Super hard nozzles - Test pilots

[Blizz]

It's one of these:


(or at least it used to look like that at some point in the past)

[Anders Olsson]

I just had a look at what that those kitchen sponges are normally made of.
The green part would probably be "Scotch-Brite", which apparently contains aluminum oxide: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch-Brite

This is bad news for the ruby, since ruby and sapphire are also aluminum oxide
No wonder that those sponges seems to scratch everything in their way..

Good find though Blizz! I will send you another ruby when the next batch is finished
I don't think you will manage to wear the tip completely round with the sponge by the way, it is probably the sharp edges of the shoulder that are most sensitive.

I think I will recommend something like steel wool for cleaning nozzles, have to do more testing first though.

[Blizz]

It cleaned fairly easy though, now I know why... It just removes a layer each time.
I will definitely retire my sponge!
Looking forward to more cleaning tips

[Izzy]

Could be we 'print a reverse Nozzle tip' and the use this for an atomic pull of the outside and bottom of the nozzle

[Blizz]

Frankly, I'm not a fan at all of that atomic method... Even if you hold the rods of the printer, there's always a chance that you bend them.
Sure you can put the head in a corner, less chance there but stil.
There should be a better way.
That cleaning filament does wonders in soaking up particles and makes it a lot easier, I just hate the way you have to get it back out.

[Amedee]

This is bad news for the ruby, since ruby and sapphire are also aluminum oxide
No wonder that those sponges seems to scratch everything in their way..

<snip>

I think I will recommend something like steel wool for cleaning nozzles, have to do more testing first though.

Interesting -- I would have tough the opposite...

What about the 'Korneel' method (burning all residues with a microflame burner)?

[martin-bienz]

What about the 'Korneel' method (burning all residues with a microflame burner)?

I from time to time put the nozzle in a pan with cooking water, leave it there for a while. As it boils, the nozzle jumps around an releases the residues (a bit) after that, while still hot, I clean it with a needle and also filament (atomic outside the printer). Works okay for me only using PLA. I gues, that would also not be a problem for the ruby nozzle?

[Titus]

That's what I used to clean my nozzle Blizz, but then I noticed I was scratching layers off my brass, so I started using a softer one, and not with the scratch side

@Anders, funny how a seemingly harmless kitchen tool destroys the ruby Though this is useful testing!

[LePaul]

Who knew a kitchen sponge would prove to be Kryptonite to the might ruby nozzle

[Blizz]

Who knew a kitchen sponge would prove to be Kryptonite to the might ruby nozzle

... sorry?

[LePaul]

In jest, i was stating that the mighty nozzle could fall victim to a lowly grit pad of a sponge

[Blizz]

LePaul, I know, was just playing along pretending to be sorry for discovering a weak point in our superhero nozzle

[Izzy]

The problem with the superhero nozzle is that it's not wearing it's underpants on the out side!

[Anders Olsson]

I think I will recommend something like steel wool for cleaning nozzles, have to do more testing first though.

Interesting -- I would have tough the opposite...

What about the 'Korneel' method (burning all residues with a microflame burner)?

Steel is much softer than aluminum oxide and steel wool is made from very fine fibers, so I would not expect steel wool to damage the ruby.

Regarding the sponge, I believe that you would have to go on for a long time with the scotch-brite to actually damage the ruby to the extent where it can be noticed on the printing quality. Doing the same thing to a brass nozzle would most likely wear it much more.
The sharp edges of the ruby are sensitive but as the tip gets more rounded it will be more difficult to break chips of ruby free from the jewel.
But still, this was a really good find!

Can't recall if I tried the burner on a ruby nozzle yet, that is one of the things that would be good to try.
I did burn a loose ruby jewel clean of plastic though after a holder failure and that worked fine.

@Anders, funny how a seemingly harmless kitchen tool destroys the ruby Though this is useful testing!

Yeah, that is exactly why I started this thread. It is very difficult to come up with tests that matches what real users will do to a nozzle

[Neotko]

Won't a burner 800-1500C damage the brass that has a starting melt point of 1000C ?