Weird 3d printing accessory: What is this thing and do I need it? (it welds filament! But how well?)

[@Helli__]

I ordered this once just for trying, and it's actually not that hard. Watching this is like watching someone trying to push a square through the round. -straight cut -use a candle -melt -shove through the plastic It's ridiculously easy! I use it regularly and have no problems with the welds going through extruder or bowden tube.

[@everettebinger5956]

Exactly.... It actually works pretty well and good heavens it was painful watching this...

[@SantiagoLuz]

I found other videos on KZbin showing that. It's quite easy to do if done in the right way.

[@Der_Kleine_Mann]

It really seems that some people have two left hands when it comes to stuff like this.

[@petergplus6667]

Not, it doesn't work at all. It's a piece of crap. Upload a video please where you show this thing being used reliably.

[@voongnz]

The video just seems to me to show ineptitude for the sake of content, or actual ineptitude. One or the other. I give him that he's trying to do it all while in frame but I've seen others do it just as easily. Either way, painful to watch lol.

[@dwsharp]

A problem with feeding the unwelded second piece of filament behind the first is that you wouldn’t have any retractions until the second piece goes all the way through. The extruder would move the second piece back and forth like normal, but the first piece would sit there unmoved. Might not matter much on a direct drive where the retraction distance is less than a millimeter, but on a Bowden setup with a five to six mm retraction it might have a bigger impact

[@LostInTech3D]

yeah you have to be pushing it yourself pretty much until it's safe. It would be just as risky to have a joint going back and forth I imagine.

[@axandio]

Good point, I was lucky when I did it on an area without retractions.

[@seandevine3695]

@@LostInTech3D It works just fine if you’re printing in vase mode. Otherwise, less so.

[@danwyan]

You could pause the print. Home the extruder. Change the filament. Then Resume print. Easy peasy, no filament squeezy.

[@DoctorZombo]

I think you're supposed to thread the fused filament through the hole while it's still metled, to conform the shape and avoid blobs. Honestly this contraption is pretty useless, you can get the same result by heating two filaments on a candle, fusing them(and making a blob), and threading them through a small piece of bowden tube

[@LostInTech3D]

yes - I eventually figured that out, after I was too tired to film it properly. It still didn't work well for me though.

[@tonywoolf]

@@LostInTech3D If you don't know how to use this tool, maybe you should watch a proper youtube tutorial on the subject. I am sure that at least one exist, because i've watched it...

[@yuriycas1719]

the point on this thing is that you can remove it from the filament without having to unload it from the printer or unwinding the entire spool (it just separates into 2 parts)

[@PTEC3D]

I've got one of these things and there's a knack, definitely. Very shallow angle on the cuts and match them, I also fix the filament in a vice on one side (teflon block side) that helps with the 'missing hand syndrome' and I do use a lighter, then slide the block towards my hand so the still-hot filament gets smooshed through the teflon block, and then sand the few remaining bumps off. This has worked well 75% of the time and not so well 20%. And yep, failures for the rest. WRT "just shove the end of filament in" I have one thing to say - how do you do retractions if there's no connection between the running filament and the new one? I tried this - once - and the stringing was epic. Not recommended. So persevere, it does work as a next-to-last resort.

[@yuyu63]

i use capacorn tubing and just run new filiment behind old all the time in my ender 3 pro and never have any problem (other than extra stringing as the print is feeding the new filiment in and out for retraction)

[@yuyu63]

Also if you're next to it you can case ABS behind PLA and the part material will fuse nicely. (Don't forget to turn up extruder temp in settings for your ABS temp)

[@EQINOX187]

I use one of these all the time now and once you figure them out they work really well, I just use a lighter as heating it with a lighter is the same as heating with any heat source and they only cost like 20p for disposable ones. the key I have found when joining difference materials is to get them hot enough smoosh them together and very quickly push them into the plastic side so the smooshed filament folds back over the other. The reason I use it is on my old ptfe hot end I would heat up the nozel and pull out the old fulfillment when there was not enough for a print and this worked well as the pfte tube would not stick to any filiment pulled back into it, however i recently upgraded to a all metal hot end and it works awesome but as soon as i pull out the filiment i end up with a blockage, so started using the joiner so i just snip join and print

[@hudali311]

I had no issue working with the same tool for nearly 2 years now. I gotta admit, it gave me ugly burns and blisters during the very first trials. But then I got the hang of it and it worked like a charm... I'd stick PLA on TPU.. PLA on PETG.. it all works fine.

