I am continuing to test the Mini by printing parts that I hope will improve it, Trying to get a 10 year old used 3d printer working that has had trouble from when it was brand new. Yes it needs a new extruder but that is not in my budget right now. But the good news makerbot has an extruder called experimental plus that would pop right on and print tpu for around $250. But for now we work with what we got, and see how for we can go.
The new extruder has stronger magnets to hold it tighter to the carriage. Looking on thingiverse we can help with looseness by printing out a clip made to go around the extruder.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:906614/makes
And it seams to help… and the Mini printed it. Making progress!
Part upgrade two is move the filament mount to the back and allow full size rolls to be used. It is a hook that snaps on the back panel. Printed in two sections so it will fit on a Mini’s print bed.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1666222
Notice anything in the photos. I am not printing raft, and it seams to be helping with fewer first layer print jams. I just set the raft layers to zero so it skips the raft. I can’t find the setting to turn it off and turn brim on. I also set the extruder offset up away from the print bed and stopped the nozzle from digging into the bed.
The support worked great under the dovetail key as well as print speed and infill.
Only bad thing that happened was a slight layer shift, but it’s ok no biggy.
After 2 hours and 44 minutes the bot just keeps printing and part two was done.
One thing that the makerbot small filament roll was doing is knotting over itself. This would keep it from spooling, if I didn’t help it along I would have had a failed print.
The large spools I normally use have never had this happen. So the adapter should help this problem too. I would say if this happened if I used the filament slot I wouldn’t have known.
Makerbot Replicator Mini Bed Support…
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:615358
Next part will help stabilizes the print bed. As time goes by, it loosens and the clips can’t hold it in place.
I don’t think that there is just one problem with the makerbot design. The small problems add up and you have a jam error or layer shift. I am getting hours of print time and it is working. Trusting it with longer prints, what more can we ask from it? I am starting to look forward of having both printers going at the same time and really getting the work done.
Thanks for following my journey
Posted by Ron
Seahorse 3D Printing 