Zen Toolworks CNC 3d printer upgrade

thingiverse

These upgrades turn a Zen Toolworks CNC mill into a 3D printer for large parts. A taller plate is required to change the single Z-axis gantry over X design into an X gantry over dual Z-axis setup, which many 3D printers use. The Z-axis is designed to utilize the same X/Y leadscrews provided by Zen Toolworks. The CNC mill was purchased from Zen Toolworks at https://www.zencnc.com. This setup still allows me to switch back to CNC milling with a few bolts. However, it has slightly reduced capacity for stiffness but can handle most materials such as plastics, wood, and circuit boards. The new Z-axis needs to be locked with clamps if F8 lead screws are used because they will move quite easily. The CNC mill can be used to create new brackets for the X-carriage to allow quick switching between milling and printing modes. This converts the screw design to bolts that change faster. Plates were made from the same plastic, measuring 16.28mm thick. The nominal purchase thickness is not certain as I acquired them second-hand. The closest SAE measurement comes to 41/64s. DXFs are included for sizing and drilling the new plates. A complete description of the machine's features and parts can be found in the videos at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej4W24sELAA and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9h03wXL4j8.