J-Head Lite V1.0 Hot End

thingiverse

The original J-Head is obsolete; this post is dedicated to product support and legacy. The J-Head Lite, a simplified version, combines elements from the J-Head, Budaschnozzle, and MK7 hot ends. It features a 1/2" reprocessed PTFE holder with a 6mm stainless steal tube (versus a traditional J-Head's 5/8 PEEK holder with an 8mm PTFE lined brass tube), a simple plumbing cap heat sink, and an MK7-based hot end with a 3w resistor and thermistor. The creator aimed to provide an affordable alternative for ABS/PLA printing without compromising quality. The max temperature is approximately 250C after probing the hot end at 240C with a thermistor, revealing that the brass nut on the heat sink reaches 170C, the steel tube middle hits 110C, and the top remains at 80C. The J-Head Lite is made of various components, including a PTFE rod, laser-cut oak mounting plate, stainless steal barrel, aluminum heater block, resistor, thermistor, brass nozzle, ceramic insulation, heat resistant wiring, and a copper heat sink. The design employs thermal management to prevent thermal expansion in the PTFE, ensuring effective and economical printing. Despite its simple appearance, this minimalistic hot end offers impressive performance at a fraction of traditional J-Head costs. As a result, it was named the J-Head Lite. For PLA users, soaking a cotton ball with vegetable oil and feeding filament through it prevents sticking. Some early heater blocks may have been machined too tight; in such cases, reaming or requesting a replacement is advised. The .stl file serves as a reference but should not be used for printing the J-Head Lite. This hot end is designed for 1.75mm filament and has not been tested on nylon or polycarbonate. Attribution goes to Hotends.com, the original J-Head developers, for their dedication to open-source technology that made this business possible.