Recently, I got my hands on a free Ender 5 Pro, whose Z axis was so bent it looked like a forklift drove over it.
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@3dprinting While I wait for filament, I finally got the idlers I needed to finish Stage 1. I haven't bothered putting the pulley on the X motor, or belting anything, because I'd have to un-belt everything for later Stages anyway.
37/n
@3dprinting I also decided to try using my new reciprocating saw to cut some DIN rails. I wasn't particularly successful, as I simply could not workhold anything against this saw's might. Ended up using a hacksaw, some 3-in-1, and a lot of patience.
These are square and parallel, the camera just makes them look like they're not. Might change them later.
38/n
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@3dprinting I also decided to try using my new reciprocating saw to cut some DIN rails. I wasn't particularly successful, as I simply could not workhold anything against this saw's might. Ended up using a hacksaw, some 3-in-1, and a lot of patience.
These are square and parallel, the camera just makes them look like they're not. Might change them later.
38/n
@3dprinting One tip I got taught when doing tricky idler stacks involving shims: use a hex key to hold everything in place, then bolt down from the opposite end, displacing the key. This proved _especially_ useful here, as the thin shims I was using would have _certainly_ shifted otherwise.
39/n
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@3dprinting One tip I got taught when doing tricky idler stacks involving shims: use a hex key to hold everything in place, then bolt down from the opposite end, displacing the key. This proved _especially_ useful here, as the thin shims I was using would have _certainly_ shifted otherwise.
39/n
@3dprinting I also discovered that I did, indeed, have two flex couplers for lead screws, so I installed them too. The Z motors have _slightly_ different shaft lengths, so I will likely have to adjust them a bit. They look very cool if you give them a little nudge, as the springy couplers make them wave.
I can't do the rest of the Z assembly, due to missing 10mm rods. Until I get all the stuff I'm missing, I can't really continue.
40/n
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@3dprinting I also discovered that I did, indeed, have two flex couplers for lead screws, so I installed them too. The Z motors have _slightly_ different shaft lengths, so I will likely have to adjust them a bit. They look very cool if you give them a little nudge, as the springy couplers make them wave.
I can't do the rest of the Z assembly, due to missing 10mm rods. Until I get all the stuff I'm missing, I can't really continue.
40/n
@3dprinting Mounted the Y rails while I wait for parts. This is a bit of quite confusing documentation from the Endorphin project. According to the pictures, the written instructions and the CAD model, the right rail goes on the _outside_ of the frame. According to the instructional video, on the _inside_. So which is it?
Opened an issue about it: https://github.com/endorphin3d/endorphin/issues/31
For now I followed the video, so it looks a bit goofy. Can always remount once I have the printed parts.
41/n
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@3dprinting Mounted the Y rails while I wait for parts. This is a bit of quite confusing documentation from the Endorphin project. According to the pictures, the written instructions and the CAD model, the right rail goes on the _outside_ of the frame. According to the instructional video, on the _inside_. So which is it?
Opened an issue about it: https://github.com/endorphin3d/endorphin/issues/31
For now I followed the video, so it looks a bit goofy. Can always remount once I have the printed parts.
41/n
@3dprinting The Stage 2 instructions also aren't particularly specific on _where_ the rails are supposed to go exactly. This is definitely not obvious, as each rail is non-trivially shorter than the extrusion it mounts on.
For anyone reading this as an #Endorphin guide, it's 15mm from the rear brackets.
I might just go sensorless on Y and design some 15mm spacers/stoppers. Spoppers? There should be more than enough space there to M3x8 and hammer nut something in place.
42/n
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@3dprinting The Stage 2 instructions also aren't particularly specific on _where_ the rails are supposed to go exactly. This is definitely not obvious, as each rail is non-trivially shorter than the extrusion it mounts on.
For anyone reading this as an #Endorphin guide, it's 15mm from the rear brackets.
I might just go sensorless on Y and design some 15mm spacers/stoppers. Spoppers? There should be more than enough space there to M3x8 and hammer nut something in place.
42/n
@3dprinting More filament arrived today, which means more work on the #Endorphin. Several things have happened today.
First, rail stuff. I moved one rail to the outside of the frame, then designed and added some rail stops. These are both spacers (ensuring the rails are symmetrically placed), but also sensorless homing targets. As per the meme of this build, they fasten with M5 hardware, because what else.
These are fun to bump with the carriages.
43/n
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@3dprinting More filament arrived today, which means more work on the #Endorphin. Several things have happened today.
First, rail stuff. I moved one rail to the outside of the frame, then designed and added some rail stops. These are both spacers (ensuring the rails are symmetrically placed), but also sensorless homing targets. As per the meme of this build, they fasten with M5 hardware, because what else.
