On the edge of giving up on my i3

All,

I have the X-carriage printed from Prusas git repository. I also, have the wades extruder from the same repository with the 50mm hole spacing which is supposed to mount the the carriage. I suppose that this would in fact work, were it not for the fact that there is a rather obvious hobbed bolt that runs through the extruder. This bolt, when in place, has no clearance at the top of the x-carriage. Has anyone else encountered this? Have the latest round of Prusa's models simply been written off as junk?

I looked in my configuration scad and verified that I set it up correctly for Greg's wade extruder. Like I said, the holes line up. But there is absolutely no way to mount the extruder due to the bolt running through it.

I think I'm going to try printing off the extra wide carriage and trying that. I have no other ideas at this point. It looks as if most people are using the vanilla parts and simply not trying to figure out these issues. If I ever get all of this worked out I'm going to post my progress on a blog.

Here is a pic of that config with the box frame dual carriage with a Gregs Wades from my prototype machine. The other machines I've switched to compact extruders and don't have any current shots.



The repo has changed since mine but the x carriage should be here [github.com]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/16/2013 10:31PM by vegasloki.

Thank you!!! I thought I had this beast figured out but I didn't know for certain until just now. This must be why I was warned that I would lose an inch off my build envelope on the x axis.

If you can figure out a better way to mount your endstops then I did you may be able to gain that back. I alos use the Makerbot style PCB endstop and not the mechanical switch only endstop so you may be able to gain most of it back. I updated the above post with a link to what looks like the file that was used for mine. I'm not at the shop now and until a few months ago my versioning was a wreck so I'm not sure but it looks like it is. If you have an issue I can print one and compare to be sure or take more pics. I've been meaning to update that printer but the setup works well and I want to have at least one that's not always in a state of flux.

I've seen you post the "current best" version of the i3 parts in bits and pieces here and there. Do you have a running list somewhere on the web of that a full set of those parts all are?

I wouldn't call it a best of list as it's what I've used and prefer or things I've tried at one time or another. The parts are out there in the various repos and Thingiverse.

Ok, how about calling it the "pretty good for me and what I do list" then.

There will never ever be a single solution to everybody's needs, so yes, no "best". As each of the printer designs move further away from one size fits all, the process of sorting the options for fit gets a bit complex. Having a list of things, that all work together, is a much better starting point than a bunch of trial and error fitting. You could look at as one trail through the forest. Better a trail than stumbling through all the brush and deadfall.

A list would certainly help address the OP's issue. It also opens up an obvious can of worms when you use person A's gizmo and not the equaly good item from person B. Mapping out every possible zig and zag decision would make for interesting reading. It probably also renders the list a more difficult thing to use and update. That stuff would fit better into a blog format than into a list format. What I'm suggesting is something fairly simple rather than somewhat more complex.

Always easy to come up with ideas that involve no work what so ever on my part ....