FT 5 Kit build.

[Tin Falcon]

About 10 Months ago Folger tech in Milford NH  introduced the FT% printer kit. it is  a large format machine with a 12x12x15 build area. A realy nice looking kit . at the time I had just built a kit a couple monts before. so was not ready.
Two weeks ago I ordered the kit. It arrived Friday afternoon .
So the build begins

[Walsheng]

You're a lot younger than I imagined!

John

[Joco]

Is that a heated bed machine?


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[Tin Falcon]

That is minion v2.1   aka the older of the two grand sons.
and yet more progress starting to look like a printer.
Yes 12 x12 heated bed. and linear rails for the x and y . vertical e rod and tin lead screws for the z. twin motors for z and y.

[Tin Falcon]

This stuff is easy any 5 year old can do it (with 10 years experience) LOL

[Walsheng]

That is minion v2.1   aka the older of the two grand sons.

I never thought of printing a grand kid!  We had ours the old fashion way.

Are you going to make an enclosure?

John

[Tin Falcon]

For now i am going to use it open . later i may make some plexi sides for it . If i use opaque material i will have to add lighting. 
right now working on getting it built.

[Tin Falcon]

A bit at a time

[Steamer5]

Hi Tin,
 Following along, interesting build.

Like the idea of printing Minions........competition for Chris's elves! Wonder if you can print the chocolate chip mint cookies or will they want homemade ones ?

Cheers Kerrin

[Tin Falcon]

I am not ready to build a cookie printer. Food printers are still a bit pricey.
Had a friend over today we got most of the wiring done
the aero parts arrived for the extruder.

[wagnmkr]

Coming along very well Tin.

Tom

[Tin Falcon]

Thanks!!! I feel it is going a bit slow. I do need to realize this is a bigger printer and I am upgrading the print head on this one as i build the other one I built to the manual then spent time upgrading later.

Yesterday had a friend over and we made some progress. We got a lot of the wiring done the PS and board installed the z motors wired the x axis wired . The control box assembled and mounted.

Today i hooked up the extruder/hot end . Note this is an E3D Aero setup with an upgraded 40 watt heater and a .8mm nozzle. This is about a $ 130 add on not part of the original kit.  So anyone buying this kit do not expect this extruder/ hot end in the parts bag.

Still building to do need to add the Y,Z limits install and wire the head bed and extruder .
Install and tweak the firmware. terminate the y axis motor wires ........

[Tin Falcon]

And the control box view from the back.

[wagnmkr]

I really like the looks of the Areo. I think I will order an upgrade kit for the E3D.

Tom

[Tin Falcon]

Wiki here:     https://wiki.e3d-online.com/wiki/Titan_Aero     
The aero and titan are designed for a mount to be sandwiched between the motor and the titan box.   if you mount the motor from behind you need to ad a 2mm spacer to make the gears align .
In the instructions but easy to miss. 

The upgrade kit only includes the Aero heat sink fan and a bearing you need a titan extruder as well if you do not have a titan it may pay to get  the full kit.  IIRC a titan alone is like $ 67 and a e3dv6  $ 75 and the upgrade $47 or $180 the full aero  kit is 110 .                         

[Tin Falcon]

The MACHINE it LIVES!! did  the final pre power up checks loaded the firmware did some  checks before main power applied then checked motion.
calibrated PID and extrusion.
still a couple issues having a hard time homing the z. managed to get a print out of it. but still some tuning and troubleshooting .

[b.lindsey]

Its a nice looking unit Tin and certainly has a larger envelope for printing. What materials will it handle with the updraded print head?

Bill

[Tin Falcon]

Print the Widest Range of Materials Possible.
Building on our signature high temperature performance that allows you to print high temperature materials we've now focussed on adding increased functionality with soft and flexible filaments. By providing a PTFE liner tube through the hotend that you can extend into your extruder this gives the ability to add the confinement and constraint needed to make excellent quality prints with flexible filaments like NinjaFlex, FlexPLA and FlexPolyester. This opens up a huge range of new opportunities for your printer.
- See more at: http://e3d-online.com/v6-1.75mm-Universal#sthash.sL3UPYbE.dpuf
High Temperature Peformance.
With no PEEK or PTFE in hot regions of our HotEnd we can reach 300C with the supplied thermistor. By swapping a thermistor for a thermocouple (may require additional electronics) you can reach over 400C.
This not only allows you to print extremely high temperature materials like Polycarbonate and Nylons but also eliminates HotEnd meltdown failures associated with PEEK/PTFE designs. Although our latest v6 hotend has a PTFE liner inside the hotend this liner is never subjected to high temperatures so there is no risk of damaging the liner through overheating.
- See more at: http://e3d-online.com/v6-1.75mm-Universal#sthash.sL3UPYbE.dpuf

the above from the e3d web page

pretty much any filament on the market although hard particle filaments should have a hardened steel nozzle. the e3d line is very easy to customize and build a exruder/hotend to your needs.
as built anything that will not wear a brass nozzle and under 300 c although i set the high to 290 for a safety margin

[Tin Falcon]

Two weeks ago a friend came by to give a hand on the printer build. Very  much appreciated extra skilled hands and moral support. This friend has used 3d printers for years in educational settings and some industrial settings . But had never had his own 3D printer for his own shop. He has most of the other good tools at home lathe mill saw welder foundry etc. . yesterday he ordered one of these kits. ....