# Specific 3D Printers, Scanners, & Hardware > RepRap Format Printer Forum > MakerFarm Forum >  MakerFarm 8" i3v build

## bteeter

I just received my kit and now to start the build:
006-1.jpg

Just what I need so that my weekend does not go to waste.

Bob

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## JohnA136

Looks good, keep us posted on your build process.

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## gmay3

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

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## bteeter

I am down to installing the power supply and such.  Collin has been a big help with a few unusual questions.
473-1.jpg474-1.jpg475-1.jpg476-1.jpg477-1.jpg

Bob   :Wink:

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## 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.

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## 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.

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## 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  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): . 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!

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## 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  :Wink: 




> 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.
> ...


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 ^^

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## 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

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## 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.

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## gmay3

OME, I was working putting the Z rods into the plastic tubing last night and I think it took a few years of life out of my hands haha. I think I will definitely be doing your rod coupler upgrade in the near future!

I've got my printer assembled minus the RAMPS, heat bed, extruder, and hot end. I'm surprised how long its taking me to put together. Maybe I'm taking my time to carefully assemble it, or maybe I'm working a little slower than most but I think the 3+ hour build time on the makerfarm website is a little ambitious! But that's totally ok with me. I don't want the build to end because I'm having a great time.

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## 3dNoob

Just finished my build - everything went great apart from a few mistakes I made, nothing that couldnt be fixed fortunately. Printing the calibration cube now. Everything appears to be working just fine.

Overall very impressed with this kit.

IMG_20140409_163731.jpg

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## 1stage

I'm going to Home Depot or Lowe's today to find a good material for the heat bed insulation, which is where I'm stalled.

~1/4" thick

While I'd probably be fine with the cardboard that Colin used in the video, it's a little too sketchy for me.

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## DrLuigi

I do have to say that i dont realy like the look of the  I3v, as the aluminium and wood realy don't go together,

But if it works better and less noise i would also buy it to be honest,

If theres a upgrade kit atleast,

In my honest opinion, as i live in Europe i might not buy a makerfarm again as there are other solutions that are cheaper (and slightly better as stability goes) due shipping rates and custom fees.
But i must say if you do live in America or somewhere more near, It is still a great buy, i hope you will enjoy it ^^

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## gmay3

3dnoob, looks great!

1stage, I also thought the cardboard was sketchy so I looked up what else could be used and the reprap wiki recommended using cork sheet as an insulation. I want to say the thickness I have is closer to 1/8" or maybe 2.5 mm. I haven't gotten to that stage yet but I'm hoping its works!

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## beerdart

I do not use insulation just foil tape around the edges and the bed heats almost as fast as the nozzle and maintains heat real well. 


> I'm going to Home Depot or Lowe's today to find a good material for the heat bed insulation, which is where I'm stalled.
> 
> ~1/4" thick
> 
> While I'd probably be fine with the cardboard that Colin used in the video, it's a little too sketchy for me.

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## 3dNoob

For bed insulation I happened to have the perfect piece of kaowool left over from building a forge. The 1/2 inch stuff is pretty cheap. If you have a ceramic supply store nearby you may be able to pick it up locally.

http://www.anvilfire.com/sales/pages/kaowool_index.htm

Phil

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## bteeter

Well I have finished up the build and have printed the cube for testing.  I am now printing the emergency replacement parts in case they break.  I have been able to tune the steppers so that I hear the same type of noise that Collin has in the background of his videos.  For noise suppression I put an 3/4" piece of white oak under it.  That reduced the noise a lot.

pict004-1.jpgpict006-1.jpg

Again I think I got a great deal and a very usable machine for my investment.

I have documented my build on the OpenBuilds forum.
http://www.openbuilds.com/builds/bob...kit-build.651/


Bob

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## DrLuigi

> Well I have finished up the build and have printed the cube for testing.  I am now printing the emergency replacement parts in case they break.  I have been able to tune the steppers so that I hear the same type of noise that Collin has in the background of his videos.  For noise suppression I put an 3/4" piece of white oak under it.  That reduced the noise a lot.
> 
> pict004-1.jpgpict006-1.jpg
> 
> Again I think I got a great deal and a very usable machine for my investment.
> 
> I have documented my build on the OpenBuilds forum.
> http://www.openbuilds.com/builds/bob...kit-build.651/
> 
> ...


