Garter belt your silicone sock
While I had my extruder disassembled, I had a chance to get a good picture of how I prevent silicone sock sag - a belt of beading wire.
Keeps the sock in place even when the sock has begun degrading with heat.
Cinch up with a few twists. Sock is going nowhere until you release it.
Re: Garter belt your silicone sock
I've been getting good results doing the same with plain copper solid-core wire. It's just stiff enough to hold its shape while I place the sock over the heater block. Somebody reported good results using those little springs from a ball point pen. Have not tried that myself.
I call mine a retainer. Reminds me of those nasty metal mouth contraptions my parents tried to get me to wear as a kid.
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: Garter belt your silicone sock
After finding the performance/longevity of the e3d socks lackluster (they harden and start crumbling/leaving chunks in my prints very quickly despite only using PLA/PETG temps) I started molding my own using a thingiverse pattern and Coppermax high temp silicone gasket maker.
Those have a better lip design and will stay on without any suspenders whatsoever. 😆
Re: Garter belt your silicone sock
Thanks for sharing this. I've done the same thing with a piece I cut from a heavy-duty paperclip and just bent it into a clip that slips over the sock and is under tension to hold it in place. It works but I like this solution as well.
Re: Garter belt your silicone sock
I use florist soft iron arrangement wire in the smallest size and use it the same way as the rest of you.