hi, need advice
i want to print asa or abs
i want update my hotend
i’m ready to buy micro swiss all metal cr-6 series
do i need to change also my old ptfe tube for Capricorn Premium PTFE Bowden tube
and the last question , do we have to put Thermal Paste when remove heater cartrige and probe to fix in micro swiss
thnks for the advice
I can’t comment on the Capricorn tube. I’ve never used anything else, so I can’t really offer a comparison. I am, however, very much in the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” camp, so if your existing tube isn’t giving you problems leave it for now.
As a serious piece of advice: only change one thing at a time, then test under various conditions. Changing multiple things simultaneously will leave you wondering which particular thing is at fault if there are problems.
As for the Thermal Paste, it’s not strictly necessary for this application, but it does help the hot end temperature to respond more quickly to the application of heat. In reality, we’re only talking a couple of seconds, so it’s really not a big deal unless you’re working with a filament (and I’m not aware of any) that needs to have it’s temperature super tightly regulated.
Having said the above, I can think of one case where the paste is almost a necessity: the case in which the heating element is significantly smaller than the chamber it sits in. Without paste, you are relying on the air in the chamber to conduct the heat to the aluminum block, except for the area where the heating element is actually touching the aluminum block. If that heater is a reasonably tight fit, the air gap is very, very small and has minimal effect. On the other hand if the heater is substantially smaller than the chamber it sits in, then you’ll need the paste to bridge the gaps.
I can comment on the capricorn tube. It may have “technical” advantages, but honestly most ptfe tubing will work just as well. Though capricorn does seem “more preemo”. In the end i wouldnt expect a performance change useing capricorn or shelf brand ptfe, so long as its inside diameter fits your filament.
As for the beat paste @LEGOManiac has a good point. Its not “nessisary” but it wouldnt hurt and can help if your heater is smaller than the microswiss block. Im going to guess though it should fit fine, unless your current hotend is covered in burnt filament, therefore making your heater cartridge and thermister slightly bigger.
One advantage i could see to useing thermal paste would be to more easily do hotend quick changes. I read somewhere that having a few microswiss heater blocks set up with different nozzles pre-done would be faster/better by just swapping the thermister and heater cartridge. This would be beacuse its just a grub screw holding it in iirc. So the thermal paste could make swapping the heater cartridges easier.
The downside to the thermal paste is itll be messy.
I got a used microswiss and couldnt get the heater block to seat correctly, so regardless of our advice. I do strongly suggest to pay particular attention to how you assemble it. Once its all good and printing, id keep an eye on the top of the heater block for filament to seep out.
Good luck and hope this helps.
I would also strongly doing one thing at a time.
Capricorn Premium PTFE Bowden I have used this and normal on a direct drive it makes no difference but I found it to be an improvement in a bowden set up. There is less play and retractions become more precise. Mine came with connectors replace those too if you go with the tube. The cheap ones also allow play one with out the other is pointless. Do you need it? Maybe if everything else is tuned well and running perfect. If it is loose goose you will not notice it is a last change IMO not a first one.
I always use paste in between the heat break and heat block and heat sync. The thing is with thermal paste is you don’t need very much. I just fill the threads on the entering section. Then only a single turn. It is a tiny amount. DO NOT get any near the opening. I found it helps disassembly if things go wrong.
I have never put any on a heat cartridge never having used a microswiss I can’t imagine why you would need it. The E3D it is tight it is so tight no paste would make it inside.
Question: Do you need to change the stepper for the microswiss? i know it doesn’t use any gear reduction like the E3D Hermera is the stepper up to it?
thks. good advice for me…
For the last question, if a need to change the stepper for microswiss… i’M not a expert , but i believe no, i want to use microswiss to be able to have higher temps without damage my ptfe tube. it is that corect
Yes hotter temps. I can’t say for certain but the micro swiss is not geared so the added force needs to come from the steppers. I don’t know what stepper you plan on using but a often direct drives use a smaller lighter one. This helps with ringing (basically momentum of moves creating patterns in the print) If you use a light stepper you may run into feed issues. I guess it will be fine if you use the stepper intended for that printer.
My personal opinion and keep in mind I have not used the micro swiss or the ender. Is the frames on the Creality printers are light and prone to ringing. I would tend to want the lightest extruder I could. I agree direct drive, I would tend to want a light stepper but I am not sure you can put it on the unguarded extruder.
I didn’t ever look at the micro swiss, the nozzles are expensive and parts are a bit harder to find. I tend to roll through nozzles quite quickly, I also firmly believe print quality is improved by good quality nozzles (they are made far better) and the stringing and blobs are a sign of a worn nozzle. When using brass I replace them usually every KG for soft materials and faster for abrasive. The microswiss are twice the price.
You will no matter the hot end you choose you will likely need an enclosure.
ender 6 come with optional enclosure
You know I have been thinking. I would suggest you just buy a few rolls of PLA and PLA+ both are stronger in some ways than ASA (more strength but brittle) and just print a few KGs before you change anything. The Creality printers often have fit and finish issues, frames not square bad parts and so on. Get used to your printer and its quirks before you take it apart and add a whole bunch of stuff.
Far too often we see people swap a bunch of stuff on a new printer and end up with it not working. It often results in undoing everything done to it and then figuring out the issue. In some cases the issue was the original parts but the mods voided the warranty so new parts needed to be bought rather than supplied.
It is likely a good idea to learn your printer first.
Also don’t forget when you get these filaments you must dry them whence you must dry them for best results
thank you for your advice, I will not change anything on the printer …
At least until you get a handle on the stock machine. Modding isn’t bad but sometimes you need experience to get a handle on what it is doing or not doing to get it tuned again.
Not suggesting you upgrade or not, but related to direct drives, look into remote drive extruders. It tries to balance both the weight savings of a bowden system, with the retraction control of a direct drive. It does this by useing a remotly mounted stepper motor and a flex drive shaft, driving a worm gear to helical gear on your hotend assembly.
I cant comment on it directly as i havent tried a direct drive or remote drive system yet. Though i like the idea of the remote drive. I also dont understand why it isnt more “out there” in the 3d printing world, so perhaps there is a reason for that, but i havent heard of any reasons yet.
I still highly recommend an all metal hot and set up for printing other things besides petg and.pla You will definitely get better results