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E3D Installation Question

Discussion in 'Mods and Upgrades' started by Melody Bliss, Dec 4, 2013.

  1. SteveC

    SteveC Well-Known Member

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    Is it the idler bearing hinge that you wanted? It's enclosed. I used ABS but it would probably be fine in PLA. I beefed up the sides of the filament guide. I thought the original was too thin for printing.
    IMG_0697.JPG
     

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  2. Technidyne

    Technidyne Active Member

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    Ok, so last weekend I pulled the trigger and ordered the Robo 3D PLA/ABS version. I also went ahead and bought a Smart Controller XXL and the LED strip Lights. In the process of wrapping my brain around FreeCAD while I wait the necessary 4 to 6-weeks. Will be ordering various color spools of PLA and ABS in the next few weeks to coincide with the arrival of my new "toy".

    Question is:
    Should I go ahead and get the E3D print-head now and be prepared to install it, or is the one that comes with the machine decent?
     
  3. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    I only replaced the original to allow me to print different materials (higher print temperatures).
    If you only want PLA/ABS, then the stock one is probably good enough. If you want to expand to other materials (like nylon) then you need a better hotend.
     
  4. Technidyne

    Technidyne Active Member

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    Thanks for that clarification.
     
  5. Audun

    Audun New Member

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    I ordered the E3D print-head before I bought the Robo 3D and I´m glad I did cause the stock head melted away on my 3 print when I was printing ABS. The original was made of plastic? above print head while E3D is aluminum with active fan cooling.
     
  6. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    The original one had a plastic sleeve in the upper section of the hot end which could melt if you used too hot a temperature.
     
  7. Aienan

    Aienan New Member

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    Quick question for the guru's here: I installed my E3D a while back, and it's been printing well... or it was. It seems to have loosened in the mount. I tried tightening up the two bolts, but they are essentially stripped, and while they support well in the one axis (Y in this case), it wobbles badly on the X axis.

    I'm going to try moving to M4 screws from the M3 tonight, has anyone else had this issue?
     
  8. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    Yup, common problem with them.

    Be sure you get stainless. It'll be harder to thread in the M4's
     
  9. Aienan

    Aienan New Member

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    Mike, are the stock ones M3x20mm?
     
  10. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    I think 25mm but you could use 20 probably
     
  11. Aienan

    Aienan New Member

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    Oops. Just remembered I'd pulled one and brought it to work. It is 20mm.
     
  12. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    I know the gregs wade is 25mm wide, so you could use up to that length and not have any problems.
     
  13. Aienan

    Aienan New Member

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    At tip of us that are not in the US and have no access to McMaster-Carr (They don't ship well to Canada), find your local bolt supply house. I have the advantage of working in the industrial sector and my company has an account, but most of them will deal with walk-ins. If you only need a couple nuts/bolts etc, bring a few bucks in change in with you and you'll usually walk out with what you need for well under $5.
     
  14. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    M3-25 is also very very close to #4-40 - 1"
     
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  15. anoble66

    anoble66 New Member

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    I had the very same issue over the weekend. E3d became lose in the X direction. Plus the screw head was badly mangled so replaced them with M3 x 25mm. The extra length certainly helps stabilize the hot end and it's printing better then ever now, no more random layer shift
     
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  16. SteveC

    SteveC Well-Known Member

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    Has anyone tried adding some locktite to help stabilize the screws/Ed3 interface? I have had to re-tighten them a few times and am worried about doing it.
     
  17. Peter

    Peter Member

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    Hi Guys, i though i'd chime in with how i mounted my E3D.

    I couldnt help myself, I think it's pretty optimal but it was a bit of work.

    Firstly, i drilled out those awful M3 clearance holes and tapped them properly using an M4 thread tap (by hand was fine, it's only plastic)

    Then I made a 'shim' collar from approx two winds of aluminium (or aluminum) strip cut from a soda can.
    This was a great idea, start with too long a strip so the E3D wont fit, and then cut half an inch off a couple times and try until it slides in firmly. Nice.

    Next step was to make a little retainer from some spring steel scrap, though any metal 1-1.5mm thick would work fine. Crack out your dremel, it took a while, where is a lasercutter when u need one :). Protip- Print your sheet metal designs on paper and then spray adhesive them down, easy to cut the shape then.

    The retainer i made fits between the E3D ribs just proud of the jhead hole and maybe 1mm above the surrounding plastic. Loosen the extruder holder mount bolts a couple turns then press the ends of the metal retainer down against the plastic and turns a few degrees so the hooks sit under the bolt heads, then tighen it back up.

    Lastly, the m4 bolts come in the side and provide the compression against the aluminum shim (which they mark a bit, to prevent rotation.

    Firmly mounted E3D, no stripped messy screws... I can upload a dxf of the sheet metal retainer if anyone is interested.

    20140402_190715.jpg 20140417_182531.jpg 20140417_182618.jpg 20140606_180348.jpg
     
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  18. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Nicely done.
     
  19. Darkhunter12

    Darkhunter12 New Member

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    Hi Guys,
    I was doing some changing in wire-up and I broke my E3d V5 thermistor, I found my old stock head and I took out that thermistor will it work? I would need to make the hole in the E3d block bigger to facilitate for the robo stock thermistor, will I be able to just drill the hole bigger?
    And if everything is given the go a head I cannot remember what I have to change the thermistor settings back too as well.
    Thanks guys.
     
  20. Aienan

    Aienan New Member

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    If you do, make sure you adjust your firmware to change it back to the stock thermistor. It should work if you drill the hole deeper, but I would order a new one from E3D as they are fairly cheap.
     

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