New Video about Upgrading Bowden Style 3d Printings to Capricorn Tubing

[irvshapiro]

Learn about Bowden tubing, couplers, and why you cannot using standard 4mm tubing in an Anet ET4.

[Hal in TN]

Hi folks...

Here's a weird situation. I have been using Capricorn tubing in my ET4 for about a week now with no problems. I used the standard couplers that came on the printer on both the hot end and extruder. The tubing went all the way through to the heater block to the same depth as the stock Bowden tube. I've been getting excellent print results. I'm unsure why this has worked for me. I bought my ET4 just a few months ago. It is a standard ET4 as far as I know. I bought it on Amazon from a (supposed) "authorized retailer". It was advertised as the ET4 Pro but this was not so. 😕

I haven't yet gone into the internals to see which board mine has but I can tell you that it came with firmware V1.1.3 and with all the scares about upgrading firmware, I will wait for a while before I upgrade. My printer does allow hot changing the SD card so I haven't seen need to chance the update. I too bought the PC4-M6 fittings on Amazon that don't allow pass through from Amazon. I will save them for another project.

BTW.... thanks Irv, for the tip about using Magigoo! That stuff is amazing!!! 😁

[irvshapiro]

Wow. Very interesting. I will do some more research.

[irvshapiro]

I just took an ET4 hotend completely apart to see if I could better understand what is happening. Unless your extension tube is from a different batch, which is possible, I do not see how the Capricorn tube could go all the way to the nozzle. It is possible it is within about 3-5mm of the nozzle, which may work. Here is a link to the new video I just made:

https://youtu.be/LmIsmaXfnSo

Thanks for participating in the conversation and if your printer is working I would not mess with it.

[[email protected]]

Irv had good information about using a sharp knife and making a square cut on your bowden tube. I found this a long time ago on Thiniverse and it works great with a x-acto knife or even a razor blade.https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3427170

[Hal in TN]

Irv had good information about using a sharp knife and making a square cut on your bowden tube. I found this a long time ago on Thiniverse and it works great with a x-acto knife or even a razor blade.https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3427170

Great tip!

I ordered my tubing direct from Capricorn. I came with tubing cutter which also works well but this should ensure a 90 degree cut.

Thanks! 😄

[irvshapiro]

As you will read in this forum some of my viewers have been able to get Capricorn to go all the way into the hot end of their ET4. It is possible this is user error so I will do some more research.

In addition, I just order an XS Series PTFE Heat Break Liner which has a 3.00mm outside diameter. I will see if I can use this with the ET4 on the inside and standard Capricorn tubing on the outside with an appropriate coupler.

[William-Martin Harris]

Hello Irv Shapiro i have seen your latest video regarding the Anet , and the problem regarding tube when switching to Capricorn tubing so it cannot go in as the hole is 0.2mm too small. well, not everyone has access to different tools but here the problem was very easily solved by using an HSS Handdrive Ø4 H7 DIN 206 Form B so that the hose could easily and easily get to the bottom.

mvh William H

[Hal in TN]

As you will read in this forum some of my viewers have been able to get Capricorn to go all the way into the hot end of their ET4. It is possible this is user error so I will do some more research.

In addition, I just order an XS Series PTFE Heat Break Liner which has a 3.00mm outside diameter. I will see if I can use this with the ET4 on the inside and standard Capricorn tubing on the outside with an appropriate coupler.

Thanks Irv, please let me know how it works.

[irvshapiro]

I just did a follow up to the Installing Capricorn Tubing video with more details about the ANET ET4:

[Hal in TN]

Maybe my printer was from a different batch that has different couplings. I hadn't heard of anyone else having firmware V1.1.3 installed on their printer out of the box. I don't know why all I had to do was replace the Bowden tube with the Capricorn.... 🙂

I just finished watching your video about disassembling the hot end. Even though I have had no issues printing since installing the captube over a week ago, I think that I will disassemble mine and check it out for any extension tube issues. I had marked the old tube at the coupling and marked the new captube to the same point and it inserted to the mark. Maybe I have a different extension tube. After I do the research, I'll get back to you. We'll get this figured out! 😁

[Hal in TN]

Maybe my printer was from a different batch that has different couplings. I hadn't heard of anyone else having firmware V1.1.3 installed on their printer out of the box. I don't know why all I had to do was replace the Bowden tube with the Capricorn.... 🙂

I just finished watching your video about disassembling the hot end. Even though I have had no issues printing since installing the captube over a week ago, I think that I will disassemble mine and check it out for any extension tube issues. I had marked the old tube at the coupling and marked the new captube to the same point and it inserted to the mark. Maybe I have a different extension tube. After I do the research, I'll get back to you. We'll get this figured out! 😁

I just finished dismantling my hot end with the nozzle removed. I found that the original Bowden tube plus the captube on mine both bottomed out on a flat area on the inside of the extension tube and neither would pass through into the heater block. The threaded area inside the heater block that remains past that flat area allows for the nozzle to screw on and mate both together. Seems that I have a different extension tube on mine. I hope this helps. Regards....Hal

[Hal in TN]

This is with the stock tube. the captube seats the same.