Replacing Nozzles on the Flashforge Creator Pro
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 มิ.ย. 2024
- The nozzles on my Flashforge Creator Pro were getting a bit old, plus, I wanted to start using hardened nozzles which would let me print more of the exotic filaments. It was time to replace the brass nozzles with something a little better.
Thankfully, the guys at Proto Pasta had the mk10 nozzles in stock, and I was able to get them in pretty easily. Want your own? Buy them here:
www.proto-pasta.com/products/p...
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After a couple of years not using it I had a lovely month and a half of basically trouble free printing from my old Flashforge. Now I have a clog and I'm back to watching Joel to remind myself how to change nozzles.
Joel in the Past is always here to help :)
8yrs later, just got a Flashforge Creator Pro and thank to these videos I got all the info and tutorials I need! Thank you!
Glad to help!
@@3DPrintingNerd Are you still using it? why not make an upgrade video, add TMC2208, Noctua fans and maybe better extruders. Build the ultimate Flashforge Creator Pro?
Thanks for the clear instructional video, Joel. One thing I wanted to see you show was a quick confirmation that the nozzle tips were level.
I've shimmed other things with aluminum foil before, so was confident I could figure out where that would go and how much to use. (as many layers as are necessary, on the high side only!)
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More shim story than you ever wanted to know:
My previous experience with aluminum foil shims was when I used the stuff to reposition the cam towers of a 1979 Datsun 510 2-liter 4-cylinder engine because the head warped one time when the radiator blew.
Well, the cam towers, being mounted on top of the head and then line-bored so the cam would fit perfectly in each, were leaning all over the place after the warp. On the underside, I had it milled flat again and a valve job done, so those things were as fixed as they could be.
But the cam towers were binding on the cam, so when I reinstalled the towers, I would snug them down, and used felt pen to mark the inner surfaces to see where the cam was rubbing when slipped in and spun by hand.
Shim by shim, I added layers of aluminum foil between the tower base and the top of the head, pressing a layer of foil onto the cam tower underside, then neatly cutting each with a #11 X-Acto blade to form a gasket shape. I did this on either side of the cam tower, to lean it this way or that, and under the entire surface if it need to come up.
After a few hours of cutting multiple shims, mounting the towers loosely, felt-pen marking the inner race of each one, then inserting the camshaft and snugging the bolts until it was hard to spin, then cutting more shims and repeating over and over, I finally got it so I could spin the camshaft by hand. It was tight, but I thought as soon as oil gets up there, that would make it spin easily.
I was wrong. It worked great for h, about a few thousand miles, but the very slight misalignment that caused it to spin with moderate hand-force was flexing the cam each time it made a revolution.
Eventually, while on a week's vacation over in Chelan, WA, the camshaft had just about enough of that flexing, and it snapped in two, right in the very middle of the cam, between the second and third cylinders. The two cylinders closest to the firewall were moving up and down, but the valves for those two were closed for business. That half of the cam just sat there.
The break was even enough, flat on those faces, that the broken ends just bumped against one-another lightly, not causing a problem. So, the front two cylinders were the only ones still alive, and the car immediately ran like an old 15 horsepower farm tractor. I took off the valve cover to confirm what was going on, since I always take tools with me, and it seemed fine except for the break. There was no other problem, so I buttoned it up and continued to drive it around town.
Next I went to a gas station, and had them order the camshaft and gasket set, to be UPS'ed there ASAP. I was going to do the cam swap right there. In the meantime, I continued to drive around, enjoying my vacation in the sun, chugging along with just under half the power.
When the camshaft came the following day, I had already gotten used to the gutless two-banger tractor motor, so decided NOT to do the swap until I got home. Actually, it was pretty doggone funny. But driving it back home, about 130 miles, that meant taking on the 4,300 feet-high Stevens Pass, and all the uphills between Wenatchee and Stevens Pass to do it.
Well, the week of vacation came to a fun, slightly sunburned end, and as I drove home, I crested the pass doing a whopping 20mph. Almost fast enough to make the hair on your head move!
A state Trooper on the far side of the highway was ticketing someone for speeding, and as he heard me approach, chugging along like a tractor, hang glider on top, mini-bike on a mount up in front, sagging low from all the gear that was packed on it and in it.
