AluCarriage Dual Kit for Replicator 1 Dual and Replicator 2X

[Carl]

I just crossed the half-way point on pre-orders for the AluCarriage Dual... I am hoping to place the next order within the first week of July... If anyone would like to purchase a unit you can place your order here.

I have made a number of minor tweaks to the original AluCarriage Dual based on user feedback. The primary difference is that I have allowed smaller tolerances around the linear bearing fitment - this means that it will have a precise fitment on the stock linear bearing and that the motion of the x-rails will be unaffected if the grub screws are over tightened.

For the Replicator 2X... I have designed an updated wire management bracket... The Replicator 1 Dual will continue to use the stock wire management system or have the option to use to updated version.

The AluCarriage Dual is confirmed to work on both the Replicator 1 Dual and Replicator 2X using their respective stock aluminium mounting bars and linear bearings with both stock and aluminium z-axis arms.

[MBuser]

So for the 2x, this mod is to enable nylon?

[Carl]

The primary intention behind this modification is safety...

In itself, the AluCarriage does not enable you to print Nylon, it simply provides a safer environment to print at the higher temperatures required to print Nylon...

The AluCarriage also serves as a solid upgrade to the stock ABS carriage for printing ABS and PLA and assists with heat management due to its natural heatsink properties...

[Carl]

I will be placing the order for the next run of AluCarriage Dual units this coming Monday (8th of July).

I need to place an order for a minimum of 20 units... if you would still like to order one in the colour of your choice you can place an order here... if not... I'll order a few random colours to make up the difference and keep them in stock...

The uptake on these units has not been as good as I would have thought... so this will probably be the last order that I will be placing for the AluCarriage Dual Kit for the Replicator 1 and Replicator 2X...

[Dan Newman]

Mine is working fine so far; however, I've only been running with it
for about two days now. It was straightforward to install although
I did initially overtighten the grub screws. Determining that was
easy to tell by just commanding the bot to jog left and right
from the LCD display. Backed them off a tad and all was fine.

The execution of the part was quite nice as well: nice machining
and anodizing. Nice to have mods made by people who pay attention
to details.

Dan

[Jetguy]

Carl, I finally placed an order for a Replicator 1 dual carriage.

Been needing this for a while.

[Carl]

Awesome! :-)

One of the forum members who bought an initial dual unit has been kind enough to lend me their stock Rep 2X dual carriage... Having measured and referenced every possible dimension and in combination with all the feedback received on all of the initial units... I am certain that the next batch will be well worth the wait!

I'd like to thank everyone who has pre-ordered a unit to this point - Especially for your patience!

 

[SMT Guy Austin, Texas]

Hi Carl,

Orders placed for 2 units. Thanks!

Brad

[Jetguy]

Carl and Brad,

Maybe next on the list is aluminum ends for the X gantry. My understanding is those parts are identical or very close to it across the entire Replicator series.

 

In other words, the "real" all aluminum upgrade kit that replaces all the plastic parts in a Replicator 1 with aluminum and most of the parts in the 2 Series.

 

Anyone else find it odd to have a metal framed 2 series but the motors, bearing brackets, rod locating brackets, and all the parts that should be precision are made from plastic?

[Carl]

I have been working on that and several other component designs for a while now... Moving continents has not help with my disposable time or money though... but by the end of next week things should start to settle down - I hope! :-)

The biggest problem I see on the x-axis is that the rods are known to droop over time... I don't think aluminium ends for the X gantry would solve that alone...

The only reason I can see for all of the critical stock parts being in plastic is cost... these parts are pretty pricey to make small runs of...

[Jay]

Carl,

Well, broke down and ordered the Alucarriage R2....already have Bottleworks aluminum arms...so it'll be a two-for upgrade. Can't wait to get these installed.

Now, all I have to do is get my replacement TC's from MBI....then I'll be ready to do some nylon work :)

Jay

[Carl]

Thanks Jay! :-)

Only a few more Single AluCarriages left in stock...

[DHB]

 

 

Carl,

Just ordered a dual....is the dual same for rep 1 and 2x ??

or did i need to specify type???

[Carl]

The AluCarriage Dual is designed to work with both the Rep 1 and Rep 2X without any modification.

[Jetguy]

Cool, can't wait to put it to work!!!

 

On Sunday, July 21, 2013 2:13:57 PM UTC-4, Carl wrote:

I am expecting to be able to start sending AluCarriage Dual units out towards the beginning of next week (29th/30th of July). I will let everyone know if there is any change to this date...

Sorry for the delay... I know some of you have been waiting for your order for ages! Hopefully the wait will have been worth it! :-)

[Jay]

Ok...what's the trick with getting the plastic carriage off the rails? I'm probably wussing it since I am scared I may damage/bend rails...

Jay

[Carl]

Once you have removed your extruder...

