PTFE Bowden Tube fitting

The only place I can seem to find these brass fittings is Emakershop:

[www.emakershop.com]

Anyone know if this is something they custom make out stock themselves or if it has a more "generic" name to make it easier for me to find elsewhere. Obviously finding someone carrying it in the states would benefit me in terms of shipping times.

A few reprap I have looked at build manuals use these so why this is the only place I can find them is beyond me. All I can seem to find is pneumo fittings.

I thought the pneumatic push-fittings used for bowden extruders were a plumbing item. That or possibly part of the fittings used for the icemakers in refrigerators. Haven't tried myself, but may check out you local home improvement store and ask for help?

I also bought one for myself before I fully understood what it was for from SeeMeCNC who sell Orions and the Rostock Max.

I have made my own. I haven't had to make many, so I haven't created a jig yet. But I thought about it (it's the thought that counts... Right?). The specs are found here.

If you google "push to connect fittings" you will find many places that sell them, even places like home depot. For that thread and tube size you may need to call a hydraulic or industrial supply house in your area.

You can also thread a common nut onto the tube as a mounting method. That is how most RepRap bowden tube were done until mid last year. You can see it in the instructions for Tantillus [www.tantillus.org]

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Sublime
If you google "push to connect fittings" you will find many places that sell them, even places like home depot. For that thread and tube size you may need to call a hydraulic or industrial supply house in your area.

You can also thread a common nut onto the tube as a mounting method. That is how most RepRap bowden tube were done until mid last year. You can see it in the instructions for Tantillus [www.tantillus.org]

Those fittings don't work on this kind of printer. They are very specific design files that go with the Mini Extruder and the hot end. To get a "push to connect fitting" to work, you will need to redesign the extruder and the hot end's heat sink to accept them.

These fitting are mostly used on pneumatics, for the most part they are pipe threads but you can get them with metric threads but they are usually metric fine.

Smaller ones usually are M5 x.8 with a 4mm I.D. and the large ones you get in the US are 5/32 I.D with a 1/8in NPT pipe thread.

Seemecnc carries the smallerm, Tridprinting carries both.
You can also get them on Amazon and Ebay, just pay attention to shipping as some places are outrageous.

They can also be found at www.reprappro.com.

Anyone know where I can get this locally; USA?

[reprappro.com]

The pneumo kind doesn't fit in my model; smartrap. The base of the smartrap has a small diameter hole to pass the bowden start brass fitting and then lock it in place with a clip. The pneumo push fitting is too wide. I can use a 1/4" nut but I'd have to either make some modifications to the base, cut some plastic to fit the ptfe tube through the hole (make a T shape with the the top of the T being the slot for the nut), or drop the nut in the slot and then slide the tube through and twisting it into the nut as I go in. I'm afraid the former with weaken the area and the latter will leave me with some excess tubing after the nut and some overhang on the inside diameter that is normally taken care of with a 2mm drill bit.

The start fitting cost $4 but about $13 for shipping.

I'll see if I have any extras made. If I do I'll send you a pm and send it to you.

I also would not mind making it. The file that was uploaded here is helpful. If only I can find some brass tubing/piping with 2mm ID. The hole the fitting goes through is 5mm (so 5mm OD), the clip has an opening of 3.35mm, so I'll create the recess by taking out about .825 on each side and then put a 4mm tap on one end. Tool steel tap should make easy time for tapping brass.

It is easy. I find the best way to hold the small piece is in the end of a drill or lathe (if you have one).

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jobzombi
Anyone know where I can get this locally; USA?

[reprappro.com]

The pneumo kind doesn't fit in my model; smartrap. The base of the smartrap has a small diameter hole to pass the bowden start brass fitting and then lock it in place with a clip. The pneumo push fitting is too wide. I can use a 1/4" nut but I'd have to either make some modifications to the base, cut some plastic to fit the ptfe tube through the hole (make a T shape with the the top of the T being the slot for the nut), or drop the nut in the slot and then slide the tube through and twisting it into the nut as I go in. I'm afraid the former with weaken the area and the latter will leave me with some excess tubing after the nut and some overhang on the inside diameter that is normally taken care of with a 2mm drill bit.

