[SIZE=18px]To install a cheap dual gear extruder on my Ender 5 I had to revert it back to a Bowden style printer, because the new extruder is thicker from front to back than the original and wouldn’t line up with hotend’s heat break coupler (I could, of course, have modified the mounting plate to line things up, but it would have been a major job and I wasn’t prepared to do it ATM).
This change lead to me needing to dial in the printer again. This lead to me discovering I really should start from scratch and do it all properly (or at least what I believe is proper). I decided I would document the steps I took. I’m sure most of the regulars to this forum are quite familiar the process, but I’m posting in case it might help even 1 other person.[/SIZE] [LIST=1]
[SIZE=18px]I found that the springs supporting the bed were, to me, too loose. In fact, the adjustment wheels were almost dialed off their threaded posts. I felt this was not ideal, so I decided to reset the bed height so the springs would be about half compressed; the wheels somewhere near the middle of their overall travel.[/SIZE][LIST=1]
[SIZE=18px]I wasn’t worried about the nozzle hitting the bed when I went to Home the axes, because I have a BL Touch installed and felt confident it would stop the bed before hitting the nozzle. However, I was worried about what would happen the first time I moved the nozzle to 0mm, so I used the printer’s menu system to adjust the Z Offset height to 10mm, figuring that amount would be safe.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=18px]I tightened the bed height adjustment wheels all the way, then untightened them until they were almost off the posts. It took right around 6 full revolutions. I could tell how many revolutions because I used white electrical tape to mark a spot on each wheel.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=18px]I tightened the wheels again and then backed off 3 turns.[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=18px]With the wheels adjusted roughly, I proceeded to get the 0 point for the center of the bed. I Homed the axes, which leaves the hotend at the center of the bed. I then used the menu system’s Z Offset setting to lower the nozzle a mm at a time. After I got the setting to 0 the nozzle was still too high. I attribute this to the difference in height between the BL Touch probe and the nozzle itself. I continued to lower the Z Offset value below 0. When I got to -1.2mm it looked about right.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=18px]I then proceeded to do a normal be leveling. The wheels did need a little adjustment, 1 or 2 needing to tighten, the others loosen, but I got it pretty even.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=18px]Finally, I printed my normal 20mmX20mmX1-layer squares that I use to fine-tune the nozzle height. My final setting for Z Offset is -1.27.[/SIZE]
[/LIST] [SIZE=18px]As a side note, I just watched @irvshapiro1's video comparing the print speeds of his Ender 3 and 5. I saw that he had modified his Ender 5 to use a Micro Swiss Direct Drive Extruder system. I checked the price of this unit and was pleasantly surprised to see that Micro Swiss has dropped the prices of its gear substantially. I recall seeing just the all-metal hotend priced at somewhere around $200 a little over a year ago. Now, the complete Direct Drive Extruder + All-metal Hotend combo is down to $99. So, I ordered 1. It should arrive any day now.[/SIZE]
Have you ever tried solid bed mounts? I bought some nylon post at the hardware store, had to shorten one for the bed cable relief. I’ve been pretty satisfied with the results but wish I would have bought the one from TH3D TH3D Solid Bed Mount Kit V1.1 - TH3D Studio LLC
@Gramps, I’ve looked at them but I’ve read good and bad reviews, so I’ve held off. Honestly, the springs work OK. They just need to be adjusted properly, which mine weren’t. My own fault.