Filament Grease Box v2 - Filament Cleaner

thingiverse

I've been driven to the edge by my Makerbot Rep 2 - it kept stopping extrusion at around 10-15% print time. I'd tried everything: cleaning the extruder and drive wheel, slowing down prints, adjusting temperatures, and even swapping out the thermocouple, but nothing seemed to solve the problem. That's when I gave filament cleaning a shot, first using tape with WD40-soaked cotton just for kicks, but it quickly proved effective enough that I needed something more solid in place. The majority of available cleaners were lacking any sort of mounting system to secure them in place, so I figured I'd take the DIY route instead. Instructions: Print my project at standard resolution and settings using Makerware, expecting a print time of approximately 22 minutes. For this thing to work as intended, you'll need to fill it with something absorbent - like a sponge or some cotton - that's been treated with your preferred lubricant (WD40 does the trick for me). As for attaching it to my trusty MakerBot, I've found standard wood screws do the trick nicely, though you can opt for whatever mounting solution works best for you. Holes in this filament cleaning contraption measure 2mm across with a corresponding countersink that's 4mm deep - plenty room to secure things just so. Made specifically for handling 1.75mm PLA filaments, it should be right at home with your Makerbot Rep 2 setup.