Monoprice Mini (MPSM) WK9.1 extruder base with access to set screw

cults3d

I've been using my Monoprice Mini heavily, and started experiencing inconsistent prints that seemed related to extrusion issues. Researching, I discovered that worn-out teeth on the extruder gear were likely causing the problem, so I ordered a replacement from Gigdigit. When I received it, removing the old gear took some time, and learning more about the process revealed that heat was essential. A quick fix with a heat gun made the old gear come off easily. I've been using wileykyoto's excellent MPSM V2 Improved Extruder (WK9) for a while now, and wanted to cut the PTFE tube precisely to match the rollers, but realized I needed access to the set screw (also known as grub screw) with the extruder gear installed. Unfortunately, the WK9 design slightly conceals it, making it impossible to tighten down when in the correct position. I tried modifying the original STL file in SketchUp, but had no luck. MeshMixer provided some decent results, yet nothing I was truly satisfied with. So, I focused on redrawing it in Fusion 360, giving me a proper parametric model to work with. Although this is entirely new, it's essentially a direct copy of the WK9 base, with an added slot for set screw access, allowing me to install or remove the extruder gear while keeping the base intact. If you're wondering, yes, you could achieve the same outcome by printing the original WK9 base and modifying it using a hacksaw, file, or small drill. Like most of my projects, I'm more interested in the journey and learning process than taking the quickest route to the destination.