Filaments that play nicely together in same nozzle

[Vandal968]

In the beginning....

I only had one nozzle and I ran PLA, ABS and PETG through it. I often had clogs, almost always when going back to PLA from one of the other two.

Then....

I bought a second hot-end. I ran PLA through one and PETG through the other. This resulted in FAR fewer clogs.

Life was good.

Now, I have a need to make some parts in ePC and Nylon, in addition to the PLA, ABS and PETG but I still only have two hot-ends.

Q: Are some filaments more compatible with each other? I'm thinking about using one hot-end for PLA and the other for everything else (everything else runs hotter than PLA), or would it be better to divide the filaments between hot-ends in some other way? Anyone got experience here?

cheers,
c

[Jules]

I try to keep the extruded temperatures in the same range....so on one side, PLA, PVA, Wood, etc. (the low temp stuff.) And in the other nozzle, PETG, ABS, the higher temp stuff. (And i'd still use cleaning filament between those if the range of temps is large enough.)

[Tim]

I'm sure this is only anecdotal evidence, but I've done a lot of switching between PLA and PETg and never had much problem other than I often get pretty poor quality on the first few layers of the first PETg print after running PLA for a while. I run eSUN cleaning filament through when I switch between them. I haven't run enough of other filaments to get a good feel for how compatible they are.

[insta]

Order a handful of the actual brass nozzles themselves. Switch filaments with impunity, and when you get a clog, remove the brass part (you can leave the hotend in the printer if you loosen the clamping screw) and torch it with a plain propane torch, then soak in alcohol once it's been heated to a dull red. While the nozzle is off, run some eSUN cleaner filament through it and remove the fat log that comes out the other side. Reinstall a new nozzle immediately and take the printer time to torch the clogged nozzle, to return to the "clean" pile.

i'm super serial it totally works

[innkeeper]

Here is what i do.

when going from one type of filament to another, i will use cleaner filament at the temperature of the previously loaded filament or perhaps a couple of degrees higher to make the old filament more 'liquid'. once i have purged out the old filament successfully using the cleaner filament i then change the temperature to the new filaments working temperature then load the new filament at the new temp and purge out the cleaner filament.

doing this, i have not had problems with nozzle clogging due to changing filaments. I pretty much follow this procedure for all 3d printers i have used and with various nozzle types etc. seems to be universally successful for me.

Since you completely purge its a bit wasteful on filament.

I haven't yet needed to resort the the blowtorch method ... fingers crossed and blowtorch at the ready.

[sthone]

Order a handful of the actual brass nozzles themselves. Switch filaments with impunity, and when you get a clog, remove the brass part (you can leave the hotend in the printer if you loosen the clamping screw) and torch it with a plain propane torch

Just a heads up... be very careful if trying to change a nozzle on the V4 with it mounted in the printer it doesn't take much to snap the barrel on those things. I'm sure insta's method works fine just remember he's a professional if you just try to unscrew the nozzle without loosening the clamp or using the touch you will break it.

-Steve