These are fun to bump with the carriages.
43/n
@3dprinting Next, we finally have a second Y tensioner! This is a redesign by me, because the original was held in place by _one_ screw, which meant it was neither holding the corner together (like the original tensioner) nor particularly well-constrained (as it could rotate around that screw). My design fixes both.
44/n
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@3dprinting Next, we finally have a second Y tensioner! This is a redesign by me, because the original was held in place by _one_ screw, which meant it was neither holding the corner together (like the original tensioner) nor particularly well-constrained (as it could rotate around that screw). My design fixes both.
44/n
@3dprinting Third, as you probably noticed, I restored the top front extrusion. While I admit it gets in the way, I simply could not justify not having it when I realized that I couldn't reinforce the two side top extrusions with corner brackets. This is because the Y belts would have nowhere to go then, whoops.
I stuck some small corner brackets on it just to be sure though.
45/n
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@3dprinting Third, as you probably noticed, I restored the top front extrusion. While I admit it gets in the way, I simply could not justify not having it when I realized that I couldn't reinforce the two side top extrusions with corner brackets. This is because the Y belts would have nowhere to go then, whoops.
I stuck some small corner brackets on it just to be sure though.
45/n
@3dprinting Last, but by no means least, I have replaced the toothless idlers with toothed ones for the Y idlers, and the idler opposite the X motor. These not only better match my colour scheme, but should also help with precision. Having to redo the shim stacks was a bit annoying, but ultimately felt worth it.
46/n
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@3dprinting Last, but by no means least, I have replaced the toothless idlers with toothed ones for the Y idlers, and the idler opposite the X motor. These not only better match my colour scheme, but should also help with precision. Having to redo the shim stacks was a bit annoying, but ultimately felt worth it.
46/n
@3dprinting Next on the agenda is completing Stage 2, which means mounting the two parts holding the X axis on the MGN12 carriages. The original parts have... _suspect_ belt clamping, so I'll probably test-print the parts first to check if they actually can hold a belt under tension. If not, I'll have to modify them too.
I'll also have to finally thread and tension the Y belts too, since those mounts will stay with us into Stage 3. This is the _easier_ belting step at least.
47/n
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@3dprinting Next on the agenda is completing Stage 2, which means mounting the two parts holding the X axis on the MGN12 carriages. The original parts have... _suspect_ belt clamping, so I'll probably test-print the parts first to check if they actually can hold a belt under tension. If not, I'll have to modify them too.
I'll also have to finally thread and tension the Y belts too, since those mounts will stay with us into Stage 3. This is the _easier_ belting step at least.
47/n
@3dprinting I also need to finish mounting all the reinforcing brackets, but for _that_ I'm going to need a lot more M5 fasteners. They are arriving soon. I'll also need to properly mount the Y motors (those mounts have quite a bit of vertical play at the moment), and most likely will need a _different_ reinforcing solution for the rear top frame corners, as my original brackets collide with the Y motor mounts. I have some options for those, but they'll need test-printing too.
48/n
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@3dprinting I also need to finish mounting all the reinforcing brackets, but for _that_ I'm going to need a lot more M5 fasteners. They are arriving soon. I'll also need to properly mount the Y motors (those mounts have quite a bit of vertical play at the moment), and most likely will need a _different_ reinforcing solution for the rear top frame corners, as my original brackets collide with the Y motor mounts. I have some options for those, but they'll need test-printing too.
48/n
@3dprinting Also, somewhat tangentially, I'll need to finish the Z axis. While I can't do this yet (still waiting on some key parts), this will determine a lot of other things, including where the electronics will go. I'll have to print some parts for this as well, but I decided not to even think about that until I have the rods and extrusion in hand.
49/n
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@3dprinting Also, somewhat tangentially, I'll need to finish the Z axis. While I can't do this yet (still waiting on some key parts), this will determine a lot of other things, including where the electronics will go. I'll have to print some parts for this as well, but I decided not to even think about that until I have the rods and extrusion in hand.
49/n
@3dprinting #Endorphin progress picture! I've (mostly) finished Stage 2 at this point: only the X tensioner remains. I've also added (and tensioned) both Y belts, which was a lot more annoying than I expected.
I did some other stuff besides, which I will explain in subsequent posts.
50/n
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@3dprinting #Endorphin progress picture! I've (mostly) finished Stage 2 at this point: only the X tensioner remains. I've also added (and tensioned) both Y belts, which was a lot more annoying than I expected.
I did some other stuff besides, which I will explain in subsequent posts.
