Printable View
After my previous problem with my hexagon, I was forced to order a new one. For some reason, the new Hexagon is very leaky and I don't feel comfortable printing for more than a half hour or so. It leaks at the point where the barrel meets the heat block.
I was hoping that somebody would be able to offer suggestions or detail how they solved the problem. Perhaps some teflon tape on the threads of the barrel would help maintain a seal? Thanks!
Are you following the instructions on the Makerfarm website? There are a few steps in the process where you need to tighten things in a certain order.
There is a bit of pressure created during extrusion. If there is any gap there, the filament will find a way out. When assembling, you screw the nozzle in and back it out a quarter turn. You then turn the heat break in tight to the nozzle. Next, install the thermistor and the heater and bring it up to temp. This is all done while it is hanging from the machine. Once it gets to temp hold the heat block with a wrench and using the nozzle wrench provided, tighten the nozzle up to the heat break. You can then spin on the heat sink (finned part) till it is hand tight and assemble the rest when it is cool to the touch.
The nozzle and the heatbreak must be installed tight to each other when hot. Some will install everything tight and mount them on their printers. Then, once everything is hot the tighten the nozzle by holding the heat block with a wrench. I don't have enough clearance to do it this way on my machine. When I do it, I just assemble it on my bench and use a torch to heat it up. I suspect that you are not tightening up the nozzle to the heatbreak where they come together in the heat block while at temperature.
I don't know if this is true... But I suspect you need to take the nozzle assembly all the way apart to clear any plastic that has 'leaked'.
And while you have it apart, clean off the end mating surfaces of the barrel and the nozzle as meticulously as you can. I even de-burr the components by rotating them around on a piece of super fine hobby sandpaper. Those surfaces need to mate perfectly or you'll have another leak.
I took everything apart and assembled it like you all specified. I also included some teflon on the heat barrel threads. After I mounted it on my extruder, I tried to manually extrude some filament (this happened at 180˚C). Apparently the pressure was too much for the nozzle, which popped off. And this isn't a problem where the threads stripped, the nozzle literally broke at the point where it meets the heat block and fell off. I must have weakened it somehow when pulling it apart and putting it together, but there were no visible signs of cracks, torsion, etc. Unbelievable.
Since I am done dealing with hotends, I'm doing some research to find a hotend that works out of the box. I really appreciate the advice everyone gave me, your instructions were fine but I must have messed up somewhere.
I too have snapped a nozzle. Not while extruding though! Mine snapped as I was tightening it. Brass is very soft.
I love my e3dv6. If you haven't looked into one of those I recommend that to you.