The Quintuple R... Radical RatRig Refit Rebuild - V-Minion Version

[Penatr8tor]

So my little RatRig V-Minion is on the bench and ready for an update.

On the menu for upgrades is...

Here's the printer as it is today. I added a Klipperscreen and a 3D printed electronics enclosure that the printer can lock into the top of. Available on Printables from Squirrelbrain.

Y Axis drag chain mod. This mod can be found on Printables from Squirrelbrain and is compatible with the Vector3D breakout PCB.

Vector3D breakout PCB and enclosure. I ordered this a few months ago from Vector3D in the UK. Kit contains all the hardware required with the exception of wire, I have plenty so no issue there. p.s. I had to solder all of the components onto the PCB.

Lastly, I will be upgrading the exisitiing toolhead to the new EVA 3.0 version. A new Rapido Hotend will replace the old Dragonfly HE which I have had zero issues with TBH. I also have 2 Rapido's running in both my 2.4 and RatRig V-Core so it's a known quantity. I also have a new Super Pinda probe that I'll install as well.

Links to the V-Minion mods just in case @mvdveer takes a peek at this post.

V-Minion Drag Chain Mod

Electronics Enclosure / Base

Vector3D Divider PCB and other mods (If you plan on printing your own V-Minion parts out of ABS or ASA (supplied parts are PETG) he has parts that are optimized for ABS as well).

[Penatr8tor]

Did a little work yesterday...

Printer removed from base unit. The base unit is from Squirrelbrain and is available on Printables.com. The entire box is 3D printed and with the exception of a handful of fasteners... there's nothing else to source. As you can see... the wiring is less than optimal.

 

Base unit opened up to reveal my most excellent wiring aka stuffing LOL. I used a 5V buck converter to power my R Pi 3A+ I also needed a few extra USB ports than the 3A gave me so I also added a USB hub as well. And that's the goal here... get this box and all the other wiring organized.

 

Time to disassemble the old toolhead. So... a lot of dust collected and a nut that that didn't seat properly. I really like RatRigs, especially this little one but man... do I hate all the captured nuts that won't stay captured. Fortunately the RatRig folks caved into user demand and created a heatset insert version for the new EVA 3 toolhead.

 

What's left of the old toolhead.

 

OK... Let's install some mod's already!!!

First up is a drag chain mod for the Y Axis. TBH, I think this should have been implemented from the start. @mvdveer, This, is something you should implement on your V-Minion build. 

 

Next up is the breakout PCB or as Vector3D calls it, the Divider PCB. I downloaded the STL's for the enclosure and also a re-designed Y-Endstop mount as the old one gets in the way.

 

Here's roughly where the Divider PCB will live.

 

And... with the cover. Way too much squish on the 1st layer... I'm printing a new one because my OCD won't let me install this. 

 

Lastly, I got the new EVA 3 toolhead installed. I'm reusing the extruder and fans and I'm upgrading the probe to a Super Pinda and the hotend to a Rapido.

Edited May 11 by Penatr8tor

[mvdveer]

7 hours ago, Penatr8tor said:

I think this should have been implemented from the start

Thanks for the Lin - have already downloaded the files and will definitely incorporate in the build

 

7 hours ago, Penatr8tor said:

I'm printing a new one because my OCD won't let me install this. 

Glad it is just not me - Bearded OCD GOM's - This title is growing longer by the day 

 

7 hours ago, Penatr8tor said:

I'm upgrading the probe to a Super Pinda and the hotend to a Rapido

Think I will be going this way as well - thanks for all the tips

[Penatr8tor]

OK... The printer part of the project is completed, Electronics enclosure / base is next.

Here I've got the Y motor and endstop connected and also the bed heater and thermistor. I also have the PCB base temporarily mounted so I can get the correct wire lengths.

 

Reprinted the cover, this time without elephants foot. One of the things I really like about Polymaker filament is that I can get the same color in both PLA and ASA/ABS. For example... the motor mounts are printed in purple ASA and the cover is printed in purple PLA.

