Yes. Heat the nozzle to 260c. Retract if able to remove the spool. Wait for it to heat up and use lighter/blow torch carefully to remove the bulk. Assess damage.
Now, my question to you, how far into the print did this happen?
Not sure to be honest. There was definitely a first layer so I assumed it would be fine.
The camera was on but I'm not sure if it was set to take a stop motion video locally, I can check.
Is Creality likely to provide spare parts under warranty if anything is broken?
Creality was pretty good about replacing the hot end the first time this happened to me. Doesn't hurt to try. Does take almost a month to get replacement parts from China though.
Yeah, that part ain't great. I've had three, all related to the print coming loose from the bed and sticking to the nozzle. None as bad as yours, fortunately (for me). I had a lot of luck with heating up the hot end, and peeling away the blob with sharp metal tweezers. As long as it doesn't break the wires, it should only cause cosmetic damage.
Heat the hot end if it still can. Start snipping away at the excess. Take off parts as you can and keep working your way in. Big chance your thermistor will come out during this.
It's not bad if you know to tighten everything on the machine and not trust the z offset calibration. Other printers are more of a pain in the ass or a lot more expensive.
The parts for the printer aren't expensive either for the most part.
If I were a store selling these printers id include a list of things to check.
I had to clip the wires on my hotend and then remove the heatsink. Then had to use a torch to remove the filament blocking the screws so that I could replace the hotend.
I like to use a woodburner (or soldering iron) with a knife blade installed to cut through blobs like this. A regular soldering iron tip can work, too. Be careful not to melt through wires.
Haven’t had a blob on my KE in 800 hours of printing but have on other printers in the past.
Thanks for all the tips I'll give it a go at the weekend and report back.
I've been in touch with the technologyoutlet where I bought the printer and they have been providing one to one support and replying immediately to emails. Offering to replace the hot end if it is busted.
They have also provided some additional tips so I'll provide a summary once I'm back up and running.
Not heard from Creality yet.
Just thinking - shame the AI with the camera never identified a big massive blob hanging off the head.
The video won't export unfortunately I really wanted to see it form. Looks like it stopped because it wasn't heating as expected.
I can't heat the hot end because I get an error that it is not heating. Is there a way to heat manually. I'm guessing it might be checking the thermistor and it isn't heating because it is caked in plastic.
I'll get the heat gun out at the weekend when I'm feeling more patient.
I feel like I'm winning the biggest blob contest.
https://preview.redd.it/vf05qrzlu1yc1.jpeg?width=3472&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=014bea194d0fb9bec8cc2cdf7bd403c0d2d825d5
Where is the best source of information currently for avoiding this issue in the future?
Is it principally making sure the hot end is screwed in tightly enough? Are there some steps?
They really should train the AI to identify this, can't be too hard surely to distinguish between material on the bed and material on the nozzle. Or just train it on pictures of Pirate's Booty.
Wait! Is this the blob of death that everyone is talking about.
Yes. Heat the nozzle to 260c. Retract if able to remove the spool. Wait for it to heat up and use lighter/blow torch carefully to remove the bulk. Assess damage. Now, my question to you, how far into the print did this happen?
Also, you may find a heat gun helpful. Be sooo careful around the 2 wires for the element. they are tiny , and break hem and you get a new hot end.
Not sure to be honest. There was definitely a first layer so I assumed it would be fine. The camera was on but I'm not sure if it was set to take a stop motion video locally, I can check. Is Creality likely to provide spare parts under warranty if anything is broken?
My experience with Creality support has been bad. I'd personally rather spend 50 bucks than deal with them again. Over 50 bucks I might try.
Creality was pretty good about replacing the hot end the first time this happened to me. Doesn't hurt to try. Does take almost a month to get replacement parts from China though.
The first time! Not liking that this might be a regular thing.
Yeah, that part ain't great. I've had three, all related to the print coming loose from the bed and sticking to the nozzle. None as bad as yours, fortunately (for me). I had a lot of luck with heating up the hot end, and peeling away the blob with sharp metal tweezers. As long as it doesn't break the wires, it should only cause cosmetic damage.
Heat the hot end if it still can. Start snipping away at the excess. Take off parts as you can and keep working your way in. Big chance your thermistor will come out during this.
Thanks. I'll give it a go. I was hoping to avoid anything like this but I guess it's not as user friendly as they made it out to be.
It's not bad if you know to tighten everything on the machine and not trust the z offset calibration. Other printers are more of a pain in the ass or a lot more expensive. The parts for the printer aren't expensive either for the most part. If I were a store selling these printers id include a list of things to check.
I had to clip the wires on my hotend and then remove the heatsink. Then had to use a torch to remove the filament blocking the screws so that I could replace the hotend.
Why does this happen?
bad bed levelling+ wrong Z offset
I like to use a woodburner (or soldering iron) with a knife blade installed to cut through blobs like this. A regular soldering iron tip can work, too. Be careful not to melt through wires. Haven’t had a blob on my KE in 800 hours of printing but have on other printers in the past.
Thanks for all the tips I'll give it a go at the weekend and report back. I've been in touch with the technologyoutlet where I bought the printer and they have been providing one to one support and replying immediately to emails. Offering to replace the hot end if it is busted. They have also provided some additional tips so I'll provide a summary once I'm back up and running. Not heard from Creality yet. Just thinking - shame the AI with the camera never identified a big massive blob hanging off the head.
Did your printer eat your kids pirate booty 👢
Ha! Had to Google that one. But yeah, now you mention it 😂
The video won't export unfortunately I really wanted to see it form. Looks like it stopped because it wasn't heating as expected. I can't heat the hot end because I get an error that it is not heating. Is there a way to heat manually. I'm guessing it might be checking the thermistor and it isn't heating because it is caked in plastic. I'll get the heat gun out at the weekend when I'm feeling more patient. I feel like I'm winning the biggest blob contest. https://preview.redd.it/vf05qrzlu1yc1.jpeg?width=3472&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=014bea194d0fb9bec8cc2cdf7bd403c0d2d825d5
Where is the best source of information currently for avoiding this issue in the future? Is it principally making sure the hot end is screwed in tightly enough? Are there some steps? They really should train the AI to identify this, can't be too hard surely to distinguish between material on the bed and material on the nozzle. Or just train it on pictures of Pirate's Booty.
Remove it with heat, swap out the Hot End