Folger Tech 2020 i3 Printer Kit (Official Thread)

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[email protected]

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kn4ud

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ejnelson
while we're asking questions for the lead screw upgraders... anyone have a good US source? I feel like the folgertech ones are overpriced. Looks like openbuilds has them for 10$ but with no nut.

I ordered 2 last night from banggood USA warehouse (so it said) with nuts and 400mm long for a little over $26 with shipping.

I also got the 400mm ones. So now going to try to cut them down to 300-ish to even fit in the printer!!

Is there a reason to buy the 400mm ones rather then the ones which are already 300mm?

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awmyhr

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[email protected]

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kn4ud

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ejnelson
while we're asking questions for the lead screw upgraders... anyone have a good US source? I feel like the folgertech ones are overpriced. Looks like openbuilds has them for 10$ but with no nut.

I ordered 2 last night from banggood USA warehouse (so it said) with nuts and 400mm long for a little over $26 with shipping.

I also got the 400mm ones. So now going to try to cut them down to 300-ish to even fit in the printer!!

Is there a reason to buy the 400mm ones rather then the ones which are already 300mm?

Not that I know of. I have the lame excuse that I guessed while sitting on the beach 4 states away from my printer!!

300mm worked fine for me. I got them from banggood.

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See my blog at [moosteria.blogspot.com].

Only reason to buy the larger lead screws is if you intend to extend the vertical braces to increase the Z axis.

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Sigil Pickups || Stunt Monkey Pedals

So I have been working to tune my printer and have run into another issue. I'm hoping you guys can point me in the right direction. A little background: I was using an older Win7 laptop while building the printer and getting it setup. The old laptop does not have good enough graphics to show the 3D model in Repetier and when I would try to print it would go way off the build plate. So I moved the printer next to my gaming rig (which runs Win8.1) and I've had nothing but excessive crashes with Repetier and when it does run it doesn't do a great job with manual controls, etc. So I put it back on my laptop and now the X-Axis won't move to the left! It will move in small steps to the right until it hits the stop, but won't do more than wiggle when I tell it to move left. I've adjusted the voltage on the driver and even swapped the driver to the spare that came with the printer with no luck. Any ideas why it might not want to move left?

Thanks!

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[email protected]

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awmyhr

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[email protected]

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kn4ud

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ejnelson
while we're asking questions for the lead screw upgraders... anyone have a good US source? I feel like the folgertech ones are overpriced. Looks like openbuilds has them for 10$ but with no nut.

I ordered 2 last night from banggood USA warehouse (so it said) with nuts and 400mm long for a little over $26 with shipping.

I also got the 400mm ones. So now going to try to cut them down to 300-ish to even fit in the printer!!

Is there a reason to buy the 400mm ones rather then the ones which are already 300mm?

Not that I know of. I have the lame excuse that I guessed while sitting on the beach 4 states away from my printer!!

My reason for ordering the 400mm is my intention (possiby over kill) is to turn the bottom end of the rod down to 5mm x 10mm and use a modifies bottom Z mount with a 605zz bearing in it . When I first assembled my 2020 I never liked the way the upper and lower mounts fit so I made a lower mount with the proper offset to the outside. The one that comes with the unit has no offset. I also made an upper mount that aligns up properly. My unit after these mods and adding 2 4x40 screws in the z end idler for stops for the rods and full packing all the bearings the most noise i hear out of the unit is the fan noise. I have used these bearings many times before and learned they need very good alignment they do not like rods that are not streight and in the case of 2 of them back to back the alignment needs to be within bearing tolerence . In my oem z ends if you put the bearings in flush with the ends and slide the 8mm rod through them you could feel the excess drag caused by misalignment, i had to push the upper bearing in aroun 1/4 inch to get this to go away. These bearings function better and quiter when they are fully packed with grease.

[i.imgur.com]

This is my attempt at printing somthing other than the 10x10 test cube out of PETG. This stuff is pretty and shiney but a real pain in the butt to get dialed in especially for me not sure of what I am doing. This is a lower Z support with added bearing support for modified 8mm threaded rod. This is probably a waste of time but I thought I would give it a shot.

