Both extruders can't be used - broken

[Billzilla]

I have ongoing problems with the nozzles jamming and yesterday the LH one stopped printing again ...... click, click, click ..... I normally don't use the RH one so I removed the nozzle to stop it from dragging across the prints.
Anyway when I tried to remove the LH nozzle it just broke and so has left most of the threaded part in the heater block. So since I wanted to print something I decided to just swap over to the RH unit. All good, until I found that the heater block wobbles around on the steel tube it's attached to. The tube is in tight into the alloy block that holds it - so tight that with the locked screw would out (see empty hole in the photo) it still doesn't want to move - but the heater block is obviously not tight.
The way the whole thing is designed is pretty crappy, there's no way to take the wires off the heaters easily that I can see and I don't know how I'm going to replace the LH one. It's easy on the UP as there's a short bit of wiring then a plug you can undo.

Any ideas how I can change the LH heater block and also tighten up the RH one?

[Geoff]

Oooer, yep been there done that... I think I even mentioned it it my very first thread about being careful trying to undo that screwed hotend...

Well, I can say safely that the one that's broken off is well and truly boned, unless you know someone that can bore it out, then re-thread it and buy a new hot end with the right guage... ergh..

To change the block to the other side, you can unscrew the small black Hex nut that is on the main mounting bar and it should just slide out. Slide the broken one out the other side, swap them and re-tighten the small hex.
The downside is you are down to one extruder now.

An unofficial replacement dual head will set you back $150, one from Flashforge will set you back about $400

Having been where you are and having bought the replacement dual extruder myself, what I should have done is bought a re-furbished flashforge for $600!!

[Billzilla]

Sheet.
I can easily live with one extruder no problems but there's still the problem of the unused one having the heater block loose on the shaft. How do I tighten it to stop it moving?
Where do I get the aftermarket extruder head unit from?
Thanks so far mate.

[Billzilla]

Hey this looks okay.
http://www.flashforge-usa.com/shop/p...-assembly.html

Reckon I might order that and be done with it. It also means I've got (I hope) a spare heater and nozzle.

[Billzilla]

Hey this looks okay.
http://www.flashforge-usa.com/shop/p...-assembly.html

Reckon I might order that and be done with it. It also means I've got (I hope) a spare heater and nozzle.

I just went to order that part - US$135 - and got to the shipping section and they want US$112 to get that tiny package to Australia!!
FFS that's ridiculous.

[Billzilla]

A mate of mine just linked me to this, from a Wanhao printer. It looks pretty much exactly the same as the Flashforge one - Do you think I could use it instead?
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/prod...308530111.html

[Mjolinor]

Just get on ebay or aliexpress and buy the bits you need for a few $. You learn a lot more and it is more satisfying.

[robosmith]

A mate of mine just linked me to this, from a Wanhao printer. It looks pretty much exactly the same as the Flashforge one - Do you think I could use it instead?
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/prod...308530111.html

Monoprice has the dual extruder for their FF rebrand, with heaters for $54. Don't know what shipping is the AU, though

http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_i...seq=1&format=2

[Billzilla]

Thanks for that. I ended up ordering the Wanhao Mk10 unit, hopefully it'll be a plug-in to the Flashforge.