Answered Replacement Acrylic Middle Plate Black

I disagree. Granted my build plate is 19" long and 1/4" aluminum plate but i could tell a huge difference extending it out. The original plate would flex on the base of the printer. Yes there's not a whole lot supporting it but i think it's enough. Also, the cost difference is minimal, it's getting cut already so it's just a little extra material. And more weight would just make your printer that much more sturdy. That's my 2 cents.

 

Keep in mind the 8 holes on either side are for different bearings so you would need to replace the stock plastic Y axis bearings. I can get a link later for them.

 

Also the reason i didn't extend the plate all the way to the front and very back of the printer was because i found a piece of scrap 12" wide aluminum at work to use. So i left it at that. I thought about spending the extra money but i couldn't turn down scrap price.

 

Nice! Post some pics. These are what i used on mine.

https://www.amazon.com/CycleMore-SC...65953641&sr=8-2&keywords=10mm+linear+bearings

I know i remember seeing ones that were twice as wide as those so you could get by with using one on each side but can't find them. I used 2 on each rod.

 

I'm thinking the move to 10mm rods and pillow blocks made a big difference. The stock ones are 8mm with plastic holders bolted to the acrylic plate. I'm betting that just the aluminum plate in the same shape as the acrylic one with all the other upgrades would be a big improvement.

 

@Nathanfish any possibility you could post your Y End Cap STLs? I like how you modified the limit switch location.
I have a few sheets of acrylic laying around near my laser cutter and am probably going to make this plate in acrylic, the extended length would help with the flex.

 

Here's the most recent STL i made of the Y brackets for 10mm rails. Kind of wished i would have used 12mm now but i think i just need to start over with a new machine. Make sure you print them out of PETG or something that can handle some heat. The first ones i made out of PLA warped when i turned up my bed heater to 85 or so.

 

The plate MUST be extended to the full travel of the bed! Glide plates MUST be placed under the bed, and in contact with bed full travel. Anything else and you end up with leveling problems down the road. This falls under the category of poor design.
In the pictures the glide plates are 1/2" by 1/16" aluminum strips always in direct contact with underside of bed. This keeps the bed in the plane of the glide plates, and not leaning down in front or back.

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk

 

Me too Geof, ..in addition I massively reamed out the holes in mine to try to get those brass bushing bearsing deals to not bind. ( I didn't screw with the R1+ i sold you)

seems to work fine still even with crazy oblonged holes in the black acrylic.