Printing Flex Filament with the Flashforge

[Stigern]

Thanks jfkansas, is it recommended to print your mechanism in ABS?

[basfud]

Problem is, you can't push Flex filament into an extruder

I was talking from experience I mean, I did print a lot of Ninjaflex on Creator. It worked brilliantly, did dual materials too.

You got to make sure the motors are aligned perfectly with the nozzle inlets in the alu block. Then the filament goes all the way down into the heater without problems.

Once you get it feeding, it works like a charm, but initially I had issues on having it not pull the ninjaflex into the motor. It would extrude a bit of filament and then jam. But if you do as I said, it should work OK.

[curious aardvark]

So tried some polymakr flexible pla last night.
bottom right of this page: http://www.polymakr.com/web/pro.html#pro_r15_c1

Initially I had the tension lever wedged, but this stuff is a bit firmer than ninjaflex and works best with the standard setup so removed the wedge.
You just feed and use as normal pla.

I just printed a test bobble hat to go on the owls on the christmas cake :-)
Worked brilliantly. Printed at 210. Clean, crisp print, no stringing. Had the printbed at 30c - as it's bloody cold in my workshop at the moment and a consistent bed temp makes for easier calibration and printing.

Great stuff. If you don't need ultra strong elastic properties and just want something flexible - definitely recommend this over tpe filament.
Just works :-)
I printed fairly slow - but polymakr reckon you can print at normal speeds. I'll try that next.

[DrUsual]

So tried some polymakr flexible pla last night.
bottom right of this page: http://www.polymakr.com/web/pro.html#pro_r15_c1

Great stuff. If you don't need ultra strong elastic properties and just want something flexible - definitely recommend this over tpe filament.
Just works :-)

Would you use this for something like a living hinge, possibly?

[curious aardvark]

they recommend it for such things.
And it's one use I'd like to use flexible plastic for. Just need to sort my right extruder out.

So yep living hinge should be good for.

[curious aardvark]

So currently playing with the flexible filaments.

After an aborted attempt at a sling pouch with easyflex. Currently trying filaflex.

Decided to take the wedge out of the tensioner for the filafflex and it's printing way better than the easyflex did with it in.

Think m,aybe once you've gopt it loaded you just don't need to reduce tension.

These pouches are only 4 0.2mm layers.
Work great with the flexible pla. Curious to see how they do with the tpe.

pictures later :-)

[James___UK]

Holy smokes, can't believe this thread has just been posted up!

I've nearly lost my mind trying to get filaflex to work in my flashforge creator, best I got was half a later of the 20mm calibration cube. Even after printing and fitting this http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:231310 (which didn't seem to fit the flashforge that nicely in places, oh well) I still got the exact same clogging issue where the filament just gets caught around the drive wheel (exactly like the picture in the first post). I'm guessing that I'm getting that thermal expansion problem clogging up the tube but I'm not sure how to counter that :/ Or do I just fit in a ptfe tube into the hotend and voila? (I'd imagine not if Recreus' proper hotend solution also has some sort of thermal barrier around where it would clog up

For now until I get this sorted I've used 3D hubs to print the parts I need but otherwise, I need a good corner to curl up in and rock back n forth XD

[curious aardvark]

weird - I've printed two pouches with zero issues.
Just reloaded the easyflex (1/3rd the price of the other tpu filaments) for another try with that.
No wedge 240c and 50mms print speed and it's looking pretty good.

But filaflex just loaded and printed with no issues.

Pouch on the bed - this stuff just peels off with no hassle.



In hand and with cords added and a new star wars robot model loaded :-)





So these are pretty minimalist. 6gm weight and 0.8mm thick.
But with this design you overlap the ends so the part that takes the most strain is actually 1.6mm thick.

I haven't had a chance to field test these with rocks yet. But they work great with tennis balls.
And so far flexible filament just loads and prints without any hassle.
They also pass the pocket test. Ie: being folded up in my back pocket for a week :-)
The flexible pla tends to crease, the tpu - not so much.

Where abouts are you james ?
I could probably print your bits cheaper than 3d hubs.
Though you should be able to print them yourself.

Not sure if it makes any differences but I load the filament at 220 (because that works for both pla and abs and i can't be bothered to change temps every time I change filament) and print at 240.

Well the easyflex is now looking as good as the filaflex.
As long as it's as strong I'll order a roll, think it was £35 for 1kg.
Given that filaflex and ninjaflex are £50 for 500gms, it's a much better buy.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Flexible-3...item2ed8085434

just need to pick a colour.

Interesting, says print temp is 200-220. But it definitely didn't extrude properly at that temp. Definitely needs 240.

In case you were wondering what this thing is for: www.slinging.org
They are also the worlds first ever 3d printed sling pouches.
The easyflex ones also cost out at 22 pence each.

Which given that i usually make them from leather is well cheap :-)

Hmm, it's still not as good as the filaflex. Not as clean coverage. And there are slight areas of missing filament which I didn't get with the filaflex.
Shame, oh well just have to hope the filaflex gets cheaper.

Right next up - I'll try a ninjaflex pouch.

[curious aardvark]

quick update. The easyflex pouch just pulled to bits. No stretch, no strength, waste of time really.
So there's a reason the other makes are so bloody expensive lol

So to date: ninjaflex and filaflex and polyflex. All work great.
easyflex - just rubbish.

[James___UK]

Huh, no printer modifying or anything? What settings are you using? Also I'm in Reading but sorry I went to get an order through on 3D hubs right after I posted that XD Thanks though.

Also I may have figured out a solution instead of using a PTFE tube (unless that does give thermal insulation anyway?) - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THERMOCOUP...item3a9aeb15f8