Getting skeinforge to print a shield like reprap-host

I think when you thread two metal objects together the thread cannot form a seal. E.g. when you tighten a nut on a bolt you have two spirals pressed together on one of their faces but there is also a spiral void caused by the clearance on the other face of the spiral. That void will allow a liquid to pass, hence the need for plumber's tape.

The other way to make the seal is where the end of the barrel seats in the nozzle If those surfaces are smooth then the clamping effect of the thread can form a seal there, but not in the thread itself.

With my stainless steel extruder the end of the barrel is very thin so it bites into the aluminium nozzle and forms a seal if it is tight enough.

---

[www.hydraraptor.blogspot.com]

YES, I even tried PFTE plumbers tape figuring if it prevents water from leaking it must certainly stop any PLA from getting through and maybe it did - that was my hot end that died a warriors death:

---

Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

I recently lowered my baud rate, and noticed pausing and blobs. Perhaps your comms are too slow? I use gen6 and repsnapper, but am using standard fiveD (or teacup now, i guess), and i set my baud rate in configuration.h to 38400. when set to 19200, the head will pause for multiple seconds, oozing all the time. this not only causes the ooze, but all the pressure is lost in the chamber, so when it does restart, it makes thin, stringy paths.

I don't know how the standard fiveD buffers, but it obviously wasn't keeping the buffer full, or my machine was too fast for that baud rate, emptying the buffer faster then it could fill it.

at 38400 i don't get any pauses, but i might try upping it again for testing.

@rhmorrison those parts are not from us.

I never said they were...

---

Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

"if you use a two part nozzle like the big head nozzle" <- close enough (link added)

I use a two part makergear nozzle and thermal barrier, and have had no leakage with PLA so far. I have put less than 100 hours on it though.

You added the link I didn't - look at the picture and you will see it is a BIG HEAD nozzle or do you own the trademark on BIG or HEAD?

---

Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

Leaking from screw-on nozzles isn't a given. Admittedly the nozzle that I've DIY'd have seeped a little, but I'm a lousy machinist. I tried PTFE tape on it once, but that just made it unscrew, PTFE being slippery and all that.

That hot-end was replaced with a one-piece, which didn't leak, but died due to unrelated problem with the nichrome. (Did I mention I'm not the worlds best machinist?) I liked the single-piece, but it was quite difficult to make, for me at least.

I've since switched to a makergear hot end (from makergear, not some knock-off) and it's been solid. When I've had the nozzles off to switch sizes, there's not even a touch of charred PLA on the second thread from the tip.

Bill

My 2 cents, I use the newest stepper extruder from makergear.com. It's a single piece barrel with a nut to add thermal mass. I also have their Big Head nozzle hot end, and admittedly don't have much experience with it since I could never get the Wades hobbing worked out :/ Anyway, I see Rick's concern that you are using his product "big head" as a catch all for two part hot ends why can't you. He is not being confrontational but imagine if you had to do damage control every time someone misrepresented your work?

-Jay

i think using the term "big head" is implying the use of a makergear product since that is exactly what its called.

I have been using makergear 2 piece nozzles for over 8 months and have never had an issue with them like you describe. if you use inferior products that do not have the same tolerances or you do not put it together correctly i could see this sort of thing happening. I also dont use any plumbers tape or anything to seal off the threads.

do you think that saying "wades extruder" applies to any and all 3d printed extruder designs with gears? Big Head may not be trademarked but it is referring to a specific product being sold by a company selling nozzles and i have never seen it used anywhere else but on the makergear site.

If you're having problems with your hot end, your best bet is to get a new one from MakerGear. I've never had a problem with mine and I've never seen anybody complain about 'em. It always works. Everything else on my damned bot breaks down or gets pissy on a regular basis but the MakerGear stuff always works.

And yeah, saying "big head nozzle" sorta implies MakerGear.

I take exception to that!

rfsneiderb used to sell big head nozzels - I brought one in June last year, so don't tell me anyone has a manopoly on a name of an object.

