Triple Water Block

youmagine

I have been working on a water block for a triple hot end RoStock printer for quite some time, actually before the Kraken was released. Fitting four extruders to the RoStock platform is challenging and not radially symmetrical. The advantage of using water cooling is that it takes up less space and allows rigid alignment of the hot ends to each other, which also sounds better with a water-cooled 3D printer. This design fits on the standard RoStock platform so all the holes line up. I have been using this in a dual head setup for a while, I will eventually move to triple head when needed and after getting everything else set up. Instructions: 1. Print out the two drill guides. 2. Clamp the first one onto the aluminum bar stock so as to waste as little material as possible. 3. Use a countersink/center with a 3/8" wide head to locate the center hole location. Do not just stick a drill bit in there, it will wander and your locations will be all messed up... and your drill guide will be destroyed. 4. Remove the guide, drill the hole at 5/16", and use a bolt or some threaded rod or a bolt to clamp the guide to the bar stock. 5. Now with the guide held with one hole use the center on one other 5/16" holes. Remove the guide, drill the hole through and clamp with two bolts. Now the other two holes can be safely located with the center without any worry of wander. 6. For the smaller holes use a 3mm drill bit tip to mark the locations (or a 3mm/0.125" center if you have one). 7. Use the outer edge of the guide to trace the shape of the block. 8. Remove the drill guide and drill through the large holes with a 5/16 drill bit. Drill out the smaller holes to 2.5mm to prepare it for tapping at M3 9. Now the fun part, use a hacksaw to cut out the piece from stock making the flats a priority for accuracy. 10. If you have a lathe you can mount it to round out the piece or try an AFGAN lathe... 11. Clamp the other drill guide around a side and once again use the center to locate the side holes 12. Drill the large holes at 11/32" to prepare them for tapping, be careful not to go too far but also be sure they connect with each other. It may take a few tries, just be conservative at first. 13. Tap the small mounting holes, and set screw holes M3 14. Attach the fittings and tubing (note screw in fittings without extensions first (couldn't find swivel elbows at this size). I went through several iterations, an alternative/previous design used a slightly different hot end and was held in place with a nut on the top and bottom of the water block. This worked pretty well but was a little more cumbersome to adjust the height and required a longer cold end meaning more weight and challenge in drilling the 4mm center hole. The idea of using set screws I took from the design of the Kracken (E3D).