So, I am in the process of upgrading my printer to a bowden setup, and was going to turn my X axis horizontal in the process. But recently, I have wondered whether or not there is any benefit of doing that, since the weight of the extruder is no longer going to be a problem with the bowden setup. So is there really any benefits to having a horizontal X axis instead of a vertical one when using a bowden configuration?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/2015 06:35PM by Mach.

Has anyone made any Y end stop mods? I do not like how it's set up and I am slowly learning 123 design. Just curious if anyone has made some yet.
I plan on doing a MAJOR overhaul this weekend and one of the things I would like to address is bed heat up time. Will start by flipping my heater over grid up but I am curious about what people are using to insulate the aluminium plate from the heater. I had heard cardboard but that sounds dangerous.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/2015 07:15PM by jasonsaffle13@gmail.com.

Finally have reasonably good prints coming out of my 2020!

FolgerTech PLA (at 188/70), 0.2 mm layer

I'm new to all of this. I'm trying to tune my stepper motor. Does anyone know what they should be reading on the multimeter?

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meeuuch
I'm new to all of this. I'm trying to tune my stepper motor. Does anyone know what they should be reading on the multimeter?

[youtu.be]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/2015 09:03PM by jasonsaffle13@gmail.com.

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Mach
So, I am in the process of upgrading my printer to a bowden setup, and was going to turn my X axis horizontal in the process. But recently, I have wondered whether or not there is any benefit of doing that, since the weight of the extruder is no longer going to be a problem with the bowden setup. So is there really any benefits to having a horizontal X axis instead of a vertical one when using a bowden configuration?

I guess this is just my personal opinion, but the bowden setup weighs so little I wouldn't bother spending the time to do that.

You guys have certainly inspired me to improve my 2020! I can't believe what great prints you're getting. The ones I get are "ok", and I figured that was about the best I could do. I didn't think tweaking it would make much difference but I guess it does!

I have to get it printing well enough to start printing replacement parts. Some of these upgrades look like they make a big difference.

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Danmst3k
Thanks widespread. My X and extruder motors seem to be slightly hot. The X did get cooler when I tweaked the pot to make it quieter. I'm thinking maybe the extruder stepper is also vibrating, could explain the why I'm still getting ripples. I really need to throw a meter on these to check whats up.

I haven't tried any large prints yet. Don't know if I can handel a mistake halfway through lol.

Fans always seem like a good idea. I haven't checked my Ramps board to see how hot it gets. Another thing to check on the list. I'm thinking of getting a fan to blow on the print to cool it.

If you're using PLA I would definitely find a print cooling fan for your setup. Even with the fans on the motor and the board I'm getting a shift in the axis on the heart gears. Going to try to do a major bed level tonight. I'm thinking that the nozzle was just getting caught for a sec and shifting the axis.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/19/2015 02:23PM by widespreaddeadhead.

Ok, my printer has been working fine for over a week, and now suddenly the Z axis will only go up. It is not inverted. When you send a command to go down, it goes up. When you send the command to go up, it goes up.

I rebooted everything, multiple times, reflashed the arduino, checked connections. Tried it from the LCD and from manual control inside Repetier. What can cause this? Bad RAMPS board, bad driver?

The only thing I fiddled with before this happened was to relocate the LCD. This involved unplugging the cables from the LCD end, and plugging them back in after I moved it. It was done with the power off. Don't really see how that could have caused it.

Anyone have any seen this before, or have any ideas or suggestions?

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Folger Tech 2020 i3 Wiki

Custom google search for the Folger Tech 2020 i3 forum topic by Animoose

My Thingiverse Designs

I had the same issue, ended up being a bad solder point on the ramps for the z - motor driver. folgertech replaced my ramps (took 10 days - so ordered a replacement from amazon). While waiting for the ramps replacement(s) - I fixed the old one by re-soldering the pins.

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Bert3D
Ok, my printer has been working fine for over a week, and now suddenly the Z axis will only go up. It is not inverted. When you send a command to go down, it goes up. When you send the command to go up, it goes up.

