Figured I should start my own thread on this one... :wave:
So I decided to build a 3d printer after seeing Hoss's latest. Nice wide area, easily expandable, more than just bolts and rods, and it seemed worthwhile.
A ton of ebaying later and some small mistakes here and there and I've got some progress and I'll do my best to keep this updated and share my trial and tribulation.
Specifications!
500mm 12mm shafts on the X/Y, so hopefully will get ~14" of travel here and there.
23.75" 16mm shafts on the Z, huge and beefy.
Bearings in aluminum pillow blocks.
MDF brackets for now, to be replaced by aluminum at some point. (That way I can messup now and have a nice looking setup at the end)
RAMPS board, 65oz steppers, 55oz on the extruder.
Wades extruder purchased off ebay.
J-Head
ACME 1/2" with delrin nut (2X) on the Z axis. This is a bit more beefy than most I think, but they can be gotten for cheap on ebay and I like the option to reuse later. These have had machining down on both ends to take a bearing, and a 6.35mm shaft on the end (1/4").
And I'm stuck waiting on the couplers for that ACME to the steppers. But still more work to do anyway.
- - - Updated - - -
Framing
Attachment 182093
Extruder
Attachment 182094
Attachment 182095
I forgot my helping hands at home for soldering... So had to make do.
I also forgot my heatgun. Doing one of these builds with minimal tools in your apartment instead of your workshop can be tough.
Attachment 182096
Wiring basics done, soldered and heatshrinked, then twisted with a drill.
Attachment 182097
- - - Updated - - -
Y rails lined up and bolted down.
Attachment 182098
Some more of the upcoming gear and how narrow I am in terms of space.
Attachment 182099
Not the final platform obviously, might even have more travel than what I have here, but it was the last bit of the MDF after cutting out the brackets and such.
So we shall see. I bolted down one side, kept the other loose, did a few swipes back and forth, bolted down the bearing blocks, then a few more passes to show it wasn't binding, then bolted down the last shaft holder.
Attachment 182100
The Y stepper "bracket". A little trial and error on this one because the measurements aren't easy when the bolt pattern is in metric and you only have an imperial ruler and no caliper with you.... Used a combo of a nut under and washer-bolt above to give the space riser for the circle on the front of the steppers. And a 5/16" washer below the GT2 'gear' on top to reduce friction.
Attachment 182101
The opposite side with the bearing is a bit different. There is an MDF cut underneath and above, both bolted to the extrusion. Then a 5/16" bolt through both, nuts to clamp it apart/together at the right distance. On top a combination of washers and a bearing lets the bearing really spin very freely. Came out nice and will repeat this for the X in some semblance.
Attachment 182102
- - - Updated - - -
And here is how I plan on keeping the electricals. Two panels, one bolts to the frame and has the switching PSU (12v 20a because I bought the wrong damn controller and so have 12v instead of 24v, hopefully that won't make a difference later.........) and I plan on mounting the controller and LCD on the outer one later assuming I can find some risers/bolts long enough. The board fits M3 screws, but Home Depot was useless for the bolt length. Seems like I'll be making a third order to McMaster Carr.
Attachment 182103
The dandy controller. Has an LCD and such, was a rather great deal even if I bought the 12v instead of the 24v. (Thanks Hoss for the info!)
Attachment 182104
Z axis going up.
This axis has 16mm shafts vs the 12mm shafts on the X/Y. Massively over doing it.
Attachment 182105
Z up with X motor mounted. You can see some of the "Open Operations and Planning Stage" as I like to call mistakes... "OOPS"
Attachment 182106
And a teaser for a totally unrelated project, an upcoming CNC lathe conversion from a crappy bed and NICE southbend 9 headstock!
Attachment 182107
So I decided to build a 3d printer after seeing Hoss's latest. Nice wide area, easily expandable, more than just bolts and rods, and it seemed worthwhile.
A ton of ebaying later and some small mistakes here and there and I've got some progress and I'll do my best to keep this updated and share my trial and tribulation.
Specifications!
500mm 12mm shafts on the X/Y, so hopefully will get ~14" of travel here and there.
23.75" 16mm shafts on the Z, huge and beefy.
Bearings in aluminum pillow blocks.
MDF brackets for now, to be replaced by aluminum at some point. (That way I can messup now and have a nice looking setup at the end)
RAMPS board, 65oz steppers, 55oz on the extruder.
Wades extruder purchased off ebay.
J-Head
ACME 1/2" with delrin nut (2X) on the Z axis. This is a bit more beefy than most I think, but they can be gotten for cheap on ebay and I like the option to reuse later. These have had machining down on both ends to take a bearing, and a 6.35mm shaft on the end (1/4").
And I'm stuck waiting on the couplers for that ACME to the steppers. But still more work to do anyway.
- - - Updated - - -
Framing
Attachment 182093
Extruder
Attachment 182094
Attachment 182095
I forgot my helping hands at home for soldering... So had to make do.
I also forgot my heatgun. Doing one of these builds with minimal tools in your apartment instead of your workshop can be tough.
Attachment 182096
Wiring basics done, soldered and heatshrinked, then twisted with a drill.
Attachment 182097
- - - Updated - - -
Y rails lined up and bolted down.
Attachment 182098
Some more of the upcoming gear and how narrow I am in terms of space.
Attachment 182099
Not the final platform obviously, might even have more travel than what I have here, but it was the last bit of the MDF after cutting out the brackets and such.
So we shall see. I bolted down one side, kept the other loose, did a few swipes back and forth, bolted down the bearing blocks, then a few more passes to show it wasn't binding, then bolted down the last shaft holder.
Attachment 182100
The Y stepper "bracket". A little trial and error on this one because the measurements aren't easy when the bolt pattern is in metric and you only have an imperial ruler and no caliper with you.... Used a combo of a nut under and washer-bolt above to give the space riser for the circle on the front of the steppers. And a 5/16" washer below the GT2 'gear' on top to reduce friction.
Attachment 182101
The opposite side with the bearing is a bit different. There is an MDF cut underneath and above, both bolted to the extrusion. Then a 5/16" bolt through both, nuts to clamp it apart/together at the right distance. On top a combination of washers and a bearing lets the bearing really spin very freely. Came out nice and will repeat this for the X in some semblance.
Attachment 182102
- - - Updated - - -
And here is how I plan on keeping the electricals. Two panels, one bolts to the frame and has the switching PSU (12v 20a because I bought the wrong damn controller and so have 12v instead of 24v, hopefully that won't make a difference later.........) and I plan on mounting the controller and LCD on the outer one later assuming I can find some risers/bolts long enough. The board fits M3 screws, but Home Depot was useless for the bolt length. Seems like I'll be making a third order to McMaster Carr.
Attachment 182103
The dandy controller. Has an LCD and such, was a rather great deal even if I bought the 12v instead of the 24v. (Thanks Hoss for the info!)
Attachment 182104
Z axis going up.
This axis has 16mm shafts vs the 12mm shafts on the X/Y. Massively over doing it.
Attachment 182105
Z up with X motor mounted. You can see some of the "Open Operations and Planning Stage" as I like to call mistakes... "OOPS"
Attachment 182106
And a teaser for a totally unrelated project, an upcoming CNC lathe conversion from a crappy bed and NICE southbend 9 headstock!
Attachment 182107