The EZflexstruder

[Nylocke]

For the past month I've been working on an extruder design based off of the original EZstruder design. I feel it is working pretty well with the current version, V6.6 (more details on the development of the extruder in my build log). Ive had it on Youmagine and Repables since V3.2

Youmagine:
https://www.youmagine.com/designs/ezflexstruder

Repables:
http://repables.com/r/446/

Parts List:

1. Drive Gear (Designed for the SeeMeCNC gear, but this or the Mk7 should work fine (requirements are an ~11mm hobb diameter))
2. 608 bearing for the printed arm version, or the SeeMe EZstruder arm for the non printed arm version (coming soon)
3. M4x10mm
4. M4 washer
5. M3x25mm
6. M3x8mm
7. 2X M3x5mm
8. E3d threaded bowden coupling (included with all hotend kits)
9. 1 compatible spring. EZStruder spring or the 3rd one over on the top right of this image in that pack of springs, or this from McMaster works
10. A longer length of Teflon tubing for the bowden system. Since the tube goes up the the drive gear with this design it is no longer long enough.

I don't have enough pictures to properly do an assembly guide of sorts at the moment, but tonight I will try to get a short assembly guide made for it.

I have printed a few things with the extruder, both at 20mm/sec and 30mm/sec and it hasn't jammed in any way, shape, or form. It works so easily that Ive been able to take some ninjaflex, feed it through the hole in the arm into the drive gear, turn the Steve's gear on the shaft, and push the filament through the whole extruder body without hand guiding it at all.

[Earthbound]

That looks very interesting. Will have to give it a try. The red sample in the images on repables is ABS, correct? Any recommendations for print parameters (layer size, perimeters, infill ratio)?

[Nylocke]

I printed mine in ABS, .2-.25 should be fine. I've been doing 25% in Cura, 2 perimiters 3 top and bottom shells

Nylon should be fine for the body, but you'll want ABS or something more rigid for the arm.

[Glacian22]

Is there a good source for the spring? It would be a shame to have your design be unusable unless you buy an ezstruder first!

[Nylocke]

Its for use with either the stock spring or one of similar dimensions. I went to home depot a long time ago and bought a total of 3 assorted packs of springs, and there was one in there that worked just as well. The basic requirements are something with ~25mm long (1 inch) and ~7.5mm diameter (5/16ths). Now that you brought this up, I'm going to resize the spring hole to allow a slightly larger diameter spring to fit into it, the ones I have from home depot are slightly too big. I don't have exact specs on the spring, but the wire diameter seems to be around 1.2mm (3/64ths).

[BenTheRighteous]

Is there a good source for the spring? It would be a shame to have your design be unusable unless you buy an ezstruder first!

Um... can you explain that logic to me please?

I'm not being sarcastic, I just don't understand who wouldn't already have an ezstruder they could take apart.

Do Orions not come with ezstruders or something?

[bot]

Some of the first kits had a printed geared extruder, I believe. Also, some people custom build their Rostock with whatever components they want, never buying the kit and just piecing it all together.

[Nylocke]

This is SeeMe we are talking about, the Steves extruder (came with the H1 printers and the first several revisions of the MAX V1) was an injection molded geared extruder.

[bot]

Oh ok, sorry! I didn't know. The main point was that it was not an Ezstruder.

[BenTheRighteous]

Gotcha... I probably could've (should've?) realized on my own that maybe the ezstruder hasn't been around forever. I feel dumb, but thanks for spelling it out for me though!

[Glacian22]

Also, I currently have an ezstruder, but I want to add a second extruder ^^

[BenTheRighteous]

Ok ok, should've thought of that one too, rub it in...

[Nylocke]

I updated the original post with a parts list

[Nylocke]

V7.7 is out, live on Repables and Youmagine. The only change is to make the spring holes larger to account for a larger variety of springs.

[Glacian22]

I just printed up a copy, and I have a question: the hole at the bottom for the E3D bowden coupler...is it supposed to be able to self tap and hold securely, or did you use epoxy or something to help it? On the version I made it's a little loose and doesn't want to hold super tight.

[Nylocke]

I'll have to check the one I made last night, it's designed so the coupler threads into the strands that were a result of the overhang. I may have to shrink the hole a tad, before it was way too tight so I enlarged it.

[Glacian22]

Reprinted it in a thicker resolution (.3), and now it seems to be grabbing much better.

[Nylocke]

The one I printed last night seems to work fine. Glad it works for you, mine was .2mm and it worked. Might resize to slightly smaller to make sure it works better in the future though.