How to know if your extruder is compatible with an E3D v6, MK8 and Volcano nozzle

When replacing a 3D printer nozzle with an E3D Classic nozzle, doubts may arise about its interchangeability. The majority of 3D printers are compatible with E3D v6, MK8, and Volcano nozzles, as all three nozzles have a M6x1 mounting thread. What needs to be considered is the compatibility of the nozzle with the hotend:

• The v6 nozzle will be compatible with Prusa MK2, MK3, and Mini 3D printers, as well as V6, Lite6, Chimera, Titan Aero, Titan Aqua, and Hemera hotends. The v6 nozzle is incompatible with Volcano, SuperVolcano, or Cyclops heater blocks.
• For the MK8 nozzle, it will be compatible with 3D printers that use MK8 hotends. MK8 nozzles are incompatible with the V6 ecosystem.
• Regarding Volcano nozzles, they will be compatible with 3D printers that use Volcano hotends or the Lulzbot Moarstruder print head, but they are incompatible with v6, SuperVolcano, or Cyclops systems.

If you are unsure about the size of your current nozzle, here are two ways to check its compatibility, but first, you need to remove the nozzle from the 3D printer. To do this, remove the filament from the hotend, heat it to the printing temperature, and then remove it. We will use the v6 nozzle as an example. Once the hotend has cooled down, unscrew the nozzle using the E3D 7 mm wrench (6 mm for the MK8 nozzle, 7 mm for the Volcano nozzle).

Image 1: Nozzle disassembly. Source: filament2print.

Once the nozzle is removed, you can check the measurements in the following ways:

1. If you have an original E3D nozzle, you can directly compare it with the nozzle of the 3D printer you are replacing. Simply bring the two nozzles together through the thread and ensure that they fit perfectly, making sure that no light passes between the joint.

Image 2: Nozzle comparison. Source: E3D.

2. If you don't have the original E3D nozzle, you will need a caliper to measure the diameter and thread pitch. The diameter is measured on the outside of the thread and should be 6 mm (v6 nozzle). The thread pitch is measured between two threaded crests, and in the case of the v6 nozzle, it measures 1 mm. In some cases, the dimensions may be slightly smaller.

Image 3: Nozzle diameter check. Source: filament2print.

Image 4: Nozzle thread pitch. Source: filament2print.

When screwing the nozzle into the block, it is recommended to hand-tighten it first and then finish the process by tightening it with the E3D wrench. Once the process is complete, it is advisable to level the bed to ensure error-free 3D printing.

Image 5: Nozzle screwing. Source: filament2print.

The technical drawings of the v6, MK8, and Volcano nozzles can be seen in the following images, which indicate the exact measurements of each nozzle for user reference:

Image 6: Technical drawings of v6, MK8, and Volcano nozzles (from top to bottom). Source: filament2print.

After these simple steps, no user will have doubts about the compatibility of their 3D printer with the classic E3D v6, MK8, and Volcano nozzles.