Update: delayed but not forgotten

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Those of you following this blog will have noticed that I've gone a little quiet for a while. This is due to a combination of factors. First, I am very busy with work at present and, secondly, I have a backlog of things which I need to print for jobs around the house. I can't print with the printer at the same time as rebuilding it.

To give an update on progress:

  • I still need to rejig the X-axis cable chains to rotate them by 90°
  • The fanless PSU seems to be working very well indeed and makes a huge difference to the noise of the printer
  • The foam insulation on the base of the HBP also seems to help a lot and works far better than I'd expected. Heat up time is improved significantly and excess cooling between prints is also reduced. 
  • I have a set of Z axis pull-rods to install for extra rigidity but these need to be modded to fit the 350mm Z height. 
  • I also really want to move to the latest version of Marlin to address a few annoying niggles which I know are present in 2.0.5.3.
  • I'm also keen to install the power control facility so that I can have the printer power itself off when it's finished printing.
I will try to keep things updated. I am still posting new designs on Thingiverse and Cults as I move ahead with household tasks, but I really want to get the printer upgrade moving ahead again soon.

Comments

  1. Abdul Hafiz ZakariaDecember 1, 2020 at 1:16 AM

    Appreciate all your hard work to document all of your a8 plus journey here. It really helps me as this was my first ever 3D printer. Hope you didn't stop posting. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. 3D-DesignsDecember 4, 2020 at 9:11 AM

    Thank you for this. Things have hit a bit of a hiatus at present due to workload, but I plan to pick up again as soon as I can. Starting with the X-axis cable chains.

    ReplyDelete
  3. anth9998December 26, 2020 at 5:35 AM

    Bought an a8 plus a few weeks ago and have been making my way through these upgrades. Thanks for making the site! Looking forward to more

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 3D-DesignsJanuary 30, 2021 at 7:43 AM

      Thank you very much. I am still using the printer, but the upgrades are still a little stalled. I plan to order a Hermera for it soon, as I see that they're back in stock again.

      I hope to start documenting things soon, by I am very busy with work at present.

      Delete
  4. UnknownJanuary 30, 2021 at 2:41 AM

    Just bought an A* plus couple of weeks ago and going thru the same journey as you did, so great for me reading your blog! One question at the moment, I want to install auto bed levelling on this one, where did you get you info around the setup, I did found something on the internet but still not convinced enough to start. Would be great if you point me in some direction, BL-Touch is ordered now...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 3D-DesignsJanuary 30, 2021 at 7:42 AM

      I didn't install the BL-Touch until after I had replaced the main board with a SKR1.4 Turbo. I believe that it is possible to install to the standard MB, but it's very fiddly. As I was going to upgrade the MB anyway to provide additional features, I did the BL-Touch at the same time

      If you're doing the same, then the blog below was very helpful

      https://www.makenprint.uk/3d-printing/3d-printing-guides/skr-v1-4-setup-guide/

      If not, then you should be able to find instructions for the standard MB online. If you're following any of my other upgrades, though, then upgrading the MB is recommended.

      My BL-Touch bracket will work in either scenario, of course.

      Delete

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