[@LostInTech3D]

I will obviously have to go away and practice :)

[@grantclark4139]

I had an idea to build a filament fuser, glad you showed this one to see what not to do!

[@LostInTech3D]

I want to hear about it if you get anything working!

[@bowl1820]

I have this filament joiner tool. You insert the ends into the tool up to the black line, heat the ends, and push them into the white tapered piece. This aligns and shapes the join. After it cools, you can repeatedly pull it through the other side to trim the join if needed. Use the screws to open the tool and remove it from the filament. Its small size makes it tricky to use, so it's best to mount it in a vise or other holder for stability. It does take some practicing, but it does work. There are some other options like theres a guy on youtube who made one you could print. Its actually smaller but easier to hold and he used a soldering iron to heat the ends.

[@jakobhansen1396]

As a fairly simple fix, use a bit of Bowden tube or 1.8ID metal tube, slide it on one strand, do your magic, slide the tube over the joint, jiggle it so it's lose and leave the tube on the joint

[@rentaspoon219]

Haven't tried it with pla but use to weld belts together when working at a bowling alley, you had to use a solder iron with a flat plate, two sides of the belts would melt against it and when it curled over you pulled the welder out and snapped the belts together. Been trying to build a smaller one for this kinda thing

[@NathanBuildsRobots]

That is how I fused filament the one time I tried it. I used a razor blade and a mini torch, it worked first try.

[@TheSupertecnology]

I got a filament welder that is some sort of hotend contraption with a cooling fan, and it does wonders using a 1.75 PTFE to shape the filament while heating; the results are basically flawless and it's almost as strong as regular filament, certainly strong enough to be retracted by the extruder while printing until the welding zone gets extruded and keeps printing regularly.

[@ajones4064]

Thanks for the review. I have tried pretty much every gadget out there in my search for a way to efficiently & quickly weld filament together. With ZERO success so far, some gadgets come close but repeatability is non existent. I have lots of left over filament that is just too short to confidently put in the printer and not worry about it running out while I'm at work. I would love for someone to create a filament welder that consistently welds filament AND in a way that you don't have to spend lots of time trimming the welded diameter afterwards. I hate to waste all the shorter filament I have because I can't weld it and use it. I've tried the gadget you just reviewed with mixed results, I've tried fixturing a programmable curling iron with bowden tube attached, as well as other ideas out there. Nothing works good enough. If only there was a way to engineer a hotend and nozzle assembly that could do an extrusion of the filament to size, and yet be able to remove the welded filament without having to extrude the whole remaining length of filament. With 3D printing becoming so popular and widespread, a machine that welds filament correctly would be a huge success I think!!! Until then, my search will continue......Heavy Sigh..............

[@Klokopf52]

Something like the Mosaic Palette can probably be abused for that. But they start at ~500 Bucks, so you'd have to splice a lot of filament to justify that expense.

[@thetruthwillsetyoufree6420]

Are you sure the part that you call plastic isn't actually ceramic and that's where the join is supposed to be when you heat it up?

[@LostInTech3D]

It's POM I believe. But yeah, dunno!

[@jezclark4882]

I would have fed the filament ends inside the metal part (opposite end from the PTFE clamp part) and heated up the metal. As long as the hole is close enough to 1.75mm and the metal is something with decent thermal properties (brass would be good), that would do a much better job.

[@LostInTech3D]

I did try that, the whole thing is a heat sink, then you burn your hands 🤣 I have ideas though, watch this space...as I keep saying.

[@xXKisskerXx]

the issue with manual feed is you will have no retractions until the new color/type is being melted, the retractions will pull the new filmament but give no actual benefit as the older isn't moving. I do this basically every time i change spools, leaving the old color on the full bowden size, and printing a cali-cat (which due to size of bowden, gives me cali-cats with colored feet)

[@danwyan]

They sell PTFE tubing with a 1.8mm ID in several OD sizes. Just buy a small strip, cut to about 1-2inches (25-50mm) and use a rework station to set to your filaments melting point, then push together and cool down. You could, also, just pause the print, home the extruder, change the filament, and resume. That would be the easiest way to change colors, but you'd have to monitor the print the whole time. I would set a timer for when the slicer says it should get to where you want to change filaments. Otherwise, you'll be unspooling and respooling a ton of filament depending on the size of the print and how many changes you do with the splicing method.