Position the carriage towards the centre...Use both hands...hold the front x-axis bar with your fingers wrapped around it and use your thumbs to push the carriage off of its front bearings...

Once you've got the front ones off... the back should be easy...

Hope that makes sense!:-)

[rascal]

can you provide a stl for the dual carriage like you did for the single?

[Carl]

Not at the moment... but I will be making it all available at some point in the future!:-)

[Jay]

Carl,

Yeah...that's what I'm doing...guess I'll have to put some ass behind it though :)

Thanks

Jay

[Carl]

It can be pretty tight... give it a decent bit of force... it will pop off! :-)

[Michael Menefee]

Any chance of grabbing a 2x model if I order now? Just found this thread...

[Carl]

I only ordered a few extras on this run... as of right now... I have 1x Black, 2x Blue and 1x Clear available... Red is sold out...

[Jay]

Gah!

Fixed stupid crudded up nozzle - Check

Installed Aluminum arms - Check

Installed Carl's Alu-Carriage - Check

Time for a beer!

[Eric Weber]

Order placed :-)

[Carl]

Only 2 more units available in this run... 1x clear, 1x blue... first come first serve!

[Carl]

No more left...

Thank you everyone that has ordered a AluCarriage Dual!:-)

I will be in contact with you by email to let you know when your order has been sent!

[Patrick Labelle]

[Patrick Labelle]

hi carl

when you are taking some new order for rep 2x alucarriage? i want one red plz 

[Carl]

Thank you for the emails requesting AluCarriage Duals... Apologies for not responding individually... I have been very busy getting everything together for the current batch of orders - which I am hoping to start sending off early this coming week! :-)

Unfortunately, there are no more AluCarriage Dual units available in this run...

I have a lot to sort out post my relocation, so I need the time at the moment... I will let everyone know as soon as I am ready to do another run! :-)

[Ming Kawaguchi]

awesome! thanks for the update carl!

[Carl]

All AluCarriage Dual orders placed on or before the 18th of July have now been sent! :-)

I am hoping to have the rest of the orders sent by the end of tomorrow...

[Carl]

All of the AluCarriage Dual unit orders have now been sent!

I am still sending the last of the confirmation emails... so if you have not received your email yet... you should receive it by late tonight / early tomorrow...

It is the most units I have ever sent in one go... close on 150 hours of printing Nylon parts on my machine... and the post office staff in my new location now know me by name! :-)

Thank you to everyone that ordered... at one point I thought I was not even going to reach the minimum order quantity! :-)

The first of the units that were sent will hopefully be arriving in the next few days... Please let me know what you think and if you need any help installing it, don't hesitate to send me an email! I haven't had a chance to do an installation guide yet, but installation should be relatively simple...

I have had a lot of emails from people who missed the order deadline... I will probably do another run of these... I would, however, like to get feedback from people who bought these ones first... if everything is alright... I will start taking pre-orders for another run in a week or two...

[David Clunie]

I would also like to get in on the 2nd run ASAP, I've had issues with printing PLA with my 2x and if this solves the issue and allows me to easily print nylon as well then sign me up! I already have the aluminum z-axis from bottle and also the heated bed and glass plate upgrade and this would be the cherry on top (so to speak!)

[Carl]

The first of the AluCarriage Duals have started arriving at there destinations... It would be great to hear feedback and see some photos if you get a chance! :-)

I've attached my favourite AluCarriage Dual photo and a photo of my assembly line - my wife is happy to have the dinning room table back! :-)

[David Clunie]

very nice ;) can't wait for the 2x (second batch) versions.

-david c.

On Tue, Aug 6, 2013 at 2:34 PM, Carl <cpra...@gmail.com> wrote:

The first of the AluCarriage Duals have started arriving at there destinations... It would be great to hear feedback and see some photos if you get a chance! :-)

I've attached my favourite AluCarriage Dual photo and a photo of my assembly line - my wife is happy to have the dinning room table back! :-)

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[Ming Kawaguchi]

got mine yesterday!

i can't stress enough how beautiful these are. the attention to detail, the machinework and the integration of the printed parts and machines parts is just... completely precise. carl clearly cares about his work and has a fantastic machinist. i was a little worried at first about increasing the mass of the head, as it increase intertial error etc. etc. very slightly; carl and i actually talked about how the ideal material would be a composite, magnesium or something exotic like titanium. however, the quality of this part is so high that i am absolutely sure it will be an upgrade regardless of the added weight. the abs carrier almost certainly has some flex that this part will get rid of, and the dimensional stability this adds could very well outweigh any added inaccuracy from the weight.

but really, even if i weren't a functional piece and it were just something i'd ordered for sheer aesthetics i'd still be overjoyed. they. just. look. beautiful. everything from the bushing carriers to the wire harness retainer is well thought out, perfectly printed and incredible looking.

carl, your attention to detail is staggering. i seriously get a little giddy every time i look at it right now. can't wait to get it in.

