Has anyone ever thought of using a modified mig welder feeder as a extruder?

James_Malenko · February 18, 2015, 4:12am

Joe_Binka · February 18, 2015, 4:32am

Electra_Flarefire · February 18, 2015, 4:32am

Joe_Binka · February 18, 2015, 4:32am

For metal or plastic?

Joe_Binka · February 18, 2015, 4:35am

score! Same link. Haha

Griffin_Paquette · February 18, 2015, 4:47am

It’s funny you said that. The other day I was welding using a mig welder and thought about how the wire feeder was like my bowden extruder. It’s a good system.

Michael_Scholtz · February 18, 2015, 4:55am

I saw a video of one some time ago. Not exactly as good as you would imagine

Joe_Spanier · February 18, 2015, 5:31am

I was for a while. I like the idea of the large diameter drive rolls to get more contact area on the filament but the sizes I wanted were cost prohibitive.

Shaan_Hurley · February 18, 2015, 5:36am

Yes several have done this including an amazing Dutch studio.

Michael_Scholtz · February 18, 2015, 5:37am

Oh I saw an actual mig welder connected to a printhead. It made a mess and forget about painterstape you probably needed an angle grinder to get your model off the buildplate.

Shaan_Hurley · February 18, 2015, 6:01am

James_Malenko · February 18, 2015, 6:32am

I mean for plastic.

Michael_Scholtz · February 18, 2015, 6:36am

Ive got a mig welder i will have a look. I suspect the pressure on the wire can be very heavy but its mecanicaly similar to our extruders

Ngarewyrd_Shurasae · February 18, 2015, 8:39am

For plastic extrusion? Very much overkill.