Filament jam
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tinahcarter
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sun Aug 16, 2015 2:54 am
Filament jam
I just tried my first print on the Makergear and I already have some kind of jamb above the nozzle. I am using PLA and setting the extruder to 220ºC and the bed to 70ºC. When it first started there was filament coming out of the nozzle but it did not stick to the bed. After several failed attempts my filament got stuck. I did as was suggested on this thread and was able to get the filament out. It seems to have a clog about an inch or more above the tip of the nozzle. I do not have nylon cleaner filament at this time but will order some. Any suggestions on how to get the clog out?
Re: Filament jam
Just because there is plastic in the nozzle does not necessarily mean it is jammed - there is always some cooled plastic in the nozzle and the brass barrel, that just melts when you bring the nozzle up to temperature.
If the plastic was extruding fine for a while, but not sticking - your main problem is likely that the gap between the bed and the nozzle is too large. You first need to re-set your Z-stop. That will help the PLA to stick to the bed better.
Look at the end of the filament that you pulled out of the drive, then read this:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2694
You might need to adjust the tension on your filament drive. (Try loosening it a little to be on the safe side.)
Trim the end of the filament flat, heat the nozzle up to 205°C temperature, and feed the filament back in. And take the extruder temperature down to about 205° for your print if you have a V4 nozzle and about 212° if you have a V3B nozzle. (220° is on the hot side for PLA and might indeed wind up causing a clog.)
Heat up the nozzle, then extrude about 10 mm at a time using the jog controls, for about 100 mm total, but do not run 100 mm through at once. Send it through in batches. If you don't start to see filament coming out after about 50 mm, try sending 30mm through at once. If you still don't see any filament after that, stop - you do have a clog.
If you do get the flow going again - the nozzle is fine and it isn't clogged. But you will still need to deal with your Z-stop before you can do your print.
If the plastic was extruding fine for a while, but not sticking - your main problem is likely that the gap between the bed and the nozzle is too large. You first need to re-set your Z-stop. That will help the PLA to stick to the bed better.
Look at the end of the filament that you pulled out of the drive, then read this:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2694
You might need to adjust the tension on your filament drive. (Try loosening it a little to be on the safe side.)
Trim the end of the filament flat, heat the nozzle up to 205°C temperature, and feed the filament back in. And take the extruder temperature down to about 205° for your print if you have a V4 nozzle and about 212° if you have a V3B nozzle. (220° is on the hot side for PLA and might indeed wind up causing a clog.)
Heat up the nozzle, then extrude about 10 mm at a time using the jog controls, for about 100 mm total, but do not run 100 mm through at once. Send it through in batches. If you don't start to see filament coming out after about 50 mm, try sending 30mm through at once. If you still don't see any filament after that, stop - you do have a clog.
If you do get the flow going again - the nozzle is fine and it isn't clogged. But you will still need to deal with your Z-stop before you can do your print.
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tinahcarter
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sun Aug 16, 2015 2:54 am
Re: Filament jam
Jules, I did what you said and it is working!!!! My first print, a finger wrench, is in the works as we speak. Thanks for your help. I did not realize that the filament isn't always a steady stream but rather lines and dotting (or at least that is what it looks like to me). Anyhow, I am pretty stoked that I am now printing my first object. Again, thank you!
Re: Filament jam
Chuckle! Excellent! (Yes, the flow does start and stop depending on the design that you are printing.) Welcome to the wonderful world of M2 addiction! Be sure to run some calibration squares, (it helps to cut down on future issues to have the extrusion calibrated for your filament) and have fun!tinahcarter wrote:Jules, I did what you said and it is working!!!! My first print, a finger wrench, is in the works as we speak. Thanks for your help. I did not realize that the filament isn't always a steady stream but rather lines and dotting (or at least that is what it looks like to me). Anyhow, I am pretty stoked that I am now printing my first object. Again, thank you!
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1964