Anet A8 rear extension for larger heatbed

thingiverse

ANET A8 EXTENDED VERSION 220x280mm! You can easily expand your Anet A8's build space by a whopping 60mm without breaking the bank! All you need to do is swap out the heatbed with a larger 220x280mm one, and you're good to go. The screw locations are identical, so it'll fit directly onto the stock heatbed carrier like a charm. However, to make the most of its extra dimensions, you'll need to move the rear plate back a bit. This will require longer y-bearing rods (450mm) and M8 rods, which are both must-haves for that extra 60mm of y-motion. The great news is that this conversion also seems to reduce vibrations during printing, making it a win-win! To get started, print out two identical adapter parts - one unchanged and another mirrored for the opposite side. Remove the rear plate from your A8 and attach the printed adapter parts using the same screws and nuts that held the rear plate in place. Then, secure your rear plate to the adapter with an M5 screw and nut in the middle. Use a large washer for added stability. Once everything is tightened down, you can add another M5 screw and nut to crosswise secure the adapter to the chassis. But don't worry if you forget - it'll still work just fine without it! When drilling any of your printer's acrylic parts, be super careful not to push too hard, or they'll crack easily! Next up, swap out those y-bearing rods for 450mm long ones and install longer M8 rods. If you don't want to buy new M8 rods, you can use two M8x50mm bolts and M8x35mm coupling nuts to extend your existing ones. The adapter has openings that allow it to be bolted to a baseplate if you're using one. Here's what you'll need: * 220 x 280mm heatbed (12V): http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cicNHa3W * 2 pcs 450x8mm smooth linear bearing rods: http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/VRBEiQZ * Longer M8 threaded rods (or two M8x50mm bolts and two M8x35mm coupling nuts to extend your existing M8 rods) * A longer y-belt * M5 screws and nuts * 2 large M5 washers The total conversion cost comes out to around $40, and you can expect to spend about 2-3 hours building it (not including print time). Important note: Some heatbeds use a different pinout than the Anet A8, so make sure you connect it correctly before switching on your printer! If you find this item helpful, consider leaving a tip via Thingiverse: http://bit.ly/2szoAhU. Update 1.8.2017: Leo_N was kind enough to design a modified version of his rear frame brace, which will fit this extended version of the frame. The file for the frame brace has now been added!