Heaven help me - I've just bought a delta kit :-)

[curious aardvark]

I have never touched the k200's firmware - I suggest you don't either till you get a problem with it :-)

It comes fully working.
As I don't see how my prints could improve - I've left it well alone.

[mjf55]

So I started building my printer this evening. with a broken hand, the going was rougher than it should have been. Some observations and a question
First, You really do need the ball end hex keys. Those screws in the corners are a nightmare. I was warned ahead of time, but did not order them. I have corrected that this evening and will have them tomorrow. ( love same day delivery of amazon)
Next, the effector is still 3d printed, and as curious aardvark noted, of poor quality. I already made a new one based on information already provided here and will use that.
Third, The instructions are not the best. The provided sheet lacks detail, along with the animated YouTube on the 3dprintersonlinestore site. What seems to be much better is the series of videos where you see someone actually building the printer. However, the animated video and the live video does not match. I am going with the live video.

Now that leads me to my question. What is the order of spring washers, wheels, spacers on the carriage part. They differ in the 2 videos and also with the printed sheet. What I think is correct is screw, 2 spring washers, spacer, carriage acrylic and finally nut. For the other side: the screw, 1 spring washer, wheel, eccentric nut, acrylic carriage and the nut.

Can you guys provide some guidance?

[curious aardvark]

the he3d video is brilliant for everything but the wheels.
I like it because you can run it backwards and forwards and see the part from lots of different angles.
There is a correction for the wheels on the he3d website.
Also here: http://www.reprap.org/wiki/K200
wheels :


he3d faq: http://www.reprapmall.com/index.php?...log/blog&id=41

That lot should do it. :-)
We did say those bottom frame bolts were fiddly :-)

I put the carriages together the way it showed in the video - can't say it made any difference doing it the right way afterwards :-) But it makes a lot more sense.

I didn't do it qyite like they did.
I assembled the carriages and then dropped them down onto the struts. Much easier than trying to add them after you've put the top on.
The adjustable nuts aren't really necessary.

So build carriages, attach arms, drop onto struts, tighten, put top on, attach arms to effector.
Is the easiest way to do it.

The animated video and the circuit diagram are all you need.
And a tablet for the video is also helpful.

[mjf55]

Thanks for the picture. Thats how I built it.
Well, got the mechanical completed. Will start mounting the electronics. I think it is right.
What is the proper amount of bet tension, or should i not worry about it when I put in the belt tension springs?
EDIT: I just read in the facebook group that the arms are different and should be paired? Is that true, I did not check mine. Should I take them back off and check? Thanks
he3d-k200-day2.jpg

[curious aardvark]

Arms all identical far as i know.
an awful lot of crap on that facebook group.
Tension wise get them as tight as you can in the fitting, then use two tension springs per belt - well that's what i;ve done.

[mjf55]

Thanks CA and number40Fan, I just measured and they are all the same.
It sounded wonky, that's why I ran it by here.

Hope to finish build this evening. I adjusted the belts using the method in the He3d K200 D8 tutorial 8 at the 2 minute mark where you make the belts tight as you can then move the top frame member up using the adjustment screws at the top.

[mjf55]

Right. Extruder is now modded with ptfe tube.

Extrudes, loads unloads - in short it works.
Now knowing that without this 'mod' (read: essential operation) the extruders simply do not work. Why on gods earth would you sell one to someone without the necessary 40-50mm (did not measure it) of ptfe tube already installed ?
Particularly when you consider how much attention to detail has gone into everything else.

Insanity.

CA, exactly what is this mod. Is the gap near the top where the ptfe tube from the bowden connects to the top of the extruder, or is it near the bottom of the extruder, near the heater / cold break. I had a little difficulty pushing the ptfe tube in as much as the video series says to ( almost the total length of the extruder) , but when I took off the top, I could see a ptfe tube down there.

EDIT: I took abart my hotend/extruder. There is a small ptfe tube in there running down to the bottom of the steel tube (heat break?) I make sure that the nozzle butts right up against that so there is not gap. I also pushed the long ptfe tube in the top until it meet the internal one. So no gaps there. I think thats right. any comments?

[mjf55]

So, after 3 evenings, my k200 stirs awake. Other than a faulty extruder thermistor issue ( typical shorting causing a 'DEF' error on the display )

I can zero the axis and the extruder goes to the top.

Still have to install the springs. How far up the rods to they go?

Time to figure our the software and start printing.

Anyone have a s3d, or cura configuration / settings theey can pass to me. Thanks

[mjf55]

Thanks number40Fan. I did find the fff file, although I think I will load the info into cura. I'm kinda getting use to it. On the springs, zip tie above and below to hold in place or do you have another way?

And the big question. How do I calibrate and bed level this thing. I was able to level the bed using g1 commands to move in 4 locations ( center and 3 by the bed screws ) and had a z=10 where the paper was a little tight. How to I record those z-offset values so it stays? I did an auto calibrate after that and every thing ( well z-offset ) changed. I clearly dont fully understand. Do you have a step by step method to calibrate ? Thanks for the help. I m real excited to get printing.

EDIT: Oh, do you use the glass to print on or just tape on the aluminum bed?

[mjf55]

Leveled the bed to the horizontal extrusions.
Ran the G29 calibration. here is the result

03:39:52.432 : Info:Autoleveling disabled
03:39:54.271 : Z-probe:50.76 X:-66.00 Y:-38.00
03:39:57.698 : Z-probe:50.39 X:66.00 Y:-38.00
03:40:00.877 : Z-probe:49.50 X:0.00 Y:66.00
03:40:01.832 : Z-probe average height:50.22
03:40:01.835 : Info:Autoleveling enabled
03:40:01.837 : X:0.47 Y:65.95 Z:50.165 E:0.0000

Please explain what you are doing with this info

Played some more, and this is where I am at.
04:43:04.498 : Info:Autoleveling disabled
04:43:06.296 : Z-probe:47.74 X:-66.00 Y:-38.00
04:43:09.161 : Z-probe:47.78 X:66.00 Y:-38.00
04:43:11.908 : Z-probe:47.76 X:0.00 Y:66.00
04:43:12.690 : Z-probe average height:47.76
04:43:12.692 : Info:Autoleveling enabled
04:43:12.695 : X:0.47 Y:65.95 Z:50.165 E:0.0000

So, I think I got it. The data show ( I think ) that the bed is level (47.74 - 47.78 , just .04 low to high ). So I put double paper on the bed, baby z-stepped ( What about Bob ) down to where the paper just drags a little, then using the control panel, set z=0 ans saved to eeprom. That appear to to be it. I did not do the auto bed calibration, as that
Anyone disagree, please let me know. Also, I see people mention 'the math' and i dont know what that means. If anyone knows, please let let me know.


When using Repetier-Host, if the printer is at home, and I press the home button again, I get a pop-up saying "00 Your printer requested a pause. When I hit continue printing, I get a slow z movement down along with space music from 'Close Encounters Of The Third Time' until I reset the machine. Whats up with that?