I rebooted everything, multiple times, reflashed the arduino, checked connections. Tried it from the LCD and from manual control inside Repetier. What can cause this? Bad RAMPS board, bad driver?

The only thing I fiddled with before this happened was to relocate the LCD. This involved unplugging the cables from the LCD end, and plugging them back in after I moved it. It was done with the power off. Don't really see how that could have caused it.

Anyone have any seen this before, or have any ideas or suggestions?

I had the same issue, ended up being a bad solder point on the ramps for the z - motor driver. folgertech replaced my ramps (took 10 days - so ordered a replacement from amazon). While waiting for the ramps replacement(s) - I fixed the old one by re-soldering the pins.

Anyone use OctoPrint on a Raspberry Pi? I hooked mine up and it seemed to work ok for a few days then went nuts. I use it basically as a web interface to drop my gcode files into that are exported from Repetier/Cura. Same files work fine I drop on the SD card and print from the panel. When I drop them into Octoprint its like it prints too high off the bed and just sprays a big glob of plastic all over. Same file from SD prints fine. Weird eh?

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RedneckGeek
Anyone use OctoPrint on a Raspberry Pi? I hooked mine up and it seemed to work ok for a few days then went nuts. I use it basically as a web interface to drop my gcode files into that are exported from Repetier/Cura. Same files work fine I drop on the SD card and print from the panel. When I drop them into Octoprint its like it prints too high off the bed and just sprays a big glob of plastic all over. Same file from SD prints fine. Weird eh?

I run OctoPi and I love it. I sounds to me like the printer settings might be off, I'd check those first on OctoPrint and make sure they all look correct.

E3D V6, bowden drive, Simplify3d...

Very nice print therippa, what filament did you use?

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kn4ud
Very nice print therippa, what filament did you use?

Hatchbox ABS.

Here is another one, I really feel like I have this thing damn near perfectly calibrated...



Now I need to figure out what left the "scar" on his face and forehead

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/20/2015 06:16PM by therippa.

You certainly do have your unit dialed in, great job. For the past 4 days I have been playing with some esun PETG and I think I have about got it dialed in, still have some cat hair strings but it is getting better. I got my 8mm threaded rods today but my bearings have not got here yet.
.

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kn4ud
You certainly do have your unit dialed in, great job. For the past 4 days I have been playing with some esun PETG and I think I have about got it dialed in, still have some cat hair strings but it is getting better. I got my 8mm threaded rods today but my bearings have not got here yet.
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Adding more retraction eliminated my "cat hair" problem. I have it set to 4mm now, but you'll probably be able to get away with less if you're not on a bowden driver.

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therippa

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kn4ud
Very nice print therippa, what filament did you use?

Hatchbox ABS.

Here is another one, I really feel like I have this thing damn near perfectly calibrated...

fzj4Q3c.jpg

Now I need to figure out what left the "scar" on his face and forehead

Scar... I'd check the slicing. I still love Simplify3D on my FolgerTech but I can't get a good print on my GEEETech with it... Back to Cura and RH on that machine for now

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Sigil Pickups || Stunt Monkey Pedals

Another shift in my axes, I'm starting to lose it now.

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therippa

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kn4ud
Very nice print therippa, what filament did you use?

Hatchbox ABS.

Here is another one, I really feel like I have this thing damn near perfectly calibrated...

fzj4Q3c.jpg

Now I need to figure out what left the "scar" on his face and forehead

There had to have been supports for those arms right?! Otherwise, I find it amazing that those little arms didn't curl right up into the extruder. Did you use a fan or an enclosure? What speed did you print at and did you print just the alien man or were there other objects on the build plate as well?

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widespreaddeadhead
Another shift in my axes, I'm starting to lose it now.

I'm going to try a different slicer(Cura, using Slic3r now), because I've only had one heart gears print off correctly, and four print with shifts.

That was exactly it. Found a loose ball of solder floating around on the back of the ramps. Just plugging and unplugging cables was enough to shift it somewhere it shouldn't be. Reflowed all the solder points that looked suspect, and now it works fine.

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Folger Tech 2020 i3 Wiki

Custom google search for the Folger Tech 2020 i3 forum topic by Animoose

My Thingiverse Designs