Qidi Tech 1 - Replicator 1 clone

[DaveB]

I picked up a $30 GoPro Clone to make time lapse videos. Some means of mounting it on my printer was needed so I cobbled this together. It's a remix of one of cncartist's flanged utility bins and a GoPro camera mounting clip. It's now on Thingi, at http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1721735

[wirlybird]

When you put in the ptfe tub for the nozzle do you run it all the way up into the barrel or bottom it out in the nozzle? It seems like one end might have a gap and if so which should it be?

[jfkansas]

When you put in the ptfe tub for the nozzle do you run it all the way up into the barrel or bottom it out in the nozzle? It seems like one end might have a gap and if so which should it be?

Most liners are cut short. I run mine the full length plus about .1mm. Then use a big drill bit to taper the inside edge a little.

[DaveB]

When you put in the ptfe tub for the nozzle do you run it all the way up into the barrel or bottom it out in the nozzle? It seems like one end might have a gap and if so which should it be?

Neither should be short. A gap is an escape path for the filament when it is pressurized by the drive gear pushing on it, a location where it might bend into and jam. You do not want any gaps.

[jfkansas]

Yep, and you want to cut the ends straight which is tough to do since PTFE is naturally curved. I made a little jig with metal plates on the ends so I could use a sharp single edge razor to cut it off.

[DaveB]

Yep, and you want to cut the ends straight which is tough to do since PTFE is naturally curved. I made a little jig with metal plates on the ends so I could use a sharp single edge razor to cut it off.

Here is a printed jig. You will probably have to adjust the length for your nozzle and throat set.
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1675294

[jfkansas]

http://a360.co/2aY2bOe

Did this one a couple years ago but never published. The ends are big so thin shim stock metal can be epoxied on so the razor blade doesn't dig into the plastic.

[jfkansas]

A gap can also make it more difficult to pull filament out (not unload) since molten filament can fill the gap and creates a little pointed cap.

Neither should be short. A gap is an escape path for the filament when it is pressurized by the drive gear pushing on it, a location where it might bend into and jam. You do not want any gaps.

[DaveB]

A gap can also make it more difficult to pull filament out (not unload) since molten filament can fill the gap and creates a little pointed cap.

And then slowly bleeds (color) into whatever the next filament may be.

[wirlybird]

And then slowly bleeds (color) into whatever the next filament may be.

Exactly, I have had this happen. When from red to yellow with the "traditional" run the new stuff right in on top of the old. After numerous prints I was still getting contamination. Figured out an unload method that works great and the yellow came out with red on it.

Have you guys determined a length of ptfe for the standard QIDI setup? I am just using what QIDI send with the nozzles.