Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Living
Outside
Play
Technology
Workshop
Table of Contents
Hot Glue Gun Extruder for Your CNC Machine or 3D Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Intro: Hot Glue Gun Extruder for Your CNC Machine or 3D Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 5: Print! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Step 6: Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Step 7: Useful Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hot-Glue-Gun-Extruder-for-Your-CNC-Machine-or-3D-P/
Author:cfavreau fab-favreau.com
I like to tinker and build stuff.
Intro: Hot Glue Gun Extruder for Your CNC Machine or 3D Printer
3D Printing still costs a few dollars and may be out of reach of hobbiest who do not have any budget. The goal of this instructable is to construct an FDM (Fused
Deposition Modeling) printer extruder (a key component) using a $3 Hot Glue Gun. If you don't think you have seen an FDM machine, you probably have. There are
many hobby versions out on the market now ... Think Up!, Makerbot, RepRap, Up!, PrintrBot, Solidoodle etc.). The least expensive being around $500 to start. These
printers typically use ABS or PLA plastic and push it into a hot extruder much like a hot glue gun.
There are many parts to a FDM printer and in this instructable I am going to concentrate on the extruder. I will briefly go over the XYZ computer controlled plotter
(mechanics, hardware, software). I use a home built CNC router for this. After showing you how to build the extruder and how to attach it to your XYZ Plotter or CNC
router type machine I will go over the software I use along with settings (these are very important) and show some example models that I printed out with it in pictures
and maybe a video or two.
Before I get any further I would like to extend a big "Thank You" to the open source community and all of the people who have contributed to the 3D printing community.
Without all of their work I would have had to put in a lot more work to accomplish goal.
So let's get started shall we.
Just in case you want to see it in action before you do some reading, view the video below.
Image Notes
1. 10mmx10mm cube. Sorry about metric/english measurements. Most models are
metric. I like to work in English measurements. Oh well.
2. Hot Glue Gun Business End.
3. Glass surface for building parts onto.
Image Notes
1. The completed extruder making something.
2. Stepper and AC wires that run the extruder.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hot-Glue-Gun-Extruder-for-Your-CNC-Machine-or-3D-P/
or Benjamin Franklin's (on the East Coast). Walmart just has 1 kind. Be careful ... some are .27" in diameter... some are .28" in diameter. You will want to just get 1
diameter and stick with it otherwise you will have to adjust your bearings again.
* Popsicle Stick
* Slotted Metal Bracket ~2" Long (slot needs to be able to fit #6 or #8 screws)
* Big straw or tube of some sort ~4" long and ~3/8" inside diameter... make sure a glue stick will slide freely using gravity.
* Wire - around 4 feet long with enough conductors to wire your stepper motor to your stepper driver. My wire had 6 conductors and was 28 gauge (an ex PS2 keyboard
cable I think).
* Small Zip Ties
* Piece of Glass (I got mine from scanner) to print on
* Isoproply Alcohol for cleaning the print surface (glass)
* Computer to talk to your printer's electronics.
* Software (I use Pronterface => https://github.com/kliment/Printrun )
If you do not have the 3D printer electronics already like I did not then you will need those too. I am using an Arduino Uno with Teacup firmware. I have built a custom
stepper motor driver for my Extruder. I use a 3 axis stepper motor driver from HobbyCNC.com (http://www.hobbycnc.com/ ). It is a really nice kit and works great. Instead
of using the parallel port from the computer the Teacup firmware and Arduino control the HobbyCNC stepper driver through a shield I made that basically wires some pins
to a 25 pin DSub to pretend it is a printer port. The custom stepper driver I made I basically designed on my own using 2 ULN2803A chips stacked on top of eachother to
give 1 amp per coil. I regulate the current with an automotive lightbulb (not sure how many watts). I then modified the Teacup firmware to control the 4th stepper motor for
the extruder directly instead of using a driver with step and direction control.