[David Clunie]

Have you seen a improvement in the ability to print pla easier?

--

[Ming Kawaguchi]

i don't print pla, fullstop. i am of the opinion that the r2x heads pump way too much power into the filament for PLA, and that it will be much more trouble than it is worth to make it work. i know some have tamped down on power transfer by putting a very thin teflon layer (an oil or grease) into the head, but i very specifically don't want foreign materials, especially those that melt at 260C in my heads, as i will be using these heads to print taulman nylons as well.

[Jetguy]

Have you seen a improvement in the ability to print pla easier?

 

This is like asking if you change the tires on your car, will the air conditioning work better.

They are NOT related.

The problem is that of CONDUCTION of the heat from a certain place. That place is the thermal barrier tube which connects the heater block and nozzle to the rest of the extruder and serves as a guide path for the filament into the hot end. Because the mounting bar that attaches the thermal barrier tube to the motor changed radically from the Replicator 1 and 2, to an all new design in the 2X, there is simply less heat conducted away from the thermal barrier tube. Since the carriage has nothing to do contact wise with the thermal barrier tube, it has NO effect. If could be a pure insulator or an extreme conductor but because there is less material of the mounting bar in contact with the thermal barrier tube, the heat goes nowhere and certainly not into the carriage.

 

The main reason for the carriage is that when printing nylon at higher temps, the radiated heat from the hot ends through the thermal insulation that surrounds them was still hot enough to soften the stock ABS carriage in many cases. Some folks claim that adding an aluminum tape to the stock ABS carriage can reflect enough to prevent said damage, but the aluminum carriage can take the heat much better and with much less risk than the stock ABS carriage.

 

So the truth is that the main reasons for swapping are:

Looks

Heat resistance for printing nylon and other higher temp materials

 

Fixing the PLA printing issues many folks have is not part of the equation.

[David Clunie]

ah.  I thought being that it was aluminum it would be more of a heat sink for printing pla.  One of two things occur when I try to print with pla either the nozzle itself clogs, or what I'm assuming is that the heat is creaping up the filament and deforming it so that the stepstruder starts skipping.  Which i'm not sure if this is why the nozzle gets clogged since nothing is pushing the molten filament out.  I've tried about almost everything people have suggested and was hoping this upgrade would add in a bit of added "insurance" as I have on occasion been able to print one or two object to completion without issue, past that its a crap shoot it seems.

either way i'm glad i still got the upgrade because more ridgitidy and with the added bonus of not failing at higher temps is always a plus since I also have nylon to print with at somepoint.  I guess though if I'm going to go that route i should look into the aluminum step struders as well as from your explination that could be a point of failure since I've 3d printed upgrades from oem makerbot struders.  

[Jetguy]

So I got my Replicator 1 Dual carriage last night in black and it's amazing!!!!

It did come with beautiful stainless screws for all mounting points except the cable guide which is still quality zinc coated all thread with a nice added touch of heatshrink.

Like others, it's so impressive out of the package, putting it in the bot seems almost like a letdown.... almost.

 

Hopefully I can slap this in today and get out some Taulman 645 nylon prints which I had been holding off on due to not wanting to damage my stock carriage.

 

Thanks for making this available!!!!

[Ming Kawaguchi]

you have nylon spools already? aaaaaa jealous!!

[Ticko]

I also got it and it is BEAUTIFUL!
Great work, this is really done in a great way!

[Ming Kawaguchi]

not really. you cna make up for poor conduction at a thermal joint with a huge heat reservoir. to make a fluid analogy, if you have a really tiny diaphragm, but a huge reservoir, then at steady state you're still going to move more fluid.

anyway, my contention with PLA on the r2x heads is that even if you built a steeper gradient into the heat, they're designed to pump huge amounts of power into the filament. way more than PLA can take, and in every configuration i've tried, i've gotten a consistent blob of degraded filament blocking the heads.

that said, they flow taulman nylon (with the alucarrier) and abs so well that PLA SHMI-L-A, am i right? ;)

[Carl]

I'd love to see some photos of these installed... uninstalled... whatever you have!

They were in and out so quickly that I never really got time to take any really decent photos! :-)

[Gregory Sullivan]

Sun11.08.2013

05:39

Arrival at border point of destination country

USJFKA

pics soon

[Carl]

ROTFL! :-)

Thanks Gregory! Look forward to seeing them when you get it! :-)

[Jay]

Carl,

DId I get on this shipment or the next for that dual carriage I ordered?

