1

Hey everyone.

In listening to people on the XYZ Davinci chat, it seems like the most common problem is the nozzel getting clogged. I have had a davinci 1.0 for about a year now and I have run into every single problem you can think of. I have also fix most of those problems.

I just thought that I would share some of the things I do to keep my nozzle from clogging.

1. To start off one of the very first things that I did was, cut off that cheap gear in the extruder (dremel). That gear kept getting gummy with plastic, and no matter what I did I could never keep it clean. I replaced it with a Rep Rap gear that I got from E-bay.

2. Whenever my nozzle gets clogged, I try to start with the simple stuff. I let it extrude and poke it with the wire that they give you. When I can’t get that to work I end up taking the heater block/ heater cylinder completely off. I let if cool for a bit that then I throw it in the vice. After that I take a torch lighter (or something with a jet flame) and burn out the plastic. When it’s still hot I use the wire wheel and give it a really nice shine. This seems to work most of the time.

3. IN EXTREME CASES! I have heated the nozzle and taken sand paper ( about 400 grit) and sanded part of the extruder head off. Its a marginal amount that I took off, and it really seemed to work.

If anyone has any other methods I would like to hear from them.

Cheers,

Austin

2

Hey Austin,

A method that works effectivitly is using acetone. If you turn the printer off and let it cool, then add some acetone into the nozzle it begins to liquify the plastic. I would recommend being careful with acetone though as it is flammable and the vapours can be dangerous. This method is far easier then pulling the printer apart and using a blow touch. As the plastic dissolves into the acetone, it should remove any clogging, but make sure that you don’t get the acetone on the other components as it will have the same effect on other plastic components. I now have a acetone close by in such instances. If your printer begins to make an unusual sound when it heats up, don’t worry, this is just the acetone turning into vapour.

Hope this helps.

3

I personally use special cleaning filament of which I just extrude 120mm all the way through. Doing so every once in a while seems to keep it all running smoothly. As well on eBay you can purchase little tiny metal drill bits of which you spin by hand in the extruder to unclog it. Seems to do the trick once you get the hang of it.

4

Every jam I have had has been solved in under 2 minutes. Don’t sand the tip, that removes the flatness from the tip and will provide you with a different print. You should have a set of brass bristle brushes to use on the printer tip.

1. Remove the hotend, but leave it connected

2. Heat the hotend, to working temperature.

3. Using a drill bit (or long rod) smaller then .4 push it through the tip. After a few pokes it should just fall out.

5

Acetone removal has been shown to take up to a couple of weeks or more to remove a clog. This is not an effective way of handling the clog since it “should” involve removing the hotend. A blowtorch is also a bit excessive to utilize for this method due to the extreme heat you are subjecting the hotend to. Not everyone has a blowtorch, nor should it really be suggested. Ever seen mythbusters? Don’t try this at home?