MakiBox 3D printer...

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perfo
Posts: 151
Joined: Jan 27th, 2015, 12:05 am

MakiBox 3D printer...

Post by perfo »

I've finally taken the plunge on a 3D printer. I've always thought I'd make my own from scratch but when a clearance sale came up for the MakiBox it tempted me.
£179 for the LT version or £229 for the HT version it seemed not to bad.. I'm not sure what the main differences are between the two except only the HT has a heated bed.
It comes in a flat pack and took between 2 to 3 hours to assemble..
From the get go it can be seen as not award wining in design but should do as an entry level printer. The print area is a little small but again ok.
I tried to tune the back lash out of the X and Y drives but to no avail. The videos showing you how to do it state to loosen one screw off and tighten the other I've done this until the thread have started to give. It is better but still noticeable.

Installed a couple of excellent programs

Repetier host
and Slic3r

Set my connection up as com port 3 and got talking to the printer.. yeaaaa
Pressing the buttons on the screen all the axis moved , stopped when they should and din't collide with the print head so ..

I did a quick sketch in Autocad inventor ...exported it as an STL file...
Sliced it up with Slic3r using the downloaded suggested setting file for white ABS...pressed go annnnd

The show stopper..
The heated printer heat doesn't heat... there is a temp sensor on it and I guess this is the problem as the temp on the PC screen states -37 degrees so I'm thinking the temp control algorithm probably throws a wobbly if it sees out of range temperatures....

I sent an email to the supplier and got a speedy reply. These heads are notoriously un reliable so he will send me a replacement or for an extra £30 send me the super duper head. Doing some research it appears lots of folk have had problems with this head and a lot of folk swear by the E3D head.. So I replied asking for the E3D head.. He said he'll send the order link and discount code (for the duff head) later that day but two days later I'm still waiting..

Once I get it going I'll probably print some more bits for it.. I'll change the X, Y, Z axis and printer head block and put in linear bearings rather than the plastic molded ones it comes with.. I can get a set of 10 bearing on ebay for £5 so not really sure why they weren't used in the first place.. It will transform my bask lash problems (I hope) . I'll probably also replace the plastic ball screw nuts with proper metal ones..
I even though if it all goes well after a time I may even get longer X and Y balls screws and extend the print area to A4 (A3 would be perfect) sized.. I'd have to make my own heated bed for this though.. Also int he future a laser adapter would be a handy addition to be able to cut card and or thin plastic for prototyping, maybe even a bit of laser etching..

Anyway there you have it... I'll keep this post informed as I'm sure this wont be the end of the set up problems so I may be asking for help and indeed maybe this thread will help others...
perfo
Posts: 151
Joined: Jan 27th, 2015, 12:05 am

Re: MakiBox 3D printer...

Post by perfo »

The link came after a bit of badgering.. so uprated head ordered. more than a week gone by and it hasn't turned up yet.. I'm getting a bit frustrated as they are posted from the UK so shouldn't take more than a couple of days...
Last edited by perfo on Mar 15th, 2015, 6:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Moki
Posts: 119
Joined: Oct 21st, 2014, 2:19 am
Location: The Netherlands

Re: MakiBox 3D printer...

Post by Moki »

E3D rocks!!

I am sure the wait is worth it.
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Oldsirhippy
Posts: 86
Joined: Oct 1st, 2013, 7:18 am

Re: MakiBox 3D printer...

Post by Oldsirhippy »

Getting a 3D printer has been great to further my ROV development! So I hope your arrives soon, it is a tremendous boost to get things prototyped quickly and see how the parts fit. The parts can be made very cheaply - if one forgets the cost of the printer :D
perfo
Posts: 151
Joined: Jan 27th, 2015, 12:05 am

Re: MakiBox 3D printer...

Post by perfo »

What is best for sticking the ABS to the PVC pipe I'm building out of.. I'm hoping to glue on a lot of bits rather than drill holes and bolt / screw..
perfo
Posts: 151
Joined: Jan 27th, 2015, 12:05 am

Re: MakiBox 3D printer...

Post by perfo »

what a nightmare this has been.. I would strongly not recommend a Makibox for anyone that isn't willing to put a lot of time in to getting it to work. It is a pretty poorly designed bit of kit..