I had never heard of makergear bighead nozzels before this so just because you have not heard it used elsewhere it does not mean makergear has the manopoly on the item!

This kind of behaviour in an open source project. Honestly!

Quote
AgeingHippy
rfsneiderb used to sell big head nozzels - I brought one in June last year, so don't tell me anyone has a manopoly on a name of an object.

TRUE, in that is in fact who I bought my from (you can see his hybrid PEEK/PTFE insulator in the picture).

---

Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

Actually, what Brian sold were - BigHead style nozzles similar to what is sold by MakerGear LLC.

Perhaps a little history would help. About a year ago nozzle demand exceeded my ability to design, test, support and manufacture them in-house. I decided to have them manufactured externally and thought, you know, I'll keep this work in the community and asked Brian R. to make some nozzles, for me, to my specs. Before this he did not sell BigHead Style nozzles, he sold the smaller, generic 5/16" nozzles. And, it was not like I could order just one 7/16" nozzle at that time, I had to pay for him to tool-up (or whatever) - that required ordering dozens. The smaller 5/16" sample nozzle he sent was alright so I placed an order. I was not satisfied with the nozzles he sent and I have never used any of those nozzles. (We presently have our nozzles manufactured on high-end Swiss CNC equipment). At some point shortly thereafter, he started selling his BigHead style nozzles.

The nozzles that I ordered from Brian were for me, they were blanks intended to save me time. I was still working out the BigHead nozzle design and these nozzles were to be machined down, by me, to the final size. They were never intended to be released in the form he sold them. They were never tested by me in that form. And, as far as I know, Brian did not even own a 3D printer and did not test them.

@AgeingHippy - I suggest you do your homework. Trademarks are common practice in open source projects. Brian could have used a different trade name for his nozzles, or called them large brass nozzles, or 7/16" brass nozzles or something else. Using a distinguishing name on a product is entirely different than having a monopoly. I called them BigHead nozzles to distinguish them from other "large brass nozzles" that may be available. From now on we'll trademark our products but that adds legal costs and will increase prices. I tried to avoid it...

@AgeingHippy - "This kind of behaviour in an open source project. Honestly!" - open source or not, I still have to pay the hefty invoices associated with having these parts manufactured. @RHMorrison did not make it clear he was specifically referring to parts from Brian R.

Quote

rfsneiderb used to sell big head nozzels...

That would be from here, I guess: [forums.reprap.org] . <3 google.

Note at the bottom of that page, where it says: "(These nozzles are similar to the "BigHead" nozzle produced by MakerGear, LLC.)"

I think Rick@MakerGear's point was that these nozzles are NOT that similar to his. His work great. Every time. All the time. Ask anybody.

Quote

This kind of behaviour in an open source project. Honestly!

Indeed. It does sound a bit sleazy for a product that seems to have (design?) problems to claim kin with a place that's very well known for their lack of problems. Open source or not, I don't think that's overly kosher.

Look, the solution is simple. Purchase a Makergear hot end. I have screwed with others, but once I got one of his, six monthes ago, I have been printing non-stop since. The product and the support are definitely outstanding. Rick always puts a ton of research into his products, before the get to the market. And after they get to the market, he takes pride in them through the support he gives.

I understand why he wants to be so clear that the product was not made by him. His work. Period.

Hello,

The nozzles, that I supplied, were as per Rick's specifications. While I initially listed them as "Big Head" nozzles, since they were as per MakerGear's specifications, I prompty changed my listing after it was requested that I do so.

I will be happy to supply all of the e-mails, upon request. Since Rick keeps bringing this issue up, here is the last e-mail (dated 2/15/10) that Rick sent me regarding the nozzles....








Remove any reference to BigHead and MakerGear and buy back these useless nozzles and I will remove the comment.

