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Tobycwood
(@tobycwood)
Estimable Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: Toolchange reliability

A recalibration of the dock solved the problem… but… I think I see the root cause. It looks like the boneheaded spanner wrench that has to be used strips and cannot fully torque down the hex bolt. Since the docks are so close together there’s no easy way to tighten them with a socket. So it’s off to the hw store to buy a 5.5 mm open end/ box wrench to tighten these bolts correctly. 

Posted : 24/12/2023 3:21 am
ssill2 liked
ssill2
(@ssill2)
Noble Member
RE: Toolchange reliability

That same thing happened to me today on extruders 4 and 5!    Fortunately I had a second wrench, but I found where I could order a set of the low profile wrenches on amazon so I'm probably going to order them.   Glad you saw the same thing I did though.

Posted by: @tobycwood

A recalibration of the dock solved the problem… but… I think I see the root cause. It looks like the boneheaded spanner wrench that has to be used strips and cannot fully torque down the hex bolt. Since the docks are so close together there’s no easy way to tighten them with a socket. So it’s off to the hw store to buy a 5.5 mm open end/ box wrench to tighten these bolts correctly. 

 

Posted : 24/12/2023 3:58 am
ssill2
(@ssill2)
Noble Member
RE: Toolchange reliability

I just ordered one of these.    1.5mm thick head should work I think. like 8 dollars.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004W8D7LU?psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp

Posted by: @tobycwood

A recalibration of the dock solved the problem… but… I think I see the root cause. It looks like the boneheaded spanner wrench that has to be used strips and cannot fully torque down the hex bolt. Since the docks are so close together there’s no easy way to tighten them with a socket. So it’s off to the hw store to buy a 5.5 mm open end/ box wrench to tighten these bolts correctly. 

 

Posted : 24/12/2023 3:31 pm
Yazzman56 liked
Tobycwood
(@tobycwood)
Estimable Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: Toolchange reliability

I saw that.

We need to be careful though not to break the bolt head off or strip the threads in the dock.

Posted : 25/12/2023 4:20 pm
Yazzman56, ssill2 and MME liked
Razor
(@razor)
Estimable Member
RE: Toolchange reliability

Would something like these work? My XL is due in March. Just reading through and trying my best to prepare myself. 😄

Posted by: @ssill2

I just ordered one of these.    1.5mm thick head should work I think. like 8 dollars.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004W8D7LU?psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp

Posted by: @tobycwood

A recalibration of the dock solved the problem… but… I think I see the root cause. It looks like the boneheaded spanner wrench that has to be used strips and cannot fully torque down the hex bolt. Since the docks are so close together there’s no easy way to tighten them with a socket. So it’s off to the hw store to buy a 5.5 mm open end/ box wrench to tighten these bolts correctly. 

 

 

Mini+MK3S+XL 5 Tool

Posted : 26/12/2023 3:26 am
ssill2
(@ssill2)
Noble Member
RE: Toolchange reliability

I'll let you know when it arrives.

Posted by: @razor

Would something like these work? My XL is due in March. Just reading through and trying my best to prepare myself. 😄

Posted by: @ssill2

I just ordered one of these.    1.5mm thick head should work I think. like 8 dollars.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004W8D7LU?psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp

Posted by: @tobycwood

A recalibration of the dock solved the problem… but… I think I see the root cause. It looks like the boneheaded spanner wrench that has to be used strips and cannot fully torque down the hex bolt. Since the docks are so close together there’s no easy way to tighten them with a socket. So it’s off to the hw store to buy a 5.5 mm open end/ box wrench to tighten these bolts correctly. 

 

 

 

Posted : 26/12/2023 4:27 am
Razor liked
ssill2
(@ssill2)
Noble Member
RE: Toolchange reliability

So in order to do a test after I redocked and retightened everything(as well as I could without having the new wrench), I decided to do a 30'ish hour print of the melting rubik's cube.    I definitely have heard small changes over time while it's been printing during the docking process.  They sound almost like chirps.  also an interesting sound as it lowers the bed during tool changes.  I think things are loosening up.   This print has 2100+ tool changes and it's only got a a few hours left so I hope nothing loosens enough it would fail the print.

Posted : 27/12/2023 6:27 pm
ssill2
(@ssill2)
Noble Member
RE: Toolchange reliability

it completed thankfully.   Anxious to get the wrench in so I can properly tighten things.

Posted : 27/12/2023 11:08 pm
ssill2
(@ssill2)
Noble Member
RE: Toolchange reliability

The wrench works perfectly!

