Makerbot Replicator 5th gen/Plus/mini+

[Cody Christensen]

I got a used replicator mini+ awhile ago and found this group when I was trying to find ways to cheaply "modernize" this printer.

I have also found and contributed to a github project called mbotmake on github that converts gcode into makerbot files for anyone out there wanting to use one of these printers with modern slicer.

The reason I'm actually commenting instead of just lurking is I'm wondering if anyone has been able to make progress on the modified firmware front for the makerbot rekplicator 5th gen that was started years ago by joshu...@ieee.org 

I saw some comments from him in later conversations that the newer makerbot print software checks the firmware and it could maybe be done with older versions.

The things I'm wondering are 

1. has someone successfully done custom firmware onto a mini.
   1. No LCD might mean it can't be confirmed?
2. has someone figured out the modifications on the firmware to allow SSH
   1. joshu...@ieee.org mentioned he didn't get the configuration right to actually turn it on.
3. is there a less fiddly way to modify the firmware?

I started a github repo for trying to document what I find if anyone wants to help or knows more.

https://github.com/charely6/MakerBot-Legacy-Hack/discussions

[Cody Christensen]

https://github.com/charely6/Makerbot-5gen-plus

I have also started filling out the wiki in my github repo with info for using a replicator+ in 2024. As far as I know most of what I know should work for the regular 5th gen ones as well. If anyone out there is also trying to use one please take a look and give me any of your thoughts there 

[Cody Christensen]

if anyone on here still wants to try and get into a makerbot replicator 5th gen someone on reddit showed me a script makerbot put out from when they were working on it

https://github.com/makerbot/Birdwing-Qt

using the enable_ssh.sh script on linux after you use ssh-keygen to make a public/private key pair for it, you can literally just ssh into the machine, there is some documentation on there for doing actual development and I haven't done much yet, I need to restudy the firmware to find the things I want to try and change.