Printrbot Jr. Unboxing

Last weekend my friend Matt picked me up a Printrbot Jr. while he was working at the Maker Faire in New York City. I’m super excited to get involved in the 3d printer. There were no instructions included in the box or on the printrbot website. I’ll use this post as a scratch for answering my initial questions and then probably follow up with posts about getting the Printrbot Jr working.

Open Issues:

  1. Prints stick to the printer bed.
    – maybe the z-stop is step to close to the bed.
    – other tape might be better?
  2. Dimensional calibration
    – See post by Lincomatic.
    Rep-rap dimensional calibration, rep-rap extruder calibration.
  3. Y-Axis motor pretty warm.
  4. Put clear tape over the jumper on the power supply.
  5. Find improved USB serial driver for the Mac OSX.

Closed Issues:

  1. Motors run for a few movements and then all stop.
     Forum post regarding possible missing SMD jumpers that enable micro-stepping. Check that these exist immediately. EDIT: This was a problem with Rev. B boards but the Rev. D boards have the jumper default closed.
    – Check for too high slew rates in software.
    – Switched to the PC version of Pronter and everything worked fine.
  2. MINTEMP threshold error.
     – The extruder temperature probe isn’t properly hooked up.
    – Youtube video Printrbot Build 15 @ 8:15.
    – Image of a correctly hooked up printrbot board.
  3. Printrbot bed in video has a blue bed but mine doesn’t.
    – This appears to be just blue painters tape. See forum post about first print.
    – I presume this has something to do with leveling the plate.
  4. – I think the only way to know if this is a problem is to test the extruder.
    – Revisit this after getting the motor drivers working.
  5. Horizontal table falls over at extent of travel.
    – Youtube video: printrbot-jr-build-02 @ 2:10 shows the sliding stop in operation.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtoifjlWOdc#t=2m10s
  6. End stops didn’t appear to have been pre-set.
    – The endstops are set in the “Getting started with your Printrbot.”
    – Brook installs the Y- and Z-axis bolts in printrbot-jr-build-06 @ 8:45.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhyzRKJ8g8U#t=8m45s
  7. Z-axis bolt was awkward to set into place.
    – I think that this is not a big deal, just be careful you don’t drop the extruder into the bed.
  8. Feet are not level.
    – I’ve gotta get a level and get this sorted with sandpaper. Probably just shim with paper at first.
  9. Cable routing questions.
    – The wires hang all over the place. I need to get some zip ties and tie the wires into the z-axis arm.
    – See printrbot-jr-build-06 video @ 9:09, only the extruder wire is attached.
  10. Electronics need connection.
    – The electronics connection is explained in printrbot-jr-build-06 video @ 0:30.
    – The black/yellow 12V connector hangs out the back slot from the electronics cover as shown in printrbot-jr-build-06 video @ 9:09.
    – Make sure to double-check the position of the current limit adjustment dials as discussed at “Motors to Board” in Printrbot Wiki.
  11. Power supply setup, y-adapter and jumper.
    – Jumper shorts green-black to allow power supply to start.
    – Y-adapter eases current load on the tiny supply wires.
    See the PrintrBot Build 16 video, it explains everything (won’t embed).

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