ok - so I loaded someone else’s stl file that I downloaded to run a print - and didn’t doublecheck it enough. I set it printing, and is started OK, but then overnight ended up will string everywhere. I unloaded the filament and cleaned it up - but when I went to reload the filament (after running some laser engraving), it looks like the nozzle is clogged. I would swap the nozzle with one spare I have, but when the print went bad, it filled the screw hole for changing the nozzle with plastic. any suggestions on how to clean this all up?
When it is heated to 200°, use the provided tweezer to peel off the filament attached to the nozzle. Please be careful since the nozzle is hot. Don’t break the heating tube and thermistor (as highlighted in the following picture) or the 3D printing module will not work again.
Use 3 to 5 pieces of tissue to clean the rest of filament. Make sure you won’t get burnt.
If a clog has been cooled down and reheated a few times, sometimes a crust can form inside the nozzle…
A fine piano wire can pierce this crust and allow the nozzle to clean itself…
Gently press it through while hot, and pull it out…
NO sawing or scraping, just pierce the crust…
SnapMaker might not even have this happen…
I assisted in clearing some large format printers (fast feeds) this way, which allowed us to clear the clog without having to disassemble the print head assembly…
You should get some needles. I got mine here (for Europe only) https://www.aprintapro.com/accessories/
And they are cheap.
To clean the nozzle, I saw a video on youtube (cannot find the link anymore) on how to do it:
take a piece of scrap print
heat the nozzle by selecting “load filament”
best is to unmount the unit and use your hands
push the nozzle into the scrap piece so it melts in
important!! Turn off the heating (done button) and let cool down to room temp
remove the nozzle head from the scrap piece, all dirty stuff will remain on that piece
Good luck!
After hundreds of prints, I have struck my first problem and I wish to be cautious on proceeding. I started a 6 hour print that I was not monitoring. When I did check it after the 6 hours only part of the model had printed, there was no breakage in the filament, no filament mess or any visible problems.
I decided to check the filament and used the Change Filament and I could not push any through, worse still I could not pull the filament out from the top. I raised the Change Filament temperature a couple of times and tried to push or pull the filament with no success. Eventually it took a good tug to pull the filament out. BTW the filament is your PLA (red colour)
Before I open the print head, inspect for obvious issues and then change the print nozzle, is there any advice or other information you would like before I proceed? or do you have any suggestions for me to check the device?
I have been following the instructions to replace the nozzle. I can clearly see that the filament is jammed in it. As mentioned before it took a good tug to remove the filament and it has broken off about 1cm above the extruder inlet, so I guess it is well and truly jammed up inside the nozzle.
I was able to undo the the grub screw under the fan OK. The other screw under the heater block is not so good, I have been careful however it just does not come out enough to release the heating element or resistor. Any suggestions?
FIXED! All is good and I am off an running again by using @Rainie 's article Heating Tube Screw Stripped I was able to remove the grub screw, heating tube, thermistor and nozzle. Then I installed a new replacement nozzle and just doing a small print now to see how it goes. Thanks @Rainie.
Would you like me to send the old nozzle to you for analysis?
I thought my printhead was clogged (it wasn’t, just having a filament load issue that I solved). However, when trying to troubleshoot and remove the print head, the super duper tiny hex screw is in super tight and ended up getting stripped. So now I fear I will never be able to remove the print head, which may come up as a later problem. Any good way to remove the stripped hex screw and replace it with a fresh one?
Worse case, you epoxy your allen key to the stripped hex head of the grub screw and wait 24 hours. Or get a set of screw extractors (they’re like drill bits but cut in counterclockwise).
or use a poor mans screw extractor: a cr-v 1.6 or 1.7 screwdriver head.
you may be able to unscrew even a badly striped bolt (you still have to heat the head up).
I rescued mine this way.
as for the cleaning, the supplied 1.5 key is slightly smaller diameter than the filament itself and you may be push it all the way into the head input tube and push out anything that’s stuck in the head (may need to play with temps to do this well).
