So this dropped this morning…
So the big question from us Taz 5 users will be… Can we upgrade ours to the 6? I would LOVE to have an auto-level feature on my 5!!!
Neat!
So. Would. I. After using my Mini and gMax with bed leveling, eliminating 90% of my maintenance time, it is nearly a must have feature for me at this point.
Hmm, and I still have 2 weeks to return my Taz 5 to Amazon… decisions, decisions…
Your TAZ will absolutely be upgradeable. As a Free Libre Open source company, we will always be sharing our complete Bill of Materials, complete Assembly Directions, and everything we are currently working on our devel site.
We don’t have plans of offering an official upgrade kit, but since all our 3D printers are Open Source Hardware, you can source components and modify your printer! An advanced forum user built their own TAZ 6, months before our first one left the line!: https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/taz-6-build-log/2654/1
We have had many customers already implement different versions of automatic bed leveling on our previous TAZ’s and they have been kind enough to share them with us:
https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/auto-bed-leveling-with-electrical-contacts-for-the-taz-4-5/3330/1
https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/taz-3-4-bed-auto-leveling/651/1
https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/capacitive-auto-leveling-on-taz-5/1730/1
https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/update-video-of-taz-auto-bed-leveling-mod-based-on-taz-mini/1063/1
We do plan to be carrying a few of the harder to source items. We will be carrying the TAZ 6 aluminum bed plate, a complete TAZ 6 controller box, 12mm bushings, 12mm rods, TAZ 6 lead screws, etc. Now these won’t be available immediately, but you can find what we plan to carry (or if you want to source it before hand) in our existing Retail Parts Section.
We hope this helps!
There will officially also be an Openrail X axis for the Taz 6 released soon as well. Dunno if it’s necessary or even wanted, but I have the files done already heh.
I am on the list… 
Not to hijack, but in the case of someone has already executed the Openrail X axis upgrade on their Taz 5, would the above parts make their printer compatible with the Taz 6 Z-axis sub-assemblies including the Ninjaflex damper?
And a follow-up if you will; which way would you go? Openrail Z-axis, or Taz 6 assemblies?
Thanks for the mention!
Bonus- there are a bunch of close-ups in the gallery. Anything you’d like to see that we missed? I’ll add a shot of the underside of the bed shortly.
As far as upgrades, we’ll have some of the hard to source parts around launch time. Some are prototype scratch and dent, some would be well suited to “upgrade my TAZ 5”, including a few bed plates and prototype control boxes that we originally meant for the TAZ 5 style plug. LulzBot really did a good thing changing the connector system.
REALLY impressed so far!
I haven’t actually tried it yet, but most likely yes based on what I can see so far of the fit. You would need to print the motor mounts and top plates, and you would either have to make a Z endstop target or convert to auto bed leveling. The leadscrews are a slightly different model and may have a slightly different fit as well, but the stock Taz 5 screws should be a “close enough” fit to not require any modifications.
Thats a tough one, and since I designed the Openrails ones, I’m probably somewhat biased towards them. That being said, the 12mm rods are probably as, or almost as effective as the openrails variant, at a much lower retrofit pricepoint. The geometry is a bit better with the Taz 6 rod positioning as well since they didn’t need to conform to the X endplate. I’d probably still go with the openbuilds setup since the rail can be reinforced, but its a close choice either way.
Inside of the electrical box?
I’d like to see what the dual extruder for the T6 looks like if it is available.
I expect it is the same as the V2 one right now. If you look you will see the extra sense line for the auto bed level connected to the extruder block just like it is on the Mini on the rear extruder block of the Dual/Flexi.
You can see some of that on the OHAI assembly instructions.
I have some misgivings about the airflow pattern, in that it seems as though the power supply exhaust is positioned just below the RAMBo’s stepper drivers.
I have no idea why but I’ve never had to level my bed on my taz 3. It works mint.
But the end stop screw for the home position does seem to creep down over time, I think the vibrations from printing cause the screw to creep.
BUT I would really love a self cleaning pad… is this a mod that exists for Taz 3? I mean it should be easy enough to make a little pad within the range of the head so it can clean off the nozzle before printing? The problem I have is if I try to start a print remotely, as the hot end heats up, the ABS oozes out and sets, so when it starts to print, it can ruin prints because of the ooze. If it could clean it’s nozzle before printing that would be mint! Is it something you could program in cura, or would you need to modify the routine/firmware of the bot?
Yup, here it is www.thingiverse.com/thing:1261303 you will also want to order a mini replacement wiper kit that comes with wipers and a housing. The mod attached to the back edge of the bed with two drilled and tapped m3 holes.
OK thanks but how do you program the taz 3 to wipe it’s nozzle before printing?
You have to make a startup script code that tells the nozzle to move through the position you put the wiper. You can adapt the mini script, just changing the coordinates. You may also need to adjust the bed area slightly