He stopped a moment, looked at me, tilted his head like the RCA Victor dog, and then just went back to what he was doing. I guess I just wasn't going fast enough for him to pursue me.
After cresting the pass, I was able to get the car up to the speed limit here and there, which was great.
Finally arriving home, I unpacked, got a good night's rest, then did the cam swap at a leisurely pace. THIS time, however, I took my dear sweet time and got the cam towers so well shimmed that when it was all bolted down tightly, I could spin the cam with two fingers. This cam was going to last.
So, adjusting the valves and buttoning it all up, that car ran for another 70,000 miles or more, and I finally sold it to a kid in high school who just needed dependable trans-po, and only had a few hundred bucks to spend. I sold him the car, and gave him back a hundred bucks of what he paid me, just because it felt right. The body was old, and beaten, but the drive train was still in great shape. It had a quarter-million miles on it when sold it.
The End!
So, you want to talk aluminum shims? Hahaha! I can talk aluminum shims! :D
PS - I know your father-in-law through Facebook. When I mentioned I'd recently bought a used Flashforge Creator Pro and needed to learn, he mentioned you. Thanks for your help!
You are the first person I have seen that's pointed out where the ptfe tube is and how to get it out. Thanks for that because I'm getting prepared for if I have a problem when I get my flash forge dreamer. LOVE you're vids btw and keep it up👍
+WolfGamerProHD Serious? Wow. I would have thought others would have mentioned that. The PTFE tube is super easy to remove / replace AS LONG AS you've removed the filament from the hot end prior to the procedure :) When you get your Dreamer, use it for a bit, but then, get a hardened / treated nozzle for it. I promise, one of the cheapest and best things you can do to upgrade that printer.
Thanks I had this problem when I first got my printer and a straight forward video like this helped me greatly.
Just got 2 of them in the mail! Hope they work well!!!
Thanks for the information. I just bought my first 3D printer and the left nozzle seems to have a problem so this is very helpful. Also find it interesting that this printer looks extremely similar to mine but is a different make.
Thanks joel! I do kind of miss your old vids :(
Man you have no idea how much this helped me!! Thanks man.
That's great to hear! Welcome!
Thanks mate. I'm always a bit hesitant to mess around "under the hood" on this thing, but simple and well explained. Appreciate it.
You're welcome! Let me know if you give it a go!
Thanks!! This was very helpful tonight :)
You should show where you put the foil because that could really help me with my new nozzles . Thanks
Watch when he takes it off the rails after 2:20. The foil is on the left side of the screen and falls out of where he put it.
@@Pelnied Dumb question, but is it always going to be the left side that needs the foil? Is there some way of seeing if the nozzles aren't level?
@@HunterGeophysicsAustralia you could have either the Left or the Right nozzle be higher than the other. I'd just recommend if you are messing with the extruders, start by but adjusting one of them so that you can keep the other as a good baseline for reference. I been able to tell the extruders are uneven height by how much they grip the paper while doing bed leveling. If one extruder dragging harder against the paper, it's lower than the other side. You might even tell with test prints that have a large surface area. One extruder may have a better first layer than the other.
@@Pelnied gotcha. Thanks
7 years later.. thank you. i have the same leveling issue with my ff creator woodcase
@@Pelnied
Hi Joel, Thanks for the great video. It really helped me with my all metal hotend upgrade. /highfive
Thanks for the tip - didn't know these were needed for exotics. Might have to order a set before my Creator Pro arrives! ;)
+Adam Macey They are required, but boy, they will sure extend the life of your nozzles and your printer in general. Plus, the mk10 nozzles are $14.99 each from Proto Pasta. Super cheap upgrade!
are required or arent?
Cullen Lonergan Sorry, ARE NOT. Stupid typing hard for me.
Thank you very much for this video! Today was cleaning day for my Flashforge Creator Pro, and your tutorial was very helpful!
By the way, is there a recommended size to cut the PTFE tube? I measured the ones that I took off and it seems that the new ones I had purchased last year were shorter by 2mm. Testing them right now...
