Advanced Printer Updates, Most Bang for the Buck?

Hello, all.

I'm a RepRapper who has had a functional i2 for a little more than one year now. Over that time, I've installed many an update on my machine.
I replaced the printed pulleys and T5 belts with aluminum and GT2; I replaced the two-plate bed design with a single plate, triffid-hunter's bar clamps, and self-design y-bushing lifters to preserve z-height. I printed and am now using Greg's Wade's extruder with herringbone gears; I've added SD support with the reprapdiscount controller; I've updated Marin to change the menu design on its screen. I've calibrated, and calibrated, and calibrated.

I consistently get very good, and sometimes truly great, prints out of it, mostly in ABS. But I don't like being limited to 100mm height, and the whole thing seems a little wobbly. It's time to upgrade. So, I'm now in the process of sourcing parts for its replacement, a single-plate frame i3.

But today I caught myself wondering, what else should I include in my update, even if it means going far off the beaten design path? Where is the most potential for print improvement and consistency? Linear rail instead of belts? Better nozzle? (I'm currently on a J-Head IVb, which has been great.) Is the answer just in higher quality filament? (I've never paid more than $31/kg for ABS.)

If someone really want to go for one or two new features on a new printer, and budget weren't a huge obstacle, what would you recommend that this someone do?

Personally, I think some of biggest gains are in the territory of the hot end and extruder. Check out some of the all-metal hot ends on the market.

bushings and precision ground rods. requires some know how, but the results will increase precsion and printer speed and cornering.

for me recently i upgraded to a 24v supply for my motors, they just dont stall anymore at all, its great.

Thanks, all. I'm still hoping for some more suggestions, but I've got a couple questions on the above.

Isos, do have particular all-metal extruder suggetsions? E3D, Magma, Budaschnozzle?

james, I definitely don't have any bushing know-how yet. Is it simply an issue of selecting the appropriate chromed rod and acquiring/making STLs that accept the bushing? Is there something beyond that one should know? (And if so, could you provide some search terms?)

Thanks again.

AC powered heated bed - heats up almost as fast as my J-head.

10mm shafts

+1 for Acetal/bronze bushings instead of LMxUU's

I'll second the 24V supply. Just better.

Not shilling here, but panucatt's DRV8825 drivers have been rock-solid for me @ 8x with 0.9 motors.

As far as the nozzle if you're happy with the Jhead than keep it. I've yet to see a print-for-print comparison between a Jhead and an all-metal hotend.

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- akhlut

Just remember - Iterate, Iterate, Iterate!

[myhomelessmind.blogspot.com]

for bushings, just get precision rods 8m, and bushings sized for 8mm. probably best method to align them is to glue them in place. this allows them to be aligned to rod exactly.


I only have one machine that uses bushings, but it is the best for precision. you will want to read the wiki on bushings [en.wikipedia.org]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/2013 08:28PM by jamesdanielv.