Move Z-Endstop to the bottom

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jimc
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Re: Move Z-Endstop to the bottom

Post by jimc » Mon Mar 06, 2017 6:16 pm

I'm not sure myself. I don't like the new setup. everything was much easier the old way with the z-stop bolt that contacted the switch at the top. maybe everything with the new app makes it easier for newbe's I guess but way more complicated and time consuming for someone that knows whats going on. my non rev-e is no more than 5sec to tweak the bed gap. my rev-e machine turns into a project to do it.

3dPrintingMD
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Re: Move Z-Endstop to the bottom

Post by 3dPrintingMD » Mon Mar 06, 2017 6:47 pm

One of the advantages in my opinion is the ability to adjust bed gap in a non-mechanical way.

The old way would require getting out the wrench and moving the bolt in a way without any measurement.

Now I can get it close, print a calibration cube, determine how far I'm off, enter that difference into the Terminal, and that will adjust my end gap.

There has to be an understanding that each users needs are different based on what they are doing/trying to do.
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ednisley
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Re: Move Z-Endstop to the bottom

Post by ednisley » Mon Mar 06, 2017 7:21 pm

3dPrintingMD wrote:the ability to adjust bed gap in a non-mechanical way
Which has always been true; I've been running a hard-mounted, non-adjustable switch that detects the top of the platform, with the Z=0 position fine tuned with a G92 command. My first hacked switch became much more usable, if not much prettier, over the last three years:
https://softsolder.com/2015/03/10/maker ... is-switch/

Image

Sensing the actual printing plane eliminates all the offsets and calibration required for a switch that touches something with no fixed relation to the platform. No matter how I adjust / align / replace the platform, the switch senses the place where the nozzle actually lays down plastic. On the other paw, having a switch actuator riding a millimeter above the nozzle tip would scare any sensible manufacturer into doing something, anything, else. [grin]

Point is, the G92 command has been available (nearly) forever in Marlin. It works the same way for any switch position: home the platform, measure the Z offset from the desired nozzle position, set that in the G92 command, and I'm done, with no mechanical adjustment at all.

Stipulated: expecting newbies to adjust the Z offset by hacking G-Code makes no sense. Tweaking the offset with a setup program does makes sense, if only because then nobody must explain how to set slicer configurations, edit startup G-Code, or whatever.

Vandal968
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Re: Move Z-Endstop to the bottom

Post by Vandal968 » Thu Mar 09, 2017 11:03 pm

3dPrintingMD wrote: The old way would require getting out the wrench and moving the bolt in a way without any measurement.
I didn't like the bolt/nut setup of the original top-endstop. It was inconvenient and inelegant. I replaced the bolt with a special bolt that has a large flat knurled head with a diameter of about 3/4". It screws into the platform from the top, I added a knurled thumb-nut under the platform to act as a jam-nut. This gives tool-less very positive adjustments. Also, the large diameter of the top bolt head makes it easy to drop shims on it to resume prints. Finally, I drew a line on the bolt head with a silver sharpie. One rev = 0.028" IIRC (not in-front of it now). Works awesome. I think I posted pics once.

cheers,
c

I found the picture, it's a crappy picture, but here it is.

https://postimg.cc/image/ms0tdn35x/

hilo90mhz
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Re: Move Z-Endstop to the bottom

Post by hilo90mhz » Wed Mar 29, 2017 10:07 am

If you want the ultimate end stop ( in my humble opinion ; ) print these that I designed:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:973075
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1195834

You can buy the optical end stop switch on Ebay for a $1 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Slot-Type-Optic ... SwxH1UCDCE

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zemlin
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Re: Move Z-Endstop to the bottom

Post by zemlin » Thu Mar 30, 2017 6:51 pm

jimc wrote:I'm not sure myself. I don't like the new setup. everything was much easier the old way with the z-stop bolt that contacted the switch at the top. maybe everything with the new app makes it easier for newbe's I guess but way more complicated and time consuming for someone that knows whats going on. my non rev-e is no more than 5sec to tweak the bed gap. my rev-e machine turns into a project to do it.
I have custom controls set up on Octoprint - I push a button to adjust my bed gap / thickness.

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