Your left-hand side extruder block seems pretty loose! It's the same extruder design as the dreamer and I have 'never' been able to fully level the nozzles again properly after changing heads. Do you have a super secret method for doing it without taking the whole extruder assembly apart to get at those pesky hidden grubscrews? :P You'll enjoy XT-CF20 prints like a dream and the strength, oh the strength!
EDIT: Should have watched till the end before posting haha, it's a little getto but shimming is probably the easiest way! I'll give it a shot.
+Maker's Muse Shimming IS a little ghetto, but, when I talked to Flashforge, that was their official method of fixing the leveling issue. I cannot wait to print with some more CF material! I'm VERY partial to the Proto Pasta CF and, well, I have a roll already for testing :)
Haha well if its official! And some Stainless PLA I see. Damn it if only the shipping wasn't twice the cost of the filament for me to get hold of some...
+Maker's Muse I often change the nozzles on my Flashforge Creator Pro (from .2mm up to .6mm). I don't remove the entire carriage, as it's really not necessary. Simply secure the hot end with a set of grips and remove the nozzle with a wrench or socket. No need to tighten them THAT much. I just get them little more than finger tight and check them for tightness before every print. As far as the nozzle offsets, it's because of the bad design. I do exactly what 3D Printing Nerd does because I've spent HOURS trying to get them level with calipers and measuring instruments and what not and it's never correct. I plan on getting one of these (store.wmdproducts.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=63&product_id=62) when I get some more monies.
Pretty cool intro. Thanks!
I know it's an old video, but I'm setting up my new FlashForge Creator Pro, and noticed the uneven nozzles. The aluminum foil tip saved me a lot of time and headache. Made a "washer" out of it, used it on the side that was lower and added layers as necessary, it took 3 for me.
Hi Five
Hey Joel, can you do a review of this 3d printer please?
Great video! How are your new nozzles working for you these days?
Awesome. Nothing more satisfy than fixing a problem after watching a DIY video.,Hey, quick tip for people without guitar string --- wire wrap wire works perfectly too. 30 AWG wire is 0.255 mm. Had a fully blocked nozzle. Took out a really small dremel tool inserted it into the nozzle and spun the nozzle. Don't use the actual too, brass is too soft.
Been having issues with works printer, this is very helpful, thank you ☺❤
Oh wow such a simple solution for leveling the nozzles! I have just been using the nozzle that is the lowest and ignoring the higher up one... >.< Thanks for the handy tip, gonna try it on mine! Also have you done anything to the z-axis to reduce the z wobble?
Glad I could help! I don't get wobble on my Z, so I haven't had to do anything to it.
@3:08 Why was the heater block already loose from the larger block? Is it supposed to be loose? I think I over-tightened mine and now they're not equidistant.
Tightening the extruder nozzle, it was still loose from the main block.
You know you can level you're nozzles individually so you dont need that piece of foil, heres the video where it shows you how to do it. you dont need the 2 heat-sinks that they use, I found that 2 4x4 Lego pieces stacked on top of each other along with one of the slim plates is about the same height as the heat sinks. Here is the link: th-cam.com/video/1pAPA0mImhI/w-d-xo.html Happy printing!
OMG, thanks for making this vid man, I have always wanted to know how to remove those nozzles, I was afraid to remove mine, for I might damage something and this shows how simple it is. Thanks ver very much. By the way, the spacer you placed so that one nozzle does not drag along the print, how thick was it?
+3D Printwiz Welcome! It was a standard piece of aluminum foil, folded onto itself twice. Not very thick AT ALL.
+3D Printwiz One thing you want to careful with is not to touch the heater wires or the thermocouple wires located on the backside of the aluminum block. Be careful with your spanners. You can do this.
did that once....POW! :) Thankfully a power cycle and it was working again :)...
Is there a particular nozzle set you like for the FFCP 2016, that works great with exotics? It's my first time printing with them, so I want to be set-up right!
So I was wondering... alot of people say there is a plastic tube in the hot end.... wich is why I haven't tried nylon too much... since I have the same pri ter... I should be fine... right?
Quick important question: Our company printer has a little L shaped ledge keeping the carrier from slipping out, and I really need to get this removed so I can go over maintenance with the machine. How do I remove this ledge? or remove the carrier despite it being attached?RE: Never mind, I apparently couldn't see a third screw to remove the ledge. 10/10 I feel silly now.