On Mon, Feb 15, 2010 at 11:15 PM, Brian Reifsnyder wrote:

Rick,

I changed the reference to indicate that the nozzles are similar to the BigHead nozzles. There is really no difference between what I have done and what Dell, Compaq, etc. have done when they came out with an "IBM PC Compatible computer." They used IBM's name and indicated that it was compatible. Do you have a trademark on the name "BigHead?" If you do, then as long as I am not indicating that I am supplying "BigHead" nozzles; but, nozzles similar to them that is considered "Fair Use."

When you indicated that the holes were off center, I requested pictures. You indicated that you were going to supply the pictures and I have yet to receive them. When we initially discussed my making the nozzles, I requested a blueprint with tolerances. You never provided one. I therefore made them to your specifications as determined by our e-mails.

I would also like to point out that placing a negative comment about my products, in a public forum, is in poor taste. I have never spoken harshly in any way about your company or products.

Regards,

Brian


Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2010 21:54:31 -0500
Subject: Re: BigHead Nozzles

From: rick@makergear.com
To: reifsnyderb@hotmail.com

Brian -

Please remove any reference to MakerGear or BigHead nozzles.

Thank you.

On Mon, Feb 15, 2010 at 9:47 PM, Brian Reifsnyder wrote:

Rick,

I changed the post to indicate that the nozzle is similar to the "BigHead" nozzle and not imply that it is a "BigHead" nozzle.

Regards,

Brian


Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2010 21:31:09 -0500
Subject: BigHead Nozzles
From: rick@makergear.com
To: reifsnyderb@hotmail.com


Brian -

BigHead is a term used by MakerGear. Would you please remove it from your post on the RepRap forum.

Thanks,
Rick

Hotmail: Powerful Free email with security by Microsoft. Get it now.



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Here is the e-mail, from 2/3/10, on 2/2/10 Rick told me he was going to "try" to send me pictures so I could see what the problem was. I never did receive any pictures. I was more than willing to work with him in order to perfect any processes. Look at it this way: Why would I send him junk when I was interested in getting repeat business?

Regards,

Brian





Brian -

Will the nozzle blanks ship today?

Thanks, Rick

On Tue, Feb 2, 2010 at 6:12 PM, Brian Reifsnyder wrote:

Hello,

I have attached the invoice.

I'll be interested in seeing the pictures. I have been wondering what the problem is, with them, as they all appeared centered. There is, however, a distinct possibility that the hole did not emerge, in the inside, in the center. This would be due to the drill bit wandering as drill bits do not drill perfectly straight holes. Since these drill bits are so small, a 3mm long hole would be considered a deep hole and the drill bit could easily wander.

Thanks,

Brian



Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 17:17:05 -0500
Subject: Re: Nozzles

From: rick@makergear.com
To: reifsnyderb@hotmail.com

Brian -

Go ahead and send the invoice for twelve nozzle blanks and priority shipping. Please ship them in the tube with the remaining PEEK.

I'll try and get some nozzle photos.

Thanks,
Rick

On Tue, Feb 2, 2010 at 1:11 PM, Brian Reifsnyder wrote:

Rick,

Are the nozzle holes off-center when looking from the tip end or from the threaded end?


Regards,

Brian


Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 08:34:23 -0500
Subject: Nozzles
From: rick@makergear.com
To: reifsnyderb@hotmail.com

Brian -

I received the nozzles and PEEK yesterday. I like the overall cut of the BigHead nozzles but unfortunately almost all of the holes through the tip are significantly off-center. How quickly could you make me a dozen BigHead blanks (everything but nozzle opening)?

Thanks, Rick



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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/02/2011 08:12PM by reifsnyderb.

Hello,

Please see the last two posts I made here. I have posted some e-mails of the conversations between myself and Rick Pollack regarding the "Big Head" style nozzles.

