Bowden Tube Off - No printing now for several weeks

[Wellmeadow @wellmeadow]

I’ll be away from the forum for a while now by the looks of it as the Bowden Tube came off this evening during a print and I can’t get it to stay put any more. I have tried 5 times this evening to trim a little off the end, ram it home inside the adapter and ensure the collar is as far out as possible to lock it in to position. No luck.

I’ve raised a ticket and asked for the replacement Bowden Tube kit, but knowing how short staffed they are down there in Portishead, I’ll sit tight and wait for nature to take it’s course.

Ah well, it’s been a good run. I can get back to all those other things I have been avoiding while playing with the printer. ‘See’ you all soon.

Trying to spread the word about 3D printing to small and medium sized businesses in the West Midlands.

[biscuitlad @biscuitlad]

Was this with the screw in type bowden tube adapter, or the old beta version? I do hope it’s the latter…

[BHudson @bhudson]

@wellmeadow The collar needs to be IN as far as possible to lock the tube. Pulling the collar out unlocks the tube in my understanding. If you are pulling the collar out, it should release the tube. If the collar were to pull out to lock, the tube could unlock the collar under force. I have found when assembling the old-style connector that you need to pull the collar out, then push the tube in. You will feel the first stop as the collar slides in. Then you push a little harder and it will slip in another little bit and when that happens, I can’t get them apart again without destroying the tube. When my tube joints are assembled right, the collar will move back and forth with the tube. I have assembled five of these joints so far and none of them come apart when they are properly seated.

[Wellmeadow @wellmeadow]

@biscuitlad - it’s the smaller one which whilst not on a Beta model (first of the Kickstarter post Beta ones) is not the latest version going by the photos on the support website.

@BHudson - that’s odd. The instructions on the support website are quite clear that it is the other way round!

Anyway, credit to Chris White. I had expected to wait some time knowing they were short staffed, but they have responded to my support ticket within 24 hours and are sending me out the new Bowden tube style. Hats off.

Trying to spread the word about 3D printing to small and medium sized businesses in the West Midlands.

[Dr. Woo @dr-woo]

@bhudson: It’s the other way around: Pushing the collar IN releases the lock and allows to pull off the bowden tube. Pulling the collar OUT locks the tube. When inserting the tube, the collar should be pulled out at the same time. See instructional images on Freshdesk.

Installed the new high torque bowden connector (as well as a new PCB) last night and got my printer finally — after 8 weeks of waiting — working. A bit of blobbing here, some seldom stringing there (despite nozzle valve and all others calibrations), but overall nice to look at. Curious to see what the future will bring.

Note the instructions on how to install the new high torque bowden connector.

[David @dmullerdesign]

I’ve personally found CEL’s support through fresh desk to be pretty fast and thorough.

Glad to hear that you’ve both got the parts you need.

[BHudson @bhudson]

@dr-woo I see that, but I also see people following those directions with tubes popping out. I am going to stay with my installation process because I haven’t experienced a tube release at all. YMMV

[Dr. Woo @dr-woo]

Popping off at the extruder side? I also had that constantly happening and wasn’t able to fix it (but had other problems with my printer as well). I can confirm that the new high torque bowden connector really solves this issue once and forever. The print head still has the classic connector, from which the tube should never pop off, at least from the logical point of view.

[René @3dnerd]

Hi,

is there any chance to detect which bowden connector I have?

[Wellmeadow @wellmeadow]

Hats off to CEL. New Bowden tube arrived in post yesterday (collected from the Post Office this morning).

@3dnerd - the two styles can be seen here. The picture at the top is the new style - much chunkier. The old style can be seen in pictures 9 & 10.

Trying to spread the word about 3D printing to small and medium sized businesses in the West Midlands.

[René @3dnerd]

Hi thanks,

I have the blue Robox - is the new bowden tube already built in?
(I don’t want to open the housing because I will loose my warranty)

[Wellmeadow @wellmeadow]

I’m sure there’s no official word on it, but CEL seem to be taking a very pragmatic view on the warranty point you mention. I think they accept that the machine is still pretty much experimetnal - Beta+ perhaps. I haven’t seen any one claim that CEL have refused to fix something after they took it apart - in fact I almost get the impression they are grateful when people do as it helps to fault find.

Of course, you can’t take what I say as meaning anything and I certainly can’t encourage you to open your machine - especially if you are not confident either mechanically or electronically. I also can’t speak for CEL.

Having said all that, you’d probably be able to see which Bowden Tube fixing you have. The new one is much larger and it is clearly visible from inside the printing bay as the tube disappears through the hole. If you can’t see a metal plug thing, this it’s probably the old version.

Either way if you have problems with it, and it does turn out to be the old one, they will send you a new one - and you’ll have to open it up then in order to fix it!

Trying to spread the word about 3D printing to small and medium sized businesses in the West Midlands.

[StreatSi @streatsi]

@3dnerd if you can see a knurled metal fixing on the end of the bowden tube where it enters the robox then you have the new bowden tube.
if you weren’t a beta backer then you will more than likely have the new connector

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