A101 and budashnozzle

Ok, so I managed to bugger up my nozzle. I assume this is not a newer version of the buda since I never upgraded.

I did some searching and it appears replacement nozzles for the buda are like hen’s teeth (please correct me if I’m wrong :slight_smile: ) and if there is a source.

I can always re-furb this nozzle or drill out one of my other nozzles…but, is this a good time to just replace the hot end with something newer? And, what would be the suggested replacement with the least retrofit issues?

Try either of the links at the bottom of the page, depending on which version you have https://itworks3d.com/product-category/parts/nozzles/ The AO-101 if it has the covered control box on the side probably takes the Version 2.0 nozzles. be aware going into the process that you will most likely also kill the threads on the nozzle heat pipe. Here’s the assembly guide for the 2.0c nozzle if you want to see how it goes together https://ohai.lulzbot.com/project/9af024c0-56d9-4d05-b7b3-45974b401f01/

The easiest way to remove the nozzle with success is going to be to heat it up to around 130c, then cut power and use crescent wrenches to try and remove it. The tricky part is the block is just riding on the threaded tube, it’s not part of it, so bracing against that doesn’t prevent the tube from turning. Which is probably why so many of those strip when you tried to remove them. Adding heat increases the risk of burning yourself, but not adding heat pretty much ensures you destroy that tube, which at this point may actually be irreplaceable.

On the plus side, if you do destroy it, it is theoretically possible to fit a 12v hexagon nozzle to that ramps board with some firmware tweaks.

Well, I have an enclosure mounted to the side of the A101.

But, that assembly doesn’t look like mine.

Mine has round, copper looking, disc where the heat sink washers are.

The nozzle came of the threaded tube with no trouble, cold. There was no sign of Teflon tape. It appears to be a M10x1mm thread.

The product listing say course threads and finer threads…so much for engineering details in a product for sale listing. :unamused:

Umm…please explain: “possible to fit a 12v hexagon nozzle to that ramps board with some firmware tweaks.” I understand the control is a ramps. What voltage is the heater now? And the nozzle is a hexagon now…I’m confused. :confused:

You have a 1.0 or 1.1 series nozzle then. I’d highly recommend upgrading to a 2.0c if you can find one at least. They do print much better and wouldn’t require a firmware edit.

Your current heater is 12v. Most newer ones are 24v, mainly because the board heats faster by a huge margin. Converting your printer to 24v is a major rebuild, but adding a 12v hotend is doable if you know how to update firmware. You aren’t going to find a preconfigured off the shelf firmware for a hexagon on that printer though.

Just to be sure I understood what you wrote:

  • the hot end in the 2.0c is 12V, so no modifications would be required to the controller or the firmware (looks like the 2.0c can be had for just under $100USD)
  • the heater in newer hot end units is 24V
  • a newer hot end would require mods to the controller(power supply, MOSFET, etc.), the mounting on the extruder for the new hot end, and modifications to the firmware
  • or throw all caution to the wind and get hot end parts from a myriad of vendor on Amazon and forge my own path

Did I miss anything?

Yes, it appears that a lot of hot ends are for 1.75mm filament. And, of course I have 3mm stock… :frowning:

Yes a Hexabon 2.0c is a bolt on. You may have to change the pinout slightly, the heater core and the thermistor wire colors changed on the 2.0c. Just make sure you plug like for like wires in. they aren’t directional so it doesn’t matter which heater core lead goes to which heater core wire, just that the thermistor doesn’t get plugged into the heater core wires. which will destroy it.

Newer hexagon or E3Dv6 hotends can be found in 12v or 24v configuration. Either way, they both use a different thermistor and heater core, so you would still have to make firmware modifications. To run a 12v version it would just be firmware. To run a 4v, you would have to replace the power supply, maybe the board (if it has a Rambo board you can run that at 24V as is), the heated bed and the nozzle. If your printer does have a Rambo board, you might consider building it out into an actual Taz 5. ITworks3d.com has many of the parts pretty inexpensively.

The board says it’s a RAMBO 1.0e.

Any idea where I can see details of how the E3D style nozzle mounts on the (i.e. assembly drawing for the hotend/extruder)? I poked around in some of the TAZ folders at lulzbot.com but found only single part drawings.

Can the E3D units be used with the extruder on the A101 with minimal rework of the extruder?

I don’t know much detail about the RAMBO boards. Is it designed to run at 12 or 24V? The schematic of the Rambo 1.1 I found shows only 12V inputs.

I also poked around the ITworks3d.com site and it appears I’d be guessing on what to order for an upgrade, then getting it, realizing I need something else and repeat the cycle as necessary. (i.e. pay lots of extra shipping costs).

Assembly instructions can be seen here: https://ohai.lulzbot.com/ for the hexagon style. The E3Dv6 mounts about the same, but uses a different style socket so you would need a different extruder body.

Swapping out for an all metal hotend isn’t going to be a minimal rework. You need to add a barrel cooling fan, which means adding electrical wires, you want to add a fillament cooling fan too, and there are significant firmware changes. It’s doable, but its not going to be a quick process.

Apparently the 1.0e rambo isn’t 24v compatable without reworking one of the fuses. The newer rambo boards are.

Wouldn’t it be possible to take something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/3D-Printer-Cooling-Filament-Extruder/dp/B013Z36EOY/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500396374&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=E3D+V6+3mm+direct+12v

Remove the tube quick connect, make an adapter plate that fits my extruder, wire the fan to one the two unused fan the Rambo 1.0e fan outputs.

I realize that doesn’t get a filament fan…

Sure. But don’t get that one, it’s a piece of junk. Thats a bowden tube setup, they have pros and cons, usually they result in stringy parts. Either way, that setup or using an extruder body setup for an E3Dv6 in place of your stock one (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:673312) you are still going to have to tinker with firmware and wiring. if you are comfortable with that, go for it. It will be a massive quality improvement.

I realize that one is set up for bowden tube. I guess my query was that the criteria for mounting any hot end to the extruder is that it bolts up so the input (top end) to the tube in the heater block is close to the output of the extruder.

How does one tell the one I happened to pick is junk and the one nearly 5 times the price from this source is any better?

https://www.amazon.com/3D-Printer-Cooling-Filament-Extruder/dp/B013Z36EOY/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500396374&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=E3D+V6+3mm+direct+12v

(not trying to be sarcastic or anything, I just want to know how I would go about telling.)

And the firmware tinkering is because the thermistor is different?

The real ones are made from decent metal, and have a properly polished inner bore. the fake ones are sometimes made from plated pot metal and will fail catastrophically and most likely not work. The only real way to tell is source. I’ve never seen one of the cheap chinese ones work right. Sometimes they catch on fire when the heater block burns, destroying your 3d printer.

The firmware tinkering is due to different thermistor, different heater core, enabling the fan pins, and diffferent maximum temperature ranges so you can actually use the thing at full temperature. You can copy many of the values from the Taz 5 firmware.

For what its worth, I changed to a J-head from hotends.com and have had much better luck. Also a slightly damp sponge wiping the filament can help with the future.

Haven’t tried the Hexagon yet.