Jay

[Ming Kawaguchi]

here's a quick potatocam shot of it in and printing something (print failed though)

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/24794081/2013-08-15%2014.23.48.jpg

i'm getting some binding on the left side of my x-supports, presumably because the bronze bearings are linear, but the support rods are not perfectly parallel (actually i've noticed that they're shockingly elastic for steel as well...) loosening the bearing retainer resolves the binding, but i think it's causing some ringing that is killing prints. i've sampled a variety of really really nice bearings from designatronics and i'm thinking of moving to a frelon lined linear on the far side (the fully linear bearings) and self-aligning on the close side (the side with the notched bearings). presumably, the previous carriage was just dealing with this deviation from parallel by bending, and the new rigid carrier needs some help with alignment there.

we did talk previously about using LC8UUs, but imo i've inspected a number of LC*UUs (they are very very cheap), and not very happy with tolerances or the give in the elastomer.

[Carl]

I am finally ready to start taking orders again - Thank you to everyone who has requested an AluCarriage for your patience! :-)

I have set up a new website - shop.raffle.ch - which will hopefully help me keep track of the orders and give status updates. It is all very new to me... so please be patient with me and let me know if any gremlins pop up! :-)

To launch the online store... I am offering a $5 discount and FREE Worldwide Standard Registered Mail on all pre orders (back orders) placed on or before the 1st of September.

I will be placing the order with my manufacturer on the 2nd of September and expect the units to be ready to send within about 3 weeks - I will keep you updated on the progress!

Based on initial feedback from the last run of AluCarriage Dual - Revision 2 units... it seems that the modifications that I made are worth carrying across to the AluCarriage Single units so I have named the new units that will be made 'Revision 2'. I still have a few of the AluCarriage Single - Revision 1 units in stock.

I have some other very exciting upgrades that I am hoping to launch in the near future... but more about those later! :-)

[66tbird]

Nice, I'm in for my rep1  -  #191

[Ming Kawaguchi]

awesome carl!

z-gantry cantilever

i'm just saying! :)

[Jake]

On Saturday, August 17, 2013 12:26:51 AM UTC-4, Ming Kawaguchi wrote:

i'm getting some binding on the left side of my x-supports, presumably because the bronze bearings are linear, but the support rods are not perfectly parallel (actually i've noticed that they're shockingly elastic for steel as well...) loosening the bearing retainer resolves the binding, but i think it's causing some ringing that is killing prints.

Check the belt at the far left side of the travel, near the idler.  I adjusted my dual unit with the belt disconnected from the carriage so I could feel drag of the carriage without the belt and motor resistance as I moved it back and forth.  I found similar binding at the left side, but noticed that the belt as hitting the cariage funny near the idler and that was causing the binding.  Can't say for certain that this is your problem, but it was a problem for me.  It made me think that I needed my set screws much looser than I really did.  

Just another thing to check, that the idler is aligned properly with the rest of the belt and the carriage's belt clamp area.  It moves during print, but during set screw adjustment it can cause a false feeling of binding.

[David Celento]

Hi Carl,

I just ordered one for the Rep2x.  Thanks for the great work on these!

Regarding the linear bearings, I'm sure I missed this along the way, but you mention (but don't sell) LM8UU bearings: 

1. Do the LM8UU bearings work for both the Rep2 and Rep2x (replacing the bronze bushings)?

2. Do your carriages for both the Rep2 (original, which I have) and Rep2x work with the LM8UU bearings? (I know they work with the stock bronze bushings).

What's the consensus on the linear bearings?  Do they significantly reduce drag, as compared to the OEM MBI bronze bushings?

[Carl]

Thanks to everyone that has placed an order so far! :-)

David, with regards to the bearings... I asked the same question a few days ago on the other forum... in my experience... I find the Rep 2 stock bearings to be the best in terms of noise and speed potential... the ball bearings seem to have a potentially shorter lifespan and are a bit louder...

The AluCarriage - Single and Dual - are designed to work with the stock bronze bearings, which are 16mm long. All new AluCarriages will work with both the stock bronze bearings [8mm (ID) x15mm (OD) x16mm] and LM8SUU linear bearings [8mm (ID) x15mm (OD) x17mm] and NOT with LM8UU linear bearings [8mm (ID) x15mm (OD) x24mm].

Soon... I hope to release updated shims for past units sold that will allow both the stock bronze bearing and the LM8SUU bearing to work with them as well.

I am able to source the stock bronze bearings - but have to order huge quantities - So I have ordered various other bearings to test before committing to supplying the bronze bearings. In the mean time... I am supplying the LM8SUU linear ball bearigs on my site... strange thing is that they are still labelled LM8UU on the casing! :-)

[Carl]

I have attached my updated shims... Based on the shims released by WingCommander.

These shims (AluCarriageV1_Single_Shim.stl) should work on all AluCarriage Singles (Revision 1) that have been sold to this point and should allow the use of both the stock bronze bearings and the LM8SUU (8mm ID x 15mm OD x 17mm) linear ball bearings.

