Upgrade kit for v1 owners?

[Jimustanguitar]

Can anyone confirm if I can use only the parts for the top and get better tower alignment usind the base of v1, and if yes, plase make a kit

The concept works, but I'm unsure of the dimensions. There's no function/design reason that you couldn't mix and match the tops and bottoms, but I didn't set them on top of each other to see if the tower spacing was precisely the same size.

John or Steve may have to comment on this one. Or someone could open the dxf files and check the measurements.

[626Pilot]

How are the tower bottoms secured in the new version? Do they rest on something or do they rely on friction, like the old version?

[Jimustanguitar]

How are the tower bottoms secured in the new version? Do they rest on something or do they rely on friction, like the old version?

The towers are captive inside of a square hole that locates them in the X and Y directions, and the motor mount has a stop screw to keep the extrusions the same in the Z direction. The new top has a stop screw as well, so the top and bottom both land at precisely the same height on all 3 towers.

[geneb]

You can always download the manual and see exactly how it goes together.

g.

[brent]

can any staff (guanu/john) update us on the progress? Almost a month since the v2 release.

[guanu]

john and steve are out of the office for the weekend as they are in washington dc for an expo.. but I can tell you that yes, it has been a while since the v2 release, and we are JUST NOW getting caught up on backorders since the v2 came out... its been a madhouse for a while now and once the craziness slows it should be on the list.... but it has been a great problem to have, but I do understand where you are coming from about it.... so I'll say sorry from all of us.

Guanu

[JohnStack]

can any staff (guanu/john) update us on the progress? Almost a month since the v2 release.

As per PartsDaddy (Steve), someone in this forum is putting together a list of required items to do the upgrade. SeeMeCNC has the parts ready to go.

[Eaglezsoar]

can any staff (guanu/john) update us on the progress? Almost a month since the v2 release.

As per PartsDaddy (Steve), someone in this forum is putting together a list of required items to do the upgrade. SeeMeCNC has the parts ready to go.

PartDaddy and John have had the BOM needed for the kit for a while now, I think the kit we are talking about will happen early next month. I have a feeling......

[Jimustanguitar]

As per PartsDaddy (Steve), someone in this forum is putting together a list of required items to do the upgrade. SeeMeCNC has the parts ready to go.

Yep, the parts list exists. I made it. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bxa2nW ... sp=sharing
Keep in mind that this isn't the "official" document, it's just one bonehead's experience.

A few other notes:

First, I had many of the needed parts on hand. Depending on when you bought your kit, you may have some of these goodies left over too. The list assumes that you only have an assembled V1 - extra parts didn't count for my list because quantities have changed over the year and people like us tend to use extra hardware for other projects.

Second, there are multiple versions of the V1. Running changes are the name of the game, and if you bought the original crowdfunded machine, it's different in several small ways than the latest V1.

Third, you have to use the EZStruder on the new kit. If you don't have one already, you'll have to buy one. Which means that you'll need to run extra wires up top (which means you need the wires)... There are a few details like that, that I suspect may require a little bit of a "go get it yourself" situation It's hard to make one kit that will have everything that everybody needs without paying for extras that others don't.


If you can't wait any longer, buy the wood (the part number on the website is the V2 wood, right Guanu?) and spend a couple bucks at the hardware store double-checking the list for the good of the community.

[Eaglezsoar]

The one problem with buying the wood kit is that you get none of the needed acrylic panels you are not going to use.
I am very impatient to get my two kits, but I will wait until the kits come out.
You are correct in that the kit won't cover everything or will have parts you don't need but it is the most comprehensive way to do it.
I want to express my thanks to you for coming up with the BOM they needed to create the kit.

[Jimustanguitar]

The one problem with buying the wood kit is that you get none of the needed acrylic panels you are not going to use.

Excellent point. I didn't list the wood or the acrylic.

[brent]

The one problem with buying the wood kit is that you get none of the needed acrylic panels you are not going to use.

Excellent point. I didn't list the wood or the acrylic.

I think I'd rather wait for the full upgrade in that case.

