Decision time

[Pappy3831]

Getting to the tail end of my trident and 2.4 builds before I start another 2.4 build. 2 questions. 
 

1.  I have klicky, a chaotic labs tap and a beacon 3d probe with a ldo hartk tool head on the stealthburner. Trying to decide which to use.  I like the tap and beacon 3d concepts just can’t decide which to use. Experienced users input requested. Which of the two do people recommend. I know this is a can of worms I.e. Chevy vs ford bit would like honest opinions. 
 

2.  Whichever I choose to go with, can I still use the mechanical z endstop with either or do I have to use the vertical z endstop?

[mvdveer]

1. I just changed all of my TAP printers (One still had the original V1 printed TAP, the others chaotic labs CNC v1) to cartographer (canbus version of Beacon, different chip), as I wanted Canbus connection. The VZBot had a Beacon Rev D probe which I just changed to a Beacon H probe and I think it outperforms the cartographers. Better probe Accuracy 0.001 with Beacon vs Cartographer 0.003. If the USB cable does not bother you - go Beacon, or if you want canbus - go cartographer (about 50% cheaper than Beacon)

2. Interesting question - never thought about it that way, but no reason why not to. On my Trizero and Boxzero, I have the physical endstop as well as a zero click as a probe.  Don't know how this will work with Beacon or TAP though. Your unstop pin will then be a physical pin, not a virtual_enstop pin. The probe will then be used to measure Z-offset.

[Pappy3831]

Thank you sir. After posing the question yesterday I was browsing the internet and came across an update for beacon called beacon contact. It appears to be a firmware up grade that’s due out next month. It basically from what I could tell uses the nozzle as a contact probe the release video shows them changing beds and materials on the bed and the beacon recognizes things on the fly. Assuming the video wasn’t altered it appears to operate much like tap with only about 50 in force to trigger. 
 

so I decided to go with the beacon. Your reply only solidifies my decision. I had bought a canbus clone of beacon and was severely disappointed in what I received. Like someone else, just the circuit board in a plastic bag and nothing else. So the sub cable doesn’t bother me. 
 

thank you for your response. 

[mvdveer]

20 minutes ago, Pappy3831 said:

Like someone else, just the circuit board in a plastic bag and nothing else.

That was me that posted that and just for your info, I literally just now replaced that IDM probe with a cartographer as the IDM (plastic baggie one) failed after about 20hours print time - Coil overheating. The cartographer probes on the three other machines  are all still going strong. And the Beacon - my first choice were it not USB. As I said, I think it outperforms the cartographer. Good choice and looking forward to the update from Beacon. Going to search for this now - Thanks

Oooohhh - exiting!

[Pappy3831]

Wasn’t sure if you were aware of this or not. Pretty cool huh?  Now if they’d just come out with a can version. But I’ll suffer through the usb. 

[mvdveer]

1 minute ago, Pappy3831 said:

 Now if they’d just come out with a can version. But I’ll suffer through the usb. 

Sure they will. But this would be enough for me to convert to Beacon (I have two Rev D's and two Rev H's I can use). I just posted a new topic credit to you. Hope you ok with this, else I will remove it

[mvdveer]

2 minutes ago, Pappy3831 said:

Wasn’t sure if you were aware of this or not.

No I was not - Thanks for the heads up!

[Pappy3831]

No I don’t have a problem with it. Especially if it helps somebody like me. 

[Dirk]

I am glad you already made your decision.

If you are interested here is what already has been said on this topic:

1- for a comparison of the CL-CNC-tap v2, and IDM probe check out this post. It is very informative and tells you the short term pre of why an IDM like device would be preferred. Long term considerations, have to do with pcb hardware and moving parts / screws / magnets inside the TAP.

2- Keeping a physical Z endstop with a virtual endstop will not work in klipper. You will need to add a plugin for Klipper for this to work.  

[Dirk]

16 hours ago, mvdveer said:

failed after about 20hours print time - Coil overheating.

Sorry to hear that. 

I have set it up after I converted my printer to CAN and my klipper shows now 802h 42 min printing time. This is also the time I have been using my IDM v2 probe. Still no coil overheating. I only use ABS and print with a bed temperature of 110 degrees, nozzle temperature of 260.

I guess it must be them heat in the western hemisphere and the southern hemisphere. My room temperature is still at 16 degrees in Cold Kikkerland. 

[Dirk]

On 4/17/2024 at 12:39 AM, mvdveer said:

Better probe Accuracy 0.001 with Beacon vs Cartographer 0.003.

I am sure this difference is statistically not significant.

Even if it were... on my printer, which is the cheapest buyable voron 2.4 fysetc kit, I get values with my IDM v2 of 0.001. When I use a retract of 2 mm and 10 probes. When I increase the number of retries, I have even smaller numbers

But, if you are biased towards Beacon, because you had to pay three times the price for a cartographer probe, I can understand

 

[Pappy3831]

Thanks for the heads up on the z endstop. I’ll have to see if I can find a plug in cause I like the idea of the physical endstop bs the virtual. Old school electronics.