Cyclops/Chimera Dual Extruder

[adam paul]

http://youtu.be/y4bo7crrEbY

http://e3d-online.com/Multi-Extrusion

I have not seen anything about these before, I would love the opinion of those around here.  I am plannign on building a new bot, based on http://www.openbuilds.com/builds/c-bot.1146/ , and thought that either of dual inputs would work well.  

[Jetguy]

Not in any way trying to knock E3D but they are just building on proven sharp thermal transition and heastinking of the thermal barrier that has been around since the first MakerBot MK7.

I'm glad to see a company understands the thermal principals and the key elements of the design we've been saying for years is the right way to build them.

So Yes, I think both the Chimera and Cyclops are an extension of the Kracken but in air cooled versions.

They appear to use the exact same thermal barrier and as Kracken.

Now I'm not running out and buying E3D ones because I can build the same thing for a lot cheaper from here http://store.quintessentialuniversalbuildingdevice.com/product.php?id_product=11

The MAGIC is, don't use the stock drive gear, modify the thermal barrier by drilling it out to match MakerBot specs, and that $34 in parts becomes a bulletproof extruder without a ton of work or money.

One you know what needs done, it's a 5 minute job.

[Ryan Carlyle]

1) WTF is up with the video production? The music was too loud compared to the voiceover, and O Fortuna doesn't fit with the mood at all. (To be blunt, it makes me think they're pretentious incompetents.)

2) Chimera: they've reinvented the extruder design FlashForge abandoned over a year ago because it was less reliable than their current PTFE tube extruder.

3) Cyclops: they've reinvented one of the four or five different color-blending hot blocks on the market, with no obvious reason why theirs will work any better than all the others that can't retract worth a crap.

Resounding "meh."

[David K.]

I was just about to purchase some extruder parts from that quintessential universal building device website.

What specs are different from Makerbot?  Is the through hole too small?

[Jetguy]

Thermal barrier is not stepped internally. This is a simple thing to add, all other dimensions are dead on correct. This step in the bore allows PLA to expand through the thermal transition zone( aka heat break) but the step also controls melt pool on a retraction.

The fix: drill the hot side(short threaded side) with a number 42 drill bit ( index numbered drill set) for a depth of exactly 10mm. That lands the step just as the necked thin wall section switches back to threads. Again, placement and size is critical, but not even hard to do. I can do them by hand on a cordless drill using a stop collar on the drill bit. Just need that index drill set to have the exact size bit.

[Dan Newman]

On 04/12/2014, 11:50 AM, David K. wrote:
> I was just about to purchase some extruder parts from that quintessential
> universal building device website.
>
> What specs are different from Makerbot? Is the through hole too small?

If you order a 24V heater core from them, be careful: I know three people
who did so and instead received a 12V heater cores. At least
two of them got zero response from them after repeated phone calls and
e-mails. (There were a number of BBB complaints filed against them under
their old name, QU-BD.)

Now, I'm not sure if you can order a 24V heater core from them -- I don't
see them listed anymore. But if you manage to, check it.

Also note that the al heat spreader bars they sell are the older, Mk7
design: not as thick as the ones on the Mk8 (50% less thick). That
leads to less heat dissipation from the thermal barrier tube.

Dan