Quite frankly, I personally feel that this is nuts. I have never stated nor implied that I have or had a 3d printer. I made my parts as per the specifications posted in the Wiki and with improvements that had been suggested and tested by builders and users of the printers. The "Big Head" style nozzles, that I sold, were to MakerGear's specification. Since Rick was initially going to sell them as "Big Head" nozzles and since they were built as per his specification, the only true difference was that people were now getting them directly from the manufacturer. (I will be happy to post his e-mails regarding the specification, if requested.)

I also have felt that I was providing the community with some competition to keep the prices reasonable. Please bear in mind that those "Big Head" nozzles take about $0.35 worth of brass to make. If they were to be made by the 10,000's, you would probably be able to buy them for $2.00 or $3.00. I have also seen the 8mm brass nozzles for as much as $10.00. Those nozzles use about $0.10 worth of brass.

I figured that since I have machine tools and can build to a blueprint that I could be of service to the community. If anybody had a problem, with what I sold them, I have always been willing to help anyway I can. I have always been careful not to mention MakerGear in a negative form. On the other hand, Rick has taken the opportunity to bash me any chance he could. Personally, I have always felt that his behaviour is rather unprofessional. But, he is free to do as he chooses.

Regards,

Brian

Hello,

There is another point that I would like to make.

I started making "Big Head" style nozzles for the following reason:

I invested some of my own money in tooling and materials to make the "Big Head" nozzles for Rick. After Rick told me he was going to get some pictures I thought that he was going to work with me so that we could make improvements for our mutual benefit. When it became obvious that he was not going to work with me, I looked at the brass that I bought, the tooling that I bought and figured along the lines of what they say about making lemonade when life hands you lemons. So, I started making the "Big Head" style nozzles and selling them for a reasonable price. I would have to check the e-mails, for specifics, but I believe that Rick and I negotiated a price of $4.25 per nozzle. I was selling them for $5.00 and later $6.00 each.

My personal opinion is that Rick was just ticked off because I was keeping the prices down.

Regards,

Brian

P.S. Please see my last 3 postings in this thread.
P.P.S. Sorry about the thread hijack. I am just tired of Rick acting like he is so great when, in the end, I feel he tried to extort me.

Hello,

I would also like to add a link to my thread where I was selling parts:

[forums.reprap.org]

For your viewing pleasure, you can read Rick's comments where he "crapped" on my thread. Observe his lack of picture postings. You can also read about how I responded when somebody actually did post pictures, what I did, and how I handled it. The evidence is in plain sight that I did not sweep anything under the proverbial rug.

Regards,

Brian

I did think it was odd at the time because a) the nozzle you sent me had a centred hole and b) why would it matter if it was off centre?

---

[www.hydraraptor.blogspot.com]

My personal feelings are if this Rick bloke is using names such as Reprap to do his marketing (which is certainly bringing him business) then he really should not be fighting for trademarking the name an item like a bighead nozzel - or complain if someone uses the term 'similar in style to a bighead nozzel' etc.

Otherwise he should not be using terms such as 'Wades' or 'Adrians' when refering to extruder mounts, 'Nophead style heater' (actually he does not, but uses the heater block design by Nophead) 'Prusa Mendel', 'RAMPS' electronics etc.

Or maybe he should, placing some credit where it is due?

Give him his due - he invented the term Bighead Nozzel, but is using terms and designs by others so I feel it is a case of the Pot and Kettle....!!!

pointless argument really.

pointless argument really.
I suspect I agree.

As one of the moderators here, I don't really want to see this discussion get any more heated and personal. I suspect it will die down - it is highly counterproductive for entrepreneurs and business-type folk to get drawn into heated personal disputes as it alienates potential nozzle-buyers and drags down the community as a whole. Hint. Hint.

Rick, Brian, you guys have both had a chance to speak your piece. Perhaps we should let this subject rest?

---

-Sebastien, RepRap.org library gnome.

---

Remember, you're all RepRap developers (once you've joined the super-secret developer mailing list), and the wiki, RepRap.org, [reprap.org] is for everyone and everything!

