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SoliForum - 3D Printing Community → Projects → DIY Aluminium 3D-Printer, build 2 (page 4)
+1
Your "limited access" machining is 5x better than mine any day!
Yes I will, and thanks! It's always nice to hear this kind of speech 
IronMan, that is probably true 
I know that school has some old sloppy cnc machines, but I don't know can students use those at any time.. it takes own time when get way to machine shops in new city
I've been dreaming of my own small lathe or old milling machine which could be rebuild to cnc! But I don't have such working space in my home that this would be possible.
Maybe this week I can do first test with motors!
Okay, now is done motor mounts and belt idlers/tensioners. There is couple small idlers in each mount to get belt to the right place and motor can be "inside" frame. Printer will maybe get somekind enclosure, so it's nice when nothing comes out of the frame!
They are first steel parts in this printer by the way (if bolts and nuts doesn't count). And that is because their diameter needed to be 12mm and my bearings are 11mm, so aluminum just won't handle it with 0,5mm wall thickness I made also steel wheels. I thought it would be better to do they now when nothing is ready. Now bearings stay inside wheels Aaand here is pics:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/526 … 817306.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/526 … 848609.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/526 … 130895.jpg
So, I placed motors down and installed belt. Then transpired that 10mm pu-belt is maybe too rigid... So I cutted it to 7mm and it's better but still too bad. And it hits to Wheel plate. So maybe I need to get different belts and pulleys? GT2 pulleys and rubber belt or something like that which are stated to be working well.
I measured the weight of moving parts, and it's 692 gramms. That is not bad! When 12mm steel rod in 380mm lenght weights 305 gramms.
I captured a video of it. It shows first just random g-code with 400mm/s and then some resonance test with first 200mm/s then i increased it 200% and last 300% when it starts to skip steps! Whole time is 9000mm/s2 acceleration.
Here is maybe bit interesting video
Neat! I love watching you build this thing!~
I am very impressed and am wondering if you have considered replacing those belts with fishing line? I think with the arrangement you have it would offer a more precise method to control motion and reduce backlash. As a plus it costs very little and would work fine with your setup.
Thanks guys!
I've been considering fishing line, but it doesn't impress me yet 
As somebody wrote in reprap forum, fishing line has its benefits but if you want reliable machine, belt is better solution. Many people criticize that it doesn't keep the tension. I think backlash isn't problem with belts, at least I haven't experienced any!
I know you have great experience with fishing line, but for now I will stay with belts. Maybe it's some industrial mindset what defends fishing line in my subconsciousness, I don't know
As strong as this printer will be, you could have swappable heads and have nice router to mill small parts.
That is excactly what I've been thinking! But first I'm going to make 3D-printing work well What about laser cutter also?
Laser cutter would be cool.
If you get the right line (not Spectra) it doesn't stretch at all I haven't adjusted my Sufix brand 80lbs test since I installed it about 10 months ago. I run it around v-groove pulleys on the idler ends.
Well, I could get it from store near me.. 120m and 27,5euros. Lets see.
Hehe
What do you think, would 12mm ballscrew be an overkill for z axis? I could get that kind of screw from China pretty cheap! It is with 4mm lead I guess. With no microstepping it will give 20 micron layer resolution and still would be fast!
Edit: Nevermind, I ordred one
Nothing new here, just plans! I ordered needed parts for extruder watercooling and want hear your opinion of my design! 
This desing have dual gear like this new extruder http://printrbot.com/shop/gear-head-extruder-v0-01/ and it's worm gear driven by fexible driveshaft. Gear ratio is 1:25 and extruder pulleys have diameter of 16mm. Inventor says it weight 192 gramms(+water and bolts). There is still material which can be removed.
Here is pictures, feel free to ask anything and discuss!
How soon can you build me one 
Way too cool, toobyaas!
Haha, thank you for your nice comments! Should I do couple of them when I'm making it? I probably do them next year, since my winter vacation starts soon and 2mm drill bits are making their way to me!
Do you think this would work? Is there any thing what you would change? Maybe O-ring between pieces?
I think at this point we'll trust your ability and good judgment. You clearly know what you are doing!
Ohhhhhh shiny!
Merry Christmas to all of you
I'm not stopped working with this if someone thought so! I've been on holiday from work so machining parts is impossible.
And I've been also struggling with Z-axis design. Hopefully I get it ready in couple weeks so I can start doing parts!
I just want one of these bad boys
Hello! My holiday is over for now, and I finally got Z-axis desing ready for production
First I planned to use aluminum profile as platform for bed since I have one bar left. But then I dismissed that desing, because it's so hard to implement reasonable clamp for them with ballscrew nut attached also. And all that with 3-axis machine... So I came up with an Idea of using same 4mm aluminum plate which I have nice sheet left! It might be rigid enough without bendings, but I like to make sure that it won't wobble when retracting fast!
As you can see, build plate is pretty much like sandwhich. First is one 4mm aluplate with holes for leveling screws(desired to go with three screws), second is heater, third is 4mm aluplate again and on top of it is 1/16" PEI sheet taped to it. I have read so much positive feedback as bed material so I ordered one today!
Z-axis motor is on the top of frame, so ballnut can be attached same level with Z-axis bushings without need of extra space under bed (red piece presents axis coupler). This desing gives reach of ~175mm for Z-axis. Bed is 214x214mm, but I left some extra to movements so real movement is about 230x230mm.
Here is some pics of it(open in separate window so you can see full resolution), and I would to like hear some thoughts from you before I start to make parts!:)
Well, since nobody said a word about the design, I assume that it looks good enough!
I made clamps for linear rod and moving parts on them. Aluminum is used for everything else but bushings, they are made of brass or bronze. Can't really say as I just picked some bar that looked like brass
I need to say that I'm impressed how smoothly it moves with those bushings! It gives me though that maybe I should have used these as XY movement also.. Well, since I got great frame, I can swap to these bars if v-groove system doesn't work well enough.
Chromed bar have dimension of 11.98mm and bushings was machined to 12.01mm but they needed some sanding to get smooth movement. And I honestly can't feel any play in there!
Postman also brought me 6 meters of GT2 belt and 8 pulleys! And here is couple pics:
Hello again!
Z-axis is about ready for now! Of course I need to make adjustment knobs and endstops etc. but mechanially it's working! And it works great. Maximum speed is 50mm/sec(with 500mm/s2 acceleration), and it's very strog. In video it's very loud because table is amplifying sounds and there is no damper material under motor and nut. I made dampers from 2mm rubber mat and it's working pretty quietly now. I also made legs for it and they have also 2mm rubber mat under them.
Ballscrew have about 0.1mm backlash so when moved up and then 1mm down, it mowed only 0.9mm. When up and then 0.1mm down it barely moved. I've read about hysterisis fix form this forum and searched some info about it. Solidoodle firmware have this fix so I took correct files and made necessary changes to code and got it working! Now it moves just how I tell it to do
I have one problem with firmware.. I downloaded newest marlin from github and made changes to configuration.h file and uploaded it to Ramps. Printer can't move not even closely to same speeds what it moved with old firmware! Just starts to skip steps when try to move bit faster. It sounds like it doesn't use acceleration at all. Same accelerations, same everything..? Well I use older now but it's strange.
Here is pics and video
Looking good
SoliForum - 3D Printing Community → Projects → DIY Aluminium 3D-Printer, build 2 (page 4)
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