Does it reply makes a huge difference with or without. i had a bad print and sacrificed the cover.
should i buy new one or just leave it…
i bought one with my volcano parts. it didn’t really fit and tore apart quickly. I haven’t noticed a problem but I haven’t really done any printing where I need the high flow from a volcano and would need to preserve the heat. I can still print at 150mm/s with it in petg but I really bought it to use in nylons and POM and just haven’t gotten there yet
It really depends on what you print with a lot. If you print with PETG, it is worth it as it makes little whisps that sticks everywhere hot. If you print PLA mostly, it helps, but is not the biggest of deals.
I always print with silicone socks.
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I also always use one. I find it helps keep hot end temps stable. The hotter it is the larger the difference. It also keeps junk off the block.
It’'s my understanding that the main reason the silicon sock exists isn’t because of heat retention, it’s because of the phenomenon whereby a small fragment of loose filament hits the aluminum block and sticks to it, then proceeds to drag more pieces along with it. The bigger the ever-growing ball of molten plastic gets, the more it sucks up. Obviously this can happen just with the exposed tip, but the more we expose the heater block, the bigger the risk. There’s a nice video of a blob in the making here:
I would disagree. I think the stabilizing temps and protecting the hot end from the cooling of part cooling fans are the biggest advantages, the keeping it clean is a side bonus. I know my own experience the sock helps keep temps stable, especially in high temp filaments, where cooling creates big issues.
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I have actually had a sock-jam early on due to small prints that stuck to the sock and caused everything to ooze back up through the sock. In retrospect, it was caused by 2 things: The sock was not properly installed, sagged and contacted the print, and I was printing too small items without proper skirts.
As a result, I agree that it is mostly to keep temperatures stable, but as an added bonus to keep things clean.
I use socks on my volcano heads all the time and wouldn’t print without them.
I Regularly use Socks. Unless i’m printing over 280C
I Prefer the ones that have a hold large enough that the nozzle, Hex sticks out.
I really dislike the “Pro” socks, they just move to the side and block the nozzle and get filled with hot plastic.
They Keep Heater Block Cleaner
They Keep Stray Airflow from touching block, making Cold Spots
They make it easier to clear off failed prints stuck to nozzle
They are Cheap Cost+Time to Replace, V.S. Heater wires, Thermistor having to be replaced
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I dislike the pro ones too. Silly idea getting them perfect is not always easy or possible even.
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CNC Kitchen just released a video primarily aimed at high-speed printing, but Stefan also showed a comparison between hot end behaviours with and without a sock.
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The insulating abilities is the main reason to use a sock. Personally keeping the hot end clean isn’t really a good reason. The cocks on occasion go awry and make a far bigger mess than with out. Exchanging a regular small meet for an irregular huge one is not IMO a net gain.