Is a $100 Diamond Nozzle Worth it?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 พ.ค. 2024
- I was having some issues printing PETG with my hardened nozzle, so I decided to try out the new Diamondback diamond-tipped nozzle. For me, it's worth the cost.
Diamondback 0.4mm Nozzle - amzn.to/3rglpIR
E3D NozzleX (0.4mm, V6) - amzn.to/3rglnRf
E3D NozzleX (0.4mm, Volcano) - amzn.to/3xbEn7b
My Favorite Tools - www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls...
00:00 Intro
00:35 Why Hardened Nozzles?
02:30 Diamonback Nozzle Unboxing
03:23 PETG Printing Issues
04:25 Nozzle Swapping and Laziness
05:26 Nozzle Stickiness
05:50 PETG Diamondback Results
06:22 Nozzle Print Comparison
07:32 Conclusion! - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
I backed the kickstarter, got my first diamondback for $70, put it on my CR6. A lot of the other backers have reported that the thermal performance is better than brass, to the point that you can actually lower your hotend temp by a bit. I haven't done extensive tuning with my diamondback yet to confirm it, but it does flow well.
I bought a 2nd for my new Voron V0.1, and it's the only nozzle I've used on it so far. I am having some sticking issues with it, but I suspect it may be more due to an adhesion issue than with the nozzle. I'm starting to suspect that the PEI sheet I got from formbots is fake.
Huh, interesting. That's good to hear though!
Hi Robert. Thanks for this. I too have had issues with PETG clogging up my Nozzle X. After doing some reading, it appears to me that a 0.6mm nozzle is the way to go with PETG and filaments with particulate in it. I’ve been trying this theory for a couple weeks, and so far, no clogging 🤞
Ah, interesting. I should probably get a bigger diameter nozzle, but for me, I have about 30+ hours on the Diamonback and it's been flawless. The prints are perfect. So if you need a 0.4mm, this is the way to go. But I still think the NozzleX will work for most people.
I've never had an issue printing PETG with a 0.4mm NozzleX. I do need a 0.6mm or larger NozzleX when I'm dealing with CF Nylon though.
@@shadow7037932 And when I use Taulmann Alloy 910 Nylon, 0.4mm is just fine.
As time goes on, I’m more and more convinced that black magic plays a bigger part in this than we might care to admit. 🙂
@@shadow7037932 Interesting. I guess every printer is different. Maybe it's filament type too?
Hi guys, if you have an all metal hotend and nozzle x, and have clogged it with PETG, the problem, as you know, is if baked for too long it transforms into a crystalline state and seems impossible to remove. I’ve found the answer to this is go higher. Way higher. Though my printer isn’t fully set up for super high temp, I have a plated copper volcano heatblock and pt100 capable of super high temp, so I temporarily change the upper limit in the firmware and keep heating. Somewhere between 350 and 400 degrees, the baked on PETG “carbonises” (if that is a word) turns to powder and can be removed easily. I use this technique to remove material from the heater block as I don’t like using silicon socks. Haven’t tried it yet for a blocked nozzle, but if you have the right parts on your hotend it is easy to do and is probably worth trying. I’ve tried a ruby nozzle as well as nozzle x. Nozzle x is cheaper and, for me, works better. I don’t leave the printer while doing this operation, for obvious reasons.
Glow in the dark filaments also have abrasive material in them so they're another application of a hardened nozzle.
YES! I mentioned this in a segment that didn't make it into the video, but there are a LOT of filaments that have abrasives in them like glow in the dark and wood-fill. They can eat through a nozzle pretty quickly. For maximum flexibility, always using a hardened nozzle is the way to go, manufacturers don't always disclose when their filament is abrasive.
Yop, i have the same philosophy, i don´t wana fumble around with nozzles and all that shit!
And because for my needs, i just print PETG and PLA, i have the same Nozzle in my Printer it came with and never had to tuch it!
Ender3 Pro, slap that sucker on the table, level the bad with a pice of paper, flush the hot end, and off you go my little friend!
I always have good prints with it! 👌
Are you thinking of putting the diamond back nozzles on the XL? Seems like it would be a help all around with stringing and oozing.
Yep, I have two diamondback nozzles on the XL. Proper filament temperatures and settings fixes oozing, the nozzle doesn't really change that much.