Posted : 28/12/2023 10:09 pm
Yazzman56 and Razor liked
EastMemphis
(@eastmemphis)
Estimable Member
RE: Toolchange reliability

When I installed my tools, I took off the back cover with the octagon holes in it. It comes off with I think four screws. When it's off, the access to the tightening screws is very good and I was able to successfully tighten mine correctly. I've run a few spools through with hundreds of tool changes and so far, perfect.

I've had plenty of other issues with my XL and most of the issues revolved around the lack of support for warranty claims but I think now that the new firmware is installed, the machine seems a lot better and more refined.

Printables: https://www.printables.com/@EastMemphis_905139/models

Posted : 29/12/2023 9:06 pm
MME
 MME
(@mme)
Reputable Member
RE: Toolchange reliability

Which firmware are you guys using? 

Posted : 30/12/2023 7:11 pm
Tobycwood
(@tobycwood)
Estimable Member
Topic starter answered:
RE:

Latest release for me and frankly I’m not happy with it. It looks like in this last release parked tools cool off. I don’t want that.

This post was modified 5 months ago by Tobycwood
Posted : 30/12/2023 8:01 pm
ssill2
(@ssill2)
Noble Member
RE:

Same latest

Posted by: @mme

Which firmware are you guys using? 

 

Posted : 30/12/2023 8:02 pm
MME
 MME
(@mme)
Reputable Member
RE: Toolchange reliability

I am still on 4.7..,.. afraid to change since everything is working fine!!

Posted : 30/12/2023 8:20 pm
Tobycwood
(@tobycwood)
Estimable Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: Toolchange reliability

For me initial tightening was not the issue. The relatively small, single screw, down in a hole, attached to a relatively critical aluminum extrusion with attached threaded bushings… loosens over time. I would rather not use any kind of thread lock given the screws size, location and what it attaches to. Any problems such as head striping or cross threading would be really bad and a major pain to fix.

Posted : 30/12/2023 8:34 pm
ssill2
(@ssill2)
Noble Member
RE: Toolchange reliability

I haven’t switched to input shaping though

Posted by: @mme

I am still on 4.7..,.. afraid to change since everything is working fine!!

 

Posted : 30/12/2023 8:44 pm
EastMemphis
(@eastmemphis)
Estimable Member
RE:

@MME - Update to the latest firmware at your earliest convenience! The difference is stark. The older firmware, the version you're running is extremely glitchy and I found the silly machine would do crazy stuff like suddenly start trying to print without grabbing a tool first, or my favorite, going to change a tool and freezing. Printing arcs was bad and the machine made a lot more noise and vibration.

The new version of firmware is like day and night. My machine is faster, quieter, more accurate, and has far less crazy glitches. Then there's the binary GCode issue. Only the latest version of firmware supports that.

Printables: https://www.printables.com/@EastMemphis_905139/models

Posted : 30/12/2023 9:13 pm
Nikhil S. liked
Razor
(@razor)
Estimable Member
RE: Toolchange reliability

Do they give a torque rating for any of these screws/nuts?

Posted by: @tobycwood

For me initial tightening was not the issue. The relatively small, single screw, down in a hole, attached to a relatively critical aluminum extrusion with attached threaded bushings… loosens over time. I would rather not use any kind of thread lock given the screws size, location and what it attaches to. Any problems such as head striping or cross threading would be really bad and a major pain to fix.

 

Mini+MK3S+XL 5 Tool

Posted : 31/12/2023 12:22 am
Nikhil S.
(@nikhil-s)
Trusted Member
RE: Toolchange reliability
Posted by: @razor

Do they give a torque rating for any of these screws/nuts?

Nope.  I've asked, as have others.

Brand new to 3D printing and my 5-tool XL is my first 3D Printer! I have done massive amounts of research though, so I'm not starting completely from square one....

Posted : 15/01/2024 8:45 pm
Nikhil S.
(@nikhil-s)
Trusted Member
RE: Toolchange reliability
Posted by: @tobycwood

For me initial tightening was not the issue. The relatively small, single screw, down in a hole, attached to a relatively critical aluminum extrusion with attached threaded bushings… loosens over time. I would rather not use any kind of thread lock given the screws size, location and what it attaches to. Any problems such as head striping or cross threading would be really bad and a major pain to fix.

Blue threadlock is perfectly fine to use here.  Red is the stuff to avoid, as it requires heat to break it loose. Frankly, we're having to apply enough torque that the risk of head-stripping or breaking is from the force; the addition of threadlocker would make a very minimal difference.

Brand new to 3D printing and my 5-tool XL is my first 3D Printer! I have done massive amounts of research though, so I'm not starting completely from square one....

Posted : 15/01/2024 8:47 pm
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