Monolithic Platform for E3Dv6 Hot End

[Justin@Saturday]

I swapped over to a E3Dv6 hot end a few days ago. I designed this platform to make my life a little easier. I'll share the github repo for it - be warned, though: The documentation is still a little rough, mostly pictures. It's working out well for now. It's printed from ABS. I'll cut one from aluminum once this proves out. Maybe.

https://github.com/justinmeyer77/Tricorne

[JohnStack]

Looks excellent! Definitely printing that one!

[McSlappy]

Wow that's cool! I like it a lot!

I might just print that thing

[Justin@Saturday]

Let me know how it goes, if you don't mind. I printed it on a uPrint - so I had the benefit of support. I'd love to see pictures when you get it printed and running.

[Justin@Saturday]

If you're interested, I can post the mods for the dual extruder through one hot end as well. It's just a couple of tiny printed widgets and you're up and running. Right now it's printing ABS and HIPS.

[nitewatchman]

Justin,

I am interested in your widgets. I assume that you retract the active filament past the biflurcation point and then advance the second filament into the hot end. Also looks like this is fitted to a E3D Hot End.

Does it work okay with PLA (can't imagine why it wouldn't)?

Do you do a filament dump to purge the first filament out before printing witht he second filament?

thanks,

nitewatchman

[Justin@Saturday]

Justin,

I am interested in your widgets. I assume that you retract the active filament past the biflurcation point and then advance the second filament into the hot end. Also looks like this is fitted to a E3D Hot End.

Does it work okay with PLA (can't imagine why it wouldn't)?

Do you do a filament dump to purge the first filament out before printing witht he second filament?

thanks,

nitewatchman

Yep! Absolutely correct. On all counts. It is an E3D.

I don't use PLA. I'm not sure how it'd work with it. I can order a spool next time I buy filament and let you know.

I have a wire brush mounted that I use as a wipe (every layer and on extruder change). It really seems to help if I do it with every layer - regardless of if I've changed the filament or not. I noticed my uPrint wipes on every layer - so I figured I'd give it a try.

Don't forget to change your pins.h and configuration.h files! Make sure to point your second extruder to the same pins as the first for heat and thermistor.

[Justin@Saturday]

...forgot to add the filament guide...

Just print two and join with small zip ties.

Don't judge me on the geometry. I'm tinkering with Fusion 360 (...instead of Inventor...).

[Jimustanguitar]

You ought to draw up a piece for the EZStruder to replace the aluminum bit that the bowden tube mounts to so that you can use the extra E3D insert as the clamp for the Extruder end.

[McSlappy]

You ought to draw up a piece for the EZStruder to replace the aluminum bit that the bowden tube mounts to so that you can use the extra E3D insert as the clamp for the Extruder end.

Do you mean the little plastic PTC fittings that come with the e3d?

[McSlappy]

If you're interested, I can post the mods for the dual extruder through one hot end as well. It's just a couple of tiny printed widgets and you're up and running. Right now it's printing ABS and HIPS.

This really is quite fascinating.

What retract speeds are you using and how long does it change to switch out filament as it prints?

[nitewatchman]

...forgot to add the filament guide...

Just print two and join with small zip ties.

Don't judge me on the geometry. I'm tinkering with Fusion 360 (...instead of Inventor...).

THANKS!

[Justin@Saturday]

You ought to draw up a piece for the EZStruder to replace the aluminum bit that the bowden tube mounts to so that you can use the extra E3D insert as the clamp for the Extruder end.

I'm not following you?! What do you mean?

[Jimustanguitar]

Make a printable plastic piece that accepts the E3D style bowden insert (my kit came with an extra one that I'm itching to use). Get rid of the aluminum piece of the EZStruder that only has threads for the sloppy OEM pneumatic fitting...

[Justin@Saturday]

Make a printable plastic piece that accepts the E3D style bowden insert (my kit came with an extra one that I'm itching to use). Get rid of the aluminum piece of the EZStruder that only has threads for the sloppy OEM pneumatic fitting...

Do you mean this widget?

I'd like to CAD up the geometry for this and be able to print them for projects. It's a really great idea. Kudos to E3D for this. (I've never seen embedded push fits in industry - I think it's truly their idea)

[Justin@Saturday]

If you're interested, I can post the mods for the dual extruder through one hot end as well. It's just a couple of tiny printed widgets and you're up and running. Right now it's printing ABS and HIPS.

