Correct steps to remove jammed filament
So I got my first filament jam.
I looked around and did not find any detailed step by step guide for exactly what to do.
I used the needle on the nozzle and the nozzle seems free of any gunk.
Printer just tells me to remove the filament manually, but even though I assembled my printer from a kit I am unsure what to do next.
I feel that there should be at least an illustrated step by step for such occasions. Maybe there is but I couldn't find it 😕
Re: Correct steps to remove jammed filament
Pull the filament out from the top of the extruder. Some people do cold pulls with the nozzle around 70C, but I like to warm it to 180C, then pull. If you have a clog, I recommend removing the nozzle and cleaning it with acetone or alcohol. For bad clogs I will heat the nozzle with my soldering iron to 750F and use a .4mm wire to push any gunk out..
Re: Correct steps to remove jammed filament
Pull the filament out from the top of the extruder. Some people do cold pulls with the nozzle around 70C, but I like to warm it to 180C, then pull. If you have a clog, I recommend removing the nozzle and cleaning it with acetone or alcohol. For bad clogs I will heat the nozzle with my soldering iron to 750F and use a .4mm wire to push any gunk out..
The filament is stuck quite hard. I don't think it's possible to pull it out without breaking something.
Re: Correct steps to remove jammed filament
Try backing off your filament tension screws and opening the hatch to expose the extruder motor gear.
Re: Correct steps to remove jammed filament
turn on your hotend.
I have a Prusa,therefore I research.
Re: Correct steps to remove jammed filament
turn on your hotend.
Try backing off your filament tension screws and opening the hatch to expose the extruder motor gear.
Ok, so I did that and pulled hard on the filament and made it go out.
However there seem to an issue with the extruder motor, or the cog wheel at the end -I cannot rotate it with my finger and when I press "Unload filament" there's barely a movement there. It might be stuck...
Re: Correct steps to remove jammed filament
Ok, so I did that and pulled hard on the filament and made it go out.
However there seem to an issue with the extruder motor, or the cog wheel at the end -I cannot rotate it with my finger and when I press "Unload filament" there's barely a movement there. It might be stuck...
Do you mean the idler gear on the door that lifts out? It should turn freely. See if you can't get it to turn. You may end up having to do some disassembly. Refer to the assembly manual for details if needed. If you have support, by all means contact them via online chat. They're good at helping with these issues and sending parts as needed.
and miscellaneous other tech projects
He is intelligent, but not experienced. His pattern indicates two dimensional thinking. -- Spock in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan
Re: Correct steps to remove jammed filament
Do you mean the idler gear on the door that lifts out? It should turn freely. See if you can't get it to turn. You may end up having to do some disassembly. Refer to the assembly manual for details if needed. If you have support, by all means contact them via online chat. They're good at helping with these issues and sending parts as needed.
Hello, I mean the inside one - the gear mounted on the motor. It is nearly impossible to turn by hand, is that normal?
You are right, I'll probably contact the support by chat tomorrow. I hoped for an easy fix, it might even be fixed but I don't want to risk pulling filament again 🙄
Re: Correct steps to remove jammed filament
If the motor is powered it will be hard to turn. The idler on the door should spin freely.
[...] Hello, I mean the inside one - the gear mounted on the motor. It is nearly impossible to turn by hand, is that normal?
You are right, I'll probably contact the support by chat tomorrow. I hoped for an easy fix, it might even be fixed but I don't want to risk pulling filament again 🙄
It sounds like a blob of filament may have formed within the hotend. That would make it hard to pull up and impossible to push down into the hotend. This is often referred to as a "heat creep" issue. Things to try:
1. Don't use retractions > 2mm.
2. Don't use excessive retractions in your print. Slice the model and check it out in preview mode in Slic3rPE. Turn on the option to view retractions. If there are a lot in close proximity, this can contribute to heating up the extruder motor.
If it does jam again, open the extruder door, heat the hotend up to print temp, and firmly pull up on the filament while bracing the extruder with your free hand. With any luck, the filament will pop out more easily.
Definitely contact support though.
and miscellaneous other tech projects
He is intelligent, but not experienced. His pattern indicates two dimensional thinking. -- Spock in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan
Re: Correct steps to remove jammed filament
If the motor is powered it will be hard to turn. The idler on the door should spin freely.
It sounds like a blob of filament may have formed within the hotend. That would make it hard to pull up and impossible to push down into the hotend. This is often referred to as a "heat creep" issue. Things to try:
1. Don't use retractions > 2mm.
2. Don't use excessive retractions in your print. Slice the model and check it out in preview mode in Slic3rPE. Turn on the option to view retractions. If there are a lot in close proximity, this can contribute to heating up the extruder motor.
If it does jam again, open the extruder door, heat the hotend up to print temp, and firmly pull up on the filament while bracing the extruder with your free hand. With any luck, the filament will pop out more easily.
Definitely contact support though.
I'll check those retraction settings. Seems a very likely explanation, but because I use mostly default settings (as a noob) this was unknown to me. I also tightened the extruder gear and tried another test. So far it seems that everything is back in order but I'll ask the support for more info on better resolving this as pulling filament hard as mf is not what I call a hi-tech solution.
In any case, thanks everybody for taking the time and writing the fast and well-informed responses 🙂