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First time printer -- trying to use NinjaFlex  

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Chad Stewart
(@chad-stewart)
Active Member
First time printer -- trying to use NinjaFlex

Hi -- I just built my prusa yesterday and ran through the calibrations to get everything working. 

I was trying to change the filament to use a flexible material (NinjaFlex) to print some things. The filament seems to get jammed going into the extruder and nothing come out. See pic. The pic is hard to see exactly -- but what appears to be happening is that the filament is being pulled in and bends slightly (because it's flexible) and bends under the pulley, then gets caught and the filament no longer comes out of the nozzle. I've tried changing temps between what NinjaFlex recommends 210-225/20-30 and the preprogrammed flexible temps 240/50. But it's getting caught each time. Any ideas on how to fix this?

Best Answer by JoanTabb:

try reducing the bondtech idler gear pressure to the absolute minimum, try the semiflex or flexfill 98a filament profile, and disable retraction (set value to 0),

regards Joan

Posted : 04/08/2019 4:52 pm
Chad Stewart
(@chad-stewart)
Active Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: First time printer -- trying to use NinjaFlex

Tried to remove this by unloading and somehow the filament got twisted around the pulley but going the wrong way -- I have no idea how to get it out.

Posted : 04/08/2019 5:44 pm
Chad Stewart
(@chad-stewart)
Active Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: First time printer -- trying to use NinjaFlex

Got the filament. But root problem (filament getting jammed/bent/not printing correctly) remains the same. PLA is just fine

Posted : 04/08/2019 5:56 pm
JoanTabb
(@joantabb)
Veteran Member Moderator
RE: First time printer -- trying to use NinjaFlex

try reducing the bondtech idler gear pressure to the absolute minimum, try the semiflex or flexfill 98a filament profile, and disable retraction (set value to 0),

regards Joan

I try to make safe suggestions,You should understand the context and ensure you are happy that they are safe before attempting to apply my suggestions, what you do, is YOUR responsibility. Location Halifax UK

Posted : 04/08/2019 9:32 pm
Chad Stewart
(@chad-stewart)
Active Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: First time printer -- trying to use NinjaFlex

Thanks @joantabb -- that definitely helped but I don't think it completely fixed it.

Filament: NinjaFlex

Settings: 

- Printer: Default + 0 retractor, bondtech gear pressure @ min

- Filament: Semiflex or Flexfill 98a

I was able to print a simple extruder motor visualizer, but my second print after failed & the filament got really twisted:

 

Here's a pick of the print before I interrupted it

 

Posted : 05/08/2019 4:27 am
Chad Stewart
(@chad-stewart)
Active Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: First time printer -- trying to use NinjaFlex

This is what I was going for:

Attachment removed
Posted : 05/08/2019 4:28 am
Chad Stewart
(@chad-stewart)
Active Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: First time printer -- trying to use NinjaFlex

I'm thinking the bondtech gear is too far from the extruder barrel and/or the filament is not running in smooth enough so it's bending? I'm not sure how to adjust it to make it closer though

Posted : 05/08/2019 4:37 am
Dave Avery
(@dave-avery)
Honorable Member
RE: First time printer -- trying to use NinjaFlex

also try printing slower - flex filaments need very slow speeds

Posted : 05/08/2019 4:38 am
Chad Stewart
(@chad-stewart)
Active Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: First time printer -- trying to use NinjaFlex

Yeah was just reading some stuff on NinjaFlex that said do everything at 50-80% speed. I've clocked all that down & am going to try again.

I've become very adept at removing the flexible filament when it gets tangled though. Lol

Posted : 05/08/2019 4:43 am
Chad Stewart
(@chad-stewart)
Active Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: First time printer -- trying to use NinjaFlex

Just attempted again with slower speed -- same thing happened. I'm thinking it's that spacing in there. I'm just noticing my extruder motor might be slightly rotated causing the space between the extruder barrel and the bondtech pulley. Faults of building it yourself I guess

Is this gonna be hard to adjust? 😡

Posted : 05/08/2019 4:54 am
Chad Stewart
(@chad-stewart)
Active Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: First time printer -- trying to use NinjaFlex

Ahhhhhh the nut on the extruder door wasn't all the way in -- so it was causing extra pressure on the firmament because the screw had to reach further. After getting that better in there, the pressure on the filament was low enough to not cause the tangling. Thanks for the help everyone!

Posted : 05/08/2019 5:40 am
Bruce
(@bruce)
New Member
RE: First time printer -- trying to use NinjaFlex

@chadws

Hi, 

What is your final slice setting? Would you please take a screenshot out of it? Everything happened to you has exactly been happening to me. 

Posted : 07/10/2019 7:22 am
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