My Replikeo Prusa i3 Rework Build

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Allnei

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LittleMike
Oh, and my y-belt holder keeps hitting into the motor. It's kind of hard to see in the picture

This is because you are trying it without HB. Install HB and it will fix your problem

How would installing the heatbed solve the problem when the thing that holds the heatbed is bumping into the motor?

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SteveRoy
From the picture it looks like you will have to move the motor over some more to line the belt up..

Steve

When I try that, it seems the belt isn't quite aligned. It still moves, but I'm worried about too much friction. Then again, it seems to wobble a bit on the idler end too. That bearing is much wider than the belt. Is that normal?

Hi Littlemike

Don't worry about y-belt holder hitting motor. When you install heatbed ,the heatbed will hit endstop before y-belt holder hit motor.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/2014 01:28AM by Orion.

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Orion
Hi Littlemike

Don't worry about y-belt holder hitting motor. When you install heatbed ,the heatbed will hit endstop before y-belt holder hit motor.

Ah gotcha. Maybe that's what Allnei was trying to say - not that it would fix the problem, but that it won't be a problem anymore because the heatbed hits first. Haha.

I have another belt related question - if I manually move the y-carriage by pushing the carriage itself, in one direction it moves fine, but in the other, it seems like the belt slips or something and doesn't catch right on the pulley. Does that mean my belt isn't tight enough or is that just normal. The same thing goes for the x-carriage. If I pull one end of the belt then pull the other end of the belt to get it to go the other way, it seems fine, though.

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LittleMike

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Orion
Hi Littlemike

Don't worry about y-belt holder hitting motor. When you install heatbed ,the heatbed will hit endstop before y-belt holder hit motor.

Ah gotcha. Maybe that's what Allnei was trying to say - not that it would fix the problem, but that it won't be a problem anymore because the heatbed hits first. Haha.

I have another belt related question - if I manually move the y-carriage by pushing the carriage itself, in one direction it moves fine, but in the other, it seems like the belt slips or something and doesn't catch right on the pulley. Does that mean my belt isn't tight enough or is that just normal. The same thing goes for the x-carriage. If I pull one end of the belt then pull the other end of the belt to get it to go the other way, it seems fine, though.

I think that your belt doesn't aligning. Try to align it more. This process it take a lot of time for me.
Or may be you fix point(that you use 2 zip ties) is too long. My photo in my post before show that fix point move near a pulley so if it is too long it can come in a pulley.

I also found you can get the belt alignment close by pushing on it, however final adjustments should be done under motor power. My X lined up perfect with no adjustment, however Y took a good 30 minutes moving stuff around. Also, use either nylock nuts or blue loctite on the belt holder nuts under the table. Mine came loose with the cheap lock washers they sent during a print. Another 30 minutes re-aligning the belt after repair.

I'm new to 3D printing and found this thread very helpful. Thanks for all the info!

I just ordered the aluminum Replikeo with the DHL shipping to NJ. Total price $499. Can't wait to get it in my hands!

-vinnie

Hi guys,

I have the mechanical assembly finished, minus the belts! I'm getting really close after ~8 hrs of painstaking work

Anyway, while looking thru the RepRap guide, I ran into a question.

When you all got to the electronics step, and needed to hook the power cable to the power supply, did you use the supplied 2-prong cable or a 3-prong cable? I got a 2-prong cable, and I don't feel so great about using it when there is a slot for a 3-prong power cable's ground on the power supply. (I live in the US, by the way.)

I'll get some pictures up soon.

Thanks,

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/2014 02:47AM by Blue Ice.

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Blue Ice

blog at [contemporarymaker.com]

I went to Radio Shack and purchased a computer power cord, three pronged, and cut off the end that usually goes into the computer power supply. I then wired it up to the 12v 30a supply for my printer.

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MakerFarm 8" Prusa i3v
RAMPS 1.4
0.4mm E3D v6 for 1.75mm

My Chinese kit ( [www.aliexpress.com] ) is similar to the Prusa i3 rework. I fully adjust extruder motor and the Wade Extractor big gear and small gear is not a tight fit. It would need to go 1.5mm closer to make a tight fit.

Any thoughts? If I use it like this I expect that I will just wear out the cogs. How can I find out the correct sizes for the cogs and hole to see which part is wrong?

Blue_ice: I used some pc power cord that I had home, cut off end and wired it up.

flywire: What you have is not Prusa i3 Rework, but vanila Prusa i3 with Greg's Wade extruder, but Prusa i3 rework that we have use Greg's Hinged Extruder. So it will be better if you look in this section of forum (since this section is about Prusa X printers) , but not in this topic, because we have different hardware here.

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Allnei
Right auto bed leveling mount is this [www.thingiverse.com] or similar. I am using this design without problems.

I design my own auto bed mount. The idea is to have auto bed + led ring, like on the picture.

