Keeping Nozzles Clean

I thought I would share this simple idea. I regularly get a messy nozzle, because sometimes extrusion when the hot end is at rest curls around, this then becomes a blob when priming the nozzle. The nozzle can also pick up loose bits such as priming material dragged on to the hot bed. This material can end up as 'zits' glued to a print.

I have a small square of cellulose foam (the sort used in soldering iron tip cleaners) and use this to wipe the hot nozzle. It lasts for ages as the cooled PLA generally peels off and it avoids the risk of burnt fingertips if you try to pluck off a blob of PLA.

Neil

Is it just me, or have others started to read Neil's posting and wondered whether they were accidentally on a medical forum?

Time for me to go to bed, I think...

Out of context, you could be forgiven for coming up with all sorts of connotations.

Do you use the foam wet like for soldering irons, or is there a new type of foam for this I haven't caught up with yet?

Perhaps you could edit the title to put '3D printer' at the front.

I was also confused at first, and ended up checking the "all topics", and 3D printers was at the top of the list.

We used to get the odd messy nozzle before Covid. You really miss your grandkids.

Not old enough for zits yet.

Edited By Dave Halford on 08/06/2020 14:03:37

I've always use a small (real) brass wire brush for nozzle cleaning. It was recommended on my original (long gone unfortunately) DaVinci printer and I've done it that way ever since.

I have lots of that cellulose foam, no more burnt fingers for me.

I have a 3D printed tray to hold one of the larger cut pieces under my iron.

After wrecking one nozzle pulling the string off at the last moment with tweezers, I bought brass tweezers that can do no damage.

Edited By Robin on 08/06/2020 15:17:51

I tend to use cardboard scraps just prior to printing to clean the nozzle surface. What I tend to do is to wind back the filament after each run so during preheat there is none hanging about in the nozzle.

Another thing is I use purge filament regularly (about 20mm of filament) to clean out the nozzle as it is highly stabilised and pushes out any partly decomposed filament.

I tend to only use ABS filaments as PLA, I am lead to believe, will degrade in damp environments over a period of time.

Steve

Neil, have had a look to find the cellulose pads but can't find them. Where do you source yours from? I tend to use wet kitchen roll pads for soldering irons.

Steve