@@RobertCowanDIY is there a reason other than $$$ not to go all diamond back?
@@crashkg I don't think so. For me, it's worked well on all materials.
I heard recently that a drop of mineral oil will help lubricate nozzles to help them clog a lot less than if they're not lubricated. I haven't had the chance to test it myself, but there were many people in agreement. They were specifically talking about all metal heat brakes being less lubricated than the lower temperature one's that aren't "all metal"... but it's the same concept and same temperatures in both cases.
I've done this trick before. You can just apply a few dabs of oil on a paper tower and wipe the filament right before the extruder. It helps but introduces contaminates. It's good for cleaning a partial clog (sometimes).
The problem that became apparent with the ruby brass nozzles was that the abrasive materials would just gouge out a massive area above the ruby leading to the ruby eventually detatches from the brass nossle.
I suspect the diamond nozzle will have the same problem.
I was thinking the same thing here... Why would the abrasives have the same effect here? Unless the entire path is lined with diamond, I don't see this being any better in the long run... Will definitely appreciate a followup video 6 months from now
I will absolutely let you know if this happens. I have no affiliation with the company and have some printing with abrasive stuff coming up. If it fails, I will want to let everyone know to stay away!
@@RobertCowanDIY It will likely take towards 50-100hours of abrasive printing or even more, unless they cheaped out and used really soft brass.
Brass don't really wear that fast with abrasive materials, a cheep brass nozzle easy last 10h or so without the hole getting so large it's unusable, (use a 0.4 but tell the printer it's 0.6)
@@aggese Materials are different, but I think the carbon fiber filament can destroy a nozzle in a couple of prints.
@@RobertCowanDIY I am well aware I work with 3d printers and we used to print carbon fibre nylon with brass nozzles because we had a bunch laying around and the machines we manufacture don't use the screw in nozzles.
From what I've read the wear mechanism isn't from the filament going through the nozzle, opening the bore, but from the tip dragging over cold layers, sanding the tip down?
Also, how's the nozzle after a year? :)
Correct! Sure, the nozzle will open up a bit, but it's usually the tip shortening due to dragging across the print. A year+ later, the tip is the same as new. PCD is nearly invincible (in this application) and nothing will abrade it. PCD-coated tooling is the only stuff that will last when machining carbon fiber or other abrasives. Diamondback has a video where they take an abrasive rotary tool to various nozzles and the Diamondback actually grinds down the abrasive disc instead of wearing down. PCD isn't magic, it's used heavily in industry for situations like this.
Curious how they would affect failure rates. As cleaner prints has to put less strain on the bed adhesion.
I don't really have failures on my Prusa, so it's hard to say. I've had maybe one or two parts fail in all the years I've owned the machine.
Not related to this video at all but I'd be curious what your thoughts are on the final episode of BattleBots. Seeing what people are saying, you as a builder and competitor (and seeing everything "in person"), what was your biggest takeaway?
My biggest takeaway? It's a show and there were good fights and it was entertaining TV. And I don't really want to add to the drama or pour fuel on the fire.
Hah, fair enough. Overall I think the fights were judged pretty well when it came to them and the fights were good aside from the one...
And I'm VERY happy for Seems Reasonable and Tantrum! They won those fights against Hydra and then Witch Doctor fair and square and there's no asterisks or anything like that for their win of the Tournament and Giant Nut! 🙂
Interesting. I change my nozzles all the time between 0.4 and 1mm depending on the type of print and necessary speed/quality. So changing the nozzle everytime I change the filament would not add much more time or hassle.
Sorry to reply to an old comment, but does this require re leveling the bed often?
@@Roach_Dogg_JR all good. Well difficult to answer. I was doing that on my Ultimaker with an OlsonBlock. The original nozzles that came with that kit worked perfectly without having to touch the buildplate. The replacement nozzles that I bought in China for a tenth of the price however were not interchangeable without releveling. So to answer your question, it really depends on your printer, and what care was taken to manufacture all the different nozzles to the same length.
What is the problems you had with PETG?
I have found that for better performance the final thin cannel need to be longer.
It's in the video, check the chapters.
@@RobertCowanDIY I totalt missed that chapter when I watched the video earlier.
