Gold Series OpenFront printer V-Core 3 printer mod.

thingiverse

<b>Complete V-Core 3 Gold Series OpenFront Printer mod files</b> There are so many advantages to this design: 1. Cleaner better looking design. 2. Much cheaper to enclose (less panels to cut). 3. Easier access to printer and tool head for servicing. 4. Much easier to seal enclosure. 5. Being able to move the belt tensioners off the print head makes the print head more compact and lighter for faster printing. 6. The optional modular tensioner-less back plates allow a greater number of fan upgrade options. Please see the Gold Series Gaping Maw Tensioner-less EVA mod https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5322790 7. Easier to access belt tensioners. 8. More rigid frame when enclosed. By comparison, standard Rat Rig lid adds nothing to rigidity of the printer frame. If you decide to contribute to my coffee fund to keep me up late at night doing more of this stuff I would appreciate this, but there is absolutely no obligation for you to do this. My PayPal account is liam@fastbikegear.co.nz <b>Bill of materials for upgrading and existing V-Core 3 OpenFrame</b> The following are the lengths of the extrusions required to convert a 300 x 300 V-Core 3. For a 400 x400 or 500 x 500 the length of the extrusions will be different 4 x new corner posts. 750 long for a 300 x 300 (240mm longer than current ones which are 510 mm long.) ON a 300 x 300 printer this will give you enough clearance for a flying umbilical cable to the tool head. Re use existing 440mm top front extrusion and cut one old corner vertical extrusion to 440 mm for the new top front and rear extrusions Cut the remaining two of the old corner vertical extrusions to 505mm for new top side extrusions. <b>Hardware</b> Remove the eight right angle plates from the top perimeter of your existing frame. Replace thee with 6 x new T plates for fastening Y extrusions and rear extrusion to the frame. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000217872846.html Re use the 8 x Right angle plates that you removed for mounting the top perimeter extrusions on your new frame. 40x 6mm x 12 mm cap screws (black oxide). 40 x 6mm T nuts. Recommend that you order 50 of these as I have probably missed a couple and always useful to have a few extra for mounting things to the extrusions. These are used for the new top perimeter assembly and mounting the two new front idler plates and two new XY motor mounting plates. 2 x extra front idler plates (Available from Rat Rig or Aliexpress). 2 x extra XY motor mounting plates (Available from Rat Rig or Aliexpress). https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003503473525.html 8 x 3mm x 42 mm cap screws (black oxide) for XY motor mounting. May have to order longer and cut them shorter. 4 x 5 mm x 42 mm cap screws (black oxide) for rear idlers. 1 x 5 mm x 36 mm pins (right front idler). 1 x 5 mm x 33 mm pin. (left front idler) I ground down a 36 mm one to save me needing to order different sizes). These pins are available from your local bearing supplier or Aliexpress. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000233682608.html 2 x 6mm x 35 mm cap screws (black oxide) for belt tensioners 2 x standard 6 mm zinc nut for belt tensioners. 8 x 6 mm nylock nuts (4 for retaining front idler stationary block and 4 for clamping XY rear motor plates. 2 x 6 mm 50 mm cap screws (black oxide) for clamping left front idler stationary block 2 x 6 mm 54 mm cap screws (black oxide) for clamping right front idler stationary block <B>Optional Magnetic Panels.</B> I used 4 mm Dibond (Sluminium Composite material) for all my panels other than the front panel as it is very cheap and easy to cut by score and snap method and you can also cut any cut outs required easily with a hack saw blade.I bolted these in place with M6 T nuts and cap screws and placed a washer under the head of each cap screw to spread the load better. For the magnetically attached front panel I used 4.5 mm polycarbonate as that what was readily available locally. On my full height front panel on my OpenFront '300' I used 3 magnet holders at the top and the bottom and four down each side. These each hold 3 magnets (1 or 2 proved not strong enough). For a larger panel I would use more magnet holders. The receptacle holes in the polycarbonate are 7.75 mm in diameter and the magnetic holders are a tight friction fit in these. Here is what you need for each magnetic catch: 1 x T-Nut. I use the 30-M6 sized ones from here https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32851320734.html 1 x Grub screw, socket cup, black oxide steel M6 x 8mm to hold T-Nut in place and improve magnetic performance. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33029779249.html 3 x Magnets 6 mm dia x 3 mm per magnet holder. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001991968667.html <B>Optional Tensioner-less EVA back plate and fan mounts.</B> Because the tensioners are no longer needed on the EVA carriage (as they are moved to the front idlers) the EVA carriage can be made lighter and more compact. The tensioner-less back plates are available for a range of upgraded fan options, Including 5015, 4028 and Pabst fans. The belt retention system is also much simpler. The full range of tensioner-less back plates are here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5322790 For more of the mods on this printer please search "MFBS Gold Series" in thingiverse. <b>Update</b> 27/03/2022 changed spacing of bottom mounting holes to provide more clearance for heads of cap head screws. <b>Acknowledgements</b> This printer design is a derivative of the Rat Rig V-core 3, which I believe owes much of it's design to Pawel Kucmus