Accupuncture needles  

Re: Accupuncture needles

Popped this up in Amazon and this is what I came up with: https://www.amazon.com/0-4mm-Drill-Bits-Cleaning-Stainless/dp/B072JJ7H5P/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1533748764&sr=8-4&keywords=acupuncture+needles

"0.4mm Drill Bits - 3D Printer Nozzle Cleaning Kit - Stainless Steel, 4.1" Length (5-Pack)"

I've never used this but it's advertised ad a 3D printer nozzle cleaning kit so it shouldn't be that much of a gamble.

Re: Accupuncture needles

I bought a pack of these and they work great. Different sizes for different nozzles as well

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XQ6Q6SL

Re: Accupuncture needles

The long skinny needles are great for deeper clogs, but may bend or snap off in the extruder as you probe. The shorter bits are more robust, but may only be suitable for clearing a nozzle clog. Been there with both situations, have both on hand now. Have read that an electric guitar E string is ideal, but haven't tried this yet.

Re: Accupuncture needles

The needle that came with my MK3 wandered off, but it was very handy the couple times I used it. I don't know a thing about these needles. Could someone tell me what to buy to replace it?

I got a replacement package with 100pcs on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=100+acupuncture+disposable+needle

Re: Accupuncture needles

I got 5 cleaning needles and some teflon tube bundled with a package of 10 brass nozzles for US$9 on Amazon. I wanted some extra nozzles, so the cleaning needles were essentially free.

Steve

Re: Accupuncture needles

Have read that an electric guitar E string is ideal, but haven't tried this yet.

Dang, and mine's acoustic. Seriously? Why only electric? Guitar strings come in different gauges (light medium, heavy) so that may bear on it as well.... (It does. 😀 )

Ok, I just looked it up. A medium gauge electric string (the most popular, but there are others) is 0.010 (musical instrument gauges are different than AWG--I did not know that), which is equivalent to an extra-light gauge acoustic string (Yeesh! I tried light gauge once, but went back to medium...) Anyhoo, that 0.010 string, whether electric or acoustic, comes out to 0.3973mm, so yeah... pretty darn close. 😉

Don't ask me about other nozzle sizes. I got the conversion from:
https://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/wire_gauge/gaugemEWG.html?u=gaugemEWG&v=1

That also means my old dead acoustic strings won't work on a 0.40mm nozzle. 😡

Re: Accupuncture needles

[...] Dang, and mine's acoustic. Seriously? Why only electric? Well, I suspect it was meant more as "not nylon strings".

[...] Anyhoo, that 0.010 string, whether electric or acoustic, comes out to 0.3973mm, so yeah... pretty darn close. 😉 Wow, closer than I would have thought.

Strings have the advantage of being cheap and easily cut to size. I haven't tried one yet, but it might be a useful thing to know.

Re: Accupuncture needles

I have this on my Amazon wishlist

Re: Accupuncture needles

Strings have the advantage of being cheap and easily cut to size. I haven't tried one yet, but it might be a useful thing to know.

I'd try to find a musician, and ask them for a "dead" "E" string next time they break/change one.

I'm afraid I'm SOL... Everyone I know plays Bluegrass (which means--or should mean--acoustic).
I should probably check sizes of banjo & mandolin strings...

I have this on my Amazon wishlist

That seems (compared to other references) like a lot for 9 needles.
BTW, are all acupuncture needles the same dia.?
what about different size nozzles?

I know... I should just look it up. I will when I need some. So far I've been lucky I guess--no clogs yet.

Re: Accupuncture needles

'd try to find a musician, and ask them for a "dead" "E" string next time they break/change one.

Which E string? Normal 6 string guitar tuning goes E A D G B E

Also, there's a bunch of left over string at the tuning knob when you re string a guitar. Could see if a musician friend has any laying around. Or you could pick up some acupuncture needles or buy a pack of guitar string.

Re: Accupuncture needles

Which E string? Normal 6 string guitar tuning goes E A D G B E

Why, the fat wound one, of course. Should slip right into that 0.4mm orifice

Also, there's a bunch of left over string at the tuning knob when you re string a guitar. Could see if a musician friend has any laying around.

Being a... (I won't say musician)... person who plays at guitar myself, I don't know anyone who saves the ends. They're either very young and coil them up trying to look "cool," or they grow up and toss them out before someone loses an eye. 😉

Or you could .... buy a pack of guitar string.

I think I can wait, thanks.

Re: Accupuncture needles

I have this on my Amazon wishlist

Thanks, I'll give that a shot.

Re: Accupuncture needles

I'm afraid I'm SOL... Everyone I know plays Bluegrass (which means--or should mean--acoustic).
I should probably check sizes of banjo & mandolin strings...

I'm no musician either, but in my teenage years I had an acoustic guitar and switched it to the steel "electric guitar" strings on the recommendation of my teacher, so it's not out of the realm for them to have non-nylon. I know once or twice I did something stupid and had to open a new pack of strings for 1 string and had the other's just sitting there waiting for who knows what.

Re: Accupuncture needles

Apologies in advance for the non sequitur...

I'm no musician either, but in my teenage years I had an acoustic guitar and switched it to the steel "electric guitar" strings on the recommendation of my teacher, so it's not out of the realm for them to have non-nylon.

Nylon & gut strings are (AFAIK) generally found on more classical instruments. Acoustic folk, country (notable exception: Willie Nelson) & Bluegrass generally use steel strings.

Why your teacher recommended electric strings on an acoustic instrument I can't fathom, unless he was trying to teach electric-style guitar on an acoustic instrument (it's done, but gives me the willies... (not Nelson 😛 )

If anyone wants to continue this line of discussion, we should probably go PM, and get this one back to nozzle needles... 😀

Re: Accupuncture needles

I got an acupuncture needle with each of my printers.

never used them, they get lost and maybe I am lucky, never yet thrown a nozzle away because it was blocked. (Worn, Yes... Blocked, No)

I have one finned section of the extruder with PTFE stuck in it, I had a spare, so I just replaced it, will clear it if the need arises.

I have changed the PTFE a couple of times....
first time when I had the Mk1, because it deteriorated and started blocking the filament
that printer had a E3d V6-lite extruder, where the PTFE went into the hot end... the full E3d V6 is better in that the PTFE stops inside the heat break, inside the cold end.

other times because I was having Jam's inside the extruder on the Mk2 MMUv1 printer, these seem to have gone away, since I istarted chamfering the bottom of the PTFE

so far I haven't had to change the PTFE on the Mk3 (Touch wood)

we all have different experiences

regards Joan

RE: Accupuncture needles

I bought the i3 MK3s kit. Where is the bundled acupuncture needle?