Clip-on-nozzle Z-probe? Has anyone tried attaching a Z-probe for one-off bed-leveling directly to the nozzle? Seems like a straightforward method to me, but I could not find anything. I guess I am missing something? I have something like this in mind: [attachment 111241 clip-on-probe.png] I am imagining a small tactile switch (I have some Panasonic EVQ-PAC04M sitting around), that with a small housing would clip on to the (obviously cold) nozzle and hold there by friction; one then would run calibration, remove the probe and go on with the printing business. What do you think? Can you point me to similar designs? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,852740,852740#msg-852740 Wed, 14 Oct 2026 04:14:13 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,852740,852811#msg-852811 Re: Clip-on-nozzle Z-probe? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,852740,852811#msg-852811
You could get the smallest ones possible like those that they use in a cd-rom drive. Those are tiny and only weigh a gram or so. Add one to a tiny servo and you could have something running in one afternoon of crafting.

I have ordered a couple of proximity sensors last week, it's the route for me to go after my 3D touch disaster. It sometimes doesn't work... Then I have to wiggle the wires a little and it works again so I ordered a crimping tool to create my own cables. It's my last hope. I will solder my cable directly onto the 3D-touch to see if that fixes the problem but if it doesn't, well then I would just have to replace it with a proximity sensor and be done with bed leveling issues. This would be my preferred way of dealing with it, but you need to have an aluminium or metal printing surface (I use very thick aluminium self-designed bed system).

[attachment 111251 ScreenShot2019-05-10at00.17.49.png]]]> Ohmarinus General Thu, 09 May 2019 18:18:21 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,852740,852785#msg-852785 Re: Clip-on-nozzle Z-probe? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,852740,852785#msg-852785 I am afraid that I have not seen STLs or anything more than general descriptions of puck probes. Mostly they are not complicated - the one that Ohmarinus mentioned is held on by a foam collar.
As far as mastering the art of manual leveling goes, I myself may or may not have mastered that but little squiggles of ABS or PLA between the table and the build plate often render all my efforts in vain. Automatic bed leveling corrects and/or tells you about the error.

Mike]]> leadinglights General Thu, 09 May 2019 14:37:32 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,852740,852782#msg-852782 Re: Clip-on-nozzle Z-probe? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,852740,852782#msg-852782
Quote
the_digital_dentist
So much time and energy gets poured into trying to do something so simple... I use a piece of paper.

Good for you, I have a delta and still have not mastered manual leveling.]]> vlish General Thu, 09 May 2019 14:14:02 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,852740,852781#msg-852781 Re: Clip-on-nozzle Z-probe? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,852740,852781#msg-852781
Quote
Ohmarinus
There are already a lot of these things, like this one:
[www.amazon.com]

Well, yeah, I've looked into those. It is not an electrical switch and requires some signal processing board. Not to mention that it costs $24, compare with a $0.18.

And this is RepRap, aren't we supposed to be able to build stuff ourselves? (:P)]]> vlish General Thu, 09 May 2019 14:13:00 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,852740,852779#msg-852779 Re: Clip-on-nozzle Z-probe? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,852740,852779#msg-852779
Quote
leadinglights
Puck probe 2.5.2.1 [reprap.org]
There have been many variations including switches, simple contact pucks that use a clean metal plate making electrical contact with the metal of the nozzle, piezo-electric and piezo resistive pucks etc.. Some clip on or are held on by magnets and some have to be moved by hand.

Cool, thanks, Mike! "Puck" s exactly the type of probe I had in mind, specifically one with a simple switch and manually deployed, held by friction, zero X/Y offsets. Are there any particular designs (as in STLs, or instructables) for micro-switches?]]> vlish General Thu, 09 May 2019 14:09:00 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,852740,852760#msg-852760 Re: Clip-on-nozzle Z-probe? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,852740,852760#msg-852760 the_digital_dentist General Thu, 09 May 2019 08:55:36 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,852740,852754#msg-852754 Re: Clip-on-nozzle Z-probe? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,852740,852754#msg-852754 [www.amazon.com]]]> Ohmarinus General Thu, 09 May 2019 08:10:51 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,852740,852745#msg-852745 Re: Clip-on-nozzle Z-probe? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,852740,852745#msg-852745 reprap.org]
There have been many variations including switches, simple contact pucks that use a clean metal plate making electrical contact with the metal of the nozzle, piezo-electric and piezo resistive pucks etc.. Some clip on or are held on by magnets and some have to be moved by hand.

Mike]]> leadinglights General Thu, 09 May 2019 05:10:18 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,852740,852740#msg-852740 Clip-on-nozzle Z-probe? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,852740,852740#msg-852740
I have something like this in mind:

[attachment 111241 clip-on-probe.png]

I am imagining a small tactile switch (I have some Panasonic EVQ-PAC04M sitting around), that with a small housing would clip on to the (obviously cold) nozzle and hold there by friction; one then would run calibration, remove the probe and go on with the printing business. What do you think? Can you point me to similar designs?]]> vlish General Thu, 09 May 2019 03:34:54 -0400