i3 A8 Badass DiggityDank MK8 Carriage

thingiverse

If you own an i3 mk1 clone, ditch your 3 aluminum bearing blocks, 6 snap rings, 14 screws, belt clamp, and metal carriage bracket because this carriage integrates what was once 28 separate pieces of hardware into just 4. This carriage is smaller and lighter than most i3 clone carriages, which means less mass and less vibration. The carriage also puts the extruder tip 20mm closer to the bottom linear bearing, instantly giving you a 220x220x260 build area, and the sash latch and front clip give instant access to printer head removal. Print a necessary nozzle before installing the carriage. To do this, notice that the blower position shifts the duct 3.5mm left from the extruder tip. Simply load the .stl file of any preferred Anet A8 nozzle into TinkerCAD and mirror the image; it's the same offset as the A8 but in the opposite direction. Do not print with basic PLA. Instead, use PLA+, PETG, or preferably ABS because I've never had an issue, but basic PLA has a glass transition of only 60°C. Many people have complained that the extruder stepper gets hot enough to soften and deform the carriage. The idea for this unified carriage concept came from Simhopp, who inspired me to remix the design entirely. To do this, I removed the inner bracket inserts so that you can use a wider variety of motors. I also widened the front clip to better support the blower and replaced the blower hook with a screw tab. Furthermore, I moved the sash latch further back so it wouldn't hit the blower housing, and I mirrored it so the tension pulley knob wouldn't be in the way. Additionally, I removed excess material from the carriage, pulled the brackets out by 4mm so that the fan wouldn't hit the X-stop, adding more X-axis travel via a 20mm trigger foot, and raised the bracket by 20mm to place the tip 5mm from the bottom bearing, giving an additional 20mm of vertical build space. You may need to update your firmware if you have an integrated height limit. Thanks to Simhopp's initial design idea, which you can find at http://www.thingiverse.com/Simhopp/designs. Print Settings Printer: Anet A8 i3 kit clone Rafts: Doesn't Matter Supports: Yes Resolution: .2mm Infill: 50% for bracket and 30% for everything else Notes: Supports are necessary for crisp lines under overhangs, they provide the best fit. Print the blower duct at a lower temperature for the best bridging. Print with ABS or PETG for longevity; PLA will work for a while but eventually warps after several weeks or months.