Bowden Tube removal...

[Norm77]

I was so excited today when I finally finished the blue PLA that was sent with
the Orion Delta from SeeMeCNC. Please don't take this the wrong way anyone,
but I was getting sooo tired of printing with that "Blue" filament. Any way I had
ordered some different filaments and was getting ready to change out the old
and bring in the new (filament that is). Only one problem, I followed the
directions from SeeMeCNC but I cannot seem to remove the Bowden Tube
after pushing down on that little plastic ring. I don't want to force it or grab the
tube with pliers or anything, I'm just wondering if somehow the plastic tube
got melted inside the fittings below it.

Any help would be most appreciated, as always thanks,

Norm77...

[TFMike]

Your Orion came with Blue PLA? And on top of that you were able to print it so hot that it melted the PTFE tube?

[Captain Starfish]

What can happen is that the filament gets a bit of a swelling on the end which won't fit back up the tube and it all jams up, or, if you don't retract say 100mm at the end of the print then the filament can solidify into a big plug which jams in the hot end until you heat it up again. Try and see if you can push the red lever on the extruder to release tension on the filament and, whilst holding the red lever is down, try again.

If this works then two things:

1. Run the hot end up to full temperature and you should be able to pull the filament out. You might need to snip a clean end on it before it goes back into the bowden tube.

2. In future, when you finish printing and before the hot end gets a chance to cool, retract the filament 80mm or so to get it right out of the hot end.

[TFMike]

I followed the
directions from SeeMeCNC but I cannot seem to remove the Bowden Tube
after pushing down on that little plastic ring. I don't want to force it or grab the
tube with pliers or anything, I'm just wondering if somehow the plastic tube
got melted inside the fittings below it.



Norm77...

can you simply unscrew the Push To Fit Connector that the Bowden inserts into and then clip the remaining filament underneath and push out the rest thru a heated up hot end with a long thin piece of metal?

[Polygonhell]

I suspect the issue is just that you need to release the filament from the end of the hotend before trying to remove the bowden tube. If the filament is secured at both ends removing the tube is pretty difficult. Heat the hotend and retract the filament 50mm or so, that's usually enough.

Having said that you really don't have to remove the bowden tube to change the filament, and I would recommend you don't, the fittings have the nasty habit of dying, just heat the hotend to printing temperature (or a bit lower), push the red lever on the EZStruder and pull the filament out.

[PopolZ]

I just heat the hotend to printing temperature (or a bit lower), push the red lever on the EZStruder and pull the filament out.

That's what I do as well.

[guanu]

as polygon said, if the filament is in the hotend and it cooled, popping the bowden tube will be almost impossible... as others have said, you can unscrew the PTC fitting from the hotend and clip the filament... also the grey cap PTC fitting is rather difficult, but possible... I usually have to push the grey clip down, and give the tube a good yank to pop it free from the fitting... easiest way would be bring the hotend up to temp and unscrew the PTC fitting from the hotend, clip the end off, then just push the red lever on the ezstruder and pull the rest of the filament out of the tube... then you can screw in the PTC fitting and feed in your new filament.

Guanu

[RAMTechRob]

I believe he is having the same problems as me. The Push-to-Fit is just broken. I haven't been able to remove mine since the first change of filament. I just unscrew the fitting and keep the tube engaged into the brass.

[Norm77]

Thanks for all of your responses. I used Polygonhell's suggestion and it
worked great. I guess from now on I will use that method.

Again I appreciate all of your comments.

This is a fantastic group - keep up the good that you do.

Norm77...