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Massive amounts of stringing  

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TinkerWorm
(@tinkerworm)
Active Member
Massive amounts of stringing

I got my printer last year, but few weeks ago I have managed to finally assemble it. Yes, it sat in the box for quite few months. 

I'm not new to 3D printing, this is my 5th printer. But I decided to buy it to get something of good quality. 

So imagine my slight disappointment when I started having troubles with my prints from the get go. 

The whole mechanism of the printer is very stable and well designed, controlled and calibrated. But it's the extruder I think. Basically, Virtually every print ends up in mountains of stringy floss. And I tried the usual - increase retractions, decrease temp. None of this helped. 

After couple of prints, the PTFE tube got clogged - so I had to replace it. Again, first time on this printer - but I've done this many times before. This resulted in loosing one of the springs. I can't believe that with all the spares in the kit , there is no extrusion door spare spring in the kit! 

Basically, I have tried everything I know - stringing is an issue. I don't know who to ask for help, cos I doubt Prusa support is going to send me a new E3D extruder to swap and see if that helps. But I have suspicions that it is its fault. 

I tried prusament PLA, PETG and 3rd party materials too. All string as hell. 

Otherwise printer is way better than anything I put together before that came from china. No surprises there. 

Suggestions? Help? 

Posted : 24/12/2021 12:16 pm
alamatth
(@alamatth)
Active Member
RE: Massive amounts of stringing

When I’ve had stringing issues like that it was either low quality filament or nozzle temp too high.   I doubt very much it’s the extruder.   

Posted : 24/12/2021 2:47 pm
Diem
 Diem
(@diem)
Illustrious Member

That looks like damp filament; it could cause all the problems you mention (except for losing springs).  Humidity has been a big problem for a lot of people this year.   Look up posts here about drying filament.

Cheerio,

Posted : 24/12/2021 3:25 pm
jsw and TinkerWorm liked
TinkerWorm
(@tinkerworm)
Active Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: Massive amounts of stringing

Posted by: @diem

That looks like damp filament; it could cause all the problems you mention (except for losing springs).  Humidity has been a big problem for a lot of people this year.   Look up posts here about drying filament.

Cheerio,

I appreciate the suggestion, but some of this filament has been straight out of the packet fresh. Also, it's mostly PETG that suffers from this issue. 

I got 6 rolls of PLA and one of PETG. The PETG is the only one that has been in an outside shed (shielded and warm). But PETG has always been stringy for me. 
So no, I don't think that's the issue sadly. 

Posted : 24/12/2021 5:57 pm
Diem
 Diem
(@diem)
Illustrious Member

Regrettably you cannot rely on newly opened filament being dry, those sachets of silica gal don't last forever..

and PETG is one of the more susceptible filaments.

Cheerio,

Posted : 24/12/2021 6:40 pm
jsw
 jsw
(@jsw)
Famed Member
RE: Massive amounts of stringing

My experience is that PETg is significantly more stringy and oozy than PLA or ABS.

I have not, however, found any brand of PETg to be as stringy as what's shown above.  I would echo the comments about being sure that the filament is indeed dry.

I very seldom use anything other than defaults for temperature.

Posted : 24/12/2021 8:56 pm
TinkerWorm
(@tinkerworm)
Active Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: Massive amounts of stringing

Thank you guys ,but like I mentioned - I have tried multiple different brands and rolls of filament. So it's not the filament.. I thought that point was clear. 

 

Posted : 24/12/2021 8:58 pm
jsw
 jsw
(@jsw)
Famed Member
RE: Massive amounts of stringing

In another thread (on a Mini, IIRC) a user reported an improvement with stringing by reducing the retraction rate.

YMMV, however.  😉

Posted : 24/12/2021 9:17 pm
TinkerWorm
(@tinkerworm)
Active Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: Massive amounts of stringing

Posted by: @jsw

In another thread (on a Mini, IIRC) a user reported an improvement with stringing by reducing the retraction rate.

YMMV, however.  😉

I have tried couple of things suggested in other threads. Such as increasing/decreasing the fan speed (yes, someone suggested both). Also, tried increasing the retraction. But never tried to reduce it. I don' think it makes sense personally. 

Lemme read on that. I still think that it's the HotEnd. In fact, I have ordered new one from E3D. If it turns out that this fixes the problem, I'll run a lap around the block and will talk to folks at Prusa to see what they say. 

Posted : 24/12/2021 9:20 pm
jsw
 jsw
(@jsw)
Famed Member
RE: Massive amounts of stringing

Here's the quote from the other thread:

'Retraction length, even when raised to 6.0mm didn’t show any less stringing, but as soon as I bumped down the retraction speed , I could not believe my eyes'

Posted : 24/12/2021 9:39 pm
Diem
 Diem
(@diem)
Illustrious Member
RE: Massive amounts of stringing

Dry some filament.  It's cheap, easy, and can be done in a few hours.  If it doesn't help, so be it. 

Cheerio,

Posted : 25/12/2021 12:35 am
TinkerWorm
(@tinkerworm)
Active Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: Massive amounts of stringing

I've ordered a box that is suppose to keep the filament dry. Will see. 

Posted by: @diem

Dry some filament.  It's cheap, easy, and can be done in a few hours.  If it doesn't help, so be it. 

Cheerio,

I am now suspecting the idler, but lost the idler spring.. And no spares in the kit! 

 

Posted : 26/12/2021 10:41 am
Diem
 Diem
(@diem)
Illustrious Member

a box that is suppose to keep the filament dry.

You still need to dry it first.

but lost the idler spring..

I suspect deliveries will be slow for a week or so - perhaps try fishing with a magnet?

Cheerio,

Posted : 26/12/2021 5:55 pm
TinkerWorm
(@tinkerworm)
Active Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: Massive amounts of stringing

 

Posted by: @diem

but lost the idler spring..

I suspect deliveries will be slow for a week or so - perhaps try fishing with a magnet?

If I only knew where it is 🙂 

Posted : 27/12/2021 1:13 pm
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