I have also attached shims (AluCarriageV1_Dual_Shim.stl) for the first few Prototype AluCarriage Dual units that were bought and tested by users of the MOGG.

PLEASE NOTE that these shims will not work - and are not required - on the rest of the AluCarriage Dual units sold to this point or any of the Revision 2 units going forward.

[Ming Kawaguchi]

good points. i'll check this before i order any bearings. i really like the mbi bronze bearings (which are linear by the way). i assumed that they were causing the binding and come to think of it did not even bother checking parallel-ness of the rods. blerg erg. i just felt binding, loosened the set screws and saw the expected result. however, this hardly implies the cause of the binding was the position of the bearings, just that letting them self-align stopped the binding (but also could allow a whole bunch of movement elsewhere along travel).

traveling right now but will check when i get home and back to printing

[Carl]

I will be placing the order for the next run of units tomorrow... There is still a bit of time to get your order in if you still would like one by visiting shop.raffle.ch! :-)

Thank you to everyone who has placed an order! I will keep you updated on the progress! :-) 

I would love to get some feedback on whether the online ordering system has worked nicely for everyone... It has certainly simplified things on my side... A lot less personal interaction though... so if you have any other questions... Please feel free to send me an email! :-)

[Obfuscated]

Cool.. just placed my order!

[David]

I've installed the alucarriage on my rep 1 dual and it is working great. My only issue is the grub screws keep working themselves loose but if I tighten them too much is doesn't move. Any suggestions?

[Carl]

From feedback received... there are currently two recommended solutions... The first is to wrap the linear bearings with a bit of kapton tape / electrical tape to give the set screws something to bite into... the second is to use a little loctite blue on the set screw thread.

I am currently researching a better long term solution... I will let you know if I find a better solution! :-)

[Jetguy]

My vote is blue Loctite, but it's what I had handy at the time.

[Gregory Sullivan]

I will try a longer set screw with a jam nut with thin hard washer (short bolt to but ugly) 

but I need a favor my shims are to tight in the x direction (long) and are nothing like the v1's can I have the current ones, I got my kit a month or so ago for a dual. It has short clear or natural ones currently with no side supports

On Sunday, September 8, 2013 12:43:18 PM UTC-4, Carl wrote:

[Jetguy]

Longer screws with a jam nut will run into the Z axis stage?

[Gregory Sullivan]

Your right, red loctite is good to 350f and should be good. if not the hi temp stuff has to work.

I need a shim stl my pockets are 1 mm to narrow for linear bearings, stock rep 1.

Red - Hi-temp/hi-strength formula. Suited for temperatures up to 450 degrees F. Fast cure on most surfaces including "as received" fasteners. Recommended for bolts up to 1 1/2" in diameter. Heat and hand tools required for disassemble  Temp range -65 to 450 degrees F. Cure speed 60 min. Full 24 hrs.

[Carl]

The set screws are normally not exposed to temperatures higher than around 60 deg C or the ambient temperature of the inside of the machine... Longer M3 x 5mm Cup Point / Flat Point - as oppose to the M3 x 4mm Cone Point screws will also work if you do not have the Aluminium Z-Axis arm upgrade... If you do... the 5mm long set screws will be 1mm too long...

Attached is the AluCarriage Dual - Revision 2 shims to accommodate the LM8SUU linear bearing on the Rep 1 Dual.

[Gregory Sullivan]

thanks carl I'll print tonight, Are the ones in there for the bronze type? And do you know where I can source bronze?

 I have dreams of full aluma setup with titanium 10mm turned down polished x rods (8mm 500mm z's too)

[Jetguy]

So I just got Carl's Replicator 2X mounting bar and David's 3in1 Universal extruder upgrades in left and right matching versions!!!

Just in time to install and test before Maker Faire!

 

 

[Steve Johnstone]

Looking forward to hearing how you get on.

[Michael Menefee]

Those look great. How do I get my hands on both of those?  Could use them yesterday....

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[Jetguy]

3in extruder upgrades from David

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1_Hldkb6gS96iStf2LNvGzFXtQDuw566zlBzj3yll4IE/viewform

 

The 2X replacement mounting bar http://shop.raffle.ch/shop/alu-dual-cooling-block/

 

Note, you need 2 each MK7 thermal barriers $11 each from MakerBot Support, so you have to open a ticket and order them that way.

[PhGeis]

Hi Jetguy are mounting them on an 2x or on an Rep1?

Myself ordered already all the stuff, Makerbot finally claimed that they shipped the thermal barriers and the 3 in 1 I still wait for news but hope to have everything mounted ASAP! Than I hope to proof all the poits on the rep2x PLA discussion

Philipp

[Jetguy]

I only own the Replicator 1 dual,

However, the intent here is to show the exact extruder setup of a 2X.

The reasons I can duplicate that 2X exactly is that:

Carl's carriage is universal and is made to fit both a Replicator 1 dual and the 2X

Carl's mounting bar is an exact external dimension copy of the 2X.

