1° Kossel Mini -- 2° Auger screw and mount materials

[Pierre]

Hi Bryan,

I'm currently sourcing materials for your ceramic extruder and plan to use this first on a kossel mini. The printer is 60cm high, 26cm of which are printable, so I will use a 25cm high polycarbonate tubing reservoir rather than the one you recommend (50cm high). But I guess I should test whether this small delta printer is able to handle the load. How heavy is the cera-1 half full ?

I'm also trying to find a different source for the two metallic parts related to the augier. It seems I can get almost the same thing at half the price with sculpteo.com. Binding jetter printing with "basic" steel and bronze, nickel plated (pretty much the same material as the print you made available at Shapeways). The steel itself not stainless though. Is it that important ? Wouldn't this be OK with the additional nickel layer ?

Also, don't you think these pieces could be printed with a strong plastic ? The resistance induced by the clay cannot be that strong, can it ? I just need to find a plastic manufacturing method that can yield pieces that can support a moderate torsion resistance, it seems ? Do you confirm or do you think I'm underestimating the force going through the augier ?

Regards & a gambatte kudasai for this awesome project !

Pierre

[Jeff Nielson]

I know you are not asking me, but I'll answer...

There is a chance you could get away without printing the auger, but I doubt it.  I think we should work on a way to avoid this, but I haven't tried yet.

You definitely have to print the wormgear coupling.

I coated mine.  FWIW, I had to file down the auger connection because it was too large by about 0.5mm.

I had to file the inside of the coupling because it was too narrow as well.

This may have had to do with the gold coating I got.  They also hedge a lot on sizes ,citing shrinkage, but that was not my experience with the auger (it was too big as I said).

I have found working with metal gives me very tight tolerances, it is not at all like wood, plastic, or ceramic.  Below you'll see how I paid/ordered.

Good luck.

Jeff Nielson