MakerFarm 8" i3v Prusa build by Printbus

[printbus]

As an owner of an 8 inch i3v, I pass by the posts regarding the larger printers, which more and more people are using these days. They're outside my experience, as are the RAMBO and RUMBA board posts.

Yeah, I've raised that point before. Add to the list variations in LCD screen and the fact that MakerFarm has (rightfully so) incorporated some design improvements along the way, and it's definitely tougher to help out these days. It used to be that we had a fairly close-knit group of people with identical printers, solving identical issues, incorporating identical mods, etc. Now we have all sorts of variations in the mix, and many OPs don't seem to realize the need to provide basic configuration insight in their question or issue thread.

I've noticed that the regulars around here have not been as active in the posts as in the past...

Speaking for me personally, I simply grew weary of days entirely spent helping others via PM, IRC, and forum threads while my own printer sat with the power off and my 3D design skills remained lacking. I'm now more selective in where I apply my time.

[voodoo28]

Printbus, I hear you....but let me be the first to tell you that even though we have different setups... Your build log is the holy grail for these machines, And for that i thank you! The machines may differ in hardware but the building techniques and mods that you incorporated follow through to most of our setups.

[sniffle]

I've been neck deep in designing things myself... I am still waiting to see a rendering of that one thing you are working on....

[pgx3s]

Printbus, I hear you....but let me be the first to tell you that even though we have different setups... Your build log is the holy grail for these machines, And for that i thank you! The machines may differ in hardware but the building techniques and mods that you incorporated follow through to most of our setups.

I scond that!!!

[printbus]

I am still waiting to see a rendering of that one thing you are working on....

Keep an eye on my Thingiverse designs page. Just yesterday I started publishing some of the lesser efforts. I'm finally close to revamping the i3v with everything I've been throwing into the mods box for the last several months, and the more significant Thingiverse designs will be published after that. I haven't decided whether I'll document the revamp efforts here.

[printbus]

pgx3s, thanks for providing the PDF capture of the build thread. It was instrumental in figuring out how to restore missing images throughout the thread. All images should now be viewable again.

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SMOOTHIEBOARD AND OTHER UPGRADES

I don't plan to provide my usual level of detail, but I've subjected my i3v to a pretty substantial revamp. Here's a summary, with links to the applicable Thingiverse components.

• Improved X/Y belt idler pulley:http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:790138
• New approach for attaching X-belt to the X-carriage: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:790207
• New approach for attaching Y-belt to the Y-bed: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:796250
• Cover with power switch for the MeanWell power supply: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:798560
• Revamped suite of Greg's Wade extruder and 9/47 herringbone gears: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:812899
• Migrated to Smoothieboard electronics and Smoothieware firmware: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:816676
• Migrated to Full Graphic LCD: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:817274. Unbelievably, I had saved all the wood scraps from the original build, so I had the punch-out piece to stick in the top frame plate hole where the 20x4 LCD used to mount.

I also simultaneously migrated to the e3dv6 hot end and the new adjustable hobbed bolt from e3d. The above Greg's Wade extruder has been tailored for the nature of the shallow cut in the e3d hobbed bolt and for the PTFE liner on the 1.75mm filament feed in the e3dv6 1.75mm universal hot end. An additional thermistor hole was added on the opposite side of the e3dv6 aluminum block to keep all wiring on the right-hand side of the hot end. Since it worked well on my original build, Permatex Muffler Sealer was used again to bond the thermistor to the aluminum block. Instead of the provided thermistor, I'm using a US Sensor part number GP104L8F as what I think will be a better thermistor, although I've found it is extremely small and delicate. I broke one, so I'm running the thermistor that came with the e3d hot end on the heat bed. I'm using a 16mm heater cartridge instead of the 20mm one received with the e3dv6 so that I can continue to insulate the aluminum block with a couple layers of kapton tape.

The printer was basically rewired during the revamp, with all-new silicone wiring used for anything carrying much current. To minimize any noise issues, thermistors are connected with subminiature RG178 coax, endstops are connected with twisted pair wires, and motor winding pairs were also twisted before the motor wiring was rerouted. I equipped the Smoothieboard with screw terminals for everything but the thermistor and endstop connections. To minimize issues with stranded wire in the screw terminals, all stranded wires are terminated in a crimp pin or ferrule of some sort, giving the screw terminal something solid to bite into rather than the loose strands.

Unpublished at this time, I'm also using a custom fan shroud on the e3dv6. I reverse the airflow from that recommended by e3d so that the shroud fan pulls hot air off the e3dv6 heatsink and exhausts it with an upward angle that helps keep it of the print bed.

[voodoo28]

Looks good printbus...can you share your lcd mount?

[BLKKROW]

Thank you for the update! I may update my printer with some of your updates.

[printbus]

Looks good printbus...can you share your lcd mount?

The LCD mount is part of the GLCD frame, the last item in the bullet list. http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:817274

[TopJimmyCooks]

Really like what you've done. I copied a lot of your wire management moves a while back. I'm curious about what drove the desire to upgrade from ramps to smoothieboard?