and finally you will need some sort of computer controlled XYZ platform such as a CNC router or RepRap. I made my router from parts from Lowes and plans from
Solsylva.com -> http://solsylva.com/cnc/13x13x5.shtml . It is their 13x13 machine and it cost roughly $100 in parts to build (without the motors and electronics). You will
need the Stepper Motors and Electronics too. This is probably where most of the other money lies in a 3d printer besides the extruder cost. There are some really great
Instructables that feature how to build low cost CNC machines that will work great. One of the least expensive and most popular would be the McWire CNC Mill ->
http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-to-Build-Desk-Top-3-Axis-CNC-Milling-Machine/
Tools
* Hot Glue Gun - Hi Temp for gluing stuff to wood.
* Screwdrivers (Flat Head and Phillips Head)
* Drill (Hand drill is fine)
* Step Drill Bit (http://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-titanium-nitride-coated-high-speed-steel-step-drills-91616.html )
* 1/8", 9/64", and 1/4" Drill Bit and a few others ... just a set from Lowes - I have a set by Dewalt which are nice.
* Dremel Tool with Router Attachment and 1/4" router Bit
or
* Dremel Tool with some sort of wood eating bit
or
* Wood Chisel
*** This is used to recess the hot glue "Hot End" into the wood so the glue stick is even with the gear and bearings (which are right above the surface of the wood).
* Needle Nosed pliers for adjusting nuts and stuff.
* Exacto Knife
* Side Cutters
* Soldering Iron and Solder
* Electrical Tape and/or Shrink Tube
Image Notes
1. 4"x6" 3/8" thick plywood.
2. 6 conductor cable. Around 3 foot long. 28 gauge wire (probably should be a lower gauge but it was all I had around and it works fine).
3. $3 mini hot glue gun - Low Temp! The one pictured here is High Temp (do not get High Temp).
4. Mini glue sticks. 4" long by 0.28" in diameter. Low Temp!
5. NEMA17 Stepper Motor with 16 tooth Gear (very important). This one is Unipolar (6 wire). Unknown torque specs.
6. Nuts and Bolts - #8, #6 1.5" Bolts, nuts, lock washers and flat washers.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hot-Glue-Gun-Extruder-for-Your-CNC-Machine-or-3D-P/
7. Bracket to clamp Hot Glue Gun Heater part. About 2" Long with a slot that fits the #6 bolts.
8. L Bracket for mounting the extruder to the CNC machine on the Z Axis. 2"x2" with 0.25" holes (mine were a bit smaller and had to drill them out).
9. 3/8" x 4" Plastic Straw Tube thing.
10. Popsicle stick. Use to be a popsicle. Even comes with a Joke on it.
11. Zip ties. Get an assortment. These are small ones but I also used ones twice this size too.
12. Hot Glue Stick! 4" x 0.28" - Low Temp.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hot-Glue-Gun-Extruder-for-Your-CNC-Machine-or-3D-P/
Image Notes
1. The part you keep. This is the heater and extrusion chamber all in one. Do
NOTcut the cord.
Image Notes
1. 4"x6"x3/8" plywood
2. NEMA17 Stepper Motor
3. 2"x2" L Shaped Mounting Bracket
4. Hot Glue Gun - Mini Low Temp - Just the business parts from inside.
5. Clamping Bracket for Hot Glue Gun Part. Mounted with #6 1.5" Bolts to
plywood.
6. Zip tie holes for Hot Glue Gun Wires.
7. Stepper Motor Shaft and Gear. Hole is 0.75".
8. 100 Tooth Gear For Grabbing and Moving Hot Glue Stick. Mounted with #8
1.5" Bolt. 2 Washers Under. 2 Washers over for smooth operation.
9. Zip tie holes for Hot Glue Gun Wires.
10. Bearings To Pushing Hot Glue Stick Against Gear. Mounted with #8 1.5" Bolt.
Washer under and on top.
11. Bearings to straighten path of Hot glue stick. Mounted with #8 1.5" Bolts.
Washer under and Over.
