Frame Assembly- Flatness of surface required?
Hello All,
I have a MK3 kit coming soon.
Have been reading the manual and preparing for the build.
I read one of the most important steps is getting the frame flat and square. Which makes sense as it is the base for the whole machine.
Can I ask, how flat a surface is recommended for this, I am not sure what I have to perform this on.
I was thinking of buying a 500mmx500mm piece of 10mm float glass to sit the printer on, and use this for setting up as well.
What does everyone use for this, and how flat a surface do you actually need?
Tank you very much!
RE: Frame Assembly- Flatness of surface required?
We have marble windows sills, one of them was deep enough and close to the place there I assembled the printer, so I used that. Did it on my work surface (an wooden old table) first and that resulted in an obvious wobble.
RE: Frame Assembly- Flatness of surface required?
Unfortunately I don't have anything like that, oak worktops, have a glass coffee table and some glass worktop protectors but all are rather thin.
Not sure how flat they are, going to test flatness with a straight edge (spirit level).
I gather it's not a precision engineering job?
What sort of tolerance are you seeking in a flat surface?
Tank you very much!
RE: Frame Assembly- Flatness of surface required?
You don't need any very special arrangement. Mine is on a wooden work table.
What does matter is that the support is sturdy: shaking and resonance can permit false crashes and irritating noises. You will find several threads on here where cheap concrete paving slabs used as bases have made a significant improvement when the printer is on flimsy furniture.
For assembly a reasonably level, sturdy surface is required; a decent kitchen table is enough.
For the permanent installation find somewhere free of drafts and sudden temperature changes, reasonably protected from damp, dust and grease; and where there is enough light for detailed working. A little space around the machine for access and maintenance will help.
Somewhere close by to store tools and working filament is desirable.
By and large don't sweat over it. Common sense and the willingness to make small changes in the light of experience will get you through.
Cheerio,
RE: Frame Assembly- Flatness of surface required?
You don't need any very special arrangement. Mine is on a wooden work table.
What does matter is that the support is sturdy: shaking and resonance can permit false crashes and irritating noises. You will find several threads on here where cheap concrete paving slabs used as bases have made a significant improvement when the printer is on flimsy furniture.
For assembly a reasonably level, sturdy surface is required; a decent kitchen table is enough.
For the permanent installation find somewhere free of drafts and sudden temperature changes, reasonably protected from damp, dust and grease; and where there is enough light for detailed working. A little space around the machine for access and maintenance will help.
Somewhere close by to store tools and working filament is desirable.
By and large don't sweat over it. Common sense and the willingness to make small changes in the light of experience will get you through.
Cheerio,
Thank you.
Didn't really want to get right through the build to find step 1 was not square enough.
Will be sitting on a solid oak table initially and planning to build a bench for it, I have got a creality enclosure to put it in, I bought it for the Ender 3 but never used it, and should fit the MK3S quite well, will stop draughts and dust.
Tank you very much!
RE: Frame Assembly- Flatness of surface required?
I did my final levelling/squaring of the frame on the glass top of my halogen cooker hob for both mk3's I've assembled. Skew was down below 0.12 degrees range for both of them when the self test was run.
RE: Frame Assembly- Flatness of surface required?
I bought this Glass cutting board: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XFCX7TM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Printer fits on the surface just fine. During XYZ calibration printer said everything was perpendicular.
RE: Frame Assembly- Flatness of surface required?
Built my MK3 last few days, started off on a glass induction hob cover, but was a pain to work on, sliding all over the place, ended using a butchers chopping board.
After 3 hours I managed to get the frame with no wobble at all.
Calibration was perpendicular
Tank you very much!
RE: Frame Assembly- Flatness of surface required?
@clarmrrsn
Build it on a table with large surface and plenty of room and only on the levelling/squaring steps go to the nice flat induction hob. Once you have it square and tightened you can move it back to the table/bench to do the rest of assembly.
RE: Frame Assembly- Flatness of surface required?
@neophyl
That's basically what I did, but I have a gas hob, which isn't all that level for some reason 🤔
The induction covers I have are used as worktop protectors, and while flat, I found them too slippy to level the frame on, and a lot of flex in them.
The butcher's board was pretty much perfectly flat, and worked well for the frame, I had to use the method listed by Paul in the online manual to get the frame perfectly flat, was only 0.2mm or so, but if a jobs worth doing.
Going to set the first layer a bit better this morning.
Tank you very much!