<p>After multiple jams from bulging filaments on two spools I'm getting frustrated.  One, right before a job was done.</p>

<p>Is there something I can do to prevent these bulges in filaments from ruining jobs?</p>

<p>What can I do to prevent this from happening in the future before it's a disaster?</p>

<p>He's a picture of one I found using google.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/6UvLW.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/6UvLW.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

[{'answer_id': 243, 'author': 'Matt Clark', 'author_id': 47, 'author_profile': 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/47', 'pm_score': 3, 'selected': False, 'text': '<p>How to catch <em>and</em> fix these on the fly? That would be difficult..</p>\n\n<p>But this is an issue you really should not have.</p>\n\n<p><a href="https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/q/84/47">Could it be an issue with filament storage?</a></p>\n\n<p>Or is it coming from the manufacturer with these bulges? If so, I would try contacting ( you may have gotten a bad batch? ), or finding a new retailer if this happens often.</p>\n\n<p>I have gone through a lot of pounds of both ABS and PLA and never come across this. </p>\n'}, {'answer_id': 244, 'author': 'Pete', 'author_id': 186, 'author_profile': 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/186', 'pm_score': 2, 'selected': False, 'text': "<p><strong>Bottom line: <em>The easiest way to prevent this is to avoid cheap filament.</em></strong></p>\n\n<p>You can get mid-grade filament for a few dollars more than the ultra cheap stuff. </p>\n\n<p>In other words I tried out some 10$ stuff from ebay, and while it might print for a little while it notoriously clogged in any prints greater than 1hr. </p>\n\n<p>20-25$ is the going rate for mid-grade filament on amazon and check the reviews I've had good consistency there. </p>\n"}, {'answer_id': 338, 'author': 'TextGeek', 'author_id': 40, 'author_profile': 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/40', 'pm_score': 2, 'selected': False, 'text': '<p>There is a filament width sensor design at <a href="http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:454584" rel="nofollow">http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:454584</a> -- cleverly, the author tweaked Marlin so it adjusts extrusion in real time to correct for variations.</p>\n\n<p>That said, I agree with several others that buying filament with better quality control, and keeping it dry and unchewed by Labradors, should be enough. :)</p>\n'}, {'answer_id': 356, 'author': 'Ryan Carlyle', 'author_id': 298, 'author_profile': 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/298', 'pm_score': 3, 'selected': True, 'text': '<p>That\'s my picture :-)</p>\n\n<p>I use a filament monitor with an encoder wheel that pauses the print if the filament stops moving (because a bulge got stuck, or filament ran out, or the hot end jammed, or whatever). I have a bunch of these on multiple printers: <a href="http://www.toybuilderlabs.com/products/tunell-3d-printer-filament-monitor" rel="nofollow">http://www.toybuilderlabs.com/products/tunell-3d-printer-filament-monitor</a></p>\n\n<p>The Tunell monitor works with Sailfish, Marlin, and Smoothie to my knowledge. This particular one doesn\'t work with Repetier, but you can wire up a simple encoder wheel to use Repetier\'s filament monitor functionality.</p>\n\n<p>Like other people have mentioned, you should avoid cheap filament, and return spools with bulges. I personally only see bulges like that maybe every 20 spools or less. </p>\n'}]
['https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/239', 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com', 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/23/']