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Is there any convention on how to mark an all metal hotend to distinguish it from a hotend with a PTFE tube in the heatbreak? Once assembled for a German Riprap 3D printer, they look exactly the same on the outside. I'm trying to decide on a way of marking them to indicate the difference.

Hotend with heatsink enter image description here

Exposed part of heatbreak between heater block and heatsink enter image description here

Easy to see PTFE tube on nozzle side of heatbreak (all metal hotend has an all metal heatbreak with no PTFE) enter image description here

Even after removing heatsink, PTFE tube is difficult to see in heatbreak (all metal hotend has an all metal heatbreak with no PTFE) enter image description here

Nozzle end of all metal heatbreak enter image description here

Heatsink end of all metal heatbreak enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ Heatbreak neck isn't visible when everything's in place? $\endgroup$
    – Zeiss Ikon
    Commented Jun 18, 2021 at 16:05
  • $\begingroup$ @Zeiss The neck is visible but looks the same.. I'm trying to decide on a way of marking them to indicate the difference. $\endgroup$
    – Perry Webb
    Commented Jun 18, 2021 at 16:24
  • $\begingroup$ No PTFE at all on all metal hotend heatbreak; see images added. $\endgroup$
    – Perry Webb
    Commented Jun 18, 2021 at 18:40
  • $\begingroup$ Yes, I see. Now it's clear. Not obvious how to distinguish them when installed, though. Hmmm... $\endgroup$
    – Zeiss Ikon
    Commented Jun 18, 2021 at 18:41

2 Answers 2

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Given your heatbreaks are the same material and external dimensions, it seems that the most practical way to distinguish one from the other would be to mount the all metal heatbreaks in a heat sink that's anodized to some other color than natural aluminum -- red or blue, for instance.

If you can't buy them that way, or already have plenty on hand, anodizing is fairly easy to do at home -- you need battery acid, a car battery (or heavy duty charger for one), and some strongly colored dye to apply after the anodize has established the oxide layer on the aluminum part. There are many online references on how to proceed and how to stay safe while handling the acid.

If you have machining capability, another option would be to make, say, a copper heat sink for the all metal heatbreak, while keeping the aluminum for the conventional one.

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Usually, the neck of an all-metal heat break would be thinner (as it does not need to contain the PTFE tube, and making it overly thick would conduct heat unneccesarily). This may be observable when one loses track of what is where. If one needs to see at a glance, I do not think there is a convention.

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  • $\begingroup$ Questioner's photos of his conventional and all metal heat breaks show no such neck difference. $\endgroup$
    – Zeiss Ikon
    Commented Jun 24, 2021 at 18:56
  • $\begingroup$ I do not see the necks to compare, just the ends. But suggestions sounds a bit too "easy", I agree. $\endgroup$
    – user3324888
    Commented Jun 24, 2021 at 18:58

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