Rigidbot Big Buildplate Counterweight

thingiverse

I wouldn't even think of running a single piston internal combustion engine without a counterweight, or it would shake itself to pieces. This is the exact principle behind adding a counterweight to my y-axis, and I've finally gotten around to putting it into practice. First, I lightened up my y-axis carriage and build plate by drilling lots of holes in them. Next, I installed a set of linear rails and a tray that can hold two lead counterweights to offset the 1850 grams of moving mass that makes up my y-axis. Check out the 6x20mm steel bar attached to the bottom of the counterweight tray - it's mainly there for added rigidity. I upgraded the stepper motor size to 1.8A with a 4.8kg.cm holding torque to deal with the extra weight. So far, I'm extremely pleased with the results, and I've gotten my sorbathane feet back on and they're no longer wobbling around like a jelly. My first print turned out beautifully, but it's still early days yet...