[@mrnlce7939]

In one of mr3dp videos about recycled pet bottles he shows how to join filament using his "pullstruder" rig.

[@LostInTech3D]

re-extrusion is something I want to get into, but more for the recycling aspect than this I guess.

[@mrnlce7939]

@@LostInTech3D Its not actually the nozzle part but the heater block with a 4mm hole/groove cut out of the side. And some PTFE tube to help keep it in shape and close enough to the right diameter.

[@LostInTech3D]

yeah its the same one cnc kitchen tried last week isn't it?

[@cynic5581]

The tool takes some practice. You need to get both ends gooey and essentially manually extrude it through the plastic bit. Trim off the over extrusion with a razor knife. There is a video on the Amazon listing if you search ‘filament welding tool’. Do not butt the ends together. If you have two separate pieces of filament in your printer when the extruder retracts the second piece it can’t retract the first piece because they aren’t connected. So while the pressure drops you still get a bit of over extrusion that is noticeable on the print for the entire length of the separate first piece.

[@Klokopf52]

i have started to buy bigger spools, especially for easy to store filaments like PLA to minimize "left overs". The bit that remains i just send to filament recyclers together with my failed prints, supports, brims etc. In the long run that is probably better than investing even 5 minutes of your time to save five meters of filament :)

[@nicholasbackus492]

I've done something like this when I needed to continue a huge print that I started on the wrong spool. I'd like to see if it works with PET filament made by pullstrusion.

[@calinguga]

i've seen people weld pet filament after extrusion, but i think it's less of a pain to connect the strips _before_ extrusion. that way the result is for sure straight and the correct diameter, and you can even do it live while the extrusion machine is running.

[@GreenAppelPie]

With a bit of practice it’s pretty easy and reliable. Cut and sand your ends flat before joining and also sand the joint a little if needed. I mean what else are you gonna do with all the samples?

[@LostInTech3D]

I don't get samples! Is this a USA thing or do I just never get samples?

[@danko6582]

It has to be able to handle the extruder and also subsequent retractions. My results with similar clamping jigs were similar to your initial results. I think it would work well if I joined in a heated split 1.8mm tube.

[@LostInTech3D]

Yeah after much deliberation I think I can make something better. Watch this space 👍

[@shiftyjesusfish]

@@LostInTech3D also working on something better myself, these things are serviceable but they are so fiddly its annoying and in my experience the joins are either kinda weak or somehow end up buldged despite being pushed thru the bowden tube

[@tvideo1189]

I have seen some pretty inept folks with their hands but you win the prize. I have been welding filament together for years, just by eye and hand over a kerosene lamp base.

[@LostInTech3D]

Great, I'll send you my scraps 🤣

[@Guardian_Arias]

Actually a solder iron that can be set to as low as 200C can be used to weld PLA reliably. Altho the probes used on irons are inaccurate at 200C so some experimenting is needed. I have welded two strands of filament with a marginal success. Obviously an inconsistent section at best. I do have a dedicated tip for my iron to smooth out overhangs or weld parts on occasion where the voids made from it braking are too big for a simple glue up.

[@some_random_wallaby]

If you could get a good weld, it would be more useful. I'd try it by lopping off the end of an old worn out nozzle, as it should be easy to heat up and fuse the filaments in that. (but I don't have a worn out one yet and aren't about to destroy any of my perfectly good nozzles to save a few inches of filament) Oh and, in addition to heat, you'd need a bit of pressure, smooshing them together. And it's notable that a nozzle's inner diameter is not 1.75mm, it's a wee bit bigger. Still, I can't imagine you'd get jams that way.

