Hoss's 3D Printers

[TimGS]

Hoss,
I finally found your posting for calibration of the extruder.

Posting #356 on this thread... 30 mm/min slow 75 mm/min on rapids Does this hold true for ABS?

Reprap development and further adventures in DIY 3D printing: Slic3r is Nicer - Part 1 - Settings and Extruder Calibration

and

http://reprap.org/wiki/Calibration

I will try it tonight...if I have time.

[eaglezsoar]

Cost is only part of it, for example RAMPS etc provide multiple temperature controllers driven from the Arduino PWM outputs. These are controlled by extensions to the standard GCodes.
To do the same thing on Mach you'd have to probably use something like an Arduino anyway in addition to the usual stepper drivers and write a plugin to control it.

3D Printers though fundamentally similar to Mills etc do have unique requirements.

The community could have started with say EMC2 and built driver boards, but given the real goal was to create an accessible (read cheap) standalone self replicating open source device, being dependent on a computer to run was probably not a big plus when the project was started.

The Arduino solutions though having many limitation when compared to real motion control software, actually has a coupe of plusses, the pulse train from an Arduino to the drivers is almost certainly cleaner than Mach (without something like a smooth stepper) and probably better than EMC2. Because there is no OS accurate timing is relatively easy to guarantee.
The Pololu's are pretty crappy stepper drivers, but dirt cheap and more than sufficient for a 3D printer application.

From my standpoint I own a copy of Mach and a spare G540 (as it happens) and still went with RAMPS because I don't want to have to have another computer cluttering up my office. I plug my laptop in upload the code to the SDCard, start the print, take my laptop and walk away.

You and others have talked me into it and I bought a Ramps complete kit
with the smd already solderered and the sdramps card. This is for my
H-1 printer. I think I know enough to install the arduino software on the
arduino when I first get it but after that..........
I do want to use Marlin and Pronterface simply because that is what Hoss is using and I have learned to trust his judgement. I will need some help
configuring the firmwares If I can find someone nice enough to help.
Should I continue on this thread or would you rather I open a new thread when I ask for help?

[eaglezsoar]

I have contacted Maker Farm where Hoss bought his Prusa and he tells that he has no way to use 1.75mm filament with his extruder/hot end. Does anyone who owns one of the Prusa printers sold by Maker Farm know how to modify it to use the 1.75mm filament? I would like to purchase one of these but I have 10 rolls of the small filament I need to use.

[rwskinner]

I looked at buying some solid PFTE rod and machine it and drilling it for the 1.75 filament. Just make a larger tube to slide in the barrel. From searching on the web that is what several others recommended.

McMaster has it and it wasn't too aweful expensive.

Richard

[eaglezsoar]

I looked at buying some solid PFTE rod and machine it and drilling it for the 1.75 filament. Just make a larger tube to slide in the barrel. From searching on the web that is what several others recommended.

McMaster has it and it wasn't too aweful expensive.

Richard

That should work as long as the filament contacts the hobbed bolt.
Thanks for the suggestion. I may consider changing out the extruder if I could find one to fit and accepts the smaller filament.

[rwskinner]

In the J-Head Mark IV there is a hollow set screw that holds the tube in the barrel, and of course you have to hob a bolt for 1.75mm or it won't feed.

Richard

[ImagineRobots]

I have contacted Maker Farm where Hoss bought his Prusa and he tells that he has no way to use 1.75mm filament with his extruder/hot end. Does anyone who owns one of the Prusa printers sold by Maker Farm know how to modify it to use the 1.75mm filament? I would like to purchase one of these but I have 10 rolls of the small filament I need to use.

If it's the MK-IV hot end then this 1.75mm insert from MakerBot fits:

Machined 1-piece PTFE Core Tube for MK6 1.75 mm filament - MakerBot Industries

I bought two of them as a test fit. However, I have not installed and tested the MK-IV extruder yet with this modification.

[hoss2006]

I noticed when cleaning out my Mark IV from maker farm that it had a 3mm bore in the brass
about 3/16 deep just below where the PTFE core ends.
For 3mm filament it's no problem but using 1.75mm I would imagine it would bulge in this "reservoir" and lead to clogging.
Might want to inspect yours closely.
Hoss

[rpovey]

The Reprap wiki has a section on converting the JHead to 1.75, and it's more than just swapping the PTFE liner.
I did notice that you can now buy the 1.75mm version of the JHead from hotends.com for an additional $15.

[DrewSmith007]

Well crap, I bought the makerfarm kit right before this post. I hadn't even considered filament size... I have a makerbot stepstruder mk7 sitting around with 2 spools of 1.75mm filament that I would like to use...

I just ordered a small amount of 3mm filament to use with the Jhead that comes in the kit. My first attempt will be to modify the carriage to hold the mk7, if that doesn't work I'll use the 3mm and Jhead to print a carriage for the mk7...

[LeeWay]

I did have my Jhead apart once and the insert in it for 3 MM actually had a step milled in the bottom to sit into the recess in the brass. Makes the insert nice and snug. I did buy some more of this from McMaster for 3 MM size and it is green in color. Working on my own design little by little.
A step on it can be turned in a similar fashion if you insert a snug steel rod as a mandrel of sorts and use a sharp tool on a lathe.

You would need either an insert that is OD 3MM or 1/8" and the ID of the 1.75 mm. Not sure how you would secure the top though. The through hole set screw isn't small enough for that.

[rpovey]

Here's the link to the 1.75mm conversion on the reprap wiki
http://reprap.org/wiki/J_Head_Nozzle#1.75mm_Conversion
You'd need a lathe to do it.