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Topic: My Big Hack - all metal SD3.

After obtaining (and subsequently repairing shipping damage and mechanically upgrading) one of the few QUBD RXL printers,  the SoliDoodle 3 sat unused for almost 2 years.  So I adopted it and took it home.  I have since spent way too much time and effort modeling and machining metal carriages and a metal geared head extruder.  Pretty much straight up conversion.  All the motors in the same place, ball bearings on anything that rotates or slides. No flex anywhere, at all.  Geared extruder allows a smaller stepper.  Gears are from a junk drawer AC gearmotor  (9:1).  Used the stock nozzle/heater block/thermister.  Barrel is SS 1/4-20 all-thread with a PEEK liner above the heat break.

Everything machined on my hand-crank 30 year old JET 830 mill and JET 1024 lathe.

Also installed an MK2B bed running off a 24V 15A powersupply.  More even bed temp distribution, but still takes 20min to come to temp.  Work to do there.

Older mods are an M3 Z axis lead screw, bed front anti-shake brace, a pillow block on the Y-gantry connecting shaft,  clear plastic enclosure, typical stuff.

Nice to have at home.  It hangs on the wall next to the mill.

Not expecting anyone to wish to replicate this, but I am happy enough with the outcome to share pics.

It worked fine before. But I could ... so I did.

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Re: My Big Hack - all metal SD3.

That's pretty f*ing awesome!

Wish I had milling machine.

Now that it's all metal, have you tried bumping up the speeds?

To print or, 3D print, that is the question...
SD3 printer w/too many mods,  Printrbot Simple Maker Ed.,  FormLabs Form 1+
AnyCubic Photon, Shining 3D EinScan-S & Atlas 3D scanners...
...and too much time on my hands.

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Re: My Big Hack - all metal SD3.

High praise from such a Doodle expert.  Thanks Pirvan.

Don't have much time on it yet.  I use them as a tool.  I will speed it up and post some pics.  I tend to print at 40mm/sec for perimeters.  seems to make nice parts that don't take much sanding.  There is more to how the ABS lays down than just rigidity.

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Re: My Big Hack - all metal SD3.

What can I say but drool  itis lMHO what a SD3 should be. Nothing against 3d printed part but I do like metal pars. I started the metal carriage mod that is posted on thingiverse but have not gotten too far.
Tin

Soliddoodle 4 stock w glass bed------Folger Tech Prusa 2020 upgraded to and titan /aero extruder mirror bed
FT5 with titan/ E3D Aero------MP mini select w glass bed
MP Utimate maker pro-W bondtech extruder
Marlin/Repetier Host/ Slic3r and Cura

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Re: My Big Hack - all metal SD3.

Yeah, a while back I was also thinking about an all metal version ,with ball screw drivers no less.

Unfortunately that never got out of the drawing stage:

http://www.soliforum.com/topic/2834/pre … m-scratch/

To print or, 3D print, that is the question...
SD3 printer w/too many mods,  Printrbot Simple Maker Ed.,  FormLabs Form 1+
AnyCubic Photon, Shining 3D EinScan-S & Atlas 3D scanners...
...and too much time on my hands.

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Re: My Big Hack - all metal SD3.

Nice work Rick! I've always wanted to try milling some metal parts but haven't gotten a mill yet.  How are you securing the roller bearings in the carriages? Pic?

SD3, RUMBA, 360W power, ABS: Glass bed + Aquanet Extra Super Hold Hairspray, Anti-backlash Z spanner, Repetier Host + Slic3r

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Re: My Big Hack - all metal SD3.

Since they have pretty low mass, I just put some red LocTite thread locker on them ("Booooo - Hiss" from the seasoned engineering gallery).

I know, I felt guilty about it.  But it actually works really well with a large surface area and close tolerance hole and a low mass widget like the bearing (I used a +0.0010" reamer on the bearing holes).  I have done this before on other machines when I had limited space and the bond was not structural.  Easier to take apart than a press fit (a heat gun will free it up).