I have eventually got a print out of it ... but the prints were slowly sloping to one side... back tot adjusting print beds and axle tensions etc etc... so I stuck it on a long print to observe (listen to the motors) if I was missing steps or something. The problem showed it self as the y axis lead screw disconnecting it self from the motor.. This bit comes pre assembled and for a precision (meant to be ) printer the coupling between the lead screw and motor is just pushed on ??
I've done cnc stuff before and mucked about with steppers etc so I was confident enough to be contemplating building my ow printer before I saw this one. I think I may have been quicker building it my self.. at least it would be a whole lot better designed..
I suppose though if you are designing this to be shipped all over the world the weight is a big problem and that has caused a lot of the instabilities of this printer ..things just aren't solid or man enough for the job. Building ti my self and it would be heavy with big lumps of metal.
I still haven't tuned the new head yet. I know I should go in to the software and change the look up table for the different thermistor but I'm trying to leave the software alone at the moment until I've worked on and eliminated all the other variables...
I set the temp of the head by trial and error...manually pushing filament through the head at different temperature settings until I got a setting that felt smooth but not too runny.. so the temp for ABS is meant to be around 230 .. I've got mine set to 270 but haven't a clue what actual temp that is..
Whilst I'm typing the printer robot is singing next to me and (fingers firmly crossed) it looks like it may actually be an accurate proper print...... You watch it go pear shaped now I've said that..
this printer has taken time away from my ROV software so I'll be glad to get back on it...


Hmmm yep it did go wrong the axis moved again. only by a jiffy but as from about half way through the print the walls start sloping... Nads..
perfo
Posts: 151
Joined: Jan 27th, 2015, 12:05 am

Re: MakiBox 3D printer...

Post by perfo »

Yeah a print that actually looks somewhere near normal.. Still a bit of sideways movement though. I've ordered some linear bearings that should turn up in a few weeks and hopefully that will sort out the non linear drag I'm getting on the axis.
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Oldsirhippy
Posts: 86
Joined: Oct 1st, 2013, 7:18 am

Re: MakiBox 3D printer...

Post by Oldsirhippy »

@perso - I hope that the linear bearings resolve the issues with the Makibox, it is very frustrating when things don't work straight out of the box!

Regarding Glueing ABS - some makers with 3D printers use an acetone slurry, which I think is acetone mixed with bits of ABS. ABS dissolves in acetone so may be a solution for you to 'glue' two parts together. But I have no idea how strong the bond would be.
perfo
Posts: 151
Joined: Jan 27th, 2015, 12:05 am

Re: MakiBox 3D printer...

Post by perfo »

It was a self build version so I suppose some of it may have been my fault not getting bolt tensions exactly right etc..
I've tried nail varnish remover to melt some ABS and it doesn't do a good job. I'm guessing its the additives like glycerin that stop it and I left it for a week. So I guess I'll have to get some pure acetone and try again. I did however try some super glue and that seemed to stick the ABS to the PVC pipe pretty good. I'll do some more experimentation once I get a few 3d printed bits to play with...
Thanks for the post...
perfo
Posts: 151
Joined: Jan 27th, 2015, 12:05 am

Re: MakiBox 3D printer...

Post by perfo »

SO got most of it doing something now. I'm still waiting for my bearings but the wobble due to backlash isn't that great on smaller prints so I can make do for now. I had lifting where a bit of the print would lift up and collide with the print head and be dragged around the bed and wreck all the rest of the bit so the print.. This is nothing new in the 3d print world and various folks have found varying solutions..
I've gone for hair spray on the print bed and using a brim around each component to give it a better chance of staying stuck down... This appears to be working.
I'm now on to trying to get a consistent flow out of the nozzle. I've read on the interweb that a lot of folk have problems with the filament feeder getting jammed. When the filament gets stuck the teeth on the feeder grind a dip in the filament and thus it looses traction and thus wont go anymore. I've filled with tensions and temperatures etc etc all as suggestion from the web. I'e now got my super duper E3d print head so all should be good, but it isn't it will randomly jam and ruin the print. I've got to the bottom of this now and it appears the temperature of the head is fluctuating enough to alter the back pressure on the feeder. If the temperature is at a low point just as the print require max feed of filament then Jamming occurs. So I may get away with a couple of prints between failure. So next step is I'm going to replace the head heating controls with a standalone PID controller. I can get one off ebay for £10 with an industrial standard K type thermocouple. I should be able to get the temperature fluctuations down to a couple of degrees rather than up to 10 as it is now. It would also give me confidence in the temperature of the head as at present I know the displayed ones on the screen aren't accurate.
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