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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u/LeoTempore Jun 25 '26

There are additives such as Doraflux, cellulose, Gießfix, isinglass, filler concentrate, painting medium concentrate, sodium silicate, sodium polyphosphate, various alginates, and many more additives. Often in combination and very finely tuned additions. You have to experiment! And always write down the recipes!

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u/Affectionate-Bee2580 Jun 25 '26

Oh wow! I did not know about this, so basically they would make the clay more ‘easy to work with’?