Stardate... recently(ish)

After Steve (my son and non-resident Printer Whisperer) levelled my 3D printer bed I managed to print about 3 different versions of some divider clips that will help sort out my numerous widgets and transfunctioners in various drawers, then guiltily remembered that I had promised grandson Ethan to print off the rest of the Vertibird (I don't actually know what that is) that I began a couple of years ago.

I created one big bit before the printer crashed out on me last time - I need 9 more prints to get the smaller bits done. Started the first one - and the printer ran out of filament 5 or 6 hours in. Anyone need some greeblies?

Feeding the beast

Spent a couple of days last weekend trying at odd times to feed new filament into a small hole - according to YouTube it's easy - release the tension on the feeder, make sure your hot end lives up to its name, and push the filament into the bowden tube and all the way to the hot end...

Except I can't actually see what I'm doing.

The filament only goes in a couple of centimetres and then seems not to find the exit hole on the other side of the feeder. No matter how I twist and fiddle the only thing that happens is I break the end if I press hard enough.

And despite new reading and distance glasses, the stuff I'm working on is just past the end of my nose. It's too close to focus on. And because of the angle and other bits in the way I can't even see the exit hole I'm aiming for.

Inspirations

And then a great light dawns... Once the end of the old filament went past the feeder, it would come to a sudden and grinding halt - which means the reason I can't get into the tube on that side of the printer is because I already has the remains of the old filament in it.

According to YouTube (again), removing the Bowden tube is as easy and quick as the filament thing. There are little blue collars around the bush that holds the tube which (says YT) I just pull out, allowing me to press the top of the fitting down and release the tube. Allegedly. Even the video gives an alternative "if that doesn't work".

YT also showed me how to unscrew the joint which was wonderfully quick and easy. Not. You try getting something the size of a Paracetamol to unscrew using a Noddy spanner in your fingertips.

Anyway. Eventually, off it came and I saw the stowaway filament lurking in the background. Made the hot end hot and removed that, then switched off again to screw the tube back onto the hot er... now slowly cooling - end.

Desperations

Everything went surprisingly well and the new filament is back on board. Tried a test print - no filament coming out. Sigh. Maybe tomorrow...

Left it a day or so due to other commitments and necessary sanity checks - back today: checking the bed level - looks like the hot end is actually touching the bed, which is perhaps a teensy-weensy bit too close... maybe those long minutes of me practically leaning on it might have moved it down a llttle bit.

Tried a test setting with an M25 Gcode file that stops the nozzle at various points so you can wind things up and down (assuming you know which way to wind them - I have labels) to achieve levality (3D technical term; similar to criticality but with less bang) and ran a print for a new version of the clippy things.

Expectations

Apply electricity and It's Alive!