12. 3/8" diameter straw like tube to guide extra glue sticks into gear.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hot-Glue-Gun-Extruder-for-Your-CNC-Machine-or-3D-P/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hot-Glue-Gun-Extruder-for-Your-CNC-Machine-or-3D-P/
File Downloads
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hot-Glue-Gun-Extruder-for-Your-CNC-Machine-or-3D-P/
extruder stepper ticks about once every 3/4 of a second. Kind of sounds like a noisy clock.
Some hints:
If you try to move too fast the glue gun cools down and you will make a mess.
If you try to move too fast the molten glue might seep out of the bottom of the silicone tube on the hot glue gun and will make a mess.
Do not touch the glue gun extruder. It is hot.
Now that is is work correctly, let's mount it and calibrate the extruder. Then we can finally make a print.
File Downloads
slicer_config.ini (1 KB)
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hot-Glue-Gun-Extruder-for-Your-CNC-Machine-or-3D-P/
[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'slicer_config.ini']
Image Notes
1. Extruder Mounting Bolt (1/4-20 - 2"). Normally mounts bottom part of Trim
Router.
Image Notes
1. L Bracket Bolted to Z Axis!
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hot-Glue-Gun-Extruder-for-Your-CNC-Machine-or-3D-P/
Image Notes
1. Layer Height - 0.75 mm - too small and your glue might back up. Too big
and the object comes out chunky and not connected.
2. Scale - Keep it at 1 unless you want a smaller or larger object for faster or
bigger prints.
Image Notes
1. Nozzle Diameter - I measured mine (the hole in the Hot Glue Nozzle where the
glue comes out) at 1.5 mm.
2. Why not Teacup? It just doesn't work right. I found that RepRap setting works
well.
3. Adjust for faster or slower prints. Leave alone when calibrating and printing for
the first time. These default settings are really slooooow.
4. Hot Glue Stick Diameter. I have mine set to 10 mm although the real diameter
is 7.something mm in diameter (0.28"). This controls the speed of the extrusion
(speed of the stepper) without having to edit the firmware or tinker with any other
settings. I found that 10 to 12 works well... 12 being a little on the edge of too slow
but might work with a smaller layer height or nozzle diameter.
Step 5: Print!
The first thing to do is find some objects to print.
You do not have to look far because there is an ocean of objects on Thingiverse! => http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:648
I have printed the following items successfully:
Maker Bot Coin
40mmx40mm Cube
The Pink Panther Woman
If you want to create your own objects then poke around on Thingiverse to see what everyone else uses (probably OpenSCAD?) ... OR... you can use a relatively new
program on the block called Autodesk 123D . It is beta right now and from my experience is a very easy to use 3D modeling program. It works similarly to other software
but has a really easy to use interface. 123D also has a wonderful online community that hosts 3D models too! So if you find Thingiverse frustrating and want an all in one
3D model catalog and editing software then try 123D out, I highly recommend it. Not sure if you want to... have a look at their YouTube channel. =>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oimFBvqDyR8&feature=plcp
I will be learning how to use 123D now that I have something to realize the models in real life with.
If you do not want to install anything but just want to tinker around... try TinkerCAD . It is in the cloud and appears to have a lot of people that like it. There are a few
others like this however I cannot recall what they are. I am sure Google or Bing can tell you though.
Now that you have a model it is time to run Pronterface and Load a model (slice it). Here are the steps that I use when starting a print.
1) Plug in your stuff and let your hot glue extruder warm up a couple of minutes.
2) Start Pronterface.
3) Jog to the X/Y home position (where ever that might be). I recommend putting a sheet of white paper under your glass and mark on that your home position and axis
labels and maybe some goofy drawings....
4) Press the Extrude Button until a little bit of Hot Glue comes out. I have my settings to extrude 1 mm at a time.
5) Jog to home Z in... squish the little blob of hot glue flat on the glass.
6) Disconnect then reconnect and Reset the printer (all buttons on Pronterface). This set the ZERO for X,Y,Z axis. This is very important.
