Upgrade Kits are Not Available (gCreate's Official Position)

#1
So many people have been asking about the upgrade kits (1.5 to 1.5+) or at least a basic BOM so we can get the hardware and perform the upgrades ourselves.

Since gCreate is more active on their Facebook pages than their community and support forums, it made sense to post their "Official Stance" on the matter here where it truly belongs. This way it can actually be seen and not lost in a fleeting Facebook thread and people who just want to know if a kit is available can actually find an answer (which sadly, is "no").

These are the exact words from Anna's Facebook post and she states this is gCreate's "Official Stance".

".....at the end of the day you CAN still upgrade your printer on your own without us. So long story short, we do not have set plans as to when we are going to release an upgrade kit to the gMax 1.5+. If we can execute it and manage it properly, we will. But if we can't, we won't. This is our official stance on the matter."

This basically says, "Once you buy our printer, you are on your own."

This would all not be so bad but they promised original backers of gMax 1.0s an upgrade path to 1.5. That never happened. Then when the 1.5+ was launched the talk of an upgrade kit led everyone to believe the same thing all over again. Now we find out, they don't have any plans to provide them.

Since they WON'T provide a BOM (simple list - not detailed instructions) for the hardware needed to perform the upgrade the printed parts they provided are useless unless someone wants to plod ahead with trial and error and then post the results for others.

I've said this before:

You either support your customers or you don't. To offer an incomplete smattering of upgrade parts and then say a BOM will not be made available with no info on how to use or implement those parts is somewhat hypocritical and serves little purpose except to alienate your customer base.

For those interested, the entire Facebook thread can be found here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/gmaxuse ... 454750615/

If you read the myriad of reasons why they are not providing the most basic info, it reads like a litany of excuses to which all have simple resolutions. One thing to note, they say the upgrade kits will cause a lot of tech support issues which they do not have the resources to manage. Understood. Yet they talk about a heated bed upgrade that is coming soon. How is swapping out a users bed to a heated bed NOT going to cause tech support issues? Its a ridiculous notion to think it's a seamless upgrade that is easier to perform than swapping out parts. It's convenient to say you don't have the resources to support something like an upgrade kit but how on Earth can you expect us to believe you have the resources to manage something more complex like a heated bed. As of 9/2 you guys posted in this forum that a heated bed is coming soon. Will that be for new customers only or will those be released as a DIY upgrade kit?

gCreate will ignore their forum members no matter how many times a question is asked, but they will respond when called out on Facebook. Very sad.

ShaqFoo
 
#2
Re: Upgrade Kits are Not Available (gCreate's Official Posit

Well looks like I have to design my own bed plate. Wish the excitement of knowing Gordon cared about his customers/backers was still there but it is all beyond faded.
 
#3
Re: Upgrade Kits are Not Available (gCreate's Official Posit

snavazio said:
So, All the Kick Starter Backers are screwed if they need a copy of the firmware/config files.

Not sure why Gordon took them down.
I don't understand why they would pull archived files from a download section knowing they have users that need them but you should be able to email them and have them send you the firmware.

There may be some KS backers that still have the original firmware that can help you out. But if you go the way of upgrading your 1.0 to 1.5 (your on your own for that according to them) I can send you enhanced firmware for the 1.5.

It features auto leveling, ditto printing, change filament with out of filament sensor and a bunch of other enhanced features the stock gMax does not. The firmware was released back in June and I know of at least 9 people that have upgraded without issue and the downloads for it were much greater in number. I've been running the modded firmware on both my printers (stock gMax 1.5XT and a scratch built) with zero issues.

When I released it there was an announcement from gCreate that the firmware was unsupported which is so funny and hypocritical because neither are their printers. :eek:

ShaqFoo
 

AlexD

New Member
#4
Re: Upgrade Kits are Not Available (gCreate's Official Posit

kmyerslp said:
Well looks like I have to design my own bed plate. Wish the excitement of knowing Gordon cared about his customers/backers was still there but it is all beyond faded.
Hi there mate,

I have got a bed that is kind of WIP but pretty much finished. I am using a Bakelite bed that uses a H Frame 8 V Wheels.

If you wanted i can send you the models so you can make a start.

I've also re-made the Y Belt Clamp and some other parts too. Check the render to see what you think.



Hopefully if a couple of people try it we can tweek the design and get it perfect so people wont have to fork out for an upgrade kit anyway.

Also i can vouch for Larry's firmware it is really feature rich and works brilliantly on the Dual Extruder we have at work. I highly recommend it over stock.

Thanks

Alex