I would realy use a multimeter, The pot meter is quiet precise, a minimal twist is quiet huge,
0.2v can differ from Skipping or your motors running fine.

After that well done ^^

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## bteeter

I started with a meter to get close then I ran each operation on X, Y, Z and extruder and adjusted for minimum current able to move the stepper.  The results are the sounds of music just like Collin has in the background of his videos.

Bob

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## 1stage

I wound up buying this pack of four 1/4" cork tiles at Lowe's...

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?productId=4747227

I'll test it at 275 F with my soldering iron first.

Should be fine: nice and light, and generally flame retardant. We use a set of cork pot/skillet holders when we have a buffet, and they seem to work fine... no scorch marks.

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## 1stage

The cork tile works great. It was easy to cut to size, cut out the nut holes, and put in place. I opted to NOT use the adhesive tabs that came with it, as the nuts fit snuggly in their holes and keep it in place.

I'll probably be able to use the other 3-1/4 pieces of cork tile to use as sound dampening pads under the printer and power supply.

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## gmay3

I'm done with the build! It took me a little while to get the bed leveled for the first time. My problem was that I was trying to fit too many cork sheets below the heat bed for insulation and it just couldn't be pressed down enough. After removing one, it worked like a charm. I am very happy with my first print of the calibration cube. I've set all my steppers to .39 (+/- .01). I'm very happy with the speed that it was able to print and the only thing I need to work out it getting it a little more calibrated if possible. My cal cube was printed with .2mm layers and it seems like every 3rd layer of so was just slightly off so there is a more obvious layer look to it.

It took me about 15 hours to build and I am extremely happy with this kit the print quality of my first print!

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## 1stage

Yes, I thought the spacer was a cushion, when in fact it's really more of an insulation piece for the bare plywood of the bed.

I too had to use only one of the cork sheets. Two was WAY too thick.

On a happy note, I was able to use the other pieces of cork to sound-dampen the base of the i3v.

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## gmay3

OOo that's a good idea! I just used some cardboard and a piece of cloth but i think cutting a custom cork bottom would be must more aesthetically pleasing! 

I've printed a cube at .2mm layers at 10% infill and half of the extruder parts at .4mm layers at 30% concentric infill. I think Colin printed them at a lower layer height maybe .3mm. I think I need to calibrate my extrusion as done in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_Wb...rgO21NNFSd6q6Q 

My 24mm calibration cube came in at about 24.2mm and only the top to bottom measurement was almost right on 24mm +/- .02

Are there any other calibrations I should be doing?

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## gmay3

I just did some printer calibrations yesterday. I calibrated the Esteps of the Extruder and everything else seemed to already be within calibration. 

Colin provided me the stock Marlin files he used and I edited the configuration.h to allow me to save current settings into the EEPROM so everytime the printer powers on, the new calibration values are saved.

I had a little trouble editing the configuration.h to enable the EEPROM saving option from the i3v LCD so I just wanted to describe how to do it in case anyone was also thinking about fine tuning their printer.

1. Ask Colin for the Marlin files he used on your i3v. (I'd be happy to give you the original files too if you don't want to bug him!)
2. Download Arduino IDE (you can use the most up to date version)
3. Copy a backup version of the Marlin files so you can preserve the original files and edit your copied version.
4. Open up Arduino IDE and click open, navigate to your Marlin Files folder and click on the .pde file. There should only be one. The IDE prompt should come up with a window that says this file can only run in some specific folder and asks you if you'd like it to create the folder for you. Click yes and the .pde file should open in Arduino IDE.
5. Go back to the folder that contains the Marlin software and check out the new folder inside that IDE just created. In order to edit the configuration.h file, you're going to need to select all files outside the new folder that should only contain the .pde file right now. Cut and paste all the files you selected into the new folder that contains the .pde.
6. Close the Arduino IDE program window and reopen the .pde file. When it opens you should have new tabs right above the editable text field, mainly look for configuration.h.
7. Click on the configuration.h tab inside your IDE window and do a Find (cntl+f) for EEPROM.
8. Look for "//#define EEPROM" and remove the // so it will look like this "#define EEPROM". All this does is remove the // which will disable the line of code after those characters. This re-enables the EEPROM setting ability inside the LCD menu.
9. Click the check mark in the top left corner of Arduino IDE. It should compile after a minute or too. If it says that you are all good and there are no errors plug a usb cord from the RAMPS board and plug that into your computer.
10. Verify that the LCD is powered up and then in IDE at the top go to Tools>Boards>Arduino Mega 2560.
11. Click the arrow icon next to the check icon to compile and send the edited software to the RAMPS board.
12. This might fail once if Arduino IDE is pointed to the wrong COM port but it should automatically fix it self after the first failure. 
13. Wait for it to finish, verify no lights are flashing on the RAMPS board and power cycle your RAMPS by unplugging the usb cord and turning off the printers power supply if you turned it on.
14. Check to see that the EEPROM setting worked by going to Control in your LCD menu and check to make sure there is a "Save Settings" in that menu now.

