Hm, mashed up hotend
I just came back to my printer (was sure the first abs layer was fixed, got a phone call) to quite a bklob at the hotend - now my hotend looks very messy and i am not sure whether the surrounding parts got damage 🙁 Any ideas how to clean this? And how can I be sure I didn't damage anything?
Sorry, I am new to printing - just got my printer this week and - meh - got distracted by the phone call... 🙁
PS: The second image is sharper (which is now the upper one).
Re: Hm, mashed up hotend
Welcome to 3D printing. Most of us have gotten the cursed tumor or blob. They can cause damage. And they are COMPLETELY avoidable.
First, for recovery. If the heater will heat, and if it measures the hot end temperature then you did no damage. You should heat it up a bit hotter than the filament you were using, and gently clean the end with tweezers, or needle nose pliers, or the like. Be careful of the wires to the thermistor (the thin ones - they break easily, and the heat cartridge (they are the thicker ones). If it won't heat, or measure temperature, you will need to replace the parts (not hard - just write back and we can direct you.)
Now, for avoidance.
This happens when the print breaks loose from the bed, or curls up off the bed. This can be avoided by getting a correct Live Z setting, and keeping the bed very clean. Please follow these steps and you will have much less frustration:
You can also minimize damage from such a blob/tumor by installing one of these:
https://www.matterhackers.com/store/printer-accessories/e3d-silicone-socks-pack-of-3?rcode=GAT9HR&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIivzTqdyL1gIVDFcNCh2ybgDFEAQYASABEgIpGfD_BwE
but getting a good first layer is a must!
Let us know if we can help further.
Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage or loss. If you solve your problem, please post the solution…
Re: Hm, mashed up hotend
Just like to add that I heat up the hotend and use a brass wire brush (find at home depot or welding shop) to gently clean the nozzle/heater block. Just mind the wires and the PINDA sensor.
Re: Hm, mashed up hotend
Thanks for your replies; of course I am sure they are avoidable and my weekend will definetly consist of learning about Live Z setting and such. I already started reading about that to be sure, but was too eager to get started printing;
The self test was successful, it heats and reports temperature and extrudes,
I will get such a sock; my fear was, that I already broke something, because atm it really does not look that nice – but the brass brush might then help.
Re: Hm, mashed up hotend
I carefully went through the points in the mentioned thread and with the difference that I am using abs (started with abs on printers in a hacker space) I think I missed the live Z calibration (though I have a preassembled printer, following the instructions, I had to change live z now to -0.6).
I also got a brass wire brush which is great for cleaning the nozzle area.
While my first test worked fine (Benchy, 0.1mm layer height ABS) when I got the printer, the next ones sometimes got stuck on the nozzle.
However, _now_ just tried to start about 10 prints with different glue, live z and so on (again e.g. the above mentioned benchy but also even smaller files I made myself) and _everytime_ the abs is stuck on the nozzle.
What can I do about that?
edit:
I adopted the temperatures in the V2Calibration and even when setting Z-Live again to 0 and with a lotz of glue the print sticks to the nozzle at the first 90 degree corner. Does anybody know why?
edit2: \o/ Thanks again for all the tipps – i can print ABS now – _without_ glue, did all the mentioned things and endet up with Z-Live of 870 which does the job, though it took me quite a while to get there.
Bests,
Cellardoor.