0.25" Cast Tool & Jig - MIC-6 Aluminum Plate - Buymetal.com

Midwest Steel and Aluminum | Buy Metal Online | Online Metal Supplier this place has it around $18 for 8.5x12.5'' plate with $18 shipping

 

Yep, I love Midwest but the shipping is as much at the price for the plate. :/

I just looked and
Item Total: $12.98
Discounts: -$1.43
Subtotal: $11.55

UPS Ground $11.30
UPS 3-Day Select $18.12
UPS 2nd Day Air $23.61
UPS Next Day Air $69.21

 

With the exchange rate right now I think I might just have to buy one of those. Thanks Brexit!

 

My problem with an aluminum bed is I do not drill by hand, or cut, straight and would ruin it and no DP here so I priced how much it would cost me to have 5 holes 3.5mm round drilled and countersunk and the cost was 255 to 400 dollars anywhere I priced online. I said screw it at those prices.

I am so glad the people woke up over there but too bad their parliament isn't going to allow it since the actual pull out demands their govt to vote it out. So, all this did, so far, is make it cheaper for us to buy over there as their pound was so valued in comparison to any other currency in the world.

 

I bought from MidWest.. Paid $25 shipping, but they didn't bother to actually cut and ship it for almost 2 weeks. When I called about it after a week and a half of not hearing back the guy on the other end was a bit of a **** about it too.

 

I have found most machine shops to be filled with dicks. I don't care how polite, and nice, I am they are just dicks ESPECIALLY when they know they are in the wrong.

$1.29 per GBP right now and is expected to parity around 1.15-1.2 the experts say but these same experts said that Brexit would never happen too.

 

I bought a 12" MIC6 from McMaster and then drilled and counter sunk the holes myself using a drill press at the high school. Helps to be a mentor for their robotics team. Think the plate was around $40, but I had it within 2 days.

 

For those of you talking about aluminum build plates, here's a repost of my blog talking about converting my cbot to one:
Building the C-Bot 3d Printer : Part 33 : Machining a mic6 aluminum removable build plate
I used my X-Carve to do all the milling: Wow, I should start charging to do this stuff based on the above prices
I paid $20 for the 12x12" 1/4" plate, plus $20 for shipping. I found one at a local metal supplier, but it was $45 + CA tax.

Now that I've been using it a while, man, I'd never go back to glass. I cover it in a slurry of wood-glue and water (mixed 1:1), then apply glue-stick on top of that as needed. Been working great.

Note, I used my IR temp reader on it: The top runs about 20 deg cooler than the aluminum plate heating element itself: If I set the temp to 60, the aluminum heater does get to 60, but the top of the plate is only at 40. However, this has been good enough for the large PLA prints I've been doing.

 

Yeah, I would buy from McMaster, but they offer 8x8 and 12x12, not 8x12, and I cannot cut it myself reliably, and I don't know of any machine shops that could do it for me nearby... and the local schools haven't seen shop classes in more than 20 years, I might be able to do it at my university, but I haven't the slightest idea where to even begin asking about that. Since i already have the e3d bigbox heated bed, I don't want to get a silicone heater to make it a permanent fixture.

 

Exactly as schools around here don't even have PE and most not even Band anymore either.

For the freaking prices I was quoted to drill, and countersink, 5 holes I could have purchased the bits AND a DP and still come out ahead but no room so meh.

Oh, that Banggood corner brackets went up the moment I added it to my cart to $2.99. I went to eBay and they have them too.

 

I do have a large chunk of Mic-6 aluminum that is almost large enough (short by r=3/8) to inscribe my heated be into, but it's a 14 3/8'' diameter disk, and I do not have the tools that would be required to cut it

 

I was just wondering something. On and off throughout this discussion there has been talk of different programs people are using to design there 3D parts for this printer and for things to print.
I am no expert in cad and have no prior experience except for many many years ago so I am an open book on the subject. Because of finances, programs I am looking at basically would be in the free category. I have used Blender some and I have DesignSpark, openSCAD, 123 Design, Autodesk Fusion 360, and Freecad downloaded..
The programs are so different that I'm at the point where I want to make a decision on one or two that I would like to examine very close and learn better.
What are your guys's experiences.?, What do you use? and suggest for a beginner that wants to learn.
And is there one not listed that you would suggest.

