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Yea I put it all together, from someone elses plan tho. Its been a mix match of parts
That is exactly it Vape, just like a motorised glue gun.
Except, the bulk plastic raw product comes on a coil bit like shipper snipper cord but 200mtrs per roll
I have the program set to make the plastic components of the printer itself
It goes thru all the motions, the plastic feed is motor driven and that all works but the tip isn't getting hot enough
That's my challenge

 

Merl1n

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Thanks Vape, I had the same thoughts as you. How to maintain tip temp?

So Ive re-thought it out

Presently the tip extends 8mm from the base of the heat bock. Its a gas welding tip

My plan now is to have the tip as a part of the block, therefore no heat transfer issues and only a small rise from the surface of the block not the 8mm

Also have the tip, heatblock and stem milled from a single piece of brass.

I have bought some polymide tape, which is a heat resistant tape, to wrap and insulate the heating block itself. To retain maximum heat

I have also made up a heatsheild to guard the base of the carriage from the rising heat, from crepe bandages soaked in polyfiller

I have 'acquired' a piece of heat resistant polymer as the insulator between the hot end and the carriage.

So Ive got all the bits, its getting that tip hot enough that's the hitch.

 

Merl1n

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sounds like more power is needed at the power tip, if its not reaching temp, you need more resistance  or more power at the tip, maybe the voltage controller for the tip is the problem? 

 

sounds like you have the heat sink problem covered..pardon the pun lol

 

good luck , next time im chatting with my bro ill ask him..(electrical engineer) he should know! 

 

keep us updated, id like to see it work.. 

 Peace!!!

 

P.S hope ya feeling ok!!

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Have you though about all copper Merlin?  Brass would take longer to heat up than aluminium or copper. Can see the problem you would have with brass and aluminium. Would be losing surface contact area very quickly with the aluminium heating up quicker than the brass. Copper would be a better heat conducter than brass.

 

There is also a tape that is used on racing cars that wraps around the exhaust to keep the heat in and give better engine performance. You could use that wrapped around the tip and block.

I watched a printer make an ear last night using tissue from the guy that needed a new ear. Tissue and a few other things and he had a new ear. Amazing shit!

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Thats a sweet little printer you have there :) May I ask where you got the plans from? As for the heat issue, have you considered cutting a thread in the block and tip then screwing them together mer1in (more heat transfer through surface contact)? Maybe a shorther tip?

 

I WANT ONE!!!!

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Hey Brick,

You are very correct about the aluminium heating quicker than the brass. I got it hot one day (200 degrees) and the aluminium block expanded and dropped off the brass stem, it melted a hole thru the wife's work folder and got stick in the plastic coating on her desk DOH. She called me all sorts of nasty names lol . I now have a piece of stainless steel plate underneath the printer (covering the burn mark lol ) . As for the tape, I have some here and have made a layered mat with it to encase the block and stem. 

 

Hey Nici

The original idea is called Reprap reprap.org The idea being "Its a printer that can print itself". It can print the plastic components but not the metal bits nor the electronic boards. Although there are people working on a metal extrusion version at the moment I believe. The plastic printer itself is now being produced commercially and one of the many brand names is Makerbot for the people who cant be bothered with actually making the device from scratch and have a few dollars ($2000-3000) to purchase it complete. Ive spent about $1500 on this one. Now I could have done that cheaper by sourcing parts here in Oz, but by me going Overseas I paid a premium and high freight costs too

As you say Nici, '...more heat transfer through surface contact...', hence the idea of milling the whole thing, heaterblock and stem, from one solid piece of brass

 

Unfortunately, I presently have a lot of time on my hands. Due to this the construction of the device and its circuitry has been a godsend as its kept me occupied. The problem I have is that the bloke with the lathe is some distance away and I need a mate to chauffeur me around lol (Dr's orders >:( ) The plan was to go see the lathe man this week but my mate just scored himself a new dayshift job, his previous was arvo shift. So now I gotta go see gp and get his OK to get my licence reinstated. The reality is I'm not that hopeful the gp will agree. So fingers crossed.

 

But, Thanks all for the ideas eh, concentrating on 'how to' gives me a bloody headache, and I give up. The differing ideas gives me differing approaches so thanks.

 

Merl1n  

Edited by merl1n
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