The start fitting cost $4 but about $13 for shipping.

[www.mcmaster.com]

More specifically I think this is what you are looking for -

[www.mcmaster.com] - $9

Shipping will be about $5 for it or you can email them and get a quote.

or this one

[www.mcmaster.com] - $3 - The nickel plated one is available immediately, I think the only difference between this and the other is the other is rated for nearly double the pressure. This one will work fine for an extruder and will be about $8 delivered.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/2014 10:13AM by tjb1.

Once again... The push to connect fittings are NOT what jobzombi is looking for. They are looking for this one.



Found for this type and similar extruders.

The "Push to Connect" fittings either need to be modified, or the extruder would need to be modified to accompany them.

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KingRahl
Once again... The push to connect fittings are NOT what jobzombi is looking for. They are looking for this one.

658px-Reprappro-huxley-extruder-drive-components-3.jpg

Found for this type and similar extruders.

The "Push to Connect" fittings either need to be modified, or the extruder would need to be modified to accompany them.

Ok, WHY will a push to connect not work?

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tjb1
Ok, WHY will a push to connect not work?

Because the brass fitting jobzombi is looking for slides into the extruder bottom and held in place with the printed piece of plastic in the picture above. All the push to connect fittings thread onto something. To use one of those, another piece would have to be made and screwed into it to work in the original's place.

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KingRahl

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tjb1
Ok, WHY will a push to connect not work?

Because the brass fitting jobzombi is looking for slides into the extruder bottom and held in place with the printed piece of plastic in the picture above. All the push to connect fittings thread onto something. To use one of those, another piece would have to be made and screwed into it to work in the original's place.

[www.mcmaster.com]

That one will fit the heatsink block and clear the heatsink. The other side is as simple as making the hole a bit smaller and threading it, if done right you could just screw it in and let it make the threads itself. You provide me the STL and I'll modify it, no reason to use stupid custom parts.

It looks like jobzombi is using THIS printer.

According to the build instructions on that link, it looks like they are using the "nut" method.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/2014 02:17PM by KingRahl.

I've got the file, if you want it modified to work with a push to connect fitting just let me know. I can have that done in about 10 minutes once I get off work.

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KingRahl
It looks like jobzombi is using THIS printer.

Well looking at the picture, the extruder doesn't use the brass listed here...

It uses a nut threaded to the tube, why are you pushing this fitting that requires a lock so hard if you aren't sure what printer he is using?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/2014 02:18PM by tjb1.

I updated my previous post with that same observation as you submitted your reply.

1. I was "pushing" it because that was the part asked for.
2. The version jobzombi has may require that piece instead of the nut.
3. Or they are modifying it themselves to take the brass piece and wish to include it in their "kit".
4. If they "require" this piece to print, having a modified .stl file would be useless if they can't print it.

I myself prefer the brass piece because of the flared opening helps with changing filament. Bare PTFE against the extruder's "exit" opening isn't reliably centered.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/2014 02:41PM by KingRahl.

It is the smartrap that I have...this is my build instructions for the model...please note that someone gave this model to me and he had some modifications that went out the window when I had to get new plastic pieces:

[laevus.net]

[laevus.net]

Reprappro calls it the "bowden tube start".

I'm really considering this one: [www.mcmaster.com] since the end that the brass fitting slides through is 5mm, so the M5 end could fit nicely threaded into the plastic of the base, the 2mm hold on one end will nicely fit the 1.75 filament and I can just lightly sand the outside of the 4mm tube and the inside of the brass fitting and crazy glue it or epoxy it in place.

