Replicator Build Plate Extension (39% Bigger!!!)
Description
The Replicator has a LOT of extra room inside. About 3.5" extra room. I print a lot of large PLA prints which connect together to make larger pieces and thought it was about time to max out my Replicators. So here is my proof of concept.
The actual available build space (for a single extruder replicator) is 6" x 12.5" or about 150mm x 320mm
This is only for people who print with PLA and turn off the heated bed entirely. Like me :)
Instructions
The only change yoou need to make to your machine is to move the Z axis end stop. Just take it off and put it in the adjustable slots and set it inbetween the two laser cut set of holes. Picture attached.
Lastly, just adjust the center of your build platform in ReplicatorG -> "Onboard Preferences". My numbers for that are: X home offest = 163 Y home offest = 75.
Now print some big stuff!! The included target still leaves about 10mm all the way around and is not the max possible.
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OK, inspired by this, I picked up a few sheets of glass and plastic (acrylic) to try out for printing PLA.
The acrylic sticks too well - I can't pry the prints loose. I did cut one piece off, but that's far from ideal.
Printing on bare glass didn't stick.
Wipiing acetone with dissolved ABS onto the glass worked pretty well, but the ends of a long print (Rostock rods) curled up. And since this whole exercise is to print Rostock rods for a friend, off to another print surface.
Printing on blue painter's tape didn't stick at all. But it wasn't 3M painter's take, but whatever the hardware store had cheap.
Next up: try heating the print bed - some people say that PLA sticks well to 60 degree glass. And 3M blue painter's tape.
Any other suggestions?
If you want to extend the size of your builds then go vertical. Buy longer z rods and screw.
Sorry, I don't have a video. I'll try to add one in a couple days of a big print in the works.
It doesn't intefere anywhere. Just clip a larger plate to the stock replicator plate and you're off and running.
Thanks, I had wondered about doing the same on mine.
I will probably try doing a aluminum plate, with a copper sheet
below to help the heat get evenly distributed.
The issue i was mostly concerned with was how i
configure replicatorG to use the space. :-D
Hey Cerberus, did you ever get around to trying that larger aluminum plate on top of your heated bed plate? Thinking about machining a piece of aluminum at work but not sure how well the heat dissipates. That copper sheet sounds like a smart move.
Find RepG's definition of the machine in XML (inside the machines folder) and then find the definitions for the axis lengths. Change them to your heart's content. On a Mac this is inside the application bundle, so you would right click
&
gt; show package contents and then dig inside.
I really like PLA, but it does have it's problems and can be VERY frustrating at times. ABS is much more forgiving on the extruder nozzel. But if you need full plate prints with NO curl PLA is the only way to do it.
I believe that the .4mm nozzle is right at the threshold of what is really pratical with PLA. I drilled out my own .6mm nozzles (from stock .4mm nozzles) and thye run perfectly, not a single failure after at least 5kg of plastic.
Since PLA doesn't need a heated bed, I'll just be using regular (ch
eap) glass which I ordered from a nearby glass shop fro $10 ea. I'll probably mount new bolts to the underside with Sugru or something and scrap the HBP all together.
The Clips work great, but do cut into the available width. But on the Plus side, when the print head crashed into it, the clip just
moves.
I'll update this "thing" as I make the mods.
Yeah, I think the Al plate with coper would probably work for heat. I stopped using ABS a while ago and haven't looked back. I love not having to heat that thing up. Not sure if your could print anything this big with ABS and keep the warping + cracking to an acceptable level.
I don't know how to configure RepG to view the print size properly. But it doesn't matter, it just pokes out the sides of the print area (on screen) but prints fine. Make sure you re-center in onboard prefs. before you print.
I've got a giant print going right now, and will post some pictures of
it when I'm done.
Also, will be installing glass plate on Wednesday.
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