Now that you've enabled the EEPROM settings in Marlin, check out this video where ZennmasterM provides a great tutorial of how to calibrate your extruder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_Wb0i0-Qvo

If you have any problems let me know!

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## 1stage

On a similar note, I was having minor problems with a SketchUp model that was causing Slic3r 0.9.9 to crash, so I took the plunge and installed the new 1.0.1 stable version. It's great! Solved my "blah blah blah couldn't create the array blah blah blah" error I was having.

Also, I tweaked the Slic3r config file so that the first layer is 0.20 versus the 0.35 that Colin had it set to. I'm already mashing (per Colin's recommendation) the first layer of ABS very close to the glass to prevent delamination and first layer warping, so I figured the adjustment would help. It did. I can now print and walk away without worrying that the first layer is going to pop loose and drag across the glass, but I also get a more manageable stream of ABS on the first layer. I use the Garnier Fructise approach (hate working with acetone and dissolved ABS slurry due to fumes), so I can clean the platen easily with Windex after each major print... also, it cleans up EASIER when the bed is warm, believe it or not.

Another thing I've been doing is brushing on a quick coat of acetone to a finished printout. This solves some minor issues:

- fix minor, single layer delaminations (I use a small clamp to squish these back together if they're too wide)
- melt away stray strings/whiskers
- lock down "harp/piano string" top layers
- keeps thinner, "skyscraper" pieces from breaking loose along a horizontal plane

It also leaves the piece a bit shinier with almost no loss of detail. This is safer and easier to manage for me than the risky "acetone vapor" approach. When I printed and installed my spare extruder parts, I was able to use petroleum jelly on the gears without worrying about it seeping into the layers and possibly cracking. This almost eliminated the "whitening" I noticed happening on my original gears from the strain of the extruder and drive wheels grinding together.

I also printed out some M3 "Leia" nut traps and glued them to the bolts on the under side of the bed. I used carpenter's wood glue and made sure it dried before using.

Next up, the prototyping project I'm working on: a case for a GameCube Portable my son and I [aka, me, mostly] are making.

I'm using a Magma 3.0, but am looking for the best option for a dual extruder. Any recommendations?

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## RobH2

> 3dnoob, looks great!
> 
> 1stage, I also thought the cardboard was sketchy so I looked up what else could be used and the reprap wiki recommended using cork sheet as an insulation. I want to say the thickness I have is closer to 1/8" or maybe 2.5 mm. I haven't gotten to that stage yet but I'm hoping its works!


I took some cardboard and spray glued a space blanket to it. The space blanket is super thin and reflects some crazy amount of the radiant energy that strikes it (like 97%). I have the space blanket pointing up so any heat that radiates down gets sent back up. My bed heats quickly and easily goes over 110 if I need it to. I'd read that some people were having trouble getting it to 110. I think this would help them. After about 6 months the cardboard is just fine. I don't think it's a fire hazard but don't quote me on that. The blanked keeps the cardboard cool. That's just my experience. If you burn a hole in your desk don't blame me...lol....

I'm sure cork will work great. Maybe cork with "space blanket"?

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## old man emu

Because I'm such a miser, I put some thin cork sheet under my heated bed, and stole some aluminium foil from the kitchen to put between the heated bed and glass. Seems to work OK.