I love the poop tractor decal!
Do you know how hot the extruder nozzle can get on the Flashforge Creator Pro?
Hey Joel, Great video as always! But, can you do a video on how to level dual extruders nozzles on the FFCP? I upgraded my nozzles to SS ones but my left extruder drags slightly on my prints sometimes causing problems. Thank you for all of your guidance to the 3d printing community! Keep up the good work!
Magnus
He says that in video, at 5:25
Looks good but you need to replace the thermal blankets that cover the heater blocks. It helps with stabilizing the temperature of the heater blocks. Also it helps prevent your carriage from melting. You can get them at fargo3d. That's where I went when I was replacing them on my makerbot. They should work on your heater blocks as well since most are based of the MK7 extruder.
+aamcclary YES I DO HOLY COW. Also, thanks for the tip!
I realize this is an old video by now but wow, those old nozzles and the heater blocks are a mess, are you not concerned with fixing the insulation around the heater blocks? Did your FFCP work good still with the heater blocks all marred up and no insulation on them?
Also, I did the all metal hotend replacement by Micro Swiss (same company that makes those nozzles you had, not Proto Pasta although that may be where you got them) and when I did that I had to re-align the nozzles. To do that I just moved the print bed up to the minimum z-axis (put FFCP in bed leveling mode) and left the set screws for the heat barrier tubes loose. I was then able to get both nozzles touching the bed and tightened the set screws, so far I have had no issues with the second nozzle dragging. My bed was already level when I did this to ensure the nozzles were the same height, I had to re-level and set the first layer height once done due to ensure there was proper distance between the bed and nozzles.
wait how do you insert the foil?
I know you got this forever ago but how do you calibrate the nozzles in the x and y direction so the filament dont overlap so much thanks!
Joel,
Literally about to do this same upgrade to mine printer. Could not have been timed better as there aren't many details about our printers specifically. Thanks much mate!
Also, are those where your filament holders are during printing? Or are they just used as temporary holder for this video? How are they attached?
Tim
+Tim Hamerly Those filament holders are a temp solution until I can find a better way to hold the filament in front of the printer. I would have used this method, but it seems to bind a bit. I would LOVE to mount the filament above the printer, just haven't had the time. Let me know how your procedure goes! The holders you see in the video slide into the hand-holds on the side, and the model was one of the MANY I found on Thingiverse.
+3D Printing Nerd Cool! I was thinking it was just temporary. I too am trying to find a better solution for filament holders, which could go anywhere if I'm printing PLA, but with ABS needing the enclosure I'm at a loss for where I could put them. I'm thinking about building a mount out of wood that would attach at the back of the printer and allow the spools to be elevated above the printer. Haven't gone further than just thinking about it though! Let me know if you come up with a good solution.
Send me a message show you what I have done.
As always, quality video! :) I have a Wanhao that has a similar setup, and there is a tool you can print on Thingiverse that is used to level the nozzles on them. I printed one, but I haven't tried using it. It is a good idea though, I should repurpose that printer for exotic filament. Will have to see if I can find the nozzles you have there. What size of nozzle did you go with?
+Paul Yanzick Do it! :) I used the 0.4mm mk10 nozzles!
If you change nozzle size for faster prints or softer filament how would you set it up in flashforge for creator pro. I only see .4
I have a flashforge dreamer and I can't seem to get the extruder head off the block just spins with it I can't keep it still.
What nozzels can do what filament? Is there a nozzel that can do all types for a flashforge creator pro?? Please elaborate for me, and where do I get them??? Thanks for youre help...
I need two know the method and where you put the foil
Cheers mate for the tip... If you are carefull , you don´t have to remove the head, just grip the extrudeblock from underneath, then loosen the nozzel with the 9mm... worked for me ;-)
+Martin Pearson I figured it could be done without removing the head, but, not until after I finished this. Heh.
+3D Printing Nerd, it always goes that way.. first the hard way😊😊😊😊😊
Ok, so I have a question for you... I've been wanting to replace the nozzle on my Dremel Idea Builder (among other upgrades)... Being that it's just a slightly nerfed Flashforge Dreamer (single extruder, non-heated bed) would these SS nozzles be a direct fit?
