Ron's Dual Extruder

thingiverse

This extruder design is not the one you're looking for if you're following Josef Prusa's i3 plan; check out http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:24219 for a dual version. The creator notes that the only issue so far has been aligning the nozzles, which requires adding shims between groove mount plate and carriage. A possible solution is switching to a "Vertical X" carriage style. For the extruder, you'll need two Geared stepper motors (Minbea PG35L-D48), two drive wheels (MakerBot MK7 or Arcol 11x5), two 624 bearings, and various screws and nuts. Motor sources include eminebea.com, allelectronics.com, and mpja.com. Drive wheel options are available at store.makerbot.com and indiegogo.com/mini-hyena. If you buy from All Electronics, use a small gear puller to remove the vestigial gear. For the carriage, gather four igus bushings and various screws and nuts. Print the parts, remove support membranes and walls. If you've printed Ron's Compact Extruder before, reuse it after printing specific STL files. Use SFACT for slicing instead of slic3r due to better toolpaths and support. When assembling, ensure nozzle heights are close for best performance; shims, sandpaper, and kapton tape can be used for adjustments. Refer to http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:22980 for assembly instructions if needed.