I’m making some changes to my printer. I made a complete new extruder, made a new Z-axis mounting (with a springloaded nut), brass supports and stable easy lock end-adjuster. I made a very stable motor mount from 10 mm and 20 mm Aluminum plate
The next thing I want to improve is the bed leveling. It must be easy to adjust without turning the printer upside down, locking without the use of 3 hands or disturbing the alignment with the locking nut.
Is there someone who has a briljant idea or done this allready ?
My idea is to make 4 studs/nut from aluminum or brass that clamps the frame in the middle. They mount on the original bolts. But because the frame is clamped there is a direct coupling with the bed in both up and down movement. The part under the frame will be milled as a 20 mm tumbwheel. A small knurled bold in the tumbwheel will be used as the locking mechanisme.
(I have a lathe and a mill so that’s why I made the upgrades from metal))
I do not like the spring idea. The heatbed has mass and I’m afraid that accelerating or stopping the movement of that mass will result in X and Y overshoot and “ringing” and so in print faults.
I made 15 mm aluminum studs, with a 8mm boss, tapped thread in it to hold the heatbed bolts. . Made 20 mm aluminum tumbwheels that goes over the boss and locks the alu frame between the stud and the tumbwheel. The tumbwheel is fixed to the boss with a pin. There is no radial freeplay and very little axial freeplay. The tumbwheels have an axial locking screw.
Adjusting is very smooth and precise and the locking does not influence the setting.
The last mechanical modification will be the Y axis. The X and Z are ready. After that the electronic mods but that is simple.
I think there will be some improvement possible in the extruder filament drive. I think the amount pressed out is very important for a uniform result. The construction with the hobbed bolt and spring do not make a good impression to me. So I wil probably change that too.