I agree with Sebastian here.

"P.P.S. Sorry about the thread hijack. I am just tired of Rick acting like he is so great when, in the end, I feel he tried to extort "

A. This is a personal business matter between the two of you, please settle it in PM.

B. reifsnyderb, I see your point, but on Rick's side if I where to create a login as reifsnyderc and started selling stuff similar to yours, you might get a little puckered . I think a good chunk of Rick's issue is that people where mixing up his stuff and your stuff. I personally saw people show up in IRC wanting support for hybrid insulators and big head nozzles, and it was only after 5-6 minutes that we could get these folks to understand that Rick was not the manufacturer of all Big Heads and Hybrid Insulators (You have to admit, open source is confusing as heck for people when they first get here ).

C. He asked you to change the name, don't see a threat to sue you, only requests. For extortion he would have to say do this or else. Do you have an email where he demands something of you on pain of some recourse? If not it's not extortion, it's just a request.

D. As far as Rick "acting as if he is so great", he is a businessman, just like Botmill, Makerbot, Mendel-Parts, and all the others. If I was selling a MakerRobo that looked exactly like Makerbot's kit, using all the same names for the parts, and I was a former subcontractor with Makerbot, you know I don't think I would get upset if Bre emailed me saying "Could you please make your design more different? Your confusing folks".

And Seriously dude, posting emails between yourself and a former contractor, classy, insinuating extortion when no threat was made, SUPER CLASSY.

BTW I know myself and 5 other people who have Rick's hybrid insulators, all of them have worked many dozens of hours without any leak what so ever, so it's definitely possible to make a hybrid that does not leak, which was the point of this conversation to begin with.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/03/2011 09:11AM by spacexula.

---

repraplogphase.blogspot.com

Hello,

I agree 100% that it is counterproductive. Please bear in mind that I have been very quiet about this for over a year. I just get tired of Rick trashing me at every opportunity. At this point, I am not actively selling anything and really have nothing to gain. (Probably nothing to lose, either.) However, it just seems as though Rick gets a "free pass."

While I know that this is his forum, here is a posting of his: [groups.google.com]#

He is always implying that I have sold garbage. How can my stuff have been junk if I have people telling me that they have been running my parts successfully for 6 months now? (I just had somebody tell me that on the IRC last evening.) I have also seen postings where people indicate that my parts failed; but, they blame themselves. I have also seen other postings indicating that my parts have failed. However, the people who indicated that they failed did not attempt to contact me. Anybody, with problems and who contacted me has found my response to be immediate. When people have contacted me with problems, I have spent considerable time, and expense, sending people replacement parts or making modified parts in order to get them working.

I also have people tracking me down and asking me if I still have any parts. (I'll be sending out some "Geared Extruder Nozzles" parts in the near future.)

Rick seems so obsessed with trashing my parts that he is still going on about it when I have not made a "Big Head" style nozzle in at least 4 months now.

Thank you for your understanding and patience on this matter.

Regards,

Brian







SebastienBailard Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> pointless argument really.
> I suspect I agree.
>
> As one of the moderators here, I don't really want
> to see this discussion get any more heated and
> personal. I suspect it will die down - it is
> highly counterproductive for entrepreneurs and
> business-type folk to get drawn into heated
> personal disputes as it alienates potential
> nozzle-buyers and drags down the community as a
> whole. Hint. Hint.
>
> Rick, Brian, you guys have both had a chance to
> speak your piece. Perhaps we should let this
> subject rest?

Hello, please see my reponses below...

spacexula Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I agree with Sebastian here.
>
> "P.P.S. Sorry about the thread hijack. I am just
> tired of Rick acting like he is so great when, in
> the end, I feel he tried to extort "
>
> A. This is a personal business matter between the
> two of you, please settle it in PM.

I agree. He should contact me, via PM or e-mail, and make an attempt to settle this matter. Instead, he is quite content with publicly trashing my products at every opportunity. As I have stated earlier, I have kept quiet about this for over a year now and I am, quite frankly, tired of it.