Because Carl's carriage and bar match to the Replicator 2, then David Headrick's 3in1 extruder upgrades then directly bolt up.

We know how to edit the config for nozzle spacing to make it think it's a 2X on my Replicator1.

 

Therefore, I can print a ton of PLA with this and determine if the upgrades perform as good as the stock Replicator 1 dual extruder setup.

From a mechanical standpoint, it's exactly the upgrades several are recommending to try out.

 

Again, the goal here is just to show the parts grouping assembled and printing and folks can make up their own mind on how well it works and if it improves ease of printing.

Personally, I think the $30 Carl is charging for the bar is a good deal, even if you disagree on if it's needed or not.

[PhGeis]

Defininatly think you need it if you want to change you r hot end setup!
Infact I have it already layin gon my desk! I just wait for the thermal barriers to arrive!

[Scott K]

Carl,

Have you ever considered making an AluCarriage Dual/Single that will accept the more standard LM8UU bearing?  Maybe it would be possible to make a carriage that accepts either the LM8UU OR the LM8SUU and just have different Nylon spacers to accommodate the longer LM8UU?  The difference is 17mm long versus 24mm long.

I have just read a few posts about the LM8SUUs being less common and harder to find a quality supplier like VXB or IGUS.  If I'm crazy, just let me know.

[Dan Newman]

On 10/04/2014, 11:12 AM, Carl Raffle wrote:
> I supply the LM8SUU bearings<http://shop.raffle.ch/shop/lm8suu-linear-ball-bearing/> on
> my website... and yes... they were difficult to source initially! :-)

And the LM8SUU's are 70% the mass of the LM8UU's (17mm long vs. 24 mm). MBI told me they
used them for that reason.

Dan

[Scott K]

I'm sure there were a lot of considerations for the Alu-Carriages!  From everything I read, people love them.  I don't have mine yet (hopefully in the next couple days it will arrive), but from the pictures on your install document it looked like the slots milled out for the LM8SUU or Bronze bearing, there was extra space to the left and right of the actual bearing.  So the set screw was both holding the carriage down and also stopping the bearing from sliding side to side in the pocket. 

I can't tell how much room there is in the pocket but I am guessing a couple millimeters on each side.  That is getting pretty close to the 24mm required to fit a LM8UU.  It would need a different shim obviously but I think that is printed.

Anyway, I understand what I bought and I understand the quick change aspect of the design.  I just thought there might be a market for people who are trying to switch to higher quality bearings in the standard size.  I don't have a ton of experience with the quality of LM8SUU bearings, just that out of the 6 that I have seen in the wild, 2 of them looked pretty poorly made (had extra scraps of plastic inside them or defects in the end caps that would let dirt get inside the bearing pretty easily).  I may just go down the path suggested by another member of buying 12 of them and picking the ones that fit/look the best.

On Thursday, April 10, 2014 1:12:03 PM UTC-5, Carl Raffle wrote:

I supply the LM8SUU bearings on my website... and yes... they were difficult to source initially! :-)

The design intent behind the current AluCarriage Single and AluCarriage Dual was to make them as easy to install as possible - whilst still offering a functional improvement over the stock component and being compatible with the components that they interact with on the stock machine.

As a result, you can use the AluCarriage with your stock bronze bearings on a Replicator 2/2X and since the Replicator 1 and various clones already use LM8SUU... you can keep using your existing bearings - without the need to purchase alternatives.

You would be amazed if you knew how many options and design variations I explored when designing these components... settling on the current design was not by chance... it involved looking at the pros and cons of many potential options! :-)

[Robo]

I put LM8SUU bearings in my Alucarriage Single a while back. I was able to fasten it so that there's no side to side movement of the bearings, but also no binding on either end. It's been very smooth so far.

[Ryan Carlyle]

Some people have milled out the bearing channels and installed longer linear bearings. But the short ones work fine.

[AL M]

Hi,

   

  I am one of the ones that milled out the Carriage and installed the longer Bearings.

Now this is just my opinion : Too much weight i think my prints got sloppy almost like the carriage was traveling to far on the faster movements of the code .

Second being that the Bushings are oil impregnated means no grease that could possibility end up on the BP.That i found at one point where i could not get anything to stick and after pulling the glass plate out and looking at in the light i noticed a film of grease on it.

So i am back to the original bushings and that is also why i went to bearings in the Idler, no Grease.

As far as the bearings that Carl's X-End have , there is no chance of the grease  get to the BP because of there location.

And like i said this is only my opinion

My Carriage is milled out and still works fine with stock bushings BUT i will order another Carriage soon anyway for the sake of it just  being back to what Carl Intended  

  Al

[Peter Eduard]

Dear Carl.

I just ordered a set of each in black anodized. 

