E3D v6 Hotends don't fit.
- Thread starter konton
- Start date
I installed one about two months ago. It works great. I had to superglue a washer on the top to take up some slack in the circular mount hole. I also had to make a new, slightly thicker wooden shim to account for a larger mounting gap on the E3D. Plus, the whole thing is a bit longer than the stock GMAX hot-end. This makes the fan shroud too short. These issues are the same as those detailed in Don Hanson's post about his E3D v5 upgrade. His pictures do a great job of documenting the process. Instead of doing it the right way and printing out a new fan shroud, I duct taped the existing shroud to the bottom of the mount platform. I also taped in some thin plastic on the top to cover up the air gaps this reconfiguration created. The first time I put the E3D on in it didn't fit at all, but then I realized that I screwed in the heating shaft upside down. A quick look at the diagrams on the ED3 website will confirm that you've assembled it correctly. The only way I could get the unit to fit was to position the fan assembly on the left side. Otherwise there's just no room.
Between the irregular glass I have for a bed (see photos in another post), the duct taped fan shroud and my oddly colored printer parts (I reprinted several warped PLA parts with leftover ABS) I've got the ugliest GMAX out there. But the E3D v6 has been a fantastic upgrade. Before installing it I could barely get through a print without a clog. Now I start the print and walk away until it is done. I never have a problem.
I bought the hardware and printed out the parts for a dual-extruder upgrade. My GMAX has the old twin rods for the X axis so the upgrade involves a lot of work. My old extruder is just sitting around so I thought I would use it for the second extruder. But I like the E3D v6 so much I think I'll just fork out the extra cash to get a second one. Plus, that way both heads will be the same height.
In short, the E3D v6 does work but you've got to mess with it a bit.
One last note, I bored out the filament hole on the extruder mount and ran the poly tubing all the way up to the top. I did this because I was having trouble aligning the extruder hole with the mount hole. Sometimes when feeding filament it would get stuck on the ridge created by this misalignment. Now it slides from entrance hole down to hot-end smoothly.
Good luck,
Chris
Between the irregular glass I have for a bed (see photos in another post), the duct taped fan shroud and my oddly colored printer parts (I reprinted several warped PLA parts with leftover ABS) I've got the ugliest GMAX out there. But the E3D v6 has been a fantastic upgrade. Before installing it I could barely get through a print without a clog. Now I start the print and walk away until it is done. I never have a problem.
I bought the hardware and printed out the parts for a dual-extruder upgrade. My GMAX has the old twin rods for the X axis so the upgrade involves a lot of work. My old extruder is just sitting around so I thought I would use it for the second extruder. But I like the E3D v6 so much I think I'll just fork out the extra cash to get a second one. Plus, that way both heads will be the same height.
In short, the E3D v6 does work but you've got to mess with it a bit.
One last note, I bored out the filament hole on the extruder mount and ran the poly tubing all the way up to the top. I did this because I was having trouble aligning the extruder hole with the mount hole. Sometimes when feeding filament it would get stuck on the ridge created by this misalignment. Now it slides from entrance hole down to hot-end smoothly.
Good luck,
Chris
Thanks for the tip. I'm really hate having to change anything on my gmax. I just calibrated!
I've decided to build a bigger gMax from scratch. I'll call it a gMaxDW(Double Wide). So I was hoping perhaps the extruder was already modified to fit. I may be having problems anyway because the download for the single extruder has the wrong swing arm file. Does anyone has the right one? Thanks!
Justin
I've decided to build a bigger gMax from scratch. I'll call it a gMaxDW(Double Wide). So I was hoping perhaps the extruder was already modified to fit. I may be having problems anyway because the download for the single extruder has the wrong swing arm file. Does anyone has the right one? Thanks!
Justin
For anyone whose interested. After more research I found the E3D does fit. And pretty well. It's the swing arm that doesn't, which keeps the hotend in place. However, when testing the new marlin firmware I ended up getting a very warm a malleable swing arm. I think it may be the flow rate and the temp that needs lowering. Not sure, since nothing was overheating. Anyway, it allowed me to stretch the swing arm over the E3D while cooling, and now its a very tight fit, but very solid.
I'm working on a new mod to the fan shroud to extend it enough to fit properly, but the new firmware is messing me up. Now I need to get the right flow rate in order for it to print properly. I think.
I'm working on a new mod to the fan shroud to extend it enough to fit properly, but the new firmware is messing me up. Now I need to get the right flow rate in order for it to print properly. I think.
You were right about the poly tubing. But rather than bore it out I just changed the STL file to make the hole 4.5mm. That made it so the tubing went right to the top.
I also extended the fan shroud down and then widened the end a bit. It still needs a little more space to keep it from hitting the metal. But it's pretty good.
I would attach the files, but they are larger than this forum allows. If anyone needs them, just let me know.
I also extended the fan shroud down and then widened the end a bit. It still needs a little more space to keep it from hitting the metal. But it's pretty good.
I would attach the files, but they are larger than this forum allows. If anyone needs them, just let me know.
Attachments
Sorry to jump on the thread, but I'm putting together a dual extruder with E3D v6 hot ends. Does anyone have a design for a dual fan shroud they are willing to share?
My drawing skills are pretty limited so sans using something that one of you all may have put together, the second option I am looking at is printing flex pipe from a design I found on Thingiverse. (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:282111)
Thanks!
My drawing skills are pretty limited so sans using something that one of you all may have put together, the second option I am looking at is printing flex pipe from a design I found on Thingiverse. (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:282111)
Thanks!
