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 #
- Petsfang/Bullseye/Blokhead by DPETSEL – https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2759439
- Compatible with models that use the “standard” Creality CR-10/Ender 3 carriage (CR-10/Mini/S4/S5, Ender3/Pro, Ender5/Pro, etc.). Also supports Ender 3 V2 and Tevo Tornado.
- EZABL Pro™ and BLTouch mounts available
- Hero Me (Gen 5) by MEDIAMAN – https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3182917
- Compatible with lots of Creality models and a smattering of others.
- EZABL Pro™ and BLTouch mounts available
- CR-10 Heavy Duty by CHITO – https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2494642
- Compatible with Creality models that use the “standard” CR-10/Ender 3 carriage (CR-10/Mini/S4/S5, Ender3/Pro, Ender5/Pro, etc.)
- Requires the use of at least one 5015 part-cooling fan.
- Also available for sale with permission from the designer