Yeah that's a really annoying issue,
I have had similar problems with glass fibre nylon, never any problem with regular or carbon fibre nylon but glass fibre seem to just glue itself to the nozzle and creates really large and ugly blobs
How would a ruby tip nozzle compare to the diamond one?
I spent a month trying to figure out why my prints were dull and poor quality all of a sudden.. swapped my hardened nozzle back to brass and all was good again, so can definitely feel you on this one.. also too lazy to swap nozzles all the time, but got no time for crappy 6 hour prints
I'm not sure, I never tried the ruby based on the poor reviews. A read a lot about people saying it was fragile, poor quality control, etc. Also, ruby isn't as good of a conductor of heat as diamond. Since the price is the same, for me, the Diamondback is the one to go with.
@@RobertCowanDIY thanks!
@@thefekete sure!
From what i heard the ruby one didn't have a cone shaped insert, it was just a cylinder with a hole cut in it (i am unsure on this Polycrystalline Diamond Inserts' Shape
Also the ruby (Which is essentially just impure Sapphire) may not have the same properties. I can't seem to find a quick comparison, but that may be an issue too.
Any update as to how it has worked out?
Any chance for a followup after a year? Are you still using it? I'm wondering how does a nozzle like this compare to tungsten carbide alternatives.
YES! There's nothing to really report. I am still using it without any issues. I've run maybe a dozen rolls of abrasive filament through it without issues. I also use it for PLA and PETG and don't have to make adjustments for anything, I just the default profiles in prusaslicer. Tungsten carbide is a great material, but bad for heat transfer. I have a MK4 and XL coming soon (hopefully) and they will get Diamondback nozzles. I like being able to just print everything and not worry about the nozzle. For ME, the $100 isn't a big deal and removes maintenance or variables from the machine.
Have you verified your filament dia? I recently started having problems with PETG and found the dia is way off with my overture filament. Measured as large as 2.00mm, with an average of 1.85mm. Going back to a quality petg has fixed the issue with sticking.
I've had the same issues with overture petg... Just can't seem to dial it in at all... Just builds up on the nozzle, falls off, and destroys the print.... esun prints just fine
I didn't actually measure, but I tried 3 different brands of PETG, and all were pretty similar, and printed much better on my Prusa Mini (which just has the standard brass nozzle), so I concluded it was the nozzleX. (I just did a quick measure, they're all within range)
Added to my wish list. I do a ton of printing and I hate swapping nozzles. I feel like I'm going to break something every time. I wonder how long it is expected to last?
I have no idea. I'm a couple hundred hours on it so far. It still works the same. With 3d printing, you would need it to last many thousands of hours I would assume? I think as long as no material can wear it down, it should last indefinitely? Not sure.
I mostly do PLA and PETG, but I still think this will be beneficial so I don't have to swap nozzles very often.
The company hasn't worn one out yet according to their own use. I just bought one and will be giving it a good run.
@@RobertCowanDIY I've wondered this, but they can definitely be worn down, otherwise they wouldn't be able to make them. Even softer elements can wear down harder elements in many cases, like water (not technically an element) can cut through diamonds and just about anything else (at least eventually). I do wonder if the micro-hardness of carbon fiber would be enough to wear it down eventually too. I think you're right for the most part though. They may be expensive, but they probably last forever. (I'd love to see one under the microscope after heavy use). I don't think PLA and the other standard filaments would ever wear one of these down though... but I think it's possible that carbon fiber could. Like with graphite, it's extremely soft, but within graphite lays many micro pieces of graphene which can easily cause surface wear to a diamond.
@@deucedeuce1572 In my experience, they should outlive the printer. I ran one for 1K hours or so and it was identical to new. All I know is from machining, PCD is very popular for cutting carbon fiber. It may very well wear down over time, but I think it would take several years of continuous printing. Keep in mind the plastic will largely yield away from the tip. If you were scraping it against hardened prints, maybe it would wear. But it's lightly dragging against the (relatively) soft surface.
Just to mention it. The diamond tip one is aprox 5 times more thermal conductive than a regular brass one. So not the same.
I forgot exactly what I said, but yes, you're right. Diamond is a MUCH better conductor of heat, but the main body of the nozzle is brass, the diamond portion is only the aperture the filament goes through.
I'd say bump up your temperature a bit and turn your cooling down a little bit and the steel nozzle should bang it out no problem
I tried for weeks. Keep in mind I'm very picky though.
