Platform Leveling Trick
Description
This also helps insulate your build platform. I don't know how useful that is to other people, but it helps me a lot, as the build platform sometimes cannot reach temperature if I have the fan going and the window open. The big gap beneath the board just lets the air suck the heat right out of the platform. This solves that problem 100%.
It also provides a /little/ cushion in case you /do/ hit your build platform. But I wouldn't count on that to save you.
The picture of the big gear is just there to prove that my platform is, indeed, level. The other pictures are a little misleading, since my camera is lousy and tends to introduce distortions. I had to abort that print partway through when I put my hand in the printer and screwed up the X+Y axis; yeah, that was dumb.
I have not had to adjust it even a little bit since I started using this, which makes me believe the stuff is not prone to eventually compressing and dropping the platform -- or any other sorts of problems you might imagine.
Instructions
zoltek.com/products/pyron.php
This is easy to source at your local Home Depot (as this link may not work, it's an "OATEY" brand "FLAME PROTECTOR"):
homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100345508/h_d2/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&keyword=flame+protector&jspStoreDir=hdusΝ=P_PARENT_ID&navFlow=3&catalogId=10053&langId=-1&ddkey=Search
And also makes an excellent replacement for the ceramic tape in your MK5 hot end, should you find yourself needing to rebuild one. I've been running my with this stuff in it for about a month and it's flawless.
Anyhow, just cut a square the appropriate size and take off your PCB, put this stuff under it, and put it back on... I didn't even cut holes out for the boltheads in the middle of the platform. It should be a pretty good squeeze, but you will not be afraid of cracking your PCB or anything, it's not that tight.
Now just loosen your top nuts to level the build platform. It'll ride up to meet them as if it were on springs (which might not be such a bad idea, either...)
Hopefully you can see in the photos how my platform is not resting on the lower nuts, but instead just pressed up against the top nuts by the sheet of PYRON.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
So, I built this. I'll take pictures once I get it right. My problem is, I've got a ToM with ABP installed. I installed this with the Oatey heatshield and some springs from ace. I've been working on doing alot of the upgrades you do ScribbleJ, thanks, they are great. Back to my issue. I just can't get the platform to stay. I've got the M3 20 bolts in there. They are upside down, with the socket caps in the acrylic t-slots. Then I have a nut on the acrylic, which is supposed to lock them in place, but they don't really. Then I have the wooden platform that comes with the TOM ABP, which for some reason they don't make it quite the same size as the width of the rest of the platform. So the screws are kind of half biting the acrylic, which has lead to at least one chipped T-slot. Then on top of the wood, I have springs, then the pcb heater board, then a nut. Also have the heat shield in there between the Heater board and the wood. Anyway, it has been nightmare. It is hard to get level on the silicone wiper side, because the screw is just a little too short (but that is an issue that can be fixed with a longer screw). What happens is, the whole assembly becomes detached from the acrylic side pieces, really easily. How can I get this thing to attach and stay that way to the acrylic side panels? My ace doesn't seem to carry any screws longer than m3x20 and they don't even have m3 socket cap. I don't think the other head styles will fit into these t-slots properly. I just wish I could get this thing to attach properly, when I do manage to get it to hold, it levels great and that insulation is really good.
Kind of confusing description I know, I doubt anyone can help, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated though. Thanks again ScribbleJ for your awesome mods. I am also working on the tensioner now.
The double bolt idea is soething i use on my mkerbot.
if your loking for heat resistant material, i use ceramic webbing which is actually used on car exaust and hot pipes to insulate.
License
More from ScribbleJ
I have a question about the pyron and using kapton on the tin foil.... should I reduce my HBP temperature? I am finding that my overhangs are not coming out like they used to with just the belt and no pyron.
Well, what I have found out after a couple weeks of printing with this setup is there is no need to decrease the build temperature. The overhang issue I was having was limited to only one object. Everything else prints beautifully. I run my platform at 125 C or 130 C. The surface I use is kapton square sheets from MakerGear. I assume the formula is different for this stuff from the MBI brand tape because it seems to stick better. Also it is alot easier to get a nice flat surface out of it.
It probably does radiate more heat upwards... I haven't had any time to experiment with that situation, so you can see what works and let us all know!