MakerFarm 8" i3v build

[bteeter]

I just received my kit and now to start the build:
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Just what I need so that my weekend does not go to waste.

Bob

[JohnA136]

Looks good, keep us posted on your build process.

[gmay3]

bteeter, how did your i3v build go? My i3v kit comes today so I can't wait to get building!

[bteeter]

I am down to installing the power supply and such. Collin has been a big help with a few unusual questions.
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Bob

[KDog]

Looking good. I always have to laugh at our wire rat's nest though. It has always been a difficult thing to deal with.

[old man emu]

Now that's a real nice lookin' machine. The only thing I would do to improve it is to fit metal couplers to join the the Z-axis screws and steppers. I honestly feel that the failure to include these in the kit seriously affects the performance and appearance of the printer.

Old Man Emu.

[gmay3]

I started building the i3v last night, so far a have the heat bed assembly and the main frame assembly put together. I have had no trouble at all with the build and haven't needed to ask Colin anything yet. The build guide and videos have been super helpful.

My initial thoughts on unboxing the kit are that the laser cut wood is rock solid and super precisely cut. I also love that smell coming from the burned edges of the laser cut wood . I am very impressed with the quality of the kit and it has a completely stable base without having to do anything extra to the bottom.

Everything was packed with care and it was cool that Colin protected the circuit boards with ESD bubble wrap and then put them in individual plastic cases. The hot end also came very well protected in its own plastic case, and it actually came with a printed fan shroud to cool the Hexagon hot end which I was pleasantly surprised by.

The 3d printed parts for the extruder seem to be 100% infill though I'm not totally sure. They feel very hefty and strong.

The aluminum extrusions are really nice. I had thought that there would be a sled that rides in the inner slot but the are Delrin idler wheels with 2 bearings inside that ride on the outside of the extrusions and they make contact with the flat corners of the aluminum extrusions. This makes it butter smooth and if you manually push the heat bed back and forth all you can feel is the resistance of the stepper motor and the tension of the belt.

It was great to see that the heat bed graphics have been fixed so they're not upside down anymore.

Can't wait to finish this up this week!

[DrLuigi]

Now that's a real nice lookin' machine. The only thing I would do to improve it is to fit metal couplers to join the the Z-axis screws and steppers. I honestly feel that the failure to include these in the kit seriously affects the performance and appearance of the printer.

Old Man Emu.

Well i still use the plastic ones that came with it, Z is always pretty nicely on the measurement (0.1-0.2mm tolerance depending if i calibirated it well enough, sometimes spot on)
Never had a issue with it so it stays on so far

I started building the i3v last night, so far a have the heat bed assembly and the main frame assembly put together. I have had no trouble at all with the build and haven't needed to ask Colin anything yet. The build guide and videos have been super helpful.

My initial thoughts on unboxing the kit are that the laser cut wood is rock solid and super precisely cut. I also love that smell coming from the burned edges of the laser cut wood . I am very impressed with the quality of the kit and it has a completely stable base without having to do anything extra to the bottom.

Everything was packed with care and it was cool that Colin protected the circuit boards with ESD bubble wrap and then put them in individual plastic cases. The hot end also came very well protected in its own plastic case, and it actually came with a printed fan shroud to cool the Hexagon hot end which I was pleasantly surprised by.

The 3d printed parts for the extruder seem to be 100% infill though I'm not totally sure. They feel very hefty and strong.

The aluminum extrusions are really nice. I had thought that there would be a sled that rides in the inner slot but the are Delrin idler wheels with 2 bearings inside that ride on the outside of the extrusions and they make contact with the flat corners of the aluminum extrusions. This makes it butter smooth and if you manually push the heat bed back and forth all you can feel is the resistance of the stepper motor and the tension of the belt.

It was great to see that the heat bed graphics have been fixed so they're not upside down anymore.

Can't wait to finish this up this week!

Well for me the heat bed graphics are as they should be, Not upside down, i guess the early printers from makerfarm had it, later on probably (fixed, well its not that bad of course ^^ )

Kinda hope that he will make a upgrade pack, I think he will when the sales go down a little, well he should as i don't think that anyone would buy that just for the few mm/s you gain more.
And at the end he will just sell what he is already selling so he doesnt even need to invest in it realy.
Also the printed parts are 30% infill i believe, thats what he told me i think 6 months ago. but 30% is pretty solid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT1YUWCylvA
Seems silent to me ^^

[old man emu]

Maybe those plastic couplers are OK in places where the climate is mild and temperatures don't go much above the mid-20sC for very long. The plastic softens when it is exposed to an environment where the temperatures are above 30C for weeks on end.

I still think that fitting them improves the appearance of the machine and that is worth $10 in anyone's money.

OME

[1stage]

I'm about half way through my build and setup. Loving it, so far.

Looking ahead, I'd eventually like to extend the Y axis bed, rails, etc. for a bigger build envelope.

I'd also like to have two extruder heads so I can add support material for more complicated builds.