Re: Adding a second extruder to a Replicator 1 Single

[Jetguy]

http://www.mbot3d.com/collections/accessories

They have the parts you need to do it right. You need a second heater
block, a second thermal barrier tube, nozzle, heater core,
thermocouple, motor, a pinchwheel, long wire to connect the stepper to
the mainboard. It's actually maybe easier to just buy a single
extruder and swap the main mounting bar. In theory you can get away
with cutting your current carriage in half and letting the bar connect
them.

Most people have not done this mod simply due to the fact that in the
end, it will be over $100 and still be a little hackish when done.

On May 22, 8:54 am, Adam Frame <anttfa...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Been searching around for this for a while.
>
> I have a Replicator MK1 Single Extruder and have had it for quite a few
> months.
>
> I'm really comfortable with doing my own prints and designs on it and have
> been prototyping some products.
>
> I'm getting to the point now though where when I print out small parts like
> worm gears, or top down gear parts, the prints are almost always failing on
> some level which renders the whole print useless.
>
> Digging around it seems like what I need is some soluble plastic to bind to
> the parts during the print and then add the print to water when I'm done.
>
> To achieve this I obviously need to add another extruder to my Rep.
>
> Can anyone recommend how feasible and costly this will turn out to be and
> where I could get the parts from?
>
> I'm in the UK.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Adam

[Adam Frame]

Wowzer.

That sounds like a lot of work.

Is there a market out there for plug and play 'add another extruder'?

[Jetguy]

I doubt it and the reason is, to do it right you need the carriage.
Nobody sells that plastic part that I know of. I've even asked
MakerBot to sell me one and they won't. Part 2 is that you need the
mounting bar. Mbot3d is the only place I know that sells that part. In
theory, the rest is just a complete MK7 which MakerBot sells for what
$199? So you know, they would want more than that for the upgrade with
the thermocouple, the long wires, the long fan, hte mk7 and the bar,
let alone that plastic carriage. They are trying to phase out the
Replicator 1s and the cost difference btween the dual and the single
was less than $199. Basically, they have little incentive and just
want to sell complete new machines, in particular, rake you over the
coals on a new 2X at $2800.

Other folks have been staying away from complete direct copies of the
Replicator 1. Mbot is one example that did offer to sell some parts.
Most people don't use dual extruders on a daily basis. I have a rep1
dual and have used dualstrusion maybe 6 times in the last year?

It's just not that popular.

[Adam Frame]

It's sod's law though that I thought I'd never use it, and now need to use it!

Thanks for the info Jetguy.

So, what is it that Qubd sell? Just upgrades, per say?

[Jetguy]

QU-BD now sells a completely aluminum and steel printer called the
Revolution. It has a huge heated glass bed stock and the entire
machine should be precision. That said, in the past I have doubted the
electronics and stated my reasons. It will be using a version of RAMPS
that is supposed to be very good, but they were bragging about 1/32
microstepping. Dan of the Sailfish firmware team has explained in
detail elsewhere how the limits of how fast the 8 bit micropocessor we
and that system use to send the pulses or steps. That in turn affects
the motion planner for the acceleration or motion smoothing routines
to prevent jerks and shakes of the machine. Simply put, bigger numbers
on paper don't mean much. You are buying a complete system, so if
specs of one thing interfere with specs of another part, then that's
not a better system.

I thinks folks are just now getting the first batch ones. I have
nothing against QU-BD or the machine, I'm just stating what other have
said and showing where there may be less than optimal function.

For the price, it's one heck of a piece of machinery. Nothing prevents
you from changing the drivers into other modes. The point here is that
then requires you to have a lot of knowledge on the setup and configs.
It's going to run Reprap software and firmware combos, not Sailfish or
Makerware since none of that is ported over to those flavor of
electronics. All I'm saying is that keep an open mind here and that I
believe that is an experts machine, not a new user. If you aren't the
type of person down for some mods, some serious configuration edits,
and just some experience, I cannot personally say that's your best
choice for a first or maybe even second machine.

If I bought one, I would sell the elelectronics and change over to a
gen4 setup. I would optimize the pulley ratios and some other factors
to get it to where I think it should be. That's why I just build my
own printers, I cannot stand anymore to buy one, and then re-design
half the machine to correct what I feel are things that can be done
better.