Tiko Air Hose Clip

cults3d

Clip for holding multiple air hoses near the nozzle of a Tiko 3D printer. It cools PLA as it exits the nozzle, improving print quality. More info and comparison pictures at http://thrinter.com/tiko-part-5-part-cooling/ This part is designed to be printed with a 0.5mm extrusion width. It holds up well in ABS, but earlier PLA versions warped after a few prints. I haven't tried PETG. Installation 1. First, wrap the nozzle heater with some self-fusing silicone tape*. It's much easier to access before installing the cooling tubes. 2. Run the tubes through the holes in the hotend mounting piece, then attach them to the air hose clip. Snap the clip to the hotend. You don't have to run all three, use one or two if you prefer. 3. Trim the ends of the tubes however you like, just make sure they're higher than the tip of the nozzle (I cut mine at a 45-degree angle facing the nozzle). 4. Ziptie the hose and any adapters to the main bowden cable. 5. Find somewhere to run the air tubes. I've been running them through a hole in the build plate or under the printer by using clip-on feet, but I plan to drill holes in the case and run the air tubes from the top. Parts * 6mm air tubing - The blue air tubing in the pictures is not recommended for this project; it will melt if it comes into contact with the hotend. Instead, use 6mm silicone air tubing available on Amazon or Banggood. * Hotend insulation - I used self-fusing silicone tape to wrap the hotend, insulating it from the cooling air. A short section of 6mm inner diameter silicone tubing may work too. * Air pump - I originally designed this to work with a 4-outlet ActiveAqua air pump. However, I repurposed a single outlet Tetra Whisper AP150 pump with a 3-way splitter instead. If you're looking for a replacement pump, consider one with at least 2-3 outlets and airflow control. Printer: Eustathios Filaments: Atomic Filament Carbon Fiber Black ABS