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
     
    #20 Gabriel Moore, Dec 22, 2015
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