New CTC printer came broken

[Mjolinor]

Also be aware, If I did not have so many problems with my CTC printer, I would have not even been in this part of the forum to begin with. If I had a window large enough, it would be thrown out of it. I am glad I only paid $500! I mean, only half of it works so I guess it was fair.

Please PM GPS coords of said window.

[Geoff]

Please PM GPS coords of said window.

I can't give you the coords to the Batcave, Alfred would do his nut.

[EagleSeven]

*** Love Your CTC ***

It needs 'Tender Loving Care' !

[bigo93]

I think we can all say that in the end this is a nice cheap printer for a beginner.

For someone to get into 3D printing without having to spend over £1000 on a semi-decent quality printer.

But again it's great for a beginner who doesnt mind getting their hands dirty.


For a more seasoned 3D printer user, this could be a printer to test stuff on and you wont mind it breaking.

[Geoff]

*** Love Your CTC ***

It needs 'Tender Loving Care' !

hahah that's gold...

By TLC, I'm guessing you mean constant maintenance

They really should put teflon in the pipes, the constant nozzle blockages on mine are a real pain in the butt. The flashforge has teflon lined pipes, they are not expensive -- not sure why they would leave them out.

[EagleSeven]

They really should put teflon in the pipes, the constant nozzle blockages on mine are a real pain in the butt. The flashforge has teflon lined pipes, they are not expensive -- not sure why they would leave them out.

Sorry, I'm not going to be drawn into the 'Insert' debate again,
stated my opinion of those several times already .
(info gathered from online videos, since we have never used or needed guide-tubes with inserts)

We did convert to the all-thread type guide-tubes though,
they make different nozzle-thread lengths easy to adjust for
and set-screws hold them in place better:

guide-tube.jpg

[Geoff]

Sorry, I'm not going to be drawn into the 'Insert' debate again,
stated my opinion of those several times already .
(info gathered from online videos, since we have never used or needed guide-tubes with inserts)

We did convert to the all-thread type guide-tubes though,
they make different nozzle-thread lengths easy to adjust for
and set-screws hold them in place better:

guide-tube.jpg

Ok, I am sorry but I am taking my gloves off.

There is no debate, the pipes in the CTC machine I have right now, which was purchased only a few weeks ago, are rubbish.

I am not arguing if they are rubbish or not, I am saying without a doubt, in black and white, as Vader as my witness, they are rubbish.

Again with your "info gathered on online videos" Well, I don't know what videos you are watching, but the ones I watch say the same thing I am. Teflon guides in the pipes stop the most annoying of problems with a 3D printer, and that's constant blocking of pipes.

I am not saying this because I saw it in a video.

I am saying this because in the past 3 weeks, my CTC has blocked it's nozzles HUNDREDS of times. You cannot leave filament in the printer after a print - you have to unload it otherwise it expands and gets blocked in those cheap pipes. The teflon inserts stop this and stop the expansion that makes the bulge that cannot be unloaded from the machine.

This means you need to remove the extruder fan, the motor, and then unplug the little nugget that is stuck in there EVERY TIME you want to change filament - the only time it's ok is if you change right after a print when it's not too fat. This is annoying as hell.

My other 6 printers that are currently running ALL have teflon inserts.. They do not block. I leave filament in there for weeks - they do not block. To me, this is just another victory for Flashforge - I am so happy I bought mine all those years ago, because if I had bought this clone of a clone, then I would have torn my hair out in frustration - no printer I've built or bought has ever been so unreliable.

Let me say that again, no printer I have built or bought has been so unreliable. Let's also remember what this thread is titled " New-CTC-printer-came-broken" Which as we can now read in alot of posts, is not uncommon.

[Mjolinor]

I took my non PTFE tubes out and replaced them with PTFE ones after I used the printer for about 2 months. The biggest problem was that when you switched on the filament would not feed no matter what you did. It had either unloaded itself as it cooled down or it was blocked solid.

I think these problems only apply to ABS though, not PLA, PLA does seem to be a lot better behaved though I do prefer the parts ABS makes, they are a lot more forgiving in use and a lot easier to machine after they are made.

[Geoff]

I took my non PTFE tubes out and replaced them with PTFE ones after I used the printer for about 2 months. The biggest problem was that when you switched on the filament would not feed no matter what you did. It had either unloaded itself as it cooled down or it was blocked solid.

I think these problems only apply to ABS though, not PLA, PLA does seem to be a lot better behaved though I do prefer the parts ABS makes, they are a lot more forgiving in use and a lot easier to machine after they are made.

So far the only thing the CTC prints without a hitch is wood ironically!