Printing Flex Filament with the Flashforge

[curious aardvark]

as I've now got three different types (might be 4 with the ninjaflex) of flexible filament, I will get this issue sorted :-)
Thinking maybe changing the spring in the tensioner might work, But initially I'll try wedging it open.

[jfkansas]

I have a prototype feeding mechanism if you want to print and try it out.

[curious aardvark]

I'll give it a go :-)

[Assaf]

Yep..

BUT it's all good

Besides the prusa... I took a good look at my flashforge and thought hang on.. 2 dead steppers, that means I have 3 working ones.. and a spare off the old extruder.. So I shopped around today and got myself a delta kossel mini too to play around with.

The idea was to have the Flashforge as a spare, but now thats gone so I need another back up or two. If the kossel mini is as easy to build as it looks, i will build 2!

Welcome to the world of the delta printers have a look at the Rostock Max of SeeMeCNC, not so easy to build for a first printer but after your mini kossel...

[Geoff]

Welcome to the world of the delta printers have a look at the Rostock Max of SeeMeCNC, not so easy to build for a first printer but after your mini kossel...

Built 3 now I have almost finished designing my own actually, I ended up making 2 full delta towers and selling those, and after making that I realized that I could make it in even less parts, and simpler. So I have done away with the linear rails (mainly to lower cost) and a new top and bottom frames, and carriages etc.. I think for anyone actually keen on making their own printer, kossel is like a magic solution I found... no real headaches of re-designing parts by changing printer size etc instead, just recalculating your firmware values. I love the fact you can just about build them any way you like as long as you follow the general rules. Linear rails, V rollers... so many different options. I want to eliminate the rails altogether and increase the diameter of the machine without the head extending outside the print area.

[curious aardvark]

100% hassle free printing flexible filament on ff.

Just wedge the tension lever open and it all works perfectly. Wedge I used is metal about 1mm thick and cut to the width of the lever.
That's it - job done :-)
In fact I've just left the wedge in for everything else as well.

Wondering why the head was tensioned so much in the first place as it's obviously not necessary.

[Stigern]

I had some issues where the extruder-feeding start making knocking noises, and filament won't go in or out. So I do a unload and load procedure when it happens. Could it be too much tension on that spring?

[curious aardvark]

yep - flexible filament won't work unless you've wedged the tension lever open - or rebuilt the extruder, guess which one is easiest :-)

Basically the extruder exerts way too much pressure on the filament. Flexible filament deforms and feeds sideways into the extruder itself rather than down the little hole.
But reduce that tension and it works without any problems at all.

[jfkansas]

I'll give it a go :-)

Base.jpgLever.jpg

Finally had a chance to test these with flex filament this weekend. All went well. Should me your email and I will send the STL files.

[Lab C]

Many thanks for sharing this info. I'll inroduce your article to my Korean friends ! ^^;