For hardware, just need cheaps 9g servo, end stop with deported switch, and a "LED Halo Ring Angel Eyes", like the one used on the cars when fogging.
For software, just configure Marlin with instructions given on github + enhance G29 command (http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.php?3105-Auto_Bed_Leveling-Enhanced-G29-command).
I'm looking for reducing probe area to the printing zone, like this guy : [github.com] ; the problem is whatever probe positions you configure, every measures are averages to a 3*3 matrix. So that's not perfect for unflat bed like the one sold by Replikeo.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2014 07:14AM by syl20077.

In Enhanced G29 you can define number of probes, so you can do 5x5 matrix or more
Btw remove that metal lever from microswitch for better measurement

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2014 09:48AM by Allnei.

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Allnei
In Enhanced G29 you can define number of probes, so you can do 5x5 matrix or more

yes, you can do 5*5 of probes, but I think there is an average of the values to a 3*3 matrix.

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Allnei
Btw remove that metal lever from microswitch for better measurement

With the lever effect, I think the probe needs less strength on the bed for the measure, as my bed is not rigid. Don't you think ?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2014 10:19AM by syl20077.

I used a decent 3 prong cord with ground myself. Finally got my mark8 nozzle parts, going to work on getting that mounted. Anyone else showing y axis slop from the bearings to the rail? Mines getting pretty loose, shaft doesn't show any wear yet.

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Allnei
Blue_ice: I used some pc power cord that I had home, cut off end and wired it up.

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AbuMaia
I went to Radio Shack and purchased a computer power cord, three pronged, and cut off the end that usually goes into the computer power supply. I then wired it up to the 12v 30a supply for my printer.

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underthetire
I used a decent 3 prong cord with ground myself.

Thanks for the input. I have a couple extra psu cords lying about, and I'll just cannibalize one of them, based on all your responses.

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Blue Ice

blog at [contemporarymaker.com]

Hello,
I ordered a kit about 2 weeks ago and it seems to be stuck at the chinese customs cause of the jewelry smuggle in Hongkong. Can anyone of you give me a link to a compatible auto bed level probe? It's hard to find one cause the extruder seems to be rotated...
TheZippyMan

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/28/2014 09:03AM by TheZippyMan.

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Allnei
Blue_ice: I used some pc power cord that I had home, cut off end and wired it up.

flywire: What you have is not Prusa i3 Rework, but vanila Prusa i3 with Greg's Wade extruder, but Prusa i3 rework that we have use Greg's Hinged Extruder. So it will be better if you look in this section of forum (since this section is about Prusa X printers) , but not in this topic, because we have different hardware here.

This isn't Greg's Hinged Accessible Extruder (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:8252)

The one we have is the eMotion-Tech one (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:123677)

Speaking of which - I'm having a lot of trouble assembling mine. There is a LOT of cleaning up to do on it and I can't tell which parts are support and need to be cut off or not. For example, if you're looking at it from the flat side there is the hole for the hobbed bolt which is a mess, but I think I have enough of it cleared out and the two squarish parts on the top right area. Do we cut both those squares off entirely? From the Thingiverse page, it looks like we do. I want to make sure before I do so, though.

Hi,

I have just published a new fork of Marlin on github (https://github.com/syl-20/Marlin) for ours Replikeo.

It supports auto bed leveling (ABL) with

• Roxy's enhanced G29 command (http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.php?3105-Auto_Bed_Leveling-Enhanced-G29-command/),
• dynamic probe area (from bonm14: [github.com]),
• new post-processing script for slic3r (replaces the gcode "G29 L[G29XMIN] F[G29YMIN] R[G29XMAX] B[G29YMAX] n4" by "G29 L10 F20 R50 B40 n4" for example),
• last commits from the original EricZalm version (16/10/14).

Enjoy !

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/17/2014 10:06AM by syl20077.

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syl20077
Hi,

I have just published a new fork of Marlin on github (https://github.com/syl-20/Marlin) for ours Replikeo.

It supports auto bed leveling (ABL) with

• Roxy's enhanced G29 command (http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.php?3105-Auto_Bed_Leveling-Enhanced-G29-command/),
• dynamic probe area (from bonm14: [github.com]),
• new post-processing script for slic3r (replaces the gcode "G29 L[G29XMIN] F[G29YMIN] R[G29XMAX] B[G29YMAX] n4" by "G29 L10 F20 R50 B40 n4" for example),
• last commits from the original EricZalm version (16/10/14).

Enjoy !

This is very much appreciated!

Bert

Hi all,

After more than 4 month enjoying this printer, i would say its very good accuracy printer. Last week i print eifel tower, it took more than 30 hours print and its quite hard print because almost 80 percent are pillar (not flat surface). Now the extruder motor was died. I think the gear inside the motor was broken.

Anyone know where to buy a very good quality stepper motor to replace the extruder motor?

Thank you.

John

Hi Guys,

I agree, this printer is quite good for PLA printing !

I try to print abs but always with difficulties ; the carbon fiber bed is not coplanar, so I print on a mirror with kapton tape (offered by Replikeo).
The bed could never reach 100°C. So I added insulation (aluminium foils, aluminum tape, ...). The bed reach 100° but not more, and pieces do not stick.
So I test the voltage of the bed : 11.2V. I change the value of the resistor inside the power supply (now I have 12.4V). My bed can reach easily 110° but no more (or until I wait for 10 days!).