Sucks that I cannot find any place local for the brass fitting I need and I contacted smartfriendz but have yet to hear from them, also inquired about the auto level servo and servo-mount (ie where to get it). I also can't seem to find any 2mm ID x 5mm OD brass tube for me to make my own either. Figured I can lathe the recess and then tap the other end, but googled, ebayed and amazoned for it and no luck.

Thanks for the help.

If you are willing to machine it a little you could look at male/female brass standoffs and then drill a hole down the centre and machine the groove in the side.

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I don't use the one from my Smartrap anymore. Let me see if I can find it....

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jobzombi
It is the smartrap that I have...this is my build instructions for the model...please note that someone gave this model to me and he had some modifications that went out the window when I had to get new plastic pieces:

[laevus.net]

[laevus.net]

Reprappro calls it the "bowden tube start".

I'm really considering this one: [www.mcmaster.com] since the end that the brass fitting slides through is 5mm, so the M5 end could fit nicely threaded into the plastic of the base, the 2mm hold on one end will nicely fit the 1.75 filament and I can just lightly sand the outside of the 4mm tube and the inside of the brass fitting and crazy glue it or epoxy it in place.

Sucks that I cannot find any place local for the brass fitting I need and I contacted smartfriendz but have yet to hear from them, also inquired about the auto level servo and servo-mount (ie where to get it). I also can't seem to find any 2mm ID x 5mm OD brass tube for me to make my own either. Figured I can lathe the recess and then tap the other end, but googled, ebayed and amazoned for it and no luck.

Thanks for the help.

You do realize that M5 is 5mm OD and will not thread into a 5mm hole? And why do you need to glue? With that fitting, you push tube in and it locks it.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/2014 08:16PM by tjb1.

Lack of sleep I guess...I just realized that duh M5 will be precisely 5mm OD so it will merely slide through; ie I need M6. My mistake.

Madmike8, if you are in the states, I am more than happy to buy em from you. Like I said before, the sites that have them charge 2-3 times more than the item itself to ship it to the USA.

Hopefully I'll get printing soon again.

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jobzombi
Lack of sleep I guess...I just realized that duh M5 will be precisely 5mm OD so it will merely slide through; ie I need M6. My mistake.

Madmike8, if you are in the states, I am more than happy to buy em from you. Like I said before, the sites that have them charge 2-3 times more than the item itself to ship it to the USA.

Hopefully I'll get printing soon again.

If you give me the STL files for the parts, I can modify them for you to accept these pieces and allow you to thread them in.

I hoped I'd have time last night to look, but didn't. I will today though. Will update when I get off work.

I got the replacement parts off ebay... [www.ebay.com] ... sold by makercoast, which they show here... [makercoast.com] ... though the base plate does not have the opening showing in that version of the bowden start holder. The holder looks more like this one... [github.com] ...and as the listing on ebay states...mix and match of parts. They are more or less the same as the one I got gifted to me except that the new ones have the servo mount for the auto level.

madmike8, yeah let me know. tjb1, I appreciate the help, but I'd like to see if madmike8 has any to sell to me. I feel more comfortable starting OEM, or as close to it, and then modding it as I see fit. From plenty of previous experience, I'd prefer to see how it works first as intended, so I can better notice when it is not working as intended anymore. This is the same reason why now that I have the hotend holder with the servo mount, I am trying to get that too. Since it is there, might as well put it on. Which means updating my marlin (or at least seeing if what is currently there has autolevel put in).

The only thing I have modded from what came stock, is that it came with a solidoodle hotend, SD3 version. I am replacing it with a j-head mk-VB. The old printer holder was heavily warped from overheating the plastic. The original setup has the hotend fan wired to D9, so I assume on occasion I assume they forgot to turn on the fan before heating the hotend. I think I will have it wired this time to 12V AUX on my ramps 1.4 board. That plus the extra cooling the j-head offers hopefully will keep things cooler on this end.

Now that I think about it I think I got carried away with my rambling.

Ok, found it... Drop me a PM with your address and I will drop it in the mail.