New "old" SmartRap Build

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prpickett
Had success with both glue stick and wood glue thinned with 2x water. Glue stick worked too well, I thought I was going to break something trying to get the part off. Now that I have 2 glass plates set up with the PVA glue, I may stick with that rather than adding a heated bed. The hot-end is the biggest problem right now. I haven't had success with anything above a speed of 30. I still need to do a temp. calibration print but 205 C seems to be the sweet spot with my current filament. I've been printing these at 75% ( [www.thingiverse.com] ) based upon some requests from my wife's 5th grade class. Come out pretty well except for the strings. I just cut them off since even when they come out good, one strum and they snap.

If you ever get a heated bed, try sugar and water method, it is the very best of all of them.

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[regpye.com.au]
"Experience is the mother of all knowledge." --Leonardo da Vinci

I'm thinking about getting this one based on price, location, and coming with wire/thermistor ( [www.ebay.com] ). Besides the bed, and glass to print on, do you have to add something underneath for mounting on the smartrap? I'm currently using Reg's stand alone Y axis, with thin wood "planks" spanning each side.

My current filament melts at 230c which is very high and eventually the hotend clogs ant it's a JHead MKII from MakerFarm so no chinese clone.. I got some MEK from home depot and that melted the PLA to a black glob that I could remove. I ordered a Genie MK2 from reg so am looking forward to using it.

Received my Genie Mk 2 as well as a bunch of parts today. The bushings that Reg sells are really impressive, much smoother than the LM8s I've been using. I plan to redesign my SmartRap to take advantage of all the new parts as well as include some of the enhancements I read on this forum. I'm also replacing the bearings on my other printer with Reg's bushings. I really appreciate all of the advice and ideas you guys have provided.

The 'Genie' slide as hot knifes trough butter.

Adding a heated bed to the printer currently. Also working on modifying the carriages for Reg's bushings. I seem to remember reading that they worked better if you left them connected so I need to move the mounts closer. May also try printing 10mm bushings for the Z axis since I have 10mm rod. That would allow me to use the current z rods for the x-axis and increase my build area. I'm currently 190x120x180. I may put the z-rods on a platform since the new bed will raise the y-axis a bit and there is already a cm or so at the bottom I can't use. Also ended up leaking PLA from my nozzle. Don't think I had assembled correctly (Didn't tighten after heating). Regarding the heatbed, I understand that I need to put an insulating material between the PCB and the mounting surface (probably going to use thin MDF since I have some). I've read that cork or even cardboard will work under the PCB, any thoughts on what is effective, readily available, and inexpensive? Also, do you just put the thermister through the center hole and tape or do most folks put some type of sealant in the hole?

Quote
prpickett
Adding a heated bed to the printer currently. Also working on modifying the carriages for Reg's bushings. I seem to remember reading that they worked better if you left them connected so I need to move the mounts closer. May also try printing 10mm bushings for the Z axis since I have 10mm rod. That would allow me to use the current z rods for the x-axis and increase my build area. I'm currently 190x120x180. I may put the z-rods on a platform since the new bed will raise the y-axis a bit and there is already a cm or so at the bottom I can't use. Also ended up leaking PLA from my nozzle. Don't think I had assembled correctly (Didn't tighten after heating). Regarding the heatbed, I understand that I need to put an insulating material between the PCB and the mounting surface (probably going to use thin MDF since I have some). I've read that cork or even cardboard will work under the PCB, any thoughts on what is effective, readily available, and inexpensive? Also, do you just put the thermister through the center hole and tape or do most folks put some type of sealant in the hole?

Yes the bushings are best held together in a pair, it gives good alignment that way. I made them as a pair with a groove in the middle where it can be cut into two pieces if needed (maybe for the Y carriage)
It is important when assembling the bushings that they are glued in place when in the PLA printed parts. The groove acts as a grab point for the glue.

When fitting a nozzle it is best to screw on finger tight to start with and then heat up to normal working temp (highest you will be using)n and carefully tighten again with a spanner (wrench), that way the expansion has already taken place and it will seal nicely. To remove the nozzle, do the reverse, heat up and then loosen, let cool down and unscrew. don't try and take off when it is cold without heating up and loosening first.

I use a 6mm MDF Y carriage that is covered with aluminium foil. On top of this sits the aluminium platform with a silicone heated pad attached to it. The aluminium platform is held onto the MDF with four countersunk M3 bolts with 3 nuts as spacers to hold the aluminium platform above the MDF (gives some clearance for the heated pad.) On top of all of this I clip on a sheet of plain 3mm window glass using just two spring back clips. I only use two because if you use four you will bend the glass for sure, two just holds the glass and allows it ti stay straight and as flat as it is possible (all glass is slightly bent anyway, but not much). This system has worked well on over 70 machines I have built so far.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2015 06:24PM by regpye.

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[regpye.com.au]
"Experience is the mother of all knowledge." --Leonardo da Vinci