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

[mjf55]

Glad it is sorted out. I will need to check my settings. I THINK it is about the same

[mjf55]

Just confirmed, my retraction is 4mm @ 70mm/s

[curious aardvark]

3 seems fine for me.

[curious aardvark]

so after something of a break, I'm back on the big bastard.
What caused the hiatus was cutting 6mm threads in the ends of the aluminium extrusion.
I had been using the thread cutters in my drill. But stopped after stripping threads in one hole and completely jamming the threads in the cutter. Fortunately It didn't strip all the way down, so I've added a bit more length by hand and it'll just need a slightly longer bolt. My mate did drop off some 8mm cutters as well - but don't think they'll be needed after all.

My mate dropped his manual cutter holder off last week - so much easier to use. Have now done all three uprights, and just need to dismantle the prototype base/top and do the three short struts in that. I've remodelled the corner pieces with bolt holes, and tested.
Makes a super rigid structure.
Added the cross piece for the belt cog/holder/spinny thing (can't remember what it's called at the moment).
Also made the corner pieces a bit wider so the edges of the build plate line up with the slot in the extrusion.
I've left a wide gap for the bottom belt holders, so once I've got the stepper motor mounting where I want it on the top. I'll probably make some spacers to stop the thing moving horizontally. With a 1.5 metre height, I think it needs less opportunity for movement than on the k200, where tension is the only thing that keeps it in place.

Once I've got everything threaded, I'll knock up some feet and put the frame together. That'll be interesting. Give me some real idea just how big it is and where It can live :-)
At that point I can also finish the bed and work out wiring.
Still need to design the effector - seen some interesting magnetic ones with angled holders for the ball bearings. Also need to add the belt holder and arm holders (magnetic again) to the carriages.
Had a quick check and the arms are more than long enough - no matter what else I do. They'll need to be cut to size. But that's supposed to be fairly easy with a fine toothed hacksaw and i do have a disc sander for fine adjustment.

I'd quite like to get to the point where I'm tearing my hair out with the settings and configuration for smoothieware in the next month or so.

More as it happens :-)

[mjf55]

Glad to see you are back at it. Cant wait for some more progress and pictures.

[curious aardvark]

not going to be quick - each corner piece is now up to about 5 hours printing. 127gms.
so i can get 7 and a bit from a reel of filament.
If I take infill from 25% to 20% - I can get 8.
(quick slice) plus looks good.
I'll do that for the rest :-)

Took me a while to get the settings right for a perfect print.
Ended up with 75mm/s, 0.3 layer, 5% for first layer and a fair bit of smoosh.
Fan off till layer 3, 210 print temp and 50c bed temp.

They're almost edge to edge on the print bed. Big solid suckers.
Sticking with the flashforge red, which does have a very slight tendency to warp at the edges on large prints.
2 got scrapped and 2 I could file enough to get a very tight fit (mallet job).
last night's, with the above settings, was perfect :-)
Just started another one with the remnants of the previous roll of filament - not sure if there's enough. Chancing it anyway :-)
even if I don't get full height, as long as the bolt holes are there, should be enough for a test fitting.

Given how tight the sockets are for the horizontal struts and how solid the bolts hold them. There actually isn't any point in the strut nuts at the sides as well.

Once I've got 3 good ones I'll check I've enlarged them enough. And if not - start again lol

[curious aardvark]

so put most of the frame together for the first time last night.
I'm beginning to think building a printer I have to stand on a chair to do the electronics - maybe wasn't such a good idea after all :-)

bigbastardframe_261x600.jpg

And then this happened:

iwantout_686x600.jpg

Still got two crosspieces to go. Annoyingly it snapped as I was unscrewing. The thread is cut.
Hoping either my mate or the aluminium engineering firm I do work for, can drill it out.
But it's hardened steel. Not sure how well it'll drill.

These things are sent to try us :-)

[curious aardvark]

Marked out and drilled prinbed today. Then decided might as well attach printbite. Keeps it safe and flat. I'll wait to attach the silicon heatpad till I'm messing about with the board and motors and the like. Keep it protected till I need it.

printbitedplate_561x480.jpg

Corner piece with belt pulley and prototype carriage - purely for getting wheel spacing correct.

cornerpiecepullerprotariage_301x480.jpg

Not really a desktop printer ;-)

notreallyadesktop_171x480.jpg

I know what you're thinking. 'Those bolt holes don't line up with the grooves in the struts.
Nope, were never meant to.
The bed will be mounted on 5mm bolts, that will be spring loaded and attached to very solid bases that will bolt directly into the struts.
This will give me more versatility in levelling and should keep the plastic mounts cool even with very long print runs (which is what this monster is for).

Right off to design feet :-)

OH yeah, ordered 5 metres of 3mm bungee cord for a different project and then thought. That would be ideal for suspending the flying extruder. As it's not rubber, shouldn't rot and will be real easy to attach. Figure push measured amount through 2.5mm hole, and fix in place with small cable tie.

[mjf55]

That some big b*... What are the dimensions? Sorry to see the broken tap. Did you get it out yet? Are you using oil when threading?

[curious aardvark]

Oil ? Nobody mentioned oil to me - bugger :-(
makes sense, but dave never mentioned it - it's all his threading kit, so it must be his fault lol
He knows I don't do much metal working.
Guess that's the difference between brute strength and ignorance and brute strength and proper practice. Unfortunately I was using the former.

I will oil in future lol
Got lithium grease and 3 in-1 oil in here with me. Just never occured to me.

The vertical struts are 1.5 metres tall, the frame struts 420mm
aluminium bed is 380mm diameter, printbite 350mm.
I figure I'll get at least 1.2 metres printable height.

Currently making feet from sienoc flexible pla. Essentially identical to polyflex - but half the price !
prints great from Alexa.
25mm/s print speed for flexible filament on a bowden tube :-)
Plus you can run the first layer at 100% - so actually prints stuff pretty quick.

Got to do one at a time though, one thing flexible pla is really really good at is stringing. Can't be avoided so you try not to give it the chance.

I reckon this stuff is what spiderman's webbing is made of :-)

I'm going to drop into my aluminium engineering mates tomorrow and see what they can do. Hoping they'll drill it out and offer to finish the threading as well. Fingers crossed :-)