Dual extruders

[[email protected]]

Has anyone put together a dual extruder on the rostock max? If so any tips before I start?

[rs50pilot]

There are a couple of posts about it. Seems harder than it sounds from whats been said.

[[email protected]]

I can't find any info on it, not even a pic?
I'm building my first 3d printer now, the rostock max with dual extruders.
Not sure what I got myself into

[cjdavis618]

I can tell you that if you are following GeneB's instructions on there, there are some differences that need to be made in order to make it work. The dual extruder mounts are going to be in the way of the LCD panel if you attach them in the way the manual shows the Controller and Electronics board being mounted. They need to be swapped. I don't think the Dual Extruder was an option when the manual was created, but I have to disassemble my base to get it corrected. That needs to be added as a note on the instructions.

Like you, I am in the build phase and have only spent a few hours cursing it so far.. lol

[[email protected]]

Yeah I noticed that after I got the base and rails on and had to take it back apart
I feel like I have done just as much taking apart as putting together
I now have to take off the heated bed for the third time to add another wire to the positive and negative terminals. I read later in the blogs that three wires from each of the positive and negative allow the heated bed to heat up faster.
Now I'm trying to figure out how to add the dual hot ends they are in the way of the spacer tube holes and will be sitting against the plastic that holds the hot ends. I wonder if the plastic that holds the arms and hot end could take the heat and not melt or if I could put some Kapton tape around the inside of the ring that holds the hot ends?

[mhackney]

If this is your first printer I would recommend Keeping It Simple. Only install 1 extruder and hot end for now, get your machine calibrated and printing properly. Then you will have the experience to add the 2nd extruder. Not only is there a mechanical and electrical component to the second extruder but the software toolchain required to actually use it is much more complex. I couldn't imagine trying to get a two extruder machine running for the first time. Getting the extruder calibrated is a bit of an art but we are working to bring a little more science to the process.

Cheers,
Michael

[[email protected]]

I am going to just set up one for now like you suggested. I'll just wait till you have done it and posted the instructions and pics how to do it

[mhackney]

That is a reasonable approach! My dual extruder kit should be here this week and I'll, of course, be posting build and calibration information on my build thread. I've also done the software side of it with my other dual extruder printer so that should be pretty straight forward to write up.

[cjdavis618]

I was planning on doing just that myself. However, if you follow the instructions to the tee, you will end up having to disassemble the machine to correct the layout issue of the LCD and electronics control panels. Best to do that now and then simply mount the extruders on in the other location when needed. Ultimately, there is room for 3 extruder holder locations and by facing the LCD to the front below the "Roctock Max" logo, and then the electronics to the right of that, you will not interfere with the workings of those 2 or 3 extruders.

[darthviper107]

How will you have to change the electronics and LCD layout for dual extruders? I plan on doing it at some point for support material though at the moment I'm sticking with one extruder since this is my first printer of this type.

[cjdavis618]

On page 13 and 14 of the manual, figure 15, shows the electronics board being mounted on the right side of the power supply panel. Then to the right of that, you see the non lcd panel being placed to the right of the electronics panel.

Then on Page 14, Figure 17 you can see when the top of the base platform is installed, it shows both sets of the extruder mounts to the right and left of the front "Rostock Max" label, with the electronics boards below the label.

If you are using the dual extruder mounts on both sides of the rostock, and follow the instructions as close as possible, the LCD panel would be placed on the right of the labeled front of the base which would cause the Extruder mounts to be in the way of the LCD panel.

[darthviper107]

Ah ok, got it.

[geneb]

The placement of the doors is the same as the original Rostock MAX build - no LCD door was available at that time.

if you don't want to mess around with moving the doors, there's no reason you can't use the extruder mount point that's directly across from the "Default" location, between the X and Z towers.

I will make a note in the docs about flipping the locations of the electronics and LCD "doors".

g.

[cjdavis618]

Hey Gene, thanks for the updates.

On my top base, there are two slots on the side between Y and Z and then another single mount point for the side of X and Z. So there could be up to 3 extruders used but each extruder kit comes with its own spool holder arms and mounting bracket. So having both, or even one on the Y-Z side will interfere with opening the door regardless of what is there. I'm thinking of some ways I can change that already..

[geneb]

You really don't need to open the electronics door unless you might need to reset the RAMBo or plug in the USB cable, so I figure it's not that big of a deal to have the door blocked by an extruder.

I do need to find a way to mount my LCD to the electronics door though - I'm kind of tired of it just laying on the desk in front of the machine.

g.

[cambo3d]

has anyone successfully setup dual extruders on the rostockmax yet?

[mhackney]

Almost and I am getting the add-on kit from SeeMeCNC. Just for grins I added a JHead extruder with a Bowden. It works fine but I have taken it part so I can add the new accessory when it comes in. I also have dual extruders on my original H-1.

[cjdavis618]

You really don't need to open the electronics door unless you might need to reset the RAMBo or plug in the USB cable, so I figure it's not that big of a deal to have the door blocked by an extruder.

I do need to find a way to mount my LCD to the electronics door though - I'm kind of tired of it just laying on the desk in front of the machine.

g.

Exactly, that is why I suggested moving the LCD panel to the front as opposed to the electronics door.

[jesse]

What software is needed two print with two extruders?

How do you choose which region gets printed by which extruder?

[mhackney]

jesse, that is the difficult part of printing with two extruders. I am working on a write up but I want to wait until I get my Add-A-Struder Kit to do the write up. If you are really interested google "reprap dual extruder" and you'll find some good information.