FT5 R2 Instructions Incorrect?

[csorrows]

Y Assembly Step 11Might be worth suggesting the use of hemostat(s) (locking forceps) to hold the belt in place before the zip ties go on. I saw a tip in a Hot End youtube video that suggested this technique, and it worked really well.

I tried to limit the tools required to the minimum to reduce people having to go out and buy them. I figured if you had tools to make it easier, you would use them just like you have.

ACM Parts ListI had several pieces not included in the list, mostly the ones used for the electronics box construction. I imagine those will be added when that section is completed.

Hmmm, I'll look into that. I did do that part in a hurry to get out the update. Thanks for the heads up.

Bed Assembly, Step 1

My bed was not pre-soldered. Not sure if this was a mistake, or if FT is no longer doing that. If they're not, you might need to update this to include soldering instructions (where to solder what, rather than how to solder)

Yea, you are not the first person to mention this. I'm thinking this may have been skipped to get the huge amount of kits ordered during that period out faster. I'll have to ask John if that has changed when he gets back in the states. I'm trying not to bother him during his vacation. I have also used the opportunity to work on some personal projects.

I'm bookmarking your post so I can refer to it later. Thanks for your time.

[DaFlea]

Could someone confirm if the measurements are correctly stated on Page 8 and Page 10 of the manual. This is regarding the 20/20 and 20/40 extruded aluminum used to construct the frame. Every version states the same but it has to be a mistake.

It states to use 500 mm 20/20 and 500 mm 20/40 to make the base. The top says to use 500 mm and 460 mm 20/20 to make the top. Then its all connected by the 4 700 mm 20/20 parts. Would that not make the frame taper towards the top?

[Hammerhead]

The 460mm beams are 40mm short of 500mm making then 2x20mm widths different. They mount on the inside of the verticals held in place by the ACM angles.

[jschuk]

I also agree with ChrisHenry in that these directions are excellent. This is my/our 1st 3D printer ever and my sons and I were able to build a working printer on the 1st try. We used the 12/04/17 directions. Here are my observations/suggestions:

• After completing the extruder, do not connect it to the gantry until ready to do the wiring as this takes the weight off of the x/y rails when you invariably tip over the printer to work on the z-axis. This made the printer easier/lighter to move and since we only taped the ends of the rails it prevented them from slamming into the tape.
• Make a note to take care when inserting the smooth rods into the linear bearings. Our 4th rod didn't go in smoothly and ended up blasting out 9 (we think) ball point sized bearings. After an hour we found 7 of them and figured out how to open up the bearing to put them back.
• Our heated bed was not soldered either. I used some steel wool to lightly scuff the solder pads on the bed and the tin/lead/silver (60/38/2%) solder took to it very well with a 40W iron and a flat tip. I also pre-tinned the wires before soldering them to the bed.
• Trimming the wires on the extruder assembly to 5 inches seemed too long to me as I did not have excess wire drooping down near the heater, nor did I want it to come into contact with the left Y axis rail.
• I removed the connectors on the wires and then wrapped them with electrical tape to make it easier to feed them through the wire loom. I marked the wires with a marker and took pictures of the wire order so that I which wires belonged to which connector and had the correct wiring order too.
• The Setup Manual v1.0 mentions finding and downloading a configuration .rcp and rcf file for the Repetier software. I searched through all the FT-5 R1/R2 folders and in the zip files for those files and could not find them. It did not stop me from performing basic tests in that software, but I ended up switching to Cura after completing the hollow cube print in Repetier.
• We used loctite on the frame assembly and other pieces that we assumed would not need to be adjusted later on. It would be nice to list which screws should be fully tightened down and which ones just need to be lightly secured due to being loosened or adjusted later on.
• Folger Tech should consider placing 1 or 2 washers underneath the springs of the heated bed. I suspect that the wires (which are not crossed over each other) are bowing up the middle of my bed. I have to obtain some washers that fit properly before I can test this out.
• The end stop for the x-axis has no way to adjust it as it attached to the motor which cannot be moved once the belt is properly tensioned. Thinking about it, I may be able to slide everything on top of that 20x20 piece at once, but that will be a pain to loosen all those bolts. If I remember the directions were very specific about placing one side 30mm from the edge.

This is not related to the directions but our kit had two issues in case you want to pass them along.
- We could not assemble our extruder gantry without modifying the forward facing ACM part. A dremel and a tungsten carbide cutter made it easy to adjust.
- We were short on 5mm 20T pulley and instead received a 8 or 10mm pully. Luckily I had also purchased the 10m GT2 belt/(10) 20T/5mm pulley so I used one of those.

Thank you for reading this.

Jason

[jschuk]

csorrows,
I just saw that you linked those missing files in another thread. I guess I never looked at the stickied "FT-5 Large Scale 3D Printer [READ THIS FIRST]". I apologize about that.

I also just looked at the manual and on page 32 I found an easier way to adjust the x-axis by loosening the 4 bolts that hold the 500mm 2020 to the y-axis rails.

Jason

[csorrows]

csorrows,
I just saw that you linked those missing files in another thread. I guess I never looked at the stickied "FT-5 Large Scale 3D Printer [READ THIS FIRST]". I apologize about that.

I sent John (the owner of FT) the setup guide and config files at the same time. He somehow missed putting the config files onto the GDrive. He comes back to the states soon, I will bug him again when he gets back. Kinda wanted to leave the man alone while on vacation.