SHOT show 2017 - Who's going, what are you bringing

[Vandal968]

11 full spools used up and several partials, 25+ POUNDS of filament of all types with no issues. Then, yesterday, my nozzle finally gave up. Not completely, just got slow so it was hard to put down a first layer. I cheated for a while and bumped my extrusion multiplier from .90 to .95 but that only got me a couple more prints. Had to swap hot-ends. Now I'm back in business again. The old one (v4) printed everything, PLA, PETG, ABS, Nylon, etc. I took it apart and soaked the nozzle in Weldon #4 which took out some of the crap, but not all. I can see daylight through it, but there's a dark ring of burned-on stuff. What's the best way to kill it? For the hotend itself, I heated and tried purging with cleaning filament, but more carbon came out with plain out PLA, so now I'm doubting the cleaning filament....

Love my printer. See you guys at SHOT. Tacos and Beer Monday night!

c

[thunderbt3]

I use a MAP gas torch to heat the nozzle up. It reduces anything stuck in there to ash

[willnewton]

Once you clean it with a torch, you won't ever bother with soaking again. Don't have to get crazy hot.

I also recommend .35mm carbide drill bits, such as for PCB drilling. You can simply push it up into the nozzle when it is heated and give it a twist and pull it out. Be careful they are fragile. I have broken them off in the nozzle before, but you can push them out by feeding more filament. It is a good and fast way to just get on with business.

I save the torch for when nothing else works.

My source for bits.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ten-Solid-Carbi ... OAmMIVOUIw

[sthone]

Will all I can say is WOW that is awesome! I don't think it's over the top for a bullseye gun.

I know what you mean about the trail and error part. I have a MKIII that I made a custom set for bullseye. I just printed grip blanks though and then used eSUN's PolyMorph to mold the grips to my actual hand.

They came out pretty good (maybe a bit ugly) but it made a hung difference in my shooting.... but I screwed up the blanks when I made them and there was a hollow section right where the sear pin was in the frame so every time I shot it the sear pin would work its way out and the hammer wouldn't lock up after the pin worked out enough.

I have to go back and redo them one of these days but I want to try and print the entire thing because the changes would be easier to make than trying to rework the Ploymorph.

Anyway great job thanks for sharing.

[willnewton]

I have used eSun polymorph as well. I like having the final grip in the computer, though. The polymorph helped me get measured dimensions to add back in to the CAD model. The polymorph can get a bit weird and lumpy looking and it is not easy to rework one area while keeping another dimensionally stable.

I did make a variant of that grip that fit my 1911, but after shooting for a week or so, felt like it was just too much stuff on the gun. I pared the grip design back to the essentials, as seen in the previous 1911 photos. The minimalist target style works well for me.

This guy is popular for 3d printed grip stuff. http://www.precisiontargetpistolgrips.com

[vesteroid]

This is really cool. I shoot uspsa and considered doing things for my pistols with my printer (if it ever gets here).

I was in vegas last night flying through mccarran and boy were there lots of shot show t shirts lol. I wish I could go one day, but would come home poor and divorced lol.