Can't wait to see what I can get out of it. ;)

Best wishes,

Peter.

On Tuesday, 18 June 2013 12:57:16 UTC+2, Carl Raffle wrote:

I just crossed the half-way point on pre-orders for the AluCarriage Dual... I am hoping to place the next order within the first week of July... If anyone would like to purchase a unit you can place your order here.

I have made a number of minor tweaks to the original AluCarriage Dual based on user feedback. The primary difference is that I have allowed smaller tolerances around the linear bearing fitment - this means that it will have a precise fitment on the stock linear bearing and that the motion of the x-rails will be unaffected if the grub screws are over tightened.

For the Replicator 2X... I have designed an updated wire management bracket... The Replicator 1 Dual will continue to use the stock wire management system or have the option to use to updated version.

The AluCarriage Dual is confirmed to work on both the Replicator 1 Dual and Replicator 2X using their respective stock aluminium mounting bars and linear bearings with both stock and aluminium z-axis arms.

[Scott K]

Carl,

Have you considered designing shims for the current generation of Alu-Carriage that will allow for us to tighten the grub screw a little past loose?  I cannot seem to find the right tension that prevents upwards and downwards motion of the carriage without binding them to the point that they drag and make noise.  I have looked from the side of the carriage and stopped tightening when I see the bearing move even the slightest bit (and loosening a little to allow the bearing to re-center) and I still have upwards motion possible on the carriage and a lot of rattling noise when printing from the carriage essentially being loose.  There is also side to side motion with the current nylon shim as well due to it being 18.3mm wide and the LM8SUU being 17mm wide and not really being able to tighten the bearing without it binding (as stated above).

I found Wingcommanders shims on Thingiverse (for your older design) and then remembered seeing that you offered shims for your older designs.  Would it be possible to update your shim design to allow for the linear bearings to stay put when being gently tightened with the grub screws instead of being pushed inwards and slightly crooked (because the grub screw is off center).  I looked up carriage designs on Thingiverse and saw literally hundreds of designs that had fixed position linear bearings so I am guessing it would be possible to determine what thickness of sidewall would put the linear bearing in the correct alignment with our rods and allow some tightening.

Maybe it is just me but I am finding the adjustment of these grub screws to be rather finicky.  If the shims you/wingcommander designed worked for the previous design, it stands to reason that some form of shim with a small sidewall would work with the new carriage design.

What do you think?

[Clinton Hoines]

Um this?

 

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:133179

 

Clinton

[Scott K]

Thanks but that doesn't fit the new revision of the Alu-Carriage Single or Dual.  And I mentioned that I found that part in my previous post.

[Clinton Hoines]

So mod it, shouldn't be that different.

[Scott K]

Well, not knowing where the true center-line of the rods are in relation to the opening of the bearing channel makes it a little difficult to just "mod" the shim.  The current revision of the Alu-Carriage has the bearing being pressed against the inner wall which would make the existing shim design unusable because it sits between the bearing and the channel wall.

The previous revision had more space in the bearing channel and that is why this type of design was possible.  I already have scaled the model down to fit in the channel but it is not putting the bearing in the right location (assuming resting against the inner wall was the proper location).

So yes, it is "different" with the newer revision of the Alu-carriage.

[Steve Johnstone]

Hi Scott,

I'm made some shims out of a coke can - worked great and very easy to set up. I haven't needed to touch mine since :)

I did some video here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idLl88juUgI

Cheers, Steve

[Scott K]

Thanks Steve, I am going to try out the shimming method.  I think you must have the older version because I don't think I can fit 4 shims in the version I have.  There is about .5mm of space between the bearing and the wall.  I think the bronze bushing has the same OD as the linear bearing but I can't confirm that.

[Waltermixxx]

I'm interested in converting my rep.2 to a dual extruder printer, and I suspect the AluCarriage dual kit would be the first thing I would need... But I think I need to do more research on which extruders I would need to buy for it... I better get my ducks in a row...

[Joe Soap]

On 15/06/2014 16:17, Waltermixxx wrote:
> I was thinking about converting my Replicator 2 to a dual extrusion
> device. Initially for dual PLA printing, adding one of these:
>
> http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:295317
>
Having built one of those and in possession of Carl's aluminium carriage
I am inclined to think that that design will NOT work with the aluminium
carriage. Perhaps Carl could confirm?

The reason that I say that is if you compare the standard plastic
carriage of the 2X with Carl's, the latter has no notch on the front,
and the design you refer to needs that notch - I haven't tried but I
don't think that design can fit Carl's carriage.

The only way to the nozzles with Carl's aluminium carriage is straight
down and straight across at 90 degrees. With the thingiverse design it
has a ramp going from vertical to horizontal, and that ramp fits into
the notch in the standard MBI carriage.