Though, I must point out, that at this point there isn't much that he could do. Given his actions, my personal opinion is that he owes me an apology. However, I would just be content if he would ceast and desist making the negative comments.

> B. reifsnyderb, I see your point, but on Rick's
> side if I where to create a login as reifsnyderc
> and started selling stuff similar to yours, you
> might get a little puckered . I think a good
> chunk of Rick's issue is that people where mixing
> up his stuff and your stuff. I personally saw
> people show up in IRC wanting support for hybrid
> insulators and big head nozzles, and it was only
> after 5-6 minutes that we could get these folks to
> understand that Rick was not the manufacturer of
> all Big Heads and Hybrid Insulators (You have to
> admit, open source is confusing as heck for people
> when they first get here ).

Yes, it can be confusing. But, as I stated previously, the nozzles that I supplied were made to his specification. I believe that it is pretty clear that he was planning on re-selling them.

> C. He asked you to change the name, don't see a
> threat to sue you, only requests. For extortion
> he would have to say do this or else. Do you have
> an email where he demands something of you on pain
> of some recourse? If not it's not extortion, it's
> just a request.

Please review the e-mails and the postings on my "for sale" thread. He did say "do this or else." He first made a very negative posting then told me that he would take it down if I sent him his money back. He never asked for a refund prior to this nor did he send me the pictures requested. He also never sent me the 36 (I think it was 36.) nozzles back that he said were bad. Instead, he posted negatively about my product then told me that he would take down his negative posting after I paid him. I did not pay him and left his posting stand. In addition, I publically requested the pictures and did not receive them.

> D. As far as Rick "acting as if he is so great",
> he is a businessman, just like Botmill, Makerbot,
> Mendel-Parts, and all the others. If I was
> selling a MakerRobo that looked exactly like
> Makerbot's kit, using all the same names for the
> parts, and I was a former subcontractor with
> Makerbot, you know I don't think I would get upset
> if Bre emailed me saying "Could you please make
> your design more different? Your confusing
> folks".

I respect the fact that he is a businessman. However, I clearly indicated that they were similar to the MakerGear "Big Head" nozzles. It is considered "fair use." That is also a common business practice.

> And Seriously dude, posting emails between
> yourself and a former contractor, classy,
> insinuating extortion when no threat was made,
> SUPER CLASSY.

Constantly trashing another supplier, as Rick does, is also in poor taste. That is why I have not posted these e-mails until now. I was hoping that Rick would just let it drop. However, he does not. Therefore, I guess you could say that I have stepped down to his level by releasing these e-mails.

> BTW I know myself and 5 other people who have
> Rick's hybrid insulators, all of them have worked
> many dozens of hours without any leak what so
> ever, so it's definitely possible to make a hybrid
> that does not leak, which was the point of this
> conversation to begin with.

I understand that. Rick probably has many more hybrid insulators "in the wild" as he has the name recognition.

Regards,

Brian

Rick:

I see that you have been reading this thread. (http://groups.google.com/group/makergear/browse_thread/thread/90403e6a489633e5) Why don't you post here, yourself, and answer the allegations? I'd be happy to post my response in your forum, however, I have a feeling that the moderator may be a little biased.

Oh, yeah, please feel free to add harrassment to your list as your continuing trashing of the parts I have supplied could be interpretted to be as such.

Brian

> Why don't you post here

Er.. He did already. A couple times.

Initially, it was reacting to somebody saying this:
> ...am printing using PLA and if you use a two part nozzle like the big head nozzle you will eventually get blobs on your object because the PLA squeezes between the threads.

It then turned out that the "big head nozzle" he was referring to was one of your "similar to MakerGear" nozzles, not a MakerGear nozzle.

Since the MakerGear ones do not leak with PLA, it seems pretty reasonable for Rick to clarify that his gear does not have that problem. No?