MakerFarm i3v x-idler bracket plate

thingiverse

During the initial build of my i3v printer, I carved away part of the upper left corner of the x-idler mounting plate so that it would fit more neatly next to the right-side z-nut bracket. When swapping out the standard z-nut brackets with RickSisco's https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:769057 designs, I opted for a fresh x-idler plate without the trimmed corner. I've included two STL versions of the x-idler plate for you to try out. The first one measures 48mm in length and makes an ideal replacement for the original wooden plate. If you prefer a slightly longer design, you can go with the 60mm option, which covers both horizontal v-rails completely and offers a more stable installation for your x-idler. To achieve these options, I drew on the expertise of roundCornersCube https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:8812 from its creators, providing users with the freedom to select rounded edges or straight ones on their plate designs. For now, my provided STL files are configured with a 2mm corner radius. Below, you'll find some instructions for incorporating these new parts into your own project. Instructions If generating STLs from openSCAD code yourself, don't forget to grab the roundCornersCube script from its homepage: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:8812 – download it and paste a copy into whatever directory holds other library scripts. In the script named i3v_x_idler_plate, assume it relies on access to an openSCAD "Custom" folder; adjust this path according to your setup as needed. Now, when printing these plates for your i3v x-idler bracket, use lots of infill – not just enough but heaps! This will create a firm foundation for the entire mounting mechanism, strong against both tension from the idler bolts and any slight expansion due to temperature fluctuations.