Is 5mm acrylic strictly necessary for the X and Y plates?

Hello,
Is there anything wrong with using 6mm plywood as an alternative material for the Y-axis ends, the X-axis plate, and the X-rib? I am located in New Zealand... 5mm acrylic seems to be impossible to come by. 6mm acrylic is also available, but it is quite expensive. Plywood, on the other hand, is very cheap!

Alternatively, if anybody can recommend a local acrylic supplier, I'd really appreciate it!

Thanks,
~0

6mm for the X-arm will not work as the parts like the Extrude will not fit. For the Y-plates you may get similar trouble as the rods will be too long for example. The Y-plates can be printed however and they work well and also the X-Arm may be printed but it is not fully tested and there are some restrictions.

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Slicer: Simplify3D 4.0; sometimes CraftWare 1.14 or Cura 2.7
Delta with Duet-WiFi, FW: 1.20.1RC2; mini-sensor board by dc42 for auto-leveling
Ormerod common modifications: Mini-sensor board by dc42, aluminum X-arm, 0.4 mm nozzle E3D like, 2nd fan, Z stepper nut M5 x 15, Herringbone gears, Z-axis bearing at top, spring loaded extruder with pneumatic fitting, Y belt axis tensioner
Ormerod 2: FW: 1.19-dc42 on Duet-WiFi. own build, modifications: GT2-belts, silicone heat-bed, different motors and so on. Printed parts: bed support, (PSU holder) and Y-feet.
Ormerod 1: FW: 1.15c-dc42 on 1k Duet-Board. Modifications: Aluminium bed-support, (nearly) all parts reprinted in PLA/ ABS, and so on.

Hi Treito, thanks for the quick response. I will keep looking for the 5mm material. If I can find 5mm plywood or even aluminium, could you see any issues that might come up?

Thanks for the advice!
~0

DaveK sells aluminium X-Arms and I am using one of them. They are quite good but all parts needs to be cut precisely - more or less. One guy here in the forum uses plywood for the parts or maybe it was even bamboo. I am not sure, but it was definitely wood.
Because you cannot get acrylic parts everywhere or even you cannot get them alone I provide some parts as printable parts. The original acrylic parts are not very stable so aluminium would be a good idea.
As long as all dimensions are matching the original you should not get any problems. Good luck.

---

Slicer: Simplify3D 4.0; sometimes CraftWare 1.14 or Cura 2.7
Delta with Duet-WiFi, FW: 1.20.1RC2; mini-sensor board by dc42 for auto-leveling
Ormerod common modifications: Mini-sensor board by dc42, aluminum X-arm, 0.4 mm nozzle E3D like, 2nd fan, Z stepper nut M5 x 15, Herringbone gears, Z-axis bearing at top, spring loaded extruder with pneumatic fitting, Y belt axis tensioner
Ormerod 2: FW: 1.19-dc42 on Duet-WiFi. own build, modifications: GT2-belts, silicone heat-bed, different motors and so on. Printed parts: bed support, (PSU holder) and Y-feet.
Ormerod 1: FW: 1.15c-dc42 on 1k Duet-Board. Modifications: Aluminium bed-support, (nearly) all parts reprinted in PLA/ ABS, and so on.

Quote
Treito
..One guy here in the forum uses plywood for the parts or maybe it was even bamboo...

Dario!





Editario's dropbox:
[www.dropbox.com]

Erik

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/30/2015 03:20AM by ormerod168.

Thanks,

so it is the other "Ormerod"-User (I am not good with names and both of you have similiar nick names so I am totally lost, sorry). The last picture looks like that the legs are printed.
Dario have tested several options until know. This includes my printed version of the X-Arm.
I hope it is okay for him that I am post the link he posted in another thread.
[www.dropbox.com]

---

Slicer: Simplify3D 4.0; sometimes CraftWare 1.14 or Cura 2.7
Delta with Duet-WiFi, FW: 1.20.1RC2; mini-sensor board by dc42 for auto-leveling
Ormerod common modifications: Mini-sensor board by dc42, aluminum X-arm, 0.4 mm nozzle E3D like, 2nd fan, Z stepper nut M5 x 15, Herringbone gears, Z-axis bearing at top, spring loaded extruder with pneumatic fitting, Y belt axis tensioner
Ormerod 2: FW: 1.19-dc42 on Duet-WiFi. own build, modifications: GT2-belts, silicone heat-bed, different motors and so on. Printed parts: bed support, (PSU holder) and Y-feet.
Ormerod 1: FW: 1.15c-dc42 on 1k Duet-Board. Modifications: Aluminium bed-support, (nearly) all parts reprinted in PLA/ ABS, and so on.

Hi Treito,
I've had a plastics supplier come back with an offer to cut it from a 5mm sheet of HDPE, which seems to be an interesting choice. I'm only familiar with it as a printed material. Do you think it will stand up to printing as well as acrylic would?

Love Dario's bamboo frame, I might try to find one!

I do not know this as I am an Electrical Engineer. For the legs it should not be a problem. To be honest I do not know that material, but HIPS for example is way to weak. The X-Arm should be strong. The acrylic parts are way to weak so the aluminium arm from DaveK is a good choice. I was astonished that my printed X-Arm is stronger than the acrylic part but the reason is very simple: As I am printing the enhancement directly onto the X-Arm (at the original it is only plugged) there is no chance for wobbling of the part.
But it seems not to be as strong as PLA or ABS so probably it is not durable. I would suggest to buy the aluminim version from DaveK or you try it but you print my version as soon as possible as spare or if the arm is wobbling. But it would be interesting how this material works. I also would print the y-feet as soon as possible as spare.

---

Slicer: Simplify3D 4.0; sometimes CraftWare 1.14 or Cura 2.7
Delta with Duet-WiFi, FW: 1.20.1RC2; mini-sensor board by dc42 for auto-leveling
Ormerod common modifications: Mini-sensor board by dc42, aluminum X-arm, 0.4 mm nozzle E3D like, 2nd fan, Z stepper nut M5 x 15, Herringbone gears, Z-axis bearing at top, spring loaded extruder with pneumatic fitting, Y belt axis tensioner
Ormerod 2: FW: 1.19-dc42 on Duet-WiFi. own build, modifications: GT2-belts, silicone heat-bed, different motors and so on. Printed parts: bed support, (PSU holder) and Y-feet.
Ormerod 1: FW: 1.15c-dc42 on 1k Duet-Board. Modifications: Aluminium bed-support, (nearly) all parts reprinted in PLA/ ABS, and so on.