7) Jog Z up 10 mm (just to make sure it isn't stuck or anything).
8) Load your STL file (you should have already set your Slic3r settings in the previous step).
9) Edit your GCode file to remove the Set and Wait for temperature. IF YOU DON"T YOU WILL WAIT A LONG LONG TIME.
*** Before you click print make sure you check out how big the model is and make sure you are willing to wait that long for it to be printed. Slic3r lies to me about how long
it takes. Pronterface will tell you in the Status bar!
10) Wipe your glass down with a liberal amount of Isopropyl Alcohol. This should help in making the hot glue easier to get off once the print is gone. If you skip this step
be prepared for it to be S T U C K.... this is glue after all.
11) Click the Print button.
If you have not printed much then keep your fingers near the power OFF switch to the XYZ axis so you don't wreck something. Please remember that this is a DUMB
machine and will do exactly what you tell it. For example ... I was printing out the Pink Panther Girl (for 2 hours) and when it finished ... the machine decided it was a good
idea to run the extruder right down the middle of it (Z down first in homing). I managed to save most of it because I turned the power off. Do not depend on the Pause
button in Pronterface to save your butt. The Teacup firmware buffers your commands and it may take a little bit of time for the machine to actually stop. Imagine if that
was your hand instead of your model!
Hopefully a little bit (or a long bit) later you will have a Hot Glue 3D object.
Now comes the Fun part of getting it off of the Glass. Wait a a few minutes for it to cool some more. Take a flat razor blade and scrape your model off. CAREFULLY. The
model should be somewhat sturdy but it is also somewhat squishy and it might deform. Scrape off any extra leftover glue too. Reclean the glass with the alcohol.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hot-Glue-Gun-Extruder-for-Your-CNC-Machine-or-3D-P/
That's It!
Be sure to look at the Notes and Links after this step.
Image Notes
1. 10mmx10mm cube (scaled down 40mmx40mm cube from Thingiverse - I didn't
want to wait for the bigger one).
Image Notes
1. Maker Bot Coin - Thingiverse
2. 10mmx10mm Cube - Thingiverse
3. The Pink Panther Lady! (1/2 Scale) - Thingiverse
Step 6: Notes
This section contains stuff I noticed and didn't put elsewhere and stuff about future things to try.
Colored Hot Glue? For sure. Look at the picture below.
Harder Hot Glue? For Sure. Look at the picture below.
-> Both found at Micheal's craft store. I have not tried these yet.
Need to find that "How To Make Your Own Hot Glue Sticks" I saw on Make's blog a while back.
How to tune corners?
How to print a whistle so it is NOT filled in?
The Maker Bot Coin is an excellent short print. It prints very quickly.
You do not need to download Slic3r in addition to Pronterface. Pronterface (PrintRun) includes Slic3r.
Securing the glue gun internals onto the board is very very important The force of the hot glue stick will try to make it move instead of melt.
Need to try High Temperature Mini Hot Glue Gun.
Need to include a Cooling Fan. This may improve the prints.
How to tune overhang?
Need to calibrate the extruder retracting in Slic3r. The default settings work OK but probably could work better.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hot-Glue-Gun-Extruder-for-Your-CNC-Machine-or-3D-P/
Image Notes
1. Harder Hot Glue
2. Another brand of standard Hot Glue.
3. Colored Hot Glue with Glitter. Actually the glitter is colored and the glue is clear I think.
Related Instructables
Make a
Permanent
NYLON 3D
Printed Coffee
Filter (Photos) by
taulman
3D Perspective
Signature
Model. I will
design a
custom model
for the first
three people
who comment!!
(include your
email address)
by ziggalo
Combination
CNC Machine
and 3D Printer
by taulman
How to make a
high resolution
NYLON, ABS
and PLA nozzle
for a 3D Printer.
by taulman
Wearable 3D
glowing heart!
by
Geekmandude
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hot-Glue-Gun-Extruder-for-Your-CNC-Machine-or-3D-P/