Specific silicon socks for Mini  

RE: Specific silicon socks for Mini

Excellent. Who should be the re-shipper in the US? I'll volunteer unless someone else strongly wants to. I'm in Chicago if that makes any difference

RE: Specific silicon socks for Mini

Posted by: @dchoe81

@lichtjaeger

i'll have 5 posts soon... i did try to make it myself with some rtv high temp silicone (one part, gasket maker) from the local hardware store. but it was too thick and couldn't get it in. did i get the wrong kind?

The gasket maker stuff is probably too viscous. Maybe you can use it if you leave the top off. Press the stuff in using a putty knife or similar. You might need to overfill and do some cleanup cuts after it hardened.

I would recommend looking for a 2-component silicone with the lowest possible viscosity.

The stuff I use is actually used to make moulds for tin casting. Maybe you will find something in a similar field.

RE: Specific silicon socks for Mini

I was thinking about high-temp silicone sealants or glues, but those usually have recommended temperature in hundred degrees Celsius and resist up to 300 C short-term. I was not sure if that's enough, MINI is up to 280 C but over long periods of time.

Pigmented silicon sock for Prusa Mini

With the natural TFC Troll Factory silicone sock installed the quite detonating color became obvious.
Having no real yellow silicone pigment, but a lot of curcuma, I tried adding that, after all it is a natural pigment :-). The result is not
quite right, but still an improvement IMHO.

After printing the 2 hour Buddy with the colored sock, and apart for the distinct smell, it
shows some black discoloration on the inside. Curcuma isn't resistent to 215 deg. Celcius. So a heat resistent, non-smelling pigment is advisable.

Another advantage of adding pigment powder is that the sock becomes a bit stiffer, more like the
original E3D sock.

This compares the natural Troll Factory color with the pigmented sock. The background is Prusa PETG orange.

Greetings,

Fred Jan

RE: Specific silicon socks for Mini

@lichtjaeger

Hello … I would like 4 if that's OK … Thank You for your efforts !!!

Thanks, Tom

RE: Specific silicon socks for Mini

I havent got my Mini yet.. Mid April for me, but would be interested in buying a few of these Socks if they are available.

RE: Specific silicon socks for Mini

@lichtjaeger

Piling into this thread if there's any chance to get 3 shipped to the UK?

RE: Specific silicon socks for Mini

Ooh I'd love to buy 3 of them for my upcoming mini! I'm in the US as well so I'd like to join that list. Maybe we can get something like an Excel sheet or so to keep names and quantity?

RE: Specific silicon socks for Mini

Hi!

My Mini will arrive in june, but I'm following everything in this forum (hoping those early problems are all fixed until I get mine 😉 ). I just wanted to ask you all what exactly you are improving with the silicone sock? Is is just to print better at higher temps or what is better with the sock? Should I get one if I just want to print PLA?

Regards,

honuvo

RE: Specific silicon socks for Mini

@honuvo

I thought that was already answered on the first page:

Posted by: @padigree

Depending on the used part cooling fan, this thing is kind of a must have.

Had some trouble in the past with a sunon partcooler with a custom made fanduc - for large overhangs. This thing cooled that much, that I sometimes had an underextrusion while pushing this thing to its limits. The clean block is a nice side effect. I'm definetly happy to build one soon 🙂

Posted by: @lichtjaeger

I use them to fight blobs and to keep the heat block clean. If it also improves the heat up, it would only be a nice side effect for me.

RE: Specific silicon socks for Mini

@honuvo

heres what a fairly mild print failure can do:

So I’m curious whether a sock could help make that easier to clean. I’m willing to spend about $20 to find out

RE: Specific silicon socks for Mini

Posted by: @sfrazer

@honuvo

heres what a fairly mild print failure can do:

 

So I’m curious whether a sock could help make that easier to clean. I’m willing to spend about $20 to find out

I believe a silicon sock is the way to go, Not only for keeping the hotend clean, but they should help with retaining heat I would have thought, at least from the fan blowing cold air where you dont want it

RE: Specific silicon socks for Mini

After seeing that photo, I'm getting reminders of those images where there's a big blob of filament where the hotend used to be

RE: Specific silicon socks for Mini

Should I change someting in printer settings, slicer, etc with sock installed? Because it definitely changes thermal properties fo the hotend. I've seen something about some PID values...

RE: Specific silicon socks for Mini

@lichtjaeger

great work thanks for sending me the socks. They look amazing, like any true german I would have preferred white socks with blue stripes but pure blue is great as well!!!

RE: Specific silicon socks for Mini

@kevinthemoderator & @sfrazer  Did anything ever happen to get some of these in the US?  I'm interested in 1 or 2 for my Mini I've had for less than a week now.  Let me know if I can join in or help.

RE: Specific silicon socks for Mini

@lichtjaeger

hey lichtjaeger, are you still selling these? I'm also from germany, if so, please give me a heads up, my mini should be here any day now 🙂

thanks!

RE: Specific silicon socks for Mini

This silicone might work for you US guys.

RE: Specific silicon socks for Mini

After suffering two blobs recently, I might have a go at making some of these.

RE: Specific silicon socks for Mini

Making a mold, of 2-3 components to be closed, in which to put high temperature resistant silicone, for gaskets, would it be difficult for you to achieve?
I still don't know how to design.