[@LostInTech3D]

Watch this space...I have a not entirely dissimilar idea

[@TechieSewing]

Never seen this one before. I watched a number of videos of different complexity of method and even bought a piece of heat shrinkage to try but then my printer stopped working, so never actually tried. I use one brand and buy the cheapest spools that change color randomly so I was going to just add the end of the spool to the start of the new one. I carefully scaled a cookie cutter to use the most of it, I actually printed that cookie cutter with the purpose of using the filament, and still got a meter or so left. I don't think I've seen feeding one right after another before either but doing this while the printer is running? Untangling the filament why it was printing was stressful enough ;)

[@LostInTech3D]

I've actually thought of a better solution to join filament...and I'm going to be trying to build it. 👍

[@partsdave8943]

I’ve seen some use a piece or PTFE tubing. Put the ends of 2 filaments in and heat up the PTFE with a heat gun or small lighter and that seems to be successfully repeatable.

[@LostInTech3D]

yeah I think it works really well, my only concern is how do you prevent the likely outcome of breathing in ptfe fumes? I did some brief testing with other materials and I think it would be possible to use those instead of ptfe

[@crawlerin]

Hahahaha this thing ... yes you have to melt ends, make a blob, and while it's still almost liquid and malleable pull it through that PTFE part. It took me like an hour of patient trials and errors to weld remainings of one ASA spool onto a fresh one but I think I got the technique. In the end it survived going through the printer and I do not even know where the joint is.

[@soggynode]

At risk of sounding a bit like a derp... When you feed a length of filament in behind another without it being welded or connected in some way, how do retractions work? If the two pieces are not connected, aren't you just pulling on the filament pinched between the extruder wheels while the other length is just sitting in the Bowden tube? Would the lack of retractions and the short pause before the unattached piece starts moving again show up on the print as slight under extrusions? Just curious.

[@LostInTech3D]

uh... ...you're right. 😂 I never thought about it. Haha I guess retractions will be off for the 30cm or whatever that it takes to get that filament to the hotend. If I'm to guess how that would manifest, my guess would be as stringing.

[@ronaldchaplin8094]

I need to do some research because its hard to believe someone else hasn't thought of it, but I think I have an idea for a similar device that I hope would work much better.

[@blank-re8qv]

with fill valves like that don't those butane torches store better with a little fluid in them? i.e. the valves like having gas pressure squishing the o rings down

[@LostInTech3D]

quite possibly!

[@izumi_xyz3375]

I just heat up the plyers and press filment together, or you can remove the heat end from the old coffee pot and tape it on to the plyers

[@Neptune730]

I join mine while printing in my direct drive. It works good. I've been looking for a 3D pen but I'm not sure what to go with. If anyone can recommend any would be great.

[@LostInTech3D]

Any old cheap one seems ok .. from what I can tell

[@Venator70]

Rather than heat, you could try some kind of solvent or plastic glue. Dimethylchloride (which admittedly isn't something you want on your skin or in your lungs so take appropriate precautions) dissolves PLA and many other filament plastics well. Might be easier to handle, give a bit more time to shape and give a stronger bond - especially between different filaments.

[@LostInTech3D]

yikes...I'll pencil that one in for when I have a lab 👍😂

[@Venator70]

@@LostInTech3D Sorry. I should have said dichloromethane. It's common in high strength plastic glues. Same caveat about exposure though. The other stuff however is WAY worse.... XD

[@juandavidruizserna]

I was actually looking for something similar, thinking about creating some personalized rainbow filament, it works, bu it has to much of a random result to be of use, i will have to keep looking for sometin to weld my remaining filaments, liiking for a way to know how a pallete splice core works, they measure, cut and weld together different colors/materials i think and palete 3 pro receives up to 8 different colors, have in mind i am not sure if the palete 3 pro works with multimaterial, i was looking ti figure out how the multicolor/material option from prusa works. I will continue on my search for a filament welding magical device

[@LostInTech3D]

I'm working on it ..just waiting for some parts I ordered, so watch this space and either see me fail further or find a solution 😂

[@joenagel6644]

I used a putty knife for heat, then touched a piece of filament to each side then slid the putty knife out and held them together until they cooled

[@evel-knievel]

Hi LiT, First of all, thank you for the honest review! LOL Strange there isn't like this quick electric splicing tool... Maybe I should invent and market it :-D Cheers Evel P.S. Love the demented Rabbit quote =D

[@LostInTech3D]

I agree, I was *very* surprised this doesn't exist. I spent a bit of time experimenting to see if I could invent something, and I think I could, but then I ended up distracted by other stuff so it's currently parked :D If you invent something then I want to know!