I love the Dremel, but the documentation is rather anemic... Prints like a boss though.
+Tom Johnson Jr. Hey Tom. Yes, direct fit! The Idea Builder uses an mk10 nozzle as well, and it's nearly the exact same procedure to do the nozzle swap. I just got an Idea Builder and can't wait to start using it! Also, don't be afraid to contact the guys at Proto Pasta - they have an Idea Builder in house with some upgrades and they LOVE it. Here is the link for the mk10 wear resistant nozzle on their site: www.proto-pasta.com/products/plated-brass-wear-resistant-nozzles?variant=1744165892
+3D Printing Nerd Awesome! Thanks for the info, keep up the good work!
Tom Johnson Jr. Welcome! Let me know how your upgrade goes!
hi, i am 3d printing newbie, my 3dPrint recently just stop extruding but the machine is still moving ,
the extruder seems to be block/clog
can you provide me some troubleshooting?
help me !
What are youre recommendations about printing pacf with the creator pro
maybe you could print a oscar award using metal
+Awkward Octo I bet I could, though, I should probably legit win one first ;)
You can use kapton tape too.
how did you remove that plastic fan drift extender though ?
So after almost two years, how are the Proto-Pasta extruders performing? Would you recommend the upgrade? Thank you
So far they are doing okay, but these nozzles have seen far, far less use than other ones. I think if I was pushing abrasive filaments through them 24/7, they would have seen a replacement after a few months.
whoa they really did need to get replaced
+Christopher Yarbrough truth
hey which would you recommend, the Prusa i3 mk2s or the 2016 flashforge creator pro
~Thanks
If those were my only two choices, I would go Prusa over Flashforge
3D Printing Nerd thanks also what is your top pick under 1500
I have a FlashForge Dreamer, so this shouldn't be that different, right? So, I'm trying this and the brass head won't come off; it's very frustrating. Do I have to heat anything up? I've tried that too, roughly 220 degrees Celcius. Still won't come off... Would like any advice
+RYAN YOU um, I don't think it'll be much different. you'll want to preheat. possibly even hotter. get a good grip on the heater block (don't crush it) and use a wrench. good luck!
How does the foil possibly align the nozzles ? Makes no sense to me .
Is this for flash forge creator pro 2?
if i have a budget for a $1000 or less printer, what do you recommend... i want high resolution prints
Flashforge Creator Pro works great!
Noticed one of your heater blocks was a little loose. I just purchased a CTC printer which is similar to this one and one of mine is loose as well. Drives me nuts. Is there a way to tighten it up?
There is a little grub screw that can be tightened I believe but you have to remove the motor to tighten it. :(
I've been reading more about it. Remove the motor or just the fan?
Matt Patterson I think you have to remove the motor because the grub screw is in the back. I think.
OUCH!
So this are the Nozzels what you had mean to print Proto-Pasta ?? Say can i turn my Dremel 3D Idea Builder into an dual Head Printer ? or is that impossible... Sadly here in Austria we got just the Dremel not the Flashforge >
+Mario Obermaier Hello! These are the nozzles I needed to more easily print the exotic filaments that Proto-Pasta sells. Filaments such as carbon fiber and stainless steel. I don't think it would be impossible, though, I think it would be very, very, very difficult.
I'm on the verge of buying a Creator Pro, but I can't seem to find much info on the dual extrusion system. I've seen tons of videos and reviews on the thing, but only a couple that featured any dual extrusion. Do you use yours? Is it a feature worth having, or does it cause more harm than good (2nd head colliding with prints from 1st head, etc..)? The Creator Pro seems the best option for my budget, but I'm leery about that one issue.
+Jasper Moore hey! I use dual extrusion on the machine less and less since owning it more than two years. It's a tank for sure and I would highly recommend it, but, I just don't use the dual extrusion nearly as much as I thought I would. It IS handy having it as a backup in case one jams and you don't want to clear the jam right away.
Hey, thanks a lot Joel, I appreciate the feedback!
I've only had my printer for about 10 days, but I haven't been using two extruders at once much at all. I used it at first to use a different support material, but I found that using the same support material as your print material works pretty good and comes off cleanly.
