Metal Motor Mount for Auto-leveling

[pandelume]

I like the metal motor mount from Makergear, but I'd like to also use the auto-leveling inductive sensor. To that end, I've whipped up a variant metal mount with a place to mount the sensor (see below). I've priced it out at a local sheetmetal shop, and they''ll charge about $65 for one. However, the pricing decreases with quantity, with an order of 15 pricing out at about $8.25.

So my question is: anyone else interested? If so, we'll price the order and you'd pay cost plus shipping to your location. I'm not looking to make any money on this.

I'd like to say that I have no intention of competing with or undercutting Makergear, and if they sold a variant of their bracket which would hold the sensor I'd buy it in a heartbeat. If they prefer that I this post to go away I have no objection.

[jprochnow]

Nice design. Would it be more cost efficient to just do a metal bracket that is mounted on top of the existing one? Then you have no forming cost. Just cutting cost. All you would need is longer screws.

[pandelume]

My initial thought was the same - in fact, I was just going to make one by hand out of flat stock. I think if you have a V3b extruder that would work fine, but on the V4 extruder the nozzle height is fixed independently of the motor height, so I was reluctant to add another bracket to that stack.

[sthone]

Cap.jpg (36.88 KiB) Viewed 10642 times

I think jprochnow means If you stack the new bracket on top like this.

If it's like that nothing would change as far as motor to hot end height is concerned.

[pandelume]

No doubt you're right. I was thinking of putting a flat bracket under the motor mount and using all four screws.

The $65 I was quoted for one was a minimum lot charge, so it won't make any difference there. Considering that the formed bracket was quoted at $8.25 for a lot of 15, I'm not sure the price difference will be a big deal. Nevertheless, it would be pretty straightforward to make a bolt-on flat version if that's the consensus.

[jprochnow]

Thanks for modeling it up. That is what I had in mind. I would have did it but I'm at work doing work design stuff...

[sthone]

Come to think of it... why not just print it?

[pandelume]

If you do a flat bracket you certainly could. I'll have to check when I get home, but on reflection I think that if you mount a bracket on top of the metal motor mount you're pretty close to being out of adjustment on the sensor position - at least for the V4.

If you printed a bracket it could have a joggle to lower the mounting height, like so:

[pandelume]

I don't want to beat this to death, but I've uploaded an STL of the printable sensor bracket for those who'd like it. I haven't printed it yet, but it should work.

Personally, I think I'd still prefer the metal integrated sensor mount, so I may go that route after all. Is anyone else interested?