Hi,

I am close to having my second printer working. This is a more or less standard Rostock, but top and bottom platforms in Acrylic and with two bent acrylic panels enclosing the sides and back - see attached picture. I will be mounting a direct drive extruder on the outside of one of the panels and leading the bowden tube through a long slot in the acrylic panel. As i would like to keep as much rigidity as possible in these panels, I am hoping to get the slot in the right place first time.

I have 2mm bore, 4mm OD PTFE tube - which I take to be just about standard for this use with 1.75mm filament. My question is (are) What have people found to be best for length of the tube? Should the tube be pointed up from the extruder and down to the hot end, or is it better to have it brought in horizontally to allow flexing in two planes? What is the smallest raduis that gives free movement? Any other hints??

Thanks,

Mike

From mcmaster:
Bend radius 38mm for 2mm ID 4mm OD ptfe.