3D-print head destroyed itself. What should I do?

Snapmaker 2.0 (3-in-1)
1

This isn’t the first time my printer did this, but until now, it was always fixable.
I started a 12h print session, and as I came back after ~8h, a huge chunk of filament, completely solid, has accumulated around the nozzle. So far, I was always able to break it away and free the nozzle. But as you can see in the pictures, this time the filament chunk has built up around some cables so I can’t just break it of. I tried heating the nozzle to melt it and get it of more easily, but the head started to smoke heavily so I turned the device of and disassemble it. The filament build up so strong around corners, that I can’t take it fully apart.
Do you have any ideas what I could do to fix it and get back to printing?

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More pictures: Imgur: The magic of the Internet

2

That looks unfortunate…

Not sure what support to offer other than good luck dismantling/clearing it out

Pug

3

Put it in an over of about 180Celcius…that should soften the PLA enough for removal…(at your own risk obviousely :wink: )

4

I don’t know how to start with that. The chunk is completely solid and doesn’t move, even when heating the nozzle. Also, some cables are completely buried in the chunk :frowning:

5

What about the electronics and other plastic parts?

6

you will need to brake it up a bit, heating the nozzle will not be enough.

At your own risk…

you could try and soften the booger with a butane torch and pull material out of the print head with pliers

good luck

7

thanks for the tips. I’ll try :confused:

8

Maybe a place to start could be dremmeling the outside off carefully and then you might be able to hear up the remaining once it’s slightly cleared. Might work a little better than pliers just trying to pull it out all at once.

Just putting ideas into the world.

9

You may be able to remove some of it mechanically with cutters/dremel/whatever, but yeah, in the end you’re probably going to have to use a heat gun or similar to soften it up. Some people’s print modules have survived this kind of treatment in working condition.

10

My idea: You could try a hot air gun (with temp control) increase the temp slowly and remove the “thing” layer by layer by scratching it off.

11

At this point you have nothing to lose by any of the recommended suggestions - they all have their own merits.
It’s either dead already, or you may be able to save it. Just take it slowly. Assume that the hot end and it’s wires are done for and go from there.

-S

12

If it is PLA, its starts softening around 50-60 degrees Celsius, which is not very hot at all, much less than the other parts can take. When it starts to soften it is much easier to pull/cut/bend/extend. Put it in a filament dryer or oven at about 60 degrees for a while and it is much easer to cut away parts of it safely and pull out a bit at a time. A heat controlled environment should be safer than a heat blower which can quickly become much hotter. You don’t need to melt it, just enough for it to start to soften.

If it is Petg you will need more than 70 degrees, which starts to feel hot on your hands. The cabling should still be able to take it. If it is ABS, you may need up to a 100 degrees and I have no solutions…

13

The 3d print head didn’t destroy itself. You didn’t watch it for hours and you destroyed it.

You can get it out with a heat gun and some effort.

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