“I’d rather they just drop the price by five bucks and not include it” - Mate don’t get me started
Haha, right? If it's something repurposed, cool. But it appears to be custom made (at least the lid is custom engraved!). I don't care about packaging, this isn't some vanity product, it's a nozzle. Put it in a piece of foam in a little baggie and ship it in a padded envelope. It also came in a decent little box. Too much packaging!
Actually the way nozzles wear out isn't the particulate scraping the insides. It's mostly the tip scraping against the solidifying print.
Correct. That's why it has a diamond tip.
Will this nozzle work on my creality cr10s pro V2? Thanks
It should! They use standard V6 nozzles I believe. If it looks similar, then it will work. There are only a few different types of nozzles and most use the V6 variant.
2:50 "Just the Tip".
is it fair to assume the Stratasys rebuild is canned?
Yes, I said many years ago I was not going to pursue the project further, the results weren't great and it couldn't really outperform a Prusa in an enclosure.
@@RobertCowanDIY ah I missed that, my apologies
2:49 just the tip, and only for a minute?
you know it!
I’ve printed over 100 hours of PETg on our Ultimaker using their standard AA 0.4 nozzle. This is the first I’ve heard of PETg sticking, I wonder if the larger filament diameter makes a difference, since the Ultimakers use 2.84mm filament.
I'm not sure I understand. PETG doesn't stick to standard nozzles, which it seems the Ultimaker has. It's only the tool steel nozzles that tend to be sticky.
@@RobertCowanDIY Ok I missed the “only sticks to tool steel” part. Yes we have standard brass.
I doubt it's as bad as the sticking on Nozzle X, but I've definitely had this issue on 1.75mm brass nozzles with PETG. PETG oozes out of the nozzle really easily and then doubles back on itself, sticking to the nozzle and creating that same PETG cake Robert was showing that then drips into the print randomly. *However* with brass I've found that dialing in retraction and making sure extruder tensioning is dialed in seems to solve it 99% of it. For some reason black PETG seems to be the worst for this, not sure why.
A note about Olsson Ruby: the ruby tip is a tiny orifice held in place by a brass sleeve pressed into the main body.
Filament contacts the ruby only to pass through the hole; the ruby doesn't conduct heat to the filament.
The down-side is that the sleeve can shift out of position, allowing the ruby to get loose.
Heat transfer from body to sleeve is poor! I had to bump up printing temps three times before I figured out what was happening.
Soldering the sleeve into the body (300C tin/lead/silver) prevents movement and improves heat transfer.
If the diamond tips are installed the same way, hard pass!
I have a dimonback. The bore was bigger than .04 and the diamond tip is magnetic……hmmmm.
That doesn't sound right. Are you sure it's legit?
@@RobertCowanDIY A magnet picks up the nozzle by its tip. Maybe the core is ferrous. I looked at the tip under a microscope and compared it to my copper nozzle that came with my MK3S+ and a new micro Swiss cm2, the diamondback bore definitely looks like a larger bore. I have no other way to check the bore other than visually. I might have received a defective diamondback. I know every channel praises that, but I have had better luck with micro Swiss CM2 nozzles.
@@MrKornnugget It really sounds like you got a knockoff or something. That's a bummer.
@@RobertCowanDIY It is possible. I have received knock offs of items from Amazon before.
@@MrKornnugget You might want to reach out to the company. I've met them before, they're nice people. They might like to hear your experience and it IS fake, they might want to know. It's worth a shot! And if they tell you to go pound sand, just don't buy from them any more.
I was hoping you would be more enthusiastic. Do you think it could be the forever nozzle (for that one size). I mean, will it ever wear out?
I'm not sure what you were hoping for? It's a nozzle at the end of the day. It doesn't make prints 'better', it just means I never have to swap nozzles, which is nice. But in the end, 3d printers are just tools, so the less maintenance and fiddling I have to do, the better. So in that sense, I'm quite happy. I think this will absolutely be my 'forever nozzle'. I think everything can wear out, but for my printing needs, this will most likely last the life of the printer.
@@RobertCowanDIY I am still waiting on your in-depth review of that stackable triple cordless drill you were seen using on battlebots...
Heh, you said just the tip…
Yes, yes I did.
