M2 Essential Tool Kit?

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Gwhite
Posts: 372
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2017 3:38 pm

M2 Essential Tool Kit?

Post by Gwhite » Fri Jun 15, 2018 8:12 pm

I am building an enclosure, which will prevent me from using one of the Thingiverse printed tool racks that bolts directly onto the M2 to hold all the hex keys, tweezers, etc.

I am going to make a new one, but am going to add a few tools I've found useful. In the process of investigating this, I noticed that the Thingiverse tool rack has more holes than I have tools, and I'm wondering if something that came with my M2 has gone astray. I looked at the on-line manual, and it doesn't enumerate exactly what is in the factory kit. I have:

"L" hex keys: 1.5 mm, 2 mm, 3mm and 4mm

Ball end hex driver: 2.5 mm

1 pair of tweezers.

In addition, I'm going to add a pair of flush cutters to cut filament, a pair of needle nose pliers to remove supports, and 5.5 mm & 7 mm midget combination wrenches for various nuts. I also have a plastic scraper for removing stuck skirts & such:

https://scraperite.com/

I think a small cup for cotton swabs to clean the extruder nozzle would also be useful.

My questions are:

Am I missing something from my factory kit?

Any other tools I should consider adding to the mix?

Thanks!

airscapes
Posts: 594
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2018 11:36 pm

Re: M2 Essential Tool Kit?

Post by airscapes » Fri Jun 15, 2018 9:58 pm

You are very organized.. here are my 2 tool kits.. floor of the enclosure! :shock:

Magnet on M2 with double sided tape for the feeler gauge and tweezer
magnet tool kit.jpg

Now where the hell are those cutters!!
toolkit 1.jpg
Attachments
magnet tool kit.jpg

Phil
Posts: 214
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2016 7:49 pm

Re: M2 Essential Tool Kit?

Post by Phil » Sat Jun 16, 2018 8:52 pm

A brass-bristled brush and short piece of piano wire.
Also, a torch.

Gwhite
Posts: 372
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2017 3:38 pm

Re: M2 Essential Tool Kit?

Post by Gwhite » Sat Jun 16, 2018 10:17 pm

Phil wrote:
Sat Jun 16, 2018 8:52 pm
A brass-bristled brush and short piece of piano wire.
Also, a torch.
I can imagine the wire is for unplugging the extruder, but I'm not sure what the brush is for. I suppose you can use it to scrub zorched plastic off the nozzle, but I find I can get all that is necessary off with a cotton swab or two. If it needs more than that (like a torch), I'll take it off the machine.

I'm thinking more in terms of tools you might need on a weekly/monthly basis. I've only had to get to the torch stage once in a year of use.

Phil
Posts: 214
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2016 7:49 pm

Re: M2 Essential Tool Kit?

Post by Phil » Sat Jun 16, 2018 10:29 pm

I use the torch and brush frequently, but I do change between filaments a lot! (Often times oddball filaments, too.)

Gwhite
Posts: 372
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2017 3:38 pm

Re: M2 Essential Tool Kit?

Post by Gwhite » Sun Jun 17, 2018 12:10 am

I finally found a copy of the kit assembly guide on-line, and all they call out is:

2 mm allen wrench
2.5 mm allen wrench
3 mm allen wrench

plus a 7mm open end wrench or pliers (not provided).

So it appears that I have more hex keys than the minimum required for kit assembly, but fewer than the
tool rack is designed for...

The Users' Guide has a photo showing the 4 L-keys & the hex driver that I have, so I think the Thingiverse tool rack has a spare hole or two. I laid out all the tools I unearthed while cleaning up my printer bench, and there a lot of stuff I'd forgotten about, including:

an LED penlight
a dental mirror
a Sharpie marker
Post-It note pad
A 6" ruler
Ball point pen

I think a "pen cup" is in order for a lot of the small stick shaped things.

jferguson
Posts: 247
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2015 7:26 pm
Location: St Petersburg, FL

Re: M2 Essential Tool Kit?

Post by jferguson » Sun Jun 17, 2018 1:37 am

I use two hemostats for removing support structures. one has a slight bend at the business end.

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