Charlstruder E3D V6 remix for flexible filament and optional precision piezo - wade style extruder for Prusa I3

thingiverse

This is a remix of https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:678089, which itself is a variant of Greg's Wade Extruder for Prusa i3. <b>Why I Like the Original Charlstruder</b> I've been using Greg's Wade Extruder for over two years now, and the main issue I had was that the groove mount would become loose over time due to wear on the screws, E3D V6 groove, and head crashes. This greatly affected print quality. The clamp mounting provides a much more rigid mount. Charlstruder is also more compact, which increases the Z traveling distance. <b>What Changes Did I Make?</b> Following my observations and those from the comments, here are the changes I made: - I moved the filament path hole back to its original position in Greg's Wade Extruder. The filament was not aligned with the M8 hobbed bolt and was bent. I put it back where it belongs. - I added a flexible filament guide in both 1.75mm and 3mm versions, complete with embedded support (carefully remove it after printing). - I adjusted the clamp mount tolerances to make it work great for my E3D V6 all-metal setup. These tolerances may vary depending on your printer. The .stp files are included if you want to tweak them. - I added holes for the screw heads and nuts of the clamp for a more compact look. - I added an inclined surface to glue LEDs, which will light up your prints. Don't use a mirror bed as it'll blind you. - I created a version that should fit an E3D V6 with a collet insert. This has not been tested by me since I don't have one; any feedback is appreciated. - I removed the two small holes of the mounting plate as they were useless for me. - I also removed the front hinge since I use a Fang cooling fan (I recommend this one: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2175956). Leave me a comment or message if you want me to provide a version with the hinge back. - I shortened the motor mounting bracket, which was limiting my Z traveling distance in my case as it was bumping into the frame. Now it's the same size as a NEMA 17 stepper. The other files starting with "Bird" are the original files from Charlstruder. I've included them for convenience only. <b>What Do You Need?</b> Print the version of the extruder you need (3 or 1.75mm, with or without collet insert) and one clamp. You'll also need the guide. The birdnose quick release is optional. As well as standard parts for this kind of extruder, you'll need two M3*25 screws and two M3 nuts (I recommend nylstop) for the clamp. I also recommend printing this gear: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:97377 <b>Precision Piezo Orion Z Probe Version</b> I've included a rather different version. I prefer it over the mounting options provided by Precision Piezo (either groove or screw mount with an additional module) because it wasn't rigid enough and affected print quality. This version of the extruder allows you to directly screw Orion's PCB, then the heatsink clamp, to the extruder's body. To do so, it has been thickened a bit; you might have to rethink the accessories you're currently using. You'll need four M3*16 screws. Since the Orion module requires PTFE tubing and the clamp needs to remove the bowden collet, you'll need to run the PTFE almost up to the guilder. The length of PTFE needed inside the extruder is 25mm. Please post a Make!