K8200 extruder air duct base

thingiverse

I downloaded this extremely functional "K8200 Airduct" (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:262352) from kuraasu for my Velleman k8200 3D printer. After experimenting with several different air duct designs and encountering mediocre results, I stumbled upon this exceptionally good one. My only challenge is that it lacks a base to install it. The creator, kuraasu, recommends using wire to construct the holding base, which proves to be a wise decision. Initially, I employed the original aluminum fan base for a short time, but it wasn't robust enough to maintain the "Airduct" without vibrating excessively. Others experienced similar difficulties after a few days of utilizing my improvised base, with their bases failing due to loose glue, resulting in the air duct being dislodged mid-job. It was not the base that failed but rather the glue that held it, prompting me to revisit my original design and create this new base_v4.stl piece. Version 3 wasn't unremarkable, yet printing it with optimal results proved to be quite demanding using my printer settings. This revised base prints perfectly and fits precisely without requiring any modifications. One merely needs to rotate the print data so that the vertical support rests flat against the bed and extend the fan cables accordingly, since the fan needs to be rotated due to a lack of cable management options on the base. The fasteners utilized for assembling the piece are identical to those used in the original design – three 20mm screws for securing the fan and a single 4mm hex screw to anchor the base against the Z-axis support. I warmly recommend trying this version if you're struggling with bonding issues similar to mine. This revised base file was designed using freeCAD, a user-friendly CAD application. Instructions for installation follow: I utilized PLA as the printing material and combined it with Superbonder for acrylic stick adhesives to securely bond the air duct portion. The custom-designed base uses the original metric nut and allen screw arrangement, facilitating effortless adjustment of the air duct's height without substantial issues. To re-establish alignment with the extruder heater, you may need to readjust your original aluminum fan support base to match the revised design's specifications for the air duct assembly. When printing this piece, it is beneficial to rotate the print so that it lies flat against the printer bed.