 

I personally play with 123d design, Fusion 360, and OnShape (cloud-based browser CAD), but I am far from an expert... barely qualify as a novice in these programs, and I've only designed simple stuff. I have FreeCAD downloaded, but I rarely use it because everything else I've listed works substantially better, there's only a few times I've had to use it in place of 123d Design. OnShape is good if you want something cloudbased or an easy way to share/collaborate on designs with some people. Also, FreeCAD keeps breaking and locking up on me, hence the rarely using it.

 

openSCAD is in a class of it's own. - It's my go to choice most often. My generator is built exclusively in it.

For the larger format printer I am tinkering with, I bounce between 123 D and Fusion 360. It's faster and easier for prototyping and whole systems. Also because I need to be able to model movement and use existing part models. I'm stuck in the Autodesk ecosystem because I have a license for Fusion360 already. If I had my choice I would others.

Try them all, use what works for you.

 

I only use OpenSCAD.. Nothing else made any sense to me. But I've been coding for 20 years, so that's largely why OpenSCAD was accessible to me.

 

I don't like OpenSCAD and I programmed for 32 years in all sorts of languages but when dealing with 3d I need it visual.

 

I love that fan shroud! Would you mind sharing?

 

Does anyone have any experience with or use Simplify3d ( or have an opinion ). A lot of people seem to love it but after some research I read that it might have problems working with Smoothieware by generating to many line segments . Or something like that..... looks like there solving this issue.. maybe
Checking the website I don't see Smoothieware or RRF on their list of firmware's... And the two boards I have narrowed it down to would run either of these firmwares... Meh!!

I was really thinking of dropping the 150 and getting the software but thought I would check with you guys and get your input!!!

Also of the topic of the different 3d software that everyone is using ,,, does anyone use a Wacom pen to do any of their designing?
Or is this even possible use the different programs with a pen. I bought a new laptop a Yoga 14 with touch and pen input.
I have been trying the different programs and fooling around with the pen, but was throwing it out there to see if anyone else could make my trial and ERROR any easier.

 

This is the first I had heard of this issue with S3D (I think I heard of this a long while back but not 100% certain) but if Ramps/Marlin, and Mightyboard/Sailfish work with it then the issue has to be with Smoothie and not with S3D.

 

It's not the best in terms of programming languages (in fact its pretty terrible in terms of syntax), but I never had a problem viewing it..

None of the CAD programs' UIs were intuitive to me, and I like the level of control that you get from

RepRap is the correct setting. Smoothie has a few extra codes, but nothing that should affect printing. Can you post your Smoothie config?

Also, you need to get the latest firmware if you haven't already

 

Yep, its Syntax rather sucks but I have seen worse. For me Solidworks clicked and Fusion 360, that everyone is raving about, I couldn't stomach because it is Autodesk. Do it our way or to the Highway with you. That is in regards to how you have to use the keyboard AND the mouse to do much of anything so Autodesk forces the client/customer to bend to the software instead of the software bending to them. This is 2016 and software should be fully flexible and have full customization (I had others on the AD fourm agreeing with me). You will never get that with an Autodesk product in my experience. When Alias sold Maya to Autodesk I ceased to like it within two versions after the transition for stupid stuff like that (besides crashes galore they are notorious for).

Oh, and I hate the cloud and see it for what it is and it is NOT a nice thing. It is part of the vision Bill Gates had when it was circa 1994-1996 and he was on The Computer Chronicles saying the day will come when all computers will no longer have drives and everything will be instantly used from the Internet. Total control and with total snooping on you and your usage. Lets not even start on the amount of breaches since all of the businesses (even hospitals are switching) jumped to the cloud.

 

There is known issues w/ Smoothieware and Simplify 3d. Causing it to pause during prints, they haven't addressed the issue to my knowledge yet sadly.

I may be wrong, so YMMV.

 

Hi fellow builders. I have a Dbot that I've modified slightly with some of the Cbot reworked files. Since it's rebuild I've been printing pretty much non stop but I really dislike my heated bed. It's a 300x200 and I am using boro glass with a sheet of PEI. It seems to take forever to heat up and I don't think the quality of the PCB might be good enough, but to be fair I also haven't PID tuned it yet, but I read before, and I may be mistaken, that you can't PID tune with an SSR? If I am wrong please let me know and I'll perform it 1st thing in the morning.

So I'd like to get a Silicon heater and possibly a MIC6 alum plate but I don't have the tools to mill out a spot for the pad, or the screw holes so it would cover the entire bed like I saw a few posts above so what are my options?