[@evel-knievel]

@@LostInTech3D Now you made me curious... :-D

[@LostInTech3D]

Oh ..it wasn't that exciting. If you search AliExpress there's a really odd one though, see if you can find it, it looks like a clamp.

[@Edward_Black_Rose_Sound]

I think the connection should be in the "plastic" part. Adjust the two ends of the filament to meet inside the "plastic" part and then heat.

[@LostInTech3D]

the plastic is POM I think. Honestly I don't think it would work, but maybe I'll try it for the next vid on this (it will return! ....maybe)

[@bobbydigital9323]

I wonder if we can attach the 2 pieces of filament with a 3d pen.

[@LostInTech3D]

Haha you can...but not in a way that fits into a printer 🤣

[@bobbydigital9323]

Yeah, good point. The join would be blobby.

[@tegaidayt]

Is splicing a common need? Is this the only way? (Just built my 1st printer today)

[@LostInTech3D]

honest answer: no. I just like to explore stuff for the science of it. Some people I think use it a lot though, judging from the comments. Oh and welcome to the hobby!

[@tegaidayt]

@@LostInTech3D thank you. Watching you muck about, even tho great comedy, I thought the tool was a part of an automatic splicer that I envisioned it totally differently!

[@victorm7274]

it kind of seem like common sense to me. it looks like you heat the filament in the circle area then move the filament to the white portion THEN cramp the pieces using the screws, wait until it cools down and you're done. I Think it'll work.

[@bowl1820]

I got one these, you put the filament ends into it to that black line, then heat the ends and push them into the white piece which is tapered inside, this lines up the ends and shapes the join, once cool you can pulled it back and forth through the otherside to trim the join if it's too fat, you then use the screws to open it to take it off the filament. It's small size makes it fiddly to use, you need to mount it in a vise or something to hold it.

[@axandio]

Interesting. I have been successful watching the last part of some filament pass the extruder gear, with new filament ready to push through on the fly.

[@LostInTech3D]

coincidence! did it work ok with retraction? thats the only worry, that it will spit it back out haha

[@someguy5766]

I just put in a new filament if I'm about to run out. Why do people overcomplicate things like this?

[@LostInTech3D]

I think we live in a world where almost everything that can exist, does exist. That's the best explanation I can come up with. And hey, I bought one, so I'm in no place to talk! 😂👍

[@NathanBuildsRobots]

I want to recycle PLA by forging it, just like with metal. Heat it up and smash it into a mold.

[@LostInTech3D]

a mold of what? the moon? 🤔

[@NathanBuildsRobots]

@@LostInTech3D No, something useful... like a benchy

[@NathanBuildsRobots]

@@LostInTech3D It would have to be tool organizers or a benchy

[@randystevens2710]

Try the NEW Sunlu filament connector. Problems solved, Thank You for your video

[@LostInTech3D]

They've sent one but it's currently been mislaid by the postal service

[@PenitentHollow]

Putting a piece in behind means no retraction until the new filament is all the way to the hot end.

[@LostInTech3D]

I realized that after the video 🤣

[@dekurvajo]

Is it possible to make 10m long sausage? Yes. Do you actually need it? No.

[@mrnlce7939]

Have you tried friction welding yet?

[@LostInTech3D]

a bit...not had much use for it. It's cool though.

[@kosti116]

Im trying this method on pet and its nightmare :/ I donth know how to weld 2 filaments pet in easy way :/ On pla was work ok but not wich this tool :)

[@enginewatcher6291]

it does make a nice paper weight

[@LostInTech3D]

Literally the best comment on the whole video 🤣

[@adamdboyd]

I wish I'd watched this before I bought one, I've not tried it yet but we'll see how it goes, hopefully not this dreadfully

[@LostInTech3D]

you may have more luck than me, being not in front of a camera. If I have any tips for you, it's to get the heat source stable, it makes a huge diff if you dont have to hold it. But good luck! (also I am officially now working on an alternative method, which might actually work, or...might not!)