[626Pilot]

My interest declined since I learned it doesn't fix the crazy behavior close to the edge of the build envelope. I'd take that over ten thousand upgrade kits. They need to fix the basic kinematics of the machine infinitely more than they need to make a second version that has the same problem as the first version. My Rostock has been offline for months because it just doesn't do what it's supposed to. The last thing I need is to spend $300+ to turn a malfunctioning machine into a slightly prettier malfunctioning machine.

If anyone has a line on what they're doing, I'd like to see it. I haven't seen any comments from them so far, just second-hand stuff about someone talking to them at a maker faire. That's not the same as them sitting down with the community, admitting that there really is a problem, and telling us exactly what they are going to do about it. If they want my continued loyalty, that is how they can have it.

[brent]

My interest declined since I learned it doesn't fix the crazy behavior close to the edge of the build envelope. I'd take that over ten thousand upgrade kits. They need to fix the basic kinematics of the machine infinitely more than they need to make a second version that has the same problem as the first version. My Rostock has been offline for months because it just doesn't do what it's supposed to. The last thing I need is to spend $300+ to turn a malfunctioning machine into a slightly prettier malfunctioning machine.

If anyone has a line on what they're doing, I'd like to see it. I haven't seen any comments from them so far, just second-hand stuff about someone talking to them at a maker faire. That's not the same as them sitting down with the community, admitting that there really is a problem, and telling us exactly what they are going to do about it. If they want my continued loyalty, that is how they can have it.

Possibly the behavior is impossible to correct?

[geneb]

If it was a design problem, ALL the printers would exhibit the issue, not just a small handful.

I do agree that some solution needs to be found however.

g.

[626Pilot]

I don't know that it's a small handful. It may be that most people are not trying to print wide things with fine layer heights.

[lordbinky]

If it isn't this weekend, then it's the 18th for sure I'll be posting my results on upgrading to a smoothieboard and 9° steppers. I almost had it fully calibrated and then I was forced to finally install the screw-in thermistor for the E3D. Initial findings are that the variation at my perimiters did improve, but I'll show to what degree they improved. Also I suspected a correlation between the quirky perimeter heights and adjusting the center. By that I mean the software adjustments that make (0,0,0) equidistant to each tower, which for me corrects the X/Y difference. Could be some trade offs in there until it is completely solved.

[JohnStack]

I'm still looking forward to your post on the Smoothiboard - I've got my Mini-Kossel about 80% complete now and want to incorporate your findings into my build. Glad you are back!

[lordbinky]

Well I can say right now, the stock non-locking connectors already chapped my hams once already. As much as they say it's difficult to do, I blew a driver when the extruder motor's connector backed out (due to one of the million ways that might happen). I may go back and replace those.

[Flateric]

John dive in, it's really nothing to even be concerned about with hooking up the smoothie.

Honest I found it perhaps easier that an arduino based board to setup and get going. And I didn't have a single person to ask questions if I had run into troubles.

[mhackney]

Flateric and lordbinky, a couple of quick questions on the smoothieboard:

If I get the 4X version (x,y,z and extruder 1) can I upgrade it to handle a second extruder later? It looks like the use the same board for all 3 configurations and just populate the drivers for each version.

And is there an LCD solution for the board - like using a Viki or RepRapDiscount LCD?

thanks!

[mhackney]

Answered my own question on the LCD - yes, several are supported. I perused the smoothie web site yet again and it isn't clear that the board is upgradeable from 4 to 5 stepper drivers although it looks like it is.

[Flateric]

Please do not mark this as 100%, but yes I believe all you have to do is populate the board.

Now, I have searched and searched for where I read this before and cannot find it. I suspect the boards creator told me this in IRC is why I cannot find the proof of it.

[lordbinky]

I bought my board populated. From what I understood, it does offer the pins outs for expanding the motors (these happen to be the larger pads on the edge of the board), but it's just the control signals for the driver. Eventually I'll either try to replace my blown driver by removing and replacing the surface mount driver on the board or use the pin outputs to control an external driver. I have a varied success rate with hand soldering surface mount chips, but I do like a challenge.

While the various LCDs are supported, my attempts to find an adapter board for better than a simple I2C connection display hasn't turned up anything I'm confident in. I could have just missed something obvious there though. I'd love to hear if you find something more on that.

[brent]

Anyone else still waiting for the v2 upgrade?