So far its just been nice to leave two different materials loaded up, and switch between them instead of having to unload and load new filament.
Thanks for the input. I ordered a Qidi, which is basically the same printer as the Creator Pro. It will be here Wednesday, so I'm excited to get started. I'll probably give the dual extrusion feature a shot for experimentation's sake, but I doubt I'll be using it much, except as a backup.
Great video, but you don't have to unscrew it from the carriage to change the nozzles.
I was thinking the same. Why not just hold the heater block w pliers & use a 9mm socket to unscrew the nozzle while still on the rails?
Ive been having some issues with my creator pro. the filament keeps sticking to the little tube thats inside the hot end. What do i do about this?
I tried replacing the tube with another, but it started happening again. Its like i can get a couple of good prints with one of these tubes, but eventually my filament starts sticking, and then im getting under extrusion until it finally blocks up the hot end completely. is it that im running too hot? I feel like im experiencing it more with some of the abs that i got offshore that calls for 230-260° C. I ended up having to turn it up to about 248° to get this filament to stick to the build plate and extrude evenly. But it ended up clogging that tube. What would you recommend i do?
Hmm, I would print ABS at 230c on my Creator Pro. Going over 248c can destroy / deform the tube (called a PTFE tube) and make it so filament deforms it and eventually clogs.
I thought you would have had to heat up the nozzles before removing them?
attends ! dis moi , tu l'as récupéré a la déchetterie l'imprimante??
FIRST!! muhahaahaahaa btw: you should clean it looks nasty :D and cant wait to see some carbon prints :D
+Mr. Sandmann Truth. Also, me too! Doing Proto Pasta stainless steel filament first!
What is the difference between your Old nozzle and Those you put on?
+Eric Thibodeau (Création3) The old nozzles are just brass. The new nozzles are brass, but plated with something that helps guard against the wear of filaments such as carbon fiber.
+3D Printing Nerd : Still need those Teflon tube??
***** Yessir.
+3D Printing Nerd Look I found those too. maybe its the exact thing
www.p3-d.com/collections/duraplat-3d-extruder-nozzles
Shocking those nozzles are not dowel pin located against rotation. How else could you have a consistent XY position relative to each other? Also, it would seem the printing area would be larger if they were flipped around closer to each other. The lack of any kind of fixed alignment there wounds my inner engineer. He's not talking to me now. I hit like even though he frowned at me. Gee wiz I.E., It was a good video anyway.
+Crafted Ha! I know the heater blocks have a dowel pin that locks them into place, or, at least keeps them from moving. In the video you can see one of the heater blocks moves a bit because my pin isn't tight. It's hard to get to, and tightening the nozzle seems to take care of it. Lazy wins for me in this case. Also, thanks for the like even though your Inner Engineer cringed :)
how much did you smoke before you started filming?
All four tires
haha I love that answer :D
Do you want to convert your Creator Pro to IDEX system? I design this system with good results. Working on MakerBot Replicator 2, Flashforge Dreamer, Flashforge Inventor, CTC Bizer, Qidi XPro and Qidi Tech 1
I have to know why you put the poop-tractor emoji sticker over the branding on it? LOL
I did that because it's awesome. :)
What Nozzles does the FlashForge Creator Pro use? I want to order from www.proto-pasta.com/products/plated-brass-wear-resistant-nozzles
+Andrew Wataszko It uses mk10 nozzles
+3D Printing Nerd what orifice diameter should I choose for the FlashForge Creator Pro?
+Waheed Alsayer The printer ships with a 0.4mm so if you don't want to tinker with any settings, stick with the 0.4mm.
Is this a good novice printer? High five!
+Botmonster22 I think so. It was the first printer I purchased when I got into 3d printing.
has anyone told you that you look like markiplier
Yeah, I've heard that from a few people.
Cullen Lonergan and sound like him
seriously, stainless steel printing?
Hey Joel, I'm the engineer who made the Dual all metal hot ends for the Creator Pro ,let me know what you think about it.I could send you one for free if you want to test it and comment on it.Thanks!
Regards
Thanks for the well-done vid. One shouldn't have to take the carriage apart just to swap out nozzles...just shows what a poor design that setup is.
messi printing in 3d... lol