Super hard nozzles - Test pilots

[Xeno]

Would you also do a 0.8mm nozzle ?
I have a project in mind that would double the wow factor if it would be printed in Carbon
it is a large object that will be printed in sections, but still is big that a 0.4mm would take weeks.
I have an UM original with nozzle upgrade.

[LePaul]

I would like to use Carbon for the BB-8 build. I'm thinking the frame work inside....but a larger nozzle would be better too

[nilrog]

I would like to use Carbon for the BB-8 build.

Totally off-topic...are you part of the BB-club?
So far I'm just following what all the others are doing...for a future attempt together with my son

[LePaul]

I am....I've printed a few small pieces but holding off on larger until I have a second printer to crank out the parts

[Blizz]

James from XRobots already build a couple. I love that dude's videos!

[Izzy]

Ok whilst my better half is out of the room making a cup of coffee...
Anders, what sizes are you producing the ruby tipped nozzles in? And what approximate prices?
As long as my wife doesn't read this forum I may stand a chance of seeing the end of the month
Although if I print an attachment and make them look like some steampunk earrings I could always use them when she's not wearing them

[LePaul]

Great question ^^
I would really love to see what my printer can do with larger nozzles for bigger prints.

[Anders Olsson]

So what was the hole diameter on those? A regular 0.4mm or is it 0.5?

These (red) ones are 0.4 mm.

Ok whilst my better half is out of the room making a cup of coffee...
Anders, what sizes are you producing the ruby tipped nozzles in? And what approximate prices?

We will start with a 0.4 mm version as it appears to be the most important size (many models you can download are designed for 0.4 mm nozzles).
Larger nozzles has to come a bit later, we are still it the test phase of this product and small batches of high quality rubies are certainly not for free.

There are other people working on this too, so I don't know what they will come up with or even if we will be first on the market.
But it appears like I have an American business partner now at least, also meaning one less competitor

I was initially aiming at like $70 each or so, but that was assuming one could get quality components at Chinese price levels then.
Everything we got from China so far has been more or less rubbish in my opinion though, so now I am aiming more at $100 with quality components.

Pricing is a difficult thing really, it depends so much on production volumes, the number of people involved, customs, VAT-levels and other stuff. So I can not really promise anything at this point.
If focused at companies/Universities one could easily charge $150-200 and they would not care even slightly as long as the quality is top notch.
Private consumers are much more price sensitive though and would probably like it to be around $60-70, but getting there with top quality and a reseller network really feels impossible right now..

Next delivery of rubies and components will arrive in a few weeks, I can not promise any more prototypes at this point (except one that is waiting for you, Neotko ).

As long as my wife doesn't read this forum I may stand a chance of seeing the end of the month
Although if I print an attachment and make them look like some steampunk earrings I could always use them when she's not wearing them

Printing "useful" things every now and then certainly helps Which reminds me I was supposed to print some things for my wife before I got caught with nozzle testing

[Anders Olsson]

Here is another update by the way.
I came across some diamond lapping film and now I know how to polish ruby

After grinding, before polishing:

After polish:

Maybe one should have become a jeweler

This process is quite difficult and rather time consuming by the way, so it probably only suitable for making prototypes, but I was still surprised how well it worked.

[Neotko]

Wow indeed you should! I remember reading about how to polish them and saw many post of jewelers saying that polishing a ruby wasn't a begginers job. Impressive!

[korneel]

Hi ANders!

took a while but i'm on the forum as well if you want to, I can take a retry at the nozzles..
wasn;t too happy with the 0.5mm you send me, but we can certainly retry

[Anders Olsson]

Well, the 0.5 sapphires had way too uneven quality and precision compared to the 0.4 ruby, so it might just be that you got a bad sample.

I did not inspect them that carefully before we had sent out a few samples, but when you see a closeup and compare it to the ruby you get an idea:

As Neotko wrote though, the ruby is a bit more demanding on the feeder to get even top layers though, but I recall that you had side wall quality issues?
You are already on my list of ruby nozzle tests persons, but you will probably have to wait a few weeks.

[drayson]

@ Anders, just a short question - maybe offtopic..

the nozzles you design are inteded to be used at an olson block - so for UM2.
But they should fit into an UMO without any issues - right?
Reason for question: like to test a 0,25mm nozzle at my UMO but find only "olson block" compartibility notes
Maybe I´m searching with the wrong term but... anyway...

[Neotko]

I used it on my umo+ They are e3d size m6 nozzle so it fits perfectly on umo hotend. On umo+ you need to bend the aluminium fan cap a bit to use e3d nozzles.

[drayson]

Thanks for the hint!