Do anybody try to print abs on kapton with this printer ?

Thanks

I am printing on glass with hairspray. ABS is sticking well @110-115°C. Also cork insulation is must have under HB.

Guys I have a question. I'm never able to extrude correct amount of filmanet. For example I tried extruding 100mm and instead it's always around 80-90mm. Changing extrusion value (i.e. M92 E700) seems to have no effect after 700. I can put 750 there and it still will extrude 90mm... Any idea what might be wrong? This happens with ABS/PLA and I tried both 3mm and 1.75mm...

I had the same issue for a while!

Is there filament in your hobbed bolt? Mine strips at too high of a speed (e.g. higher feed rate or M92).

If it is stripping, it isn't actually pulling through enough filament, leading you to see 90mm coming in.

If you see filament in the hobbed bolt teeth, try loosening your hobbed bolt- that worked for me. Then slow the speed down and try the whole M92 calibration process again.

Oh and by the way, my build is done (!) and printing beautifully (!!!) I'm just clicking and printing, and everything has been flawless after I fixed my J-Head wobble.

It's kinda like my kid... at first I would stay in the room while it printed, then I would leave the room as I trusted it more, and now I have been going outside and leaving the house as it prints... good stuff.

Here are some pics of some picks I printed last night, and the build itself.





The blue doodads on the top are for a spool holder, eventually. I also started to work on blog posts about the build, and I'll let everyone know when they are done!

Oh, yeah it makes sense now! I actually tightened hubbed bolt as it was too loose. Gotta loosen it back and give it a try...
BTW sweet build!

Update: Having some success! I basically loosened bold slightly, and most important backed away two tentioner screws that push filament onto the bolt. I think that was it. Oh yeah and I started having wavy lines again (just like in my post on page 24) but only on far left edge. So I finally figured out what's causing wavy lines on 1st layer. Nozzle is too close to the glass on one side, duh! I feel so stupid I didn't realize this earlier... But thing is I calibrated bed just before printing, and it got misaligned on it's own. Gotta figure out what's causing that...

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 11/11/2014 07:37PM by Bratan.

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Bratan
Oh, yeah it makes sense now! I actually tightened hubbed bolt as it was too loose. Gotta loosen it back and give it a try...
BTW sweet build!

Thanks! I'm working on cable management right now, so it should look even better

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Bratan
Update: Having some success! I basically loosened bold slightly, and most important backed away two tentioner screws that push filament onto the bolt. I think that was it. Oh yeah and I started having wavy lines again (just like in my post on page 24) but only on far left edge. So I finally figured out what's causing wavy lines on 1st layer. Nozzle is too close to the glass on one side, duh! I feel so stupid I didn't realize this earlier... But thing is I calibrated bed just before printing, and it got misaligned on it's own. Gotta figure out what's causing that...

I had wavy sides of prints from the hotend wobbling in its mount. I don't know if this is your issue, but you can look on this forum topic if it feels even slightly wiggly.

I posted there about how to fix the issue- you just basically put larger screws in the mount.

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Blue Ice

Thanks! I'm working on cable management right now, so it should look even better

Good luck! Plastic spiral wrap that came with kit is a little too short. I found super long one at Radioshack for $7 it was enough to hide almost all wires and also wrap around threaded rods for slicker look
I mostly ok with my current cable situation, but I do want to add some longer wires for endstops and a master switch for PSU...

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Blue Ice
I had wavy sides of prints from the hotend wobbling in its mount. I don't know if this is your issue, but you can look on this forum topic if it feels even slightly wiggly.

I posted there about how to fix the issue- you just basically put larger screws in the mount.

Nah, my issue was definitely bed calibration. Hot end smearing filament around the bed and it made wavy lines. Farther from the edge, less lines I had... After I figured out that issue, got another one. After printing 2nd layer, filament would stop feeding in. After I removed it from the nozzle I saw that it doubled on itself trying to leave from where it came from I figured it was temperature issue. Increasing from 230C to 235C made if flow correctly...
Oh and another note some people might find useful. I'm now using blue Elmer's Glue stick instead of hairspray (on the glass bed) and it works great! Object is easy to remove after it cools off too. I had great success printing ABS with HB temp @ 90C (95C for first layer).

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/2014 02:09PM by Bratan.

I just ordered my own i3. I can't wait to start building it and tinkering with it.

I've read most of this thread and other information on the internets. Do I have to look for anything in particular when putting it together? I'm completely new to 3d printing but this kit seems like a good entry point. Cheap and self build... which is how you learn!

Hi Zippit!

I'd just recommend being careful and following all the directions, even if they sound superfluous (directions are here). (Do buy a metric drill bit set!)

Also, it doesn't hurt to buy Syncolon's Super-Lube for the smooth rods. I also bought a glass build plate (Replikeo's is fiberglass) from McMaster-Carr.

Of course, if you run into any questions, ask here! There are a bunch of people subscribed to this thread that have already built Replikeo's Prusa i3 Rework and would love to help you out.