I got an idea that I think is great. However, if it were as great as it seems, someone would surely be using it already. And yet I haven’t seen anything like it anywhere. So I would like to ask for your opinion - is my idea good or stupid (and why)?
I thought I would add a PTFE coupler to the PTFE tube, a little above the printhead (I would cut the hose and connect it using the coupler). See picture for bellow better explanation. What do I expect from this?
Pros:
Easy work for example … to print soft TPU, I want to shorten the filament path to the print head/extruder/nozzle as much as possible. With cupler installed, I could disconnect the tube, insert the filament directly into the short piece that would be connected to printhead (just a few centimeters) and done. The shorter path the better …
Just now, I can use the input from an external spool, but the TPU has to go through the entire PTFE tube, which is unnecessarily long (not that it can’t be done). Or I can disconnect the PTFE tube totally from the printhead and connect the filament directly into it (without the PTFE tube at all), but honestly, manipulating the mechanism on the printhead is a pain (or not too much comfortable). A coupler would be a nice and convenient solution.
Protection – moreover, if the coupling were installed in the optimal location (at the top of the “arc”) of the PTFE tube, it would act as protection – by this I mean that the PTFE tube would not rub against the top glass, but instead the coupler would do so. And coupler, as it’s more robust, would last definitely longer …
Cons:
Obstruction – another “obstacle” is added to the filament path, which may increase the risk of errors when working with the filament Load/unload. But honestly, this does not seem very likely to me… the coupler is designed for such a thing and should not be a significant problem.
Added weight – I will add extra weight (coupler) to the tube, a short distance from the head, which may negatively affect the smooth operation of the print head’s moving mechanism. Yes, the coupler weighs something, but I don’t think it could actually affect the mechanism too much (more exactly at all)
… and I simply don’t see any other problem/“cons”. Which definitely doesn’t mean that there isn’t one… just that I don’t see it. So I would really appreciate it if someone more experienced could tell me what’s wrong with this idea and why it hasn’t been used for a long time… but maybe it’s not so common that I haven’t come across it yet.
Appreciate it in advance. Thanks a lot …
