Full Replacement of Entire Extruder and Hot End Makebot Replicator 2x?

[David Clunie]

I was wondering if anyone has replaced entirely their extruders/hot ends for their makerbot replicator or replicator2x with one of the alternative extruders/hot ends such as(or if i'm missing others that would work):

http://store.qu-bd.com/product.php?id_product=22 

or http://store.qu-bd.com/product.php?id_product=19

or the jhead http://www.reprap-usa.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=53

or the prusa model (but its 3mm only i think so far: https://ultimachine.com/content/prusa-nozzle-04mm

thoughts? comments? issues?  Lets get a dialog going here on this subject plz.  

thanks,

-dc.

[Jetguy]

This is EXACTLY what I am trying with Carl's new mounting bar and OBTW is also the same hot ends being using the the big bot for Maker Faire.

Note, that the biggest thing is to use genuine makerbot threaded thermal barriers from the Replicator 1, 2, and MK7. It's the same part and only avaiable from MakerBot support for $11 each.

 

So of the parts you linked that will actually work, only the heater block, matching 5mm heater core, and maybe the nozzle, of the hot end you linked are used.

You can in theory drill out the stock QU-BD thermal barrier tube to incude that step in the bore they missed. I don't yet have a lot of time on one of those modded ones in comparison to genuine ones. In theory it works, but the point is, so is the same theory that nothing is wrong with the 2X design (who's BSing who?)

 

Now, you can use their motor mounting block, but then there is a whole lot of adapting going on to attach all this to the X carriage.

 

So seriously, the best thing is buy Carl's bar, buy genuine MK7 thermal barriers, and maybe even keep the rest of your existing hot end, or switch to QU-BD but that requires:

Heater blocks

Heater cores

New thermocouples without threaded ends. (AKA Replicator 1 thermocouples)

Don't forget insulation and Kapton tape.

 

None of the other Rerap hot ends are going to work easily or well. They are MUCH longer than the MK7/8 setup and you'll lose build height and have a lot of problems mounting.

Again, the QU-BD basically works, but the filament drive sucks (plunger system) as does the brass pinch gear. So your throwing those out right off the bat, on top of the thermal barrier tube problem.

 

FWIW James Armstrong and I both bought a bunch (8+) of the QU-BD extruders and built them for various bots. They didn't make it through basic testing with PLA before we decided to start examining the thermal barrier tube differences between the genuine ones from MBI VS the QU-BD ones to determine why we got the clogged extruders. And, as expected, there was a machining step not done to the QU-BDs that clearly pointed to the failures. So you can try to do that step on your own and fingers crossed it works, or just buy genuine parts.

 

Just to recap some points not covered:

MakerBot heater cartridges are 1/4 inch (6.35mm) diameter

QU-BD heater cartridges are 5mm

 

If you change the heater block, then you must have matching heater cartridges.

 

The same is true for the thermocouples.

You have threaded ones now.

QU-BD doesn't have a matching threaded hole for that to go into. They use plain external mounting as in the same way the MK7 and Replicator 1 mounted them

http://1ppoo.com/mk7/www.makerbot.com/docs/stepstruder-mk7-assembly/index.html

 

All systems use M6 threads for the nozzle and the thermal barrier tube.

[David Clunie]

great info! thanks a bunch, if any others have insights please feel free to share, more info is always better!

-dc.

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[AGG]

On Friday, September 13, 2013 2:40:59 PM UTC-4, Jetguy wrote:

Note, that the biggest thing is to use genuine makerbot threaded thermal barriers from the Replicator 1, 2, and MK7. It's the same part and only avaiable from MakerBot support for $11 each.

I'm collecting some spare parts for my replicators and I saw on several on-line shops they started to sell many original or compatible parts. Even the thermal barrier for Replicator 2 if you don't want to waste time with the MBI support team.

[DHeadrick]

The cross-section view on the page in that link doesn't indicate that there is a small step partway down to barrier tube.  Hence, not an original Makerbot thermal barrier... but a copy.

[Haas]

If one did wish to replace the heating block with QU-BDs, which heating cartridge would you need for the Replicator 2? 12v or 24v?

On Friday, September 13, 2013 2:08:34 PM UTC-4, David Clunie wrote:

[Jetguy]

24 V since the power supply is 24V.