Introduction
At MatterHackers we are constantly tinkering with our machines. In the back of the office we discovered a discarded Makerbot Replicator 2 just itching for a face lift. Since we have gotten quite a few requests to make this upgrade available for you makers, we thought we'd give it a shot. As it turns out, with just a few tools it is an easy modification, and (more importantly) the results are fantastic.
This guide was written for the single extruder Makerbot Replicator, however it should be applicable to the dual extruder model as well. The kit now includes a design for a dual extruder mount.
Note: This guide will work for any machine with a Mark8 (MK8) Extruder. For example: MakerBot Replicator 2, Makerbot Replicator 2X, Flashforge Creator X, Flashforge Creator Pro, Powerspec PRO, Monoprice Maker Architect, CTC Bizer, Wanhao Duplicator 4 and a few other equivalent machines.
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Print out required parts:
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E3D Mount
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E3D Lock
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EZStruder Mount
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Remove and disassemble the Makerbot hotend.
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Screw nozzle and heat break into heating block. When properly assembled there will be a slight gap between the head of the nozzle and the block.
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Apply thermal compound to heat break threads.
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Screw the heat break into the heat sink.
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Attach the cooling fan.
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Attach the E3D Mount Lock to the top of the heat sink.
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Insert the heater cartridge into heat block of the E3D hotend.
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Secure the cartridge using provided screw and 2mm allen wrench.
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Insert the thermocouple into E3D.
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Secure with the thermocouple in place using a 3 mm grub screw.
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Place E3D Mount on the printer's carriage with the E3D hotend placed so that the wires are below the carriage.
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Secure with M3x10 screws and nuts.
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Attach the E3D Mount Lock to E3D Mount using M3 x 10mm screws as pictured.
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Remove the covering from the bottom of the Makerbot.
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Find and unplug Extruder A and the original thermocouple.
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Also unplug Extruder B if you are working on a dual and want to replace both.
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Snip the black/white wires to 12cm.
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Snip the red/black wires to 12cm.
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Do not cut the green/black or yellow/black wires.
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Strip heat sink fan and heating cartridge wires to prepare for splicing.
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Solder or crimp wires together.
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Match wire colors for fan.
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Colors do not matter for heater cartridge.
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Plug extruder(s) back into the board.
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Plug in the E3D thermocouple. The black wire goes to the red terminal on the board and the red wire goes to the yellow terminal.
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Use the 'Preheat' utility to test heat the new block.
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While the hot end is warm, tighten down the nozzle to make sure the heat break and the nozzle are snug and no oozing can occur.
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Remove the hobbed gear from the old extruder motor using the 1.5mm Allen wrench.
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Attach the hobbed gear that came with your EZR Struder with the hobbed part up and the set screw towards the motor.
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Screw the EZR Struder to the stepper motor using 4 screws.
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Do not remove the zip tie on the EZR Struder until you have some screws in place. The two halves of the extruder are under tension and the zip tie is holding them together.
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Make sure the red lever is oriented opposite the wire connector.
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Attach the EzStruder Mount Template to the back of the machine making sure that it lines up above where the filament will be located and is clear of the motors on the inside.
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Drill holes for each screw using the template as a guide.
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Screw the mount into place from the inside of the machine (M3x10 [4]).
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Place the EzStruder into the mount and screw it in place using two screws.
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Attach the bowden tube to both the extruder and hotend.
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Plug in motor.
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Wrap wires back up in the wire sheath.
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Put silicone sock on heater block.
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Put knob on EZR Struder.
There you have it! You just upgraded your printer.
You will next want to calibrate your extruder. Here is a guide to do so.
There you have it! You just upgraded your printer.
You will next want to calibrate your extruder. Here is a guide to do so.
8 Comments
Don’t you need a cooling fan still for the printed layers?
The fan on the Makerbot is pretty weak to begin with, so removing it is not a huge loss. If you find you still need additional layer cooling, you can get a small desk fan and point it at the printer.
Is the EZ Struder aspect mandatory for this upgrade on the Replicator 2/2x?
Some kind of feeder is needed. We chose the EZStruder for this guide because it is inexpensive. Other options would be the E3D Titan or the Bondtech BMG. If you use something besides the EZStruder, though, then the mount design we provided will not work.
If I am going to be upgrading my dual extruder replicator 2x, but I will be ‘retiring’ the second extruder anyway, do I need to use the dual extruder stl file for the mount? or can I perform this upgrade with the standard Mount B with the intention of ending with a single extruder setup? don’t want to waste a print.
I believe you will still need to use the dual mount. The Replicator 2X has a double wide carriage, so the single mount will not be wide enough to work.
Install went well! Thanks for your feedback. I have a new issue, though.. Due to the height and placement of the hot end, my z-axis home does not go high enough to make contact with the extruder tip (despite option to turn knobs to bring build plate higher). It also is too far back in the cavity, causing the (?)y-axis home to put the extruder tip off the back of the build plate. How can I alter these values? Again your assistance is greatly appreciated!
Got it. Made room in the body of the printer to accommodate new stop points on the proximity sensors.
