CTC upgrading the Y-Axis with bearings

[adibbins]

Hi All,

My CTC printer is working well, and although I may not need to perform this upgrade, I want to get it done.

I’m ready to install the bearings on the y-axis shafts, but am unsure about how to dismantle the printer, I assume I remove the left side of the frame, but the toothed gears are white plastic, and I’ve seen many printer photo’s where the gears are metal and held on place with grub screws, the White plastic gears don’t appear to have grub screws.

I wonder if someone else has performed this upgrade and can reassure me about removal and replacement of the white plastic gears, I have metal gears ready, as a replacement in case?

Do the white plastic gears come off easily?

Thanks in advance

Andrew

[derpilot]

You should replace the plastic pulleys with aluminum ones. You will yield higher precision especially with circles, wich is necessary when printinh technical parts.

You need GT2 pulley with 16 teeth, a 5mm bore hole for belts of 6mm width.

[bardiir]

As you already have metal replacements I would probably try to heat up the metal somehow to loosen the plastic gear. It’s probably glued in place.

[adibbins]

Thanks for the advice, I have completed the upgrade, the white gears were firmly held on, but they weren’t difficult to remove.

[Orbit]

Hi adibbins

do you have any instruction on how to make this upgrade specifically getting the rods out ?

Thanks

[adibbins]

Hi,

I removed the left side panel (as you look at the machine), this released the two left side flanged bearings holding the rods, the rods could then be easily wiggled out passed the toothed belts, the plastic gears pulled off easily, and the new bearings and mounts added to the rods and the gears replaced. The new bearing pillows/mounts can be bolted to the front and rear panels, the toothed belts relocated, pop it all back together, it looks daunting, but is quite simple.

Andrew

[Orbit]

Thanks Andrew I will have a bash on the weekend !

[EvilcB]

I also have the plastic pulleys but on checking they have 17 teeth ?

Would using 16 or 18 teeth pulleys be an issue ?

Regards

EvilcB

[MarkIreland]

Did you ever get an answer to this?

I also have the plastic pulleys and although I have completed the pillow block upgrade, I am still getting 0.5mm differences on the X and Y on the 20mm box. The Y axis is ~19.6mm. I’ve checked belt tension and all seems good.

Have you solved this yet?

[kilop]

i have the same problems with ovals and circles and tensions are quite good even if i changed all step settings in firmware to have a proper dimensions of 20x20x20 cube its still doesn’t print circles properly.

any clue ?