If it'll cost me more than I'd like to spend I guess I can stick it out w/ my heat bed now but is there a better solution to mounting the glass to the heat bed PCB? Binder clips get in the way when X Axis homes and it smashes the clip and drags it along for a ride, or is there some sort of GCODE I can add to my script that when it goes to home all axis it'll drop the Z a few MM for X to do it's thing then Y? I'm not new to printing but I still don't know how to fully manipulate GCODE for my benefits yet =)

Just a bit off topic as well, I use S3D as my slicer and I think I have my settings pretty much dialed in, I am using the Direct Drive plates but I still have the bowden tube coming from the top of the printer to the left side like it was originally before, so if someone could share their S3D profile that would be amazing.

Also I have my printer on a Solid Countertop in my kitchen, but when the printer is printing the bed bounces a-lot. Is there something I can do to stiffen that up or is it okay the way it is, all the prints I've done so far it doesn't appear to have any effect on quality but I just wanted to ask and make sure.

Annnnnnnnnnd 1 last question, the spool holder included in the rework, where is that supposed to go? on the back 2040 on the back of the printer?

I do believe that is all my questions for now, so thank you in advance. You guys are great, and I'm glad I built this printer the community here is awesome.

 

The issue with smoothieware and Simplify3D is a problem with both programs. As far as i know, it only happens with very high resolution models, and Simplify3D generates long segments of movements that are far outside the possible movements of the printer, and smoothieware doesn't/didn't have a way to process it properly, causing the movement to lock up, temperatures would be maintained, but movement would be impossible without a reset. The latest updates of smoothieware and Simplify3D are supposed to have improvements upon these problems, Simplify3D made their slicer not generate as many of those, and smoothieware recently changed their movement configuration. As far as i know, this movement thing may have only happened on delta printers, but i'm not sure about that. I used Simplify3D on DC42's fork of RRF , on a delta printer, to print all the parts for the C-bot, and the only problems i run into were my own fault. On the C-bot itself , running azteeg X5 v1.1 and smoothie, i haven't had any issues, but the most complicated model i have printed so far has been a few vases and 3dBenchy.

The issues i've heard of caused by simplify and smoothie were on models that were very organic, like busts of people at high resolutions.

Compared to Slic3r, simplify3D made the holes on the parts actually be closer to the proper size. I'm not sure of great quality improvements, but i have noticed some movement differences making things slightly neater-looking, but that could just be in my head.

 

I have noticed the heated bed bouncing on my c-bot and Chris Roadfeldt's live streams on youtube, but it doesn't cause any visible z-artifacts that i've noticed, it seems like the entire printer wobbles with the bed, because i cannot get the bed to shake by hand with reasonable force.

What PCB heated bed are you using? i'm using the E3D varipower heated bed with the same dimensions as yours with borosilicate on top, but it only takes like 2-3 minutes to heat up at 24V to 60-70C, but it uses swiss clips, and not binder clips, for the homing making it hit the clips, you could try arranging the clips in such a way that the print head is unlikely to hit them when homing, like i have mine near the corners of the bed, and i've never had it hit them homing, but they stick up less than 2mm. However, i will be replacing the glass with MiC-6 aluminum plate with PrintBite adhered to the top of it, i just have to figure out a system for the clips, if they can reach the top of the aluminum, it'll be a stretch.

Also, i think the spool mount mounts to the backside of one of the front vertical legs, with the spool outside of the printer

 

thanks for the reply Carl, could you show me a picture of what it looks like? I printed it but I didn't know how to implement it, and I'd like to see if its better than my current setup now.

Thanks!

 

I am using this heated bed combo. MK2A 3D Printer 300x200 Heated Bed, Boro Glass, Hardware, Wiring, Thermistor Kit

It works, but I'm on 12v. So it takes far longer to heat up, I use 55c on my bed but a couple parts I printed at 100% today peeled up and although the print finished they were a bit warped, but for the part luckily it didn't matter.

I looked into swiss clips but there is 15mm extra on the borders, and the clips I saw won't fit that. Is there larger swiss clips that might work?

As for my binder clip issue I can't keep them at the corners, atleast not the back left where x and y axis home. I can't keep it on the left edge, so I have one in the middle of the bed in the back, but if i'm printing something larger even that clip will get in the way.