I just noticed this earlier today when I was fitting Carl's aluminium
carriage to my 2X. As I was planning to use that design for printing
with PLA this has raised a concern.

It would be best to verify this with Carl. Or maybe someone else will
have used that combination.

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[Waltermixxx]

Thanks for your insight on this, goos to know...

hmmmm... pla printing would be my first priority...

i will have to give it more thought...

[Scott D]

I'm also in the middle of converting my R2 to a dual.
Since Carl states his dual carriage is for the original replicator dual I figured this would work if I started with buying the dual cooling bar mount.

Makerbot confirmed that the threading for the dual and the R2 in regards to the Thermal Barrier Tube are the same. There is nothing wrong with the heater block in the R2, so I am keeping them and using the MBI dual bar.

As for the active cooling fan ducts I saw 15 or more in thingiverse. I figure one of them will work, if not I'll take the closest one and mod it if needed.

Instead of doing research you can follow this post and I'll let you know how it turns out. I'll try to keep it updated as I get the parts over the next few weeks. I'm going to try and tally everything up with links and part numbers for everything needed.
https://groups.google.com/forum/?nomobile=true#!topic/makerbot/RCag-rFDpsA

For some of the things I ordered I used MBI, I might have been able to find a cheaper stepper motor, but why mess with something that's currently working.

But I think carls dual carriage may be the last to arrive since he's still collecting orders..and I still need to sell my single carriage.

[Tom Chang]

I'm waiting for Carl's X-Ends, I've already received my single carriage and the T-Block from him, I'm going all-Carl with my R2.

I was contemplating on a dual as well, I think this will be an option in the near future, in hindsight, I think I should've bought a R2X from the get-go...

[Scott]

I think you made the right call. The R2X would have cost me another $800 on sticker price. 

Then I would of bought the upgrades like X-ends, carriage, bottleworks arms and HBP, 3in1 extruder, Alu idler, enclosure kit and so on....... But with the 2X I would have had to change the Alu bar and hot ends also to run Nylon and PC, so another 100 on updates that I didn't have to do with the R2 since it's hot ends can handle those temps after just changing the Alu carriage. 

When it's all done I would have spend another $950 on upgrades with the 2X.

But by buying the R2 and upgrading everything and converting to a dual I have only spent an additional 50 to 100 higher than the 2X price and I have a much better machine than the 2X will ever be at that cost.  And I don't have to change my Alu bar and hot ends to burn Nylon and PC. That's why I exchanged the 2X for the 2 and this was my plan the whole time. 

And I also learned a lot about the machine which helped me under stand how certain prints fail. 

Now that MBI stopped selling the R2 I know I made the right decision just in time. 

That's the way I look at it. 

Thank you,

Scott

On Jun 16, 2014, at 10:02 PM, Tom Chang <tomch...@gmail.com> wrote:

I'm waiting for Carl's X-Ends, I've already received my single carriage and the T-Block from him, I'm going all-Carl with my R2.

I was contemplating on a dual as well, I think this will be an option in the near future, in hindsight, I think I should've bought a R2X from the get-go...

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[Ryan Carlyle]

Just curious, why are you thinking the Rep2 extruder / hot end is better for nylon or PC than the R2x?

[Tom Chang]

No, mainly just the fact of doing simultaneous prints such as panelizing the same design, or doing dual color... The heated bed is attractive for ABS filaments, but so far, I'm happy with PLA...

Best Regards,

Tom Chang

> On Jun 17, 2014, at 8:22 AM, Ryan Carlyle <temp...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Just curious, why are you thinking the Rep2 extruder / hot end is better for nylon or PC than the R2x?
>

[Scott D]

Ryan, I can't say from personal experience. But from all the posts I have read people state and think that they need to change the hot end on the 2X for nylon/PC. That's the impression I got when I did my research on it.
Isn't that why Carl created this hotends?
Or is that why he created the cooling bar, but I don't think his bar will take the 2X hotends since the filament barrier tube is not threaded in the 2X?

[Ryan Carlyle]

People usually replace their R2x hot ends for PLA. The R2x design has worse heat dissipation in the thermal barrier than Rep2/Carl style. PLA requires excellent heat shedding. But both PC and nylon are high-temp filaments so thermal barrier tube cooling is much less of an issue. I'm not aware of any reason why the R2x parts wouldn't work for nylon or PC. You would probably want to switch to a metal extruder -- but that doesn't require a new hot end or cooling bar.

Personally I use Carl's setup for PC solely because I don't want to have to deal with purging to/from ABS. It's hard to switch filaments when the melting temp of one is around the decomposition temp of the other. You just end up with residual crud in your nozzle. I like my stock R2x parts for ABS, and just swap the whole assembly out for a dedicated PC rig made with Carl's parts. Easy and clean. Plus Carl's stuff is high quality and easier to buy / more versatile than ordering MBI spares through tech support.