3D steps in How to make a new Ball..

[Redbrickman]

@Artur5 - Can't remember what 3D printer you got in the end but Flexible / TPU filament would be great as you can vary the amount of compression of the finished part by the infill percentage you use. Problem is many bowden printers throw a fit with flexible filament as it gets chewed up in the extruder gears. There are some workarounds like making the bowden tube really close to the gears so the filament can flex on itself before feeding into the gears.

One workaround is cutting the bowden tube so it butts right up against the gears...

 

[Artur5]

My Prusa has a direct extruder so this isn't the problem in my case.
Either the filament I purchased is quite bad or I haven't been able to find the right settings - temperatures, printing speed, retractions, idler tension and so on.
Probably is a combination of both factors. Next time, instead of full size spools I'll try samples of 50-100 g. so no much harm done if they don't work very well.
I guess that a bigger nozzle would help too. 0.6mm. seems to be a better choice for this kind of stuff than the 0.4mm size I've used since the beginning.

 

[Redbrickman]

@Artur5 You have probably already seen this, but if not you might get some useful tips from the article. Some people use almost no retraction which helps prevent the filament bunching up in the extruder...

https://blog.prusaprinters.org/how-to-print-with-flexible-filament_29672/

 

[stratman]

I'll purchase my second 3D printer the day after @stratman gets his first one.

It is my pleasure to save you money and explanations to Mrs. Artur5 for the latest contraption invading her home.

PS Mrs. The Hat long ago banished @The Hat to the tool shed with his army of printing thingamajigees.

 

[Artur5]

I wasn't expecting less from you. Many thanks @stratman.

 

[Artur5]

@Artur5 You have probably already seen this, but if not you might get some useful tips from the article. Some people use almost no retraction which helps prevent the filament bunching up in the extruder...

https://blog.prusaprinters.org/how-to-print-with-flexible-filament_29672/

Yes, I tried different retractions settings -from 0 to 2 mm or so- and it seemed to make no difference. I use Pruse Slicer because IMHO it has a better, friendlier interface than Cura and they provide also profiles specific for their printers and a lot of filament brands..

 

[The Hat]

I'll purchase my second 3D printer the day after @stratman gets his first one.

When @stratman stops using a pencil then he’ll add a 3D printer to his signature..

 

[The Hat]

I too had mixed reactions when I changed a lot of these setting, but in the end they made no difference. I’m still using the first Cura 15.04.6 and it works..

The less I change the better it seems to work, (default) and I use a point 5 nozzle head, because I got a pack of 50 very very cheap..

 

[stratman]

I wasn't expecting less from you. Many thanks @stratman.

You're welcome! I like to keep my expectations low. It's the Irish in me.

 

[stratman]

When @stratman stops using a pencil then he’ll adds a 3D printer to his signature..

I won't say never because you never know, uncle.