Cleaning out PETG from Nozzles.

Has anybody figured out how to clean PETG from Nozzles. In the past I got nozzles for my MK8 for $0.34 and I just threw them away when they got clogged. I am now thinking about getting a diamond, three in one out, nozzle. At $20 a nozzle throwing them away can become expensive fast. ABS and PLA dissolve in MEK and acetone, but PETG, which is my filament of choice, is impervious to solvents. Any suggestions before my $20 nozzle gets clogged?

Thanks,

Stuart

You can do the atomic pull with nylon filament or even your own PETG. Also a thin wire (e.g., guitar wire or a strand from the BBQ brush) can be used for cleaning. Lastly, if you're using an all-metal head make sure you're not retracting too much into the cold zone (stay under 2mm if possible).

Heat the nozzle with a propane torch until red hot. Make sure it is clean with nozzle cleaning wire.

I find that too much heat can make things worse sometimes. The filament becomes carbonized and it is impossible to remove then. I use a Dremel tool to remove most of the plastic parts and with some luck, the remaining parts melt when I reheat the nozzle.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/24/2016 02:15PM by drmaestro.

For my 0.4mm nozzles, I got some 0.4mm drill bits from Amazon. I also have a hot air rework station, but you could use a heat shrink gun. Don't think a hair dryer will get hot enough. I heat the nozzle with the hot air until it is warm enough to soften the filament. I then push in filament and let it cool a bit, then pull it out. Hopefully it pulls the clog with it. I use the drill bits to clean out the tip of the nozzle to finish up the cleaning.

The carbon is burned off. C + O2 = co2.

DCM dissolves PETG quite well.

Be careful with DCM, though. Or with any toxic, flammable carcinogen.

Thanks everybody for your input. Dichloro Methane is not something I would want in my house nor is it easy to get. As drmeistro has stated heating the nozzles with a propane torch sometimes closes off the orifice in the nozzle. I think I came up with the perfect method. I bought a stainless steel container, in this case an $1 ashtray off of eBay, and put my nozzles in it. I then put everything on the bottom of my self-cleaning over and let it clean for 4 hours. When I pulled out my nozzles from the oven, not only were my nozzles cleaned, but so was my oven. Since this is more controlled than the blow torch method, I did not see any damage to the orifices of my nozzles. The only negative is that the stainless steel ashtray discolored under the heat, so if you try this at home, use a stainless steel container that you will dedicate for nozzle cleaning rather than your wife's nice stainless steel serving tray.

Stuart