Frame and mechanical build - Frame

At this point you've got the tools mentioned in my previous post and you've got the parts required for the build.

For the build itself I highly recommend you use the visual guide by Gary Hodgson, its a very nice piece of documentation.

The purpose of the build posts is not a how to guide its merely notes or tweaks I made while building as well as tips.


Y axis motor bracket - page 17/19

The visual guide gives you the following image.

The optional section isn't optional, but at the same time doesn't work for every motor.
If you don't use the washer, nut, washer, washer combo the M3 bolt will push against the large washer and cause it to slant.
If you use the combo and have a short shaft on the motor the pulley won't reach over the bearing.

The solution is to attach the motor with pulley to the Y motor bracket then slide it onto the rod. Make sure it lines up correctly then remove the motor.
For reference the motors I used, SY42STH47-1684A, 3 washers seemed to be the sweet spot.


Y axis motor bracket (part II) - page 47

If you followed the above tip you should be able to mount the pulley the opposite way around.
This should prevent the belt slipping (it also helps a lot when you come to tighten the Y axis belt).


Z axis motor mounting - page 73



Don't bolt the motor to the Z motor mount.

If you do you'll have issues with the Z axis wobbling, they need to have some movement so that they can counter any wobble in the Z threads.
Attach them using cable (zip) ties, 2 medium sized ones coupled or 1 long one either side. Remember to leave a few mm gap from the motor shaft.


End stops - 89/91

If your using RAMPS 1.4 and Sprinter the Y endstop is on the wrong side for the default settings.
RAMPS will try to home the opposite direction and it requires some tweaking of the configuration file.


Its much easier to just fit it on the motor side. Although I'll post which lines to edit in a later post just in case you've already made the same mistake as me.

UPDATE the endstop for the Y axis should be on the opposite site to the motor. You need to change the following line (line 74) in configuration.h

const bool INVERT_Y_DIR = false;

to
const bool INVERT_Y_DIR = true;

If you don't all your prints will be mirrored as the Y is going in the wrong direction.