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Hardware, spares and tools

Nozzles, build plates, belts and the handful of tools that are actually worth owning.

• Nozzle sizes explained: 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 mm
  What changing nozzle size actually does to print time, strength and detail — and why 0.4 mm is the default for good reasons.
• Hardened vs brass nozzles: when you actually need one
  Abrasive filament destroys brass nozzles fast. Which filaments count, what hardened steel costs you in heat transfer, and when brass is still the right choice.
• Build surfaces compared: PEI, glass and textured plates
  Smooth PEI, textured PEI, glass and the rest — what each is actually good at, which filaments they fight with, and when a worn sheet is your real problem.
• Calibration tools: calipers, gauges and what you actually need
  One tool does most of the work and costs about a tenner. What digital calipers are for, and which other measuring kit is worth owning.
• Belts, tension and layer shifts
  Ringing, wavy walls and prints that jump halfway through are usually mechanical. How to tension a belt by feel, and what else causes a shifted layer.
• Finishing tools: deburring, sanding and cleanup
  A handful of cheap tools turn a rough print into a finished part. What to buy first, the right sandpaper progression, and why wet sanding beats dry.
• Print removal tools: what to use and what to never use
  The wrong scraper destroys build surfaces and fingers. What actually gets a stubborn print off, starting with the trick that costs nothing.
• PTFE and Bowden tube: when to replace it
  The white PTFE tube in a hotend is a consumable. How to tell when the Bowden tube or hotend liner has degraded, what it does to your prints, and why it caps your printing temperature.
• Spool holders: why the cheap one on the printer is a problem
  A holder that binds causes under-extrusion that looks exactly like a clogged nozzle. What to look for, and why bearings are worth a few pounds.

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