[@takoza5396]

i bought this IT SUCKS ! ur MUCH better off ... just using a ptfe tube , put the ends together in the middle (I cut both ends at an angle) use a lighter/heatgun hold it a bit until it cools off (blow on it ) MUCH better weld then sand it down a bit with a small bit of sandpaper until that ptfe tube slide's over smoothly

[@EGGSHL]

Dude. Why not design some 1.75-or slightly larger- pliers that could squeeze the molten and connected filament to adequate size? It would make the size more consistent at the weld similar to rolling it.

[@LostInTech3D]

that's actually a pretty decent idea! You could have a hot mold like that!

[@EGGSHL]

@@LostInTech3D i do like that idea, taking rollers or nonstick plastic and using them to pinch it up would be a good design choice. You’re already better than i am in design software. I’m just out collecting daily design ideas for my -sort of- stock ender. I barely know fusion 360 but im glad i could help lol

[@Mwwwwwwwwe]

Once I managed to save a 7 hour printable 95ish percent with a lighter a new reel and my saliva wetted fingers...I'm not proud of myself😞 but it worked😅

[@LostInTech3D]

🤮🤣

[@yintang1000]

Just treat the block as a toy

[@alexjax3761]

a lighter and your finger, 2 seconds and done.

[@hoopztube]

Yhis video should be titled, HOW NOT TO USE THIS FILIMENT JOINER. Soon as you got out the mini hot flame gun you failed. way to much heat. Plenty of videos on here on the correct way to use it. This isn't one.

[@victorm7274]

plus, I think you have the white pieces in the wrong direction. it supposed to squeeze the filament with the metal parts..

[@secretagb]

That really is pretty terrible...

[@LostInTech3D]

I know, the tool isn't great either 😂

[@petergplus6667]

This thing is the most useless piece of crap I ever bought.

[@cosmefulanito5933]

Simply put the two ends facing each other and use a lighter to melt them. You don't need any gadgets or anything weird.

[@ellogo6767]

J'utilise ce soudeur et cela fonctionne très bien. Tu as deux mains gauches et pas beaucoup de cervelle. PATHETIQUE.

[@LostInTech3D]

😂

[@adisharr]

These 'tools' are garbage. Save your money.

[@Heisenburger815]

What would be the point of this though? Couldn't you use a marlin pause because its more reliable. This seems like the as seen on tv accessories.

[@LostInTech3D]

you'd think. But a lot of people seem to use them, judging by the comments!

[@Heisenburger815]

@@LostInTech3D oof

[@edissmajic]

I see it as a way to spend al those small leftovers on filament spool. Not necessarily in money wise a way, but enviromently aware way. However it seems a bit tedious. With filament sensor you are still left with those small leftovers and must be around to do it.

[@Tarex_]

Yet neither used a simple lighter or an electric heatgun or a soldering station heatgun, trying to reinvent the wheel while making fun of the carriage, i mean sure, it's a video, could be called content, but cmon.. your videos are usually better than this..

[@LostInTech3D]

I assure you, neither of those would help solve the problems here 👍 My videos are usually more technical, and there's a huge one on the way, but it takes a lot of time and effort to make, in the meantime the odd silly one is allowed I guess 😁

[@Tarex_]

@@LostInTech3D of course xD then i can't wait for the bigger video haha

[@LostInTech3D]

worth the wait, I hope, I've got charts and graphs even!

[@Tarex_]

@@LostInTech3D well then I'm sure it is :D I'm trying to expand a CR10 to 1m wide, not on video and no plans on what im doing but always good to have something informative running alongside to keep my brain from getting tangled while staring at the cr10 lol

[@LiaIsTheCutestKitten]

Glad I watched, been trying to manually weld filaments together and considered one of these. Looks no more successful than me doing it inside a notched out PTFE tube. TechnologyOutlet are still going btw. They seem to have stopped selling on Amazon and have their own site/store. Was using them for a while till I got a few too many bad spools and had to switch brands. Shame since I used to get good consistent prints with them and the measurements on the side of the spool were super useful.

[@LostInTech3D]

I've noticed they are exhibiting at the 3d printing fair in June so they must be doing okay!

[@LostInTech3D]

And yeah. PTFE tube. Better. Honestly. Just don't overheat it.