Wasn't impressed with diamondback found retraction performance poor tons of stringing regardless of temp, retraction distance, or retraction speed. Just couldn't get it to tune thinking I may have gotten a bum one but at 100 dollars a pop I'm not buying another to find out I'm just gonna stick with nozzle x
That's really strange. Mine has been just fine, works the same as the brass. Have you double-checked your filament or tried different brands? Also, have you dried your filament? Mine has been spectacular and I will be using this nozzle on all my printers going forward, love it.
Lower your hotend temperature
@@BrazenRain I have by as much as 15 degrees still strings like crazy
@@MrShaun1578 I was thinking even more, since nozzle-x requires higher than usual temps
No stringing issues on mine. Works exactly the same as my brass tips, it just refuses to wear out-- and I print a lot of CF.
Have you tried a Tungsten nozzle yet?
I haven't. From what I've seen it has the sticking issue the standard tool steel one has.
@@RobertCowanDIY Really, haven spoken to some people I know with them they are way better thermally and the sticking isn't that much of an issue.
@@derektran9404 I'd be curious to see what a good one is, because most of the ones I've seen had numerous bad reviews with the same issues.
@@RobertCowanDIY Interesting, I've never heard of issues personally.
@@RobertCowanDIY I have one from Spool3D and it's been great. You do want to get a copper heat block also though as it's easier to get a good seal along with better thermals, but it's not required.
"NozzleX is a good budget option"
Hahahaha. $35 for a nozzle is already premium. This diamond nozzle is ultra ultra premium. It has an extremely narrow and specific use case for people like you whose desire is first and foremost to never ever change their nozzle ever again, and get perfect prints. It does that very well. But to call other options budget just because they are a fraction of the price is misleading IMO. That's like calling a Tesla Model 3 Performance edition a budget option because a Ferrari costs more.
Most of my budget nozzles have been 40 cents. Once I sprung for a "premium" nozzle that cost me $3....
Cost is something that is relative and everyone has their own personal viewpoint of what is worthwhile, a good value, or too expensive. For this reason I mention MY reasoning for buying the nozzle and why I feel FOR ME it's worthwhile. I spent a few hours trying to track down some issues with PETG. This nozzle saved me a few hours of my time, which is more than worth the cost. For others, that might not be the case, and I feel I was quite clear in that regard. The premise of the video was for me to find a 'do-all' nozzle since the NozzleX wasn't perfect for me. I concluded that for me the Diamondback was the one to go with, the hardened nozzle (I feel) doesn't provide enough flexibility for all filaments, so therefore the $35 NozzleX is a good compromise. Yeah, it's many multiple times more expensive than a brass nozzle. I'm not arguing that nor am I trying to hide that fact. It is what it is. But it works and can solve problems for people. People spend a lot of time with their printers and I see people sinking a lot of money into numerous mods for minimal gain in print speed or quality. Why would a $35 nozzle (which is about half the price of a single 500g roll of NylonX) be such an absurd upgrade? If you're printing exotic materials, it's not that much in the context of everything else. I feel like you're just trying to create drama or controversy for no reason. I'm giving my opinions and felt I was very clear and upfront. I even said twice in the video that you can just simply swap nozzles for different filaments.
@@RobertCowanDIY your statement in the video "at the end of the day it is another tool" is a perfect way to put it. It is all down to use case. 3d printing is a hobby for me, and I get a decent life out of the 50 cent nozzle for what little i use it... Once a week maybe at most...
But on the other hand It may be baffling to some people for me to spend $6500 on an oscilloscope when most people may find a $250 hantek does the job. And they may not see the benefit to the more expensive options. For my brother its his $10K Sawstop tablesaw or $2200 router. And the list goes on... But they are tools we depend on for our livelihood and are used daily and sometimes non stop. They save time, do a better job and make us not have to think about so many things when we can just concentrate on the job..
@@wishusknight3009 Yep, so true! For me, it's a tool. Seth's comment baffles me since I have end mills that are easily $50-$100 and are seen as consumable. The printer is a tool and spending $100 so I don't have to re-level the bed or really mess with it for different filaments is well worth it for me. I see people buying cheap $20 filament and spending all day trying to get a good print out of it and diagnosing a print profile, etc... In the machining world, if you can buy a cutter that speeds up cuts, saves you time, or lets you do 2 operations at once, people are gonna pay whatever it costs. I see this as no different.
