Flashforge 3D Creator forum.

[Elijah]

Thanks for the response! However, I have encountered a new (unrelated) problem. While printing (most noticeable with smaller pieces/details), plastic seems to 'squish up' or warp in some way (though most commonly vertical) until about half way through the print. This results in very warped bottoms of prints. I have tried increasing the heat of both the platform and the head (+10 degrees) but it hasn't helped much. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[Elijah]

Okay, after taking off the fan and messing with the extruder, I found something interesting. I'm sure it isn't reccomended, but I tried feeding the filament while the fan was removed in order to observe what was happening. The filament pushed through the gear fine enough, but was stopped just past that, at the opening for the head. From what I've read, this shouldn't happen because any material below the gears should be nice and soft, but I am still having troubles. I have tried pushing a hot safety pin through the head, but I haven't been able to make any headway or go any depth.

Again, thanks for any help!

[jfkansas]

No that isn't true. There shouldn't be any melted material in the tube. That is a bad thing if there is. The Teflon tube isn't a storage chamber for melted material. If it melts in the tube that is what causes clogs when it cools. For this reason I never unload filament from the machine. Instead I cut the loaded filament about a 1/2" above the opening where the tube inserts, then run the load script and wait until the extruder heats. Once it starts feeding butt the new filament that you want to load right behind the cut piece. Once it disappears keep pushing until the drive gear grabs a hold. Let it feed through the extruder until you get a solid stream of the new material. Yes it wastes a little filament, but not as much as you think. 12 inches of extruded filament is only about 3 inches of supply. I usually let it extrude about 30 inches of material which is about 8 inches from the supply reel.

Yes this works when switching from pla to abs and vice versa....

[Elijah]

Thanks for the tips! Is there any reliable way to clear a blockage? Because my problem arose when a kink in the material feed caused a piece of filament to be torn off and stuck inside the head.

[jfkansas]

Just need to take the extruder apart. There is a set screw that holds the extruder in the horizontal bar. Loosen the set screw and if you are lucky the extruder will slide out. On mine, the set screw kind of galled up the top part of the extruder so it didn't slide out very easily but I finally got it out by twisting back and forth and pulling. To make it easier next time I drilled out the horizontal bar that the extruders mount into. I Just used the next size bigger drill bit I had, it isn't important that the extruder assembly fit that tight in the bar. Mount the heater block in a vice and use a wrench to unscrew the top part where the filament goes in. Once you get that off it will expose the Teflon tube where your clog probably is. see if the tube will just pull out. If not it is stuck in the hot end. You will need to unscrew the bottom then the tube should come out. There will probably be a lot of gunk in the tube so just soak it in some acetone if it is ABS. If it is PLA I think you have to melt it out with a flame of some sort. I would just replace the teflon tube with new, they are cheap and it is good to have several on hand.

[Elijah]

Thanks! I did that, used acetone to clear out the blockage. Getting ready to put it all back together. Say, pretty minor, but I found a small brass looking tube about an eight of an inch in diameter and a third of an inch long. I can't seem to find anywhere it fits on the machine, is it even a part of it? It was with my pieces, so I'd like to double check before I turn it on.

[jfkansas]

A picture might help. It doesn't sound familiar anywhere around the extruder assembly. There are some spacers around the mounting bolts and such. I don't think it came from anything on or in the extruder.

[jfkansas]

Thanks! I did that, used acetone to clear out the blockage. Getting ready to put it all back together. Say, pretty minor, but I found a small brass looking tube about an eight of an inch in diameter and a third of an inch long. I can't seem to find anywhere it fits on the machine, is it even a part of it? It was with my pieces, so I'd like to double check before I turn it on.

I found where that tube goes. It goes on the screw that mounts the tensioner to stepper. It is just a bushing that the arm can pivot on instead of the threads of the screw.

[DoubleHelix]

My printer is dead. It was in the middle of a print when it just stops. Turns off. No light on the screen or anything. Mid print. I can't get it to turn back on. The little green LED on the power supply still lights up but noth else happens. I'm pretty sure this means the mobo has failed on me but I'm wanting to get some other opinions before I try finding a replacement.

[jfkansas]

Check fuses maybe? Check wiring. Make sure all the screws holding the wires into the plugs are nice and tight. Jiggle all the plugs. Smell around and see if anything smells burnt.