View from above.jpg


OME

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## diro

Just ordered to Australia. Took a bit of a hit on shipping but still worth it and don't really have options due to size  :Smile: 

Look forward to the build in 2-3 weeks!

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## gmay3

So I think I am officially in the RepRap club now that I had my first printer jam/extruder melt. First I want to mention that this was completely my fault and was not the result of any Makerfarm parts or filament! I am running a hexagon hot end and just like Colin from Makerfarm says, it needs a fan running at all times.

I came back after 30 minutes into a print and the extruder was floating in the air and was wrapped in a coil of filament. I put my hot end cooling fan on a switch so that I could silence it when I'm not printing and perform maintenance more easily. Unfortunately I forgot to switch the fan back on. The hotend and the hotend mounting plate heated up to 250C and melted the base of the extruder so the whole thing melted and leaned forward and somehow the filament got jammed. The hot end fan duct and main body of the extruder melted badly, luckily I had printed replacements.

Moral of the story, keep that hexagon hot end fan on at all times, and print out extra extruder parts before you need them.

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## 1stage

> Moral of the story, keep that hexagon hot end fan on at all times, and print out extra extruder parts before you need them.


Let me know if you need a set of parts printed. I'd be happy to assist, as you and I both went through the i3v build at the same time. Private message me if you're interested.

- Sean

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## old man emu

> Let me know if you need a set of parts printed. I'd be happy to assist, as you and I both went through the i3v build at the same time. Private message me if you're interested.
> 
> - Sean


That's the sort of cooperation I like to see. Good on you!

OME

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## gmay3

> That's the sort of cooperation I like to see. Good on you!
> 
> OME


1stage, thank you very much for having my back! I really appreciate it!

 Luckily, I had a set of extruder spares printed already so I'm up and running again. If you ever need me to print you the same to get you back up and running in the future, I'd be more than happy to!

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## 1stage

And that goes for anyone in the forum. The offer's always there.

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## diro

Hi all - in your i3v kit did your bearings come with the Delrin idlers already on them?

The parts list shows them disassembled but I'm cautious to pull them off to check.

EDIT: Yes. It looks like they are assembled already  :Smile:

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## gmay3

diro, good to hear you figured out the delrin idlers. I guess Colin is assembling them for you already, what a guy! As long as you can see that there is a washer installed between the two bearings on the inside of the delrin idler, you're all set!

Happy Building!
Gmay3

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## diro

Thanks gmay. All set up now.

Couple of questions:*(and now answers for anyone else who runs into them)*
- I've got 1 fan left over. Where's it go?? *It was a spare* 
- My X stepper was going the wrong way so I turned the plug over in the RAMPS board. Now it's going the right way but the orientation of the plug (i.e. the red wire is opposite side) is different to all the other stepper motors. Will this be an issue? *Not an issue feel free to swap any stepper plugs that need swapping*
- My X and Y steppers are get really hot within 1 min of the printer being on. Is this normal? *That's fine as long as the extruder motor stays cool. Turning the voltage down on the stepper motor cools it down but can also lead to issues.*
- The Z axis seems to bind sometimes when it gets close to the end stop. This results in the homing going off and the printer thinking it's higher than it actually is and then pushing the nose of the hotend down into the glass. Seems like the Z steppers slip within the motor - it's not the rubber connector that's slipping. *There was an issue with the stepper driver on the RAMPS board. Swapped the Y and Z axis steppers and the issue went away. Organising a replacement for the problematic driver.*

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## gmay3

I'd like to make a suggestion about cooling the extruder motor. I've set all my vref's for the steppers to be a .39 VDC and my extruder motor was still the hottest by far. I ripped out a 1.5 inch by 1.5 inch heatsink from a broken computer and ziptied it along the top right side of the extruder motor. I was amazed to feel the heat drop very significantly without needing a fan at all!  :Big Grin: 

Mine is about half this size, so you could cut this in half and have two heatsinks! http://www.amazon.com/130mm-Heatsink...words=heatsink

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## RobH2

Mine when set to spec were so hot I could not hold a finger on them for more than an instantaneous touch. I turned the POT back just about 1/16th of a turn and the motors cooled down and run at about 140-150F with no head sink and no other apparent issues. They've run for about 6-months like this so I don't think it's damaged them to be "under" the spec voltage just a hair.

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