After about two weeks of very successfully using my Mini, I’ve hit an unexpected snag. The X/Extruder harness cable guide (the thing that looks like a plastic bicycle chain) “hangs” lower than I remember when I first started using the machine. At low x (extruder to the left) and z (extruder down) positions the cable guide drags over the print bed.
Worse than that, when the extruder returns from the initial head wipe, the guide now snags on the wiper pad and holder unless I lift it manually.
I have examined in detail the first few “links” of the cable guide and found no link snapped out of place. The first link (male cable guide connector you call it on the ohai-kit description of the X carriage assembly workflow) appears to be solidly attached to the upper bearing holder.
As seen in the attached photo, the angle between the above-mentioned “connector” (first link) and next link appears to be significant - yet I can’t find anything broken, bent or out of place in the links.
Unfortunately I did not pay enough attention to the cable guide when I first got the machine (except to remember tidied NOT snag the wiper pad) so I can’t tell what, if anything, looks different.
Any ideas? I’m having to manually hold the cable guide up during the first few passes…
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Hmmm… the attachment did not upload… trying again…
Thanks, kmanley57! Tried to reverse the link, but, against the suggestion, it bent down, not up!!! Also, I’m not sure that approach rings well with the “Zen of 3D Printing”… so I decided to design and print a small “beam” that would fit under the “connector” link and rigidize the first few links. The first picture is a 3-D CAD view of the concept:
It took 15 minutes to print using Medium Res ABS default settings on CURA. The second picture shows the “beam” installed BELOW the connector link (I know, it appears as if the beam is above the connector link - it is not!) before snapping back the rest of the cable guide.
The last picture shows the result:
Total elapsed time: about 1 hr… I used FreeCAD to design the part, CURA to print it. Not too shabby, considering I got the Mini (my first printer) a couple of weeks ago…
Good idea and good design, maybe TAZ should pay you for the idea?
Care to share your STL file?
Lulzbot should totally host a “design neat parts for our 3d printers and win 8 trillion free tacos (Tacos must be consumed in 1 sitting)” competition. And I’m not just saying that because I design parts for 3d printers as a hobby.
I also enjoy a good Taco.
Michael: Sorry I was on travel and did not check the forum until now… sure, here’s the stl file - I used ABS with the default CURA “Normal quality” settings… about 15 minutes…
Yes, the beam “droops” a bit when installed but, believe me, works wonderfully.
CableGuideBeam.stl (11.6 KB)
Thanks! I’ll give it a try. I’m using a binder clip now and it’s worked so far but I’d like something a little more sturdy.
