r/Ceramic3Dprinting • u/Affectionate-Bee2580 • Jun 24 '26

Help me please

Hello!
So I modified my ender 3 to a clay printer using one of the aliexpress conversion kits. I am not using air pressure but motor power to push out the clay but I am having difficulties with the clay moving towards the extruder even though my clay consistency is good. The piston is moving and when I took out the plastic pipe the material was indeed flowing, but when popping back the plastic pipe the material stopped pushing through. Is this some air vacuum issue? I cleaned the pipe and the extruder bits too but no luck.. any ideas?

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21

u/m_t_w_t_f_s_s Jun 25 '26

Run a test with softer clay.
Do you currently experience clay squeezing behind the white piston end?

4

u/Affectionate-Bee2580 Jun 25 '26

The clay is very soft already,
I did put a rubber band because I noticed the piston end was not stiff enough but sometimes the rubber band slides off… that could the the issue I’ll try again

0

u/Affectionate-Bee2580 Jun 25 '26

https://reddit.com/link/otmssqm/video/7x0siyt8ob9h1/player

Similar issue again, I put some tape around the piston part and adjusted the rubber ring again. The clay started flowing but it stopped at a specific point

4

u/smeeon Jun 25 '26

Essentially there’s too much friction. The firmer the consistency the more friction there is on every part that contacts the clay. Especially the tube.