This really is quite fascinating.

What retract speeds are you using and how long does it change to switch out filament as it prints?

Right now I'm retracting at about 50mm/s. It takes just a second or so. (Probably closer to 2, but who's counting?! I'll set it up to time it and see what I get). The wipe take a bit longer. I go up to the wipe (a brush) and extrude about 20mm of material then wipe and go back to the print on every change. If you don't extrude a bit of waste when changing filaments - you end up with a mix of the two until the nozzle clears the previous material.

[Jimustanguitar]

Do you mean this widget?

I'd like to CAD up the geometry for this and be able to print them for projects. It's a really great idea. Kudos to E3D for this. (I've never seen embedded push fits in industry - I think it's truly their idea)

Yup, that one. I'd love to have that fitting on my EZStruder.

[bvandiepenbos]

very nice looking design.
I love it all being one piece.

[Noob]

Hey I have been following this thread. The Platform looks great! I just ordered my Rostock Max V2, and it has not arrived yet. However, I will be swapping the stock hot end for the all metal E3D v6 to print PC. Just curious if this Platform you made here is required for the E3D v6 mod? If so what other modifications, if any are required for the all metal hot end?

Thanks!

[Noob]

Hey I have been following this thread. The Platform looks great! I just ordered my Rostock Max V2, and it has not arrived yet. However, I will be swapping the stock hot end for the all metal E3D v6 to print PC. Just curious if this Platform you made here is required for the E3D v6 mod? If so what other modifications, if any are required for the all metal hot end?

Thanks!

[BONE]

I have a wire brush mounted that I use as a wipe (every layer and on extruder change). It really seems to help if I do it with every layer - regardless of if I've changed the filament or not. I noticed my uPrint wipes on every layer - so I figured I'd give it a try.

Very nice setup. I forget what video, but the guy that built the Berry Bot used the head of a toothbrush for cleaning the extruder tip also. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WriyoST ... TE7tAuY3IA

[Justin@Saturday]

Hey I have been following this thread. The Platform looks great! I just ordered my Rostock Max V2, and it has not arrived yet. However, I will be swapping the stock hot end for the all metal E3D v6 to print PC. Just curious if this Platform you made here is required for the E3D v6 mod? If so what other modifications, if any are required for the all metal hot end?

Thanks!

It's not required. There are other options, I'm just partial to mine (of course...).

...a couple:

http://seemecnc.com/collections/parts-a ... t-hot-ends

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:373772

[zubrug]

Well, this caught my attention so I made one, actually two. Switched back to abs since I have to come up with a layer fan idea because this drops puts the platform so close to the deck (extra 11mm build height). It is clean looking. Holes for the shaft are a wee bit big, had to put some copper shimming on the axles.
Just printed off my standard dolls coat hanger calibration test.
This is a nice housing, its reduced some of my vibration issues.
Got to go shopping, back tonight (wife's B-day)

[artexmg]

If you're interested, I can post the mods for the dual extruder through one hot end as well. It's just a couple of tiny printed widgets and you're up and running. Right now it's printing ABS and HIPS.

This is a very simple and clever solution! I had been trying all dual extruder setup around with not great success. I mean, I had been able to print two colors, but with a looooong and painfull process of leveling the two nozzles every time. This is just ... easy!

So, basically, you have to bridge the pins for termistor 0 and termistor 1, as well as heater 0 and heater 1, right? Then, of course, enable the second extruder in the firmware. No need to have offset for the second nozzle, nor leveling, nothing else!

By any chance do you have a video while dual printing? I would like to view how it works

This is exciting! potentially, you could print any number of filaments using only one hot end ... the limit would be your board capacity (only two for rambo, but with Smoothieboard you can go up 4, or 5 or ... ).

Thanks!

[Generic Default]

That's a nice setup! The entire hotend has a cage around it so you can't burn yourself as easily (if you're me)!
I like how the filament paths merge and then go back into a bowden tube before entering the hotend. I tried something similar about a year ago (just updated a thread on this topic a minute ago) but the software was having problems with retractions and stuff. Cura has better support for this kind of stuff now.

I had to deal with the old steve's extruder and slow retraction rates. It took like 7 seconds just to pull the filament up through the tube.

Just wondering, how do you prevent the filament from getting stuck on the edge of the PTFE tube just before it enters the hotend?

Mine looked like this;

The rest is in the "Tilting dual extruder" thread in this subforum. Yours is so much nicer looking.