 

Getting close, a few more to go...

 

Here I have the umbilical running down to the divider PCB. Along the way I picked up the X and Z motor cables and fed them into the techflex where they exit into the Divider PCB. 

 

And a close up of the fully connected PCB. I blew the dust off of my shrink tube printer and added labels to all of the wires while they were cut.

 

As I worked I often tested the Y axis to make sure I'm not pinching or running into anything.

Y at max travel.

 

Y at min travel

 

Finally Here's 4 photos of the completed V-Minion printer. Enclosure / Base will be next.

Front

 

Right

 

Rear

 

Left

[Penatr8tor]

OK... Where did we leave off... Oh yes... Wiring.

Here I have the umbilical that goes between the printer and the electronics enclosure.

 

Wires routed and ready to button everything up.

 

Obviously, I did some cleaning up of the wires where they exit the tech flex and plug into the printer. Things were getting a bit cramped. I had an issue with the Y end-stop and I'm currently working thru an extruder issue. I might have a bad crimp somewhere or a terminal that got pushed out of the connector. I will find it and I will fix it, no big deal. Everything else is working as expected and I should be printing by the end of the day if not sooner.

 

 

[Penatr8tor]

OK, Got everything running and printing! In hindsight... It was a good upgrade. I counted approx. 120 crimps give or take and I can now proudly claim that I am proficient at crimping JST, Microfit, Ferrule and Dupont terminals. Now it's back to printing and finishing up the old Switchwire next. 

 

 

[claudermilk]

Because you know they say "Crimpin' Ain't Easy"

[Penatr8tor]

1 minute ago, claudermilk said:

Because you know they say "Crimpin' Ain't Easy"

True Dat!!! LOL

TBH, It's not that bad really now that I've developed some crimping chops. Maybe there's an opportunity to create a crimping tutorial. 

[Penatr8tor]

I had to upload a few pictures of my last test print for the V-Minion because it's just so impressive.

And here are my print speeds in OrcaSlicer.

[mvdveer]

7 hours ago, Penatr8tor said:

because it's just so impressive.

Indeed they are - great, great prints

 

7 hours ago, Penatr8tor said:

And here are my print speeds in OrcaSlicer.

Thanks for sharing - will file that away, to use when the time comes. (Still got to build the V-minion - just need to get the time to do it)

[Penatr8tor]

@mvdveer I'm telling you... the V-Minion is the little printer that could. It's so stout and solid that you can really push it and it still prints great, no matter what. I think you will see when you build yours.

p.s. I was using a version 1.x of RatOS on it and when 2.x came out it required a full re-install. So this time around I just did a clean RatOS install on a new sd card. I'm now getting used to the RatOS install and it's really quite nice compared generic Klipper. I just flashed the latest version using Pi Imager, plug in and power up. Then I connect to the RatOS hotspot the imager created and I'm prompted to insert my wifi credentials. After that just hop on a PC and run klipper as usual. Select your build from the Dashboard and it's done. If you've changed things up and add a Rapido or something else like I did... just comment out the old item and uncomment the one you have. They have pretty much every piece of hardware already configured and ready to go. Very impressive IMO.

[mvdveer]

37 minutes ago, Penatr8tor said:

They have pretty much every piece of hardware already configured and ready to go. Very impressive IMO.

Sounds like it - cannot wait to get this up and running, but suspect it will be a while. Work VERY busy and will be for the next 4-6 weeks.

[Penatr8tor]

Had to add a couple more print examples because... I'm always blown away by how good this little guy prints.

Obviously, flat stuff is easy and even a crappy setup will net you pretty good results... the jeep on the other hand is a bit more challenging.

 

This is the print bed side. I chose this closeup under bright light because it reveals everything. The jeep was printed at the same speed/s as the bearded skull. Print time was ~3.5 hours. When I downloaded this file from Printables there was a user that uploaded a Prusa MK3 g-code file that had a 10.5 hour estimated print time. I laughed and said... "Yeah, my little RatRig is going to smoke that time".