@@RobertCowanDIY I actually look forward hearing about its long term performance. Imagine the 3d printer being about as thoughtless to use as that office laser printer that everyone just sends print jobs to.
For $100, you'd think they would have made the rest of the nozzle out of either hardened steel or tool steel...
hardened steel is a pretty poor conductor. brass is a better conductor for heat, so it's actually the better combo.
Why $100? They've been selling $1 to $3 diamonds on ebay that are very large for their cost. You're talking simulated diamonds the size of a smaller nozzle for just a couple bucks.
Because actually manufacturing diamond (synthetic or otherwise) isn't easy. Diamonds are REALLY cheap, but getting them shaped into usable dimensionally-accurate tooling is the trick. You can just drill out a brass nozzle, you can't do that (as easily) with PCD.
@@RobertCowanDIY I do think you could easily produce a diamond the right shape for about $1 per diamond, and if I'm not mistaken, you can easily use water to cut a hole in the diamond to whatever size is needed. When I bought a bunch of diamonds on ebay (about 10 years ago) they were about $1 ($0.74 to $0.99) for large, multi carat diamonds and the same company was selling them for the same price with holes in them as beads. That's why I figured they could make inexpensive diamond nozzles. I think the same is true for synthetic ruby also. I don't think they have to be expensive.
@@deucedeuce1572 The devil is in the details. Sure, waterjet SOUNDS like something that would work, until you realize that it almost always cuts with a bit of a cone, so it wouldn't be a straight hole. Also, the holes are jagged, which isn't ideal. Also, garnet is the abrasive used in waterjet cutting, and that's not hard enough for diamond. ALSO, they have about a 0.020" minimum diameter just tp pierce through, which is too big for a 0.4mm nozzle. Listen to someone who understands all these manufacturing techniques, it's not as simple as you're making it out to be. Sure, diamonds are largely just carbon, and carbon is cheap. It's not THAT simple. If you can come up with a plan to make them for less than $5, I'll fund your whole business. Send me a business plan and let's do it.
@@RobertCowanDIY There's always a way. Not too long ago people said it was impossible to make diamonds in a lab... and 3d printers would have been considered science fiction. I understand the science and the processes extremely well (more than you realize)... and I have absolutely no doubt that it's not only possible, but also that it's not as difficult as you think. (even if compromises may have to be made).
They're able to make water jet nozzles as small as 0.002" in diameter and can make features the same size. Not only could they cut a hole smaller than 0,4mm, but they could literally cut a CIRCLE less than 0.4mm. There are also simple ways to fix any waviness of a cutting edge, especially one that is small and circular (like spinning the part)... and who's to say it would be a bad thing for the walls of the hole to be wavy? Sometimes things can be too smooth and that smoothness can cause stickiness and friction when a bit of texture can completely fix the problem (and for a few reasons).
I think a fair example is that some smooth-bore rifles actually have serious problems with leading, even if they're chrome lined and polished... but when the same barrel is rifled, whether with polygonal rifling or grooves, it is far, far less likely to have leading problems. I believe the SIG P322 had problems recently when they made their .22lr barrels too smooth. They started having terrible leading problems, because of it and they were having a hard time figuring out why. Like, making the barrel even more smooth should have fixed the leading problem and not made it worse.
...so yeah, I think it would not only be possible, but that it would be easy to make diamond nozzles for a fair price (definitely less than $20 and while making a good profit).
@@deucedeuce1572 Send me your proposal and I'll fully fund and promote it.
Literally doesn't do a single thing that a 10$ tool steel nozzle can't do.
You're absolutely right! A $150 ender-3 does the exact same thing as a Prusa or Bambu Lab. It's not about doing the same thing, it's about doing it a little bit better.
@@RobertCowanDIY It *literally* doesn't make any difference at all.
th-cam.com/users/results?search_query=cheap+nozzle+vs+expensive+nozzle
@@leadmuffins7565 I should make an entire video about how it DID make a difference for me. Oh wait, I did!
@@RobertCowanDIY The guy performed more tests in one video than you've performed on your entire channel proving that it does in fact make no difference how expensive or cheap your nozzle is. The diamond nozzle will last longer, that's it.