TH3D Tough Hot-End (V1/V2) – FAQs

Is the Tough Hot-End an “All-Metal” design? #

Yes! The Tough Hot-end is based on the E3D V6 design. It uses an all-metal filament path, where there is no PTFE liner inside the hot-end itself. This makes it good for high-temperature applications and fits well into a direct-drive setup.

What nozzles does the Tough Hot-End use? #

There are currently three common styles of nozzles used on printers. Our Tough Hot-End uses V6-compatible nozzles, designed for use with V6-style hot-ends.

It is NOT compatible with MK8 nozzles due to the threading of the nozzle compared to the threading inside the heater block. Using a MK8 nozzle on a V6-compatible heater block will strip the threads and damage both components.

V6-compatible nozzles also come in a “Volcano” variation, that have an extended threaded end designed for Volcano heater blocks. Make sure you purchase nozzles for the correct heater block!

Why doesn’t the Tough Hot-End come with a mounting solution? #

While most hobbyist-level printers do not come with V6-style hot-ends, it is one of the most common upgrades to make to any printer. Most printers (with a few exceptions) include MK8 hot-ends by default.

Our Tough Hot-End and other V6-compatibles use a collar mount based at the top of the heatsink, rather than the MK8 screw-based mounting style. Since most printers do not include this type of mounting by default, we consider the Tough Hot-End to be a “universal” part.

Additionally, every printer has a different mounting carriage that holds the hot-end. Since there are many variations of carriage in the wild, we cannot account for them all. Rather than include a mount of dubious compatibility, we would prefer that the user provide their own mounting solution according to their preference.

Software/Firmware #

Does the Tough Hot-End require any software or firmware changes? No! Well, at least not with the included components.

Our Tough Hot-End kit comes with thermistors and heater cartridges. These are drop-in replacements for most stock printers and should not require you to change anything in the firmware to function correctly.

If you decide to swap out the thermistor and/or heater cartridge for another type, such as a PT1000 thermistor, you may require a firmware update or PID tuning to correctly use the new components.

Common mounting solutions #

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