50/n
@3dprinting One of the additional things I did was mount both the top and bottom Z rod brackets. I had enough metal ones upcycled from the original to do the bottom, but the top ones had to be modified from the Mercury One. These aren't likely to be their final positions, as I won't be able to judge that until I get the rods and extrusion to build the axis.
Also, the clearance between the top brackets and the moving parts of the Y axis is _super_ close. Like, _millimetres_.
51/n
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@3dprinting One of the additional things I did was mount both the top and bottom Z rod brackets. I had enough metal ones upcycled from the original to do the bottom, but the top ones had to be modified from the Mercury One. These aren't likely to be their final positions, as I won't be able to judge that until I get the rods and extrusion to build the axis.
Also, the clearance between the top brackets and the moving parts of the Y axis is _super_ close. Like, _millimetres_.
51/n
@3dprinting These belt clamps are simultaneously wondrous and terrible. They're wondrous because, in spite of _repeated_ attempts to pull them loose under tension, I couldn't. They are held in with nothing but friction against the belt teeth.
They're _terrible_ because there is no way in hell to thread belts into them once the axis is mounted to the rail carriages. Seriously, I tried, it can't be done. Had to disassemble the entire axis to get those damn belts in there.
52/n
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@3dprinting These belt clamps are simultaneously wondrous and terrible. They're wondrous because, in spite of _repeated_ attempts to pull them loose under tension, I couldn't. They are held in with nothing but friction against the belt teeth.
They're _terrible_ because there is no way in hell to thread belts into them once the axis is mounted to the rail carriages. Seriously, I tried, it can't be done. Had to disassemble the entire axis to get those damn belts in there.
52/n
@3dprinting So, after the X axis tensioner, what's left?
1. X linear rail (easy).
2. Z axis (fairly easy, blocked on parts).
3. LED mount (fairly easy).... and then the suffering begins, because I have to build and wire the toolhead, set up (and wire) the electronics well, and probably figure out the skirt. All of these _will_ require custom parts and crimping.
Send help.
53/n
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@3dprinting So, after the X axis tensioner, what's left?
1. X linear rail (easy).
2. Z axis (fairly easy, blocked on parts).
3. LED mount (fairly easy).... and then the suffering begins, because I have to build and wire the toolhead, set up (and wire) the electronics well, and probably figure out the skirt. All of these _will_ require custom parts and crimping.
Send help.
53/n
@3dprinting Been a few days without an update, but not because I haven't been working! I've since mounted the X rail, (most of) the X tensioner, and even started on the toolhead. However, I'm bottlenecked right now, because the belt clamps don't align with the belt path. The fix for this _should_ be easy enough, but I've been a bit stalled because of that.
54/n
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@3dprinting Been a few days without an update, but not because I haven't been working! I've since mounted the X rail, (most of) the X tensioner, and even started on the toolhead. However, I'm bottlenecked right now, because the belt clamps don't align with the belt path. The fix for this _should_ be easy enough, but I've been a bit stalled because of that.
54/n
@3dprinting The observant members of the audience are probably yelling something like 'WHERE ARE THE CAT EARS KOZ', which is a fair question. I'll definitely have some, but I'm not 100% sure if this cowl design is the one I'm going for. To save myself potentially re-doing a bunch of work, I'll first figure out how all the parts fit, and _then_ remix as appropriate.
55/n
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@3dprinting The observant members of the audience are probably yelling something like 'WHERE ARE THE CAT EARS KOZ', which is a fair question. I'll definitely have some, but I'm not 100% sure if this cowl design is the one I'm going for. To save myself potentially re-doing a bunch of work, I'll first figure out how all the parts fit, and _then_ remix as appropriate.
55/n
@3dprinting So, good news bad news. The good news is that the belt alignment issues in _Z_ are fixed, using the stupidest possible method (chopping 3mm out of the part that mounts to the MGN9 block).
The bad news? With the stock belt clamps, I now have belt alignment issues in _Y_, which means at extremes of movement, belts now rub against the Y belt clamps.
Whee, time to redesign some belt clamps I guess!
56/n
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@3dprinting So, good news bad news. The good news is that the belt alignment issues in _Z_ are fixed, using the stupidest possible method (chopping 3mm out of the part that mounts to the MGN9 block).
The bad news? With the stock belt clamps, I now have belt alignment issues in _Y_, which means at extremes of movement, belts now rub against the Y belt clamps.
Whee, time to redesign some belt clamps I guess!
56/n
@3dprinting This seems to fix it. All I did was add a 'foot' to the belt clamp out to about 10mm. It looks a little off-square in the picture, but that's not the part bending under tension, it's the belt itself interfering. This _should_ be fine I think.
I also decided to see if the Tank shroud looks better. It doesn't. Going to work from the original Small shroud to add the nekomimi we all crave.
57/n
