I’ve been working on a profile for the 0.8 mm nozzle on my A1, and while I think I’ve made some solid progress, there’s still a lot to figure out. It’s been a process of trial and error, but I think I’m getting closer to something that works well for functional prints.
I like the idea behind the 0.8 mm nozzle of getting prints out faster and with stronger walls. I’ve managed to push the flow rate to around 35 mm³/s with Geeetech PLA, and layer heights up to 0.56 mm seem doable. It’s also capable of printing at 0.2 mm layer height, which means I’ve been able to get both functional and fairly accurate prints. So far, the prints are not only strong but also look quite good. (not 0.4mm Bambu Lab optimized pretty, but good nonetheless)
What’s Still Not Quite There
Now, for the less polished side of things. Retraction settings are still a bit of a headache. I’m seeing stringing and blobs, especially when printing smaller parts. Drying the filament might help, but I’m also not sure if my retraction settings are fully dialed in yet. Retraction with PCTG seems to work really well, but PLA is kinda meh. Scarf seams are another thing I want to try out to improve the finish.
Pressure advance calibration (Flow Dynamics) has been a bit tricky too. I’ve done manual calibrations because the automatic one didn’t quite cut it. When the flow rate and pressure advance line up, the prints look great, but I feel like there’s still room for improvement, especially with fine details. Also, even though the extruder is capable of at least 35mm³/s it has slight under extrusion during real prints.
General Insights from Printing with a 0.8 mm Nozzle
Here are some things I’ve observed while working with the 0.8 mm nozzle:
• Pressure and Flow Ratio: From what I’ve noticed, with the 0.8 mm nozzle, there seems to be less pressure inside the nozzle compared to 0.4 mm or 0.6 mm nozzles. This might explain why the flow ratio needs to be turned up. While the flow ratio is usually below 1 for smaller nozzles, I had to go above 1 for the 0.8 mm nozzle. I think this is related to the lower internal pressure, but that’s just my theory based on my experience so far.
• Flow Rate: The 0.8 mm nozzle seems capable of handling really high flow rates. With Geeetech PLA, I’ve set the flow ratio to 1.02 and managed to reach over 35 mm³/s. The larger opening might allow more plastic to flow and the extruder and heater seem to keep up, though I’m still exploring this. It’s been working well so far, but stringing has been a bit of a challenge.
• Stringing: Stringing has been more noticeable with the 0.8 mm nozzle, probably because there’s a larger opening that allows more plastic to leak out. This is something I’m still trying to reduce, especially when printing with PLA. Tiny strings and wisps are common in my prints, but I haven’t completely figured out how to fix this yet.
• Temperature: I’ve noticed slight under-extrusion during real prints, which I’ve counteracted by increasing the temperature. Going from 220°C to 225°C or 230°C has helped improve consistency, but I’m still fine-tuning.
• Accuracy: Despite being a larger nozzle, it’s still fairly accurate. I’ve printed a bunch of multiboard and underware parts for cable management under my desk that were originally designed for a 0.4 mm nozzle with 0.2 mm layer height. Even at 0.2 mm layer height and 0.88 mm wall thickness, with two walls and the Arachne wall generator, the parts came out functional.
Why Don’t We Have Optimized Profiles Yet?
One thing I keep thinking about is how it’s a shame that there aren’t already optimized profiles out there for the 0.6 and 0.8 mm nozzles. It feels like we’re missing an opportunity to show more people just how capable these setups can be. If we can get these profiles nailed down, we could share them and get more makers on board. That’d be cool!
I Could Use Some Feedback
If you’ve been working with a 0.8 mm nozzle or have some experience fine-tuning profiles, I’d really appreciate any input. I’m trying to sort out:
• Retraction settings that work better for reducing blobs and stringing
• Scarf seam tweaks (or alternatives) that might improve the overall finish
• Any other tips on getting cleaner prints with thicker nozzles
This isn’t meant to be polished or perfect—it’s just me trying to figure things out and sharing what I’ve learned so far. If you’re interested in moving this profile forward or have some feedback, I’d love to hear it.
I’m also planning to work on a 0.6 mm nozzle profile, so if that’s more your speed, we can chat about that too. I’d love to make these profiles as solid as possible and share them, so more people get a better experience with their larger nozzles. I’m new to sharing printing profiles, so if there’s a better way to collaborate and share the profiles, I’m keen to hear those.
Folder with two 0.8mm profiles (Normal and Vase mode) that work well PLA (and also tested with PCTG) - this link goes to my filehosting service called Stack Storage.
P.S. the folder also contains a video of the A1 printing at full speed with the 0.8mm nozzle