Franken-Doodle 4

thingiverse

Update 1: I finally got the cooling fan added to the extruder, and the Z probe calibrated. The new controller and firmware are working well, so tonight I'm running my first "real" print job. When Solidoodle went out of business, I had to replace a lot of parts. It seemed like something was always breaking. I'd fix that, then another part would break, and I'd have to fix that too. This went on for about a year. One problem was the reduced print volume due to fans and table alignment. The other issue was warping caused by the 100 x 100mm pad under the aluminum bed. I made some big changes to the printer to address these issues. I installed a Bowden extruder system, a 200mmx200mm heated bed, and moved the controller board outside. This allowed me to reduce the number of fans and increase the print volume where it needed to be. I also changed the firmware to Marlin and calibrated it. Work in Progress: Lately, my controller board has been freezing for no reason at all. I bought a new MKS Gen 1.4 (Ramps 1.4) controller and graphic LCD. I'm waiting on the proper connectors to wire that in as a replacement. It allows dual extruders, so I'm considering this modification too. Print Settings Printer Brand: Solidoodle Printer: Solidoodle 4 Rafts: No Supports: Yes Resolution: .2 Infill: 20-30% Notes: 30% on all boxes; 20% on brackets; and 50% on carriages. Supports (light/low) as needed. Phase I - Bowden Extruder and Lawsy Carriages I'm changing the extruder to E3D V6 and Bowden system. In my redesign, I went through several incremental design changes. Initially, I just added the E3D extruder with a bowden system. That lasted about 1 spool before the X-Carriage failed. After several redesigns using other people's components, I decided to create my own mounting system to accommodate a Z-Probe. This design will probably evolve when I have more time. If necessary, I'll upgrade to the Lawsy X-Carriage assembly. The Lawsy carriage system and X-Mod (You need the X-Mod for a solidoodle 4 for the X-Endstop) are good options. Advice: Print several and get additional bearings and rods. That way you can swap the X-Carriage when it fails more easily. Use a small gear puller to remove rods from X-Carriage. I used a plumbers extractor for faucets because it's more flexible (and more than once forgot to put the bearing on first). Lawsy - X Mod http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:682970 Solidoodle Replacement Carriages http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:104059 Parts Required for the modification (non-3d printed) Hotend J-head All Metal Wade E3D V6 Direct extruder http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hotend-J-head-All-Metal-Wade-E3D-V6-Direct-extruder-For-Makerbot-Reprap-printer-/131649256083?var=&hash=item1ea6e83a93:m:meGWYolNxeWb_ZPs4EVJPfA 12pcs LM8UU 8mm Linear Ball Bearing Bushing new http://www.ebay.com/itm/12pcs-LM8UU-8mm-Linear-Ball-Bearing-Bushing-new-/371674274765?hash=item5689835bcd:g:RZ0AAOSwbYZXeyjB I maintain a stock of M3 and M4 screws, nuts, and washers. (Actual mileage may vary) It's recommended that you have an assortment of sizes. (When I have time, I'll count and provide a BOM for them). Phase II - Heated Bed Replacement Phase III - Controller Board Replacement Power Supply Replacement Bluetooth Serial Interface Wiring Diagrams and documentation Z Probe - Configuration and wiring Useful Links Z-Probe http://www.instructables.com/id/Enable-Auto-Leveling-for-your-3D-Printer-Marlin-Fi/