Day: January 19, 2010

Some of my current MakerBot related projects:

• Trying to improve build quality.   I’m trying to tune up the hardware before I start to fiddle with Skeinforge in earnest.  I’d also like to replace one or more of my threaded rods as at least one has a warp significant enough to affect build quality.
• Printable axis tensioners.  I want to design a set of tensioners for all three axes.  Right now I’ve got a draft for the Y axis that needs to be revised.
• Printstruder.  I’ve finished the idler bracket, but still need to print all the rest of the parts.
• Chess set.  Since I’ve got WAY more black ABS then the natural (off-white) color, I want to finish dialing in the print quality on the black ABS before I start print up the white pieces.
• Chess/game board.  I’d like to design a modular board for printing out of ABS.  I’m thinking I would need three different kinds of pieces – corner, edge, and interior pieces.  I’m thinking of a connector system somewhere in-between a puzzle piece and laminate flooring, if that makes any sense at all.  Plus, being modular, you could store the pieces and board in a small box/bag.

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While trying to improve print quality by increasing belt tension on the X and Y axes, I did some routine maintenance.  I oiled the rods and tightened screws.  While I was at it, I took a look at my insulator retainer.  It had developed more two and a half cracks.  It had actually cracked all the way through one of the screw holes.  It was still working, but I’d rather not chance it failing while I’m printing.

So, I replaced it with one of my printed insulator retainers.  I gotta say, it feels really great to swap out a stock part for a part I built on my own ‘bot.  I suppose this is more of a repair than an upgrade… but I still choose to think of it as an upgrade.  :)

Obviously, this is an iterative process.  I revised my drawings of the axis tensioner for the Y axis a few times before trying to print it.  When I created the screenshot for it I noticed that some of the notches didn’t line up properly.  In any case, the part that fits around the pulley’s axle came out well while the part that fits on the Y stage edge didn’t come out very well, was fragile, and snapped when I was cleaning it up.  I’ll edit the file to thicken the wall of the Y axis edge piece and try it again.

Tightening the Y axis pulley is pain since you basically have to pull the entire Y stage off the X axis rods.  I suppose this isn’t a bad thing since it forces me to tighten down bolts and oil the various rods.

I designed this Axis Tensioner for the Y Axis last night.  Both parts are included in the STL file.  I’ve included the Google Sketchup file for anyone who wants to help improve the part.  It may be a little disorienting as one of the parts is laid on it’s side to be printable.

• The larger part fits around the edge of the Y axis stage.
• The smaller part fits under the Y axis pulley, around the M6 nut.
• Drop an M3 nut into the slot in the smaller part.
• Insert an M3 x 16 bolt (preferably with a washer) through the slot in the larger part.  Rotate to tighten/loosen.

Here’s the Axis Tensioner Y on Thingiverse.  Thanks to unrepentantgeek for his Sketchup version of the Cupcake CNC which allowed me to create the screenshot.

Let me know how this works for you.