25 November 2025
Plod along and things get done. Finding tools is less of a chore and every one I needed was easier to find, so the next steps on the printer are looking good. While I am waiting for the remaining parts, a move to get the lathe working looks like the next target. That will allow me to rewind a couple of reels of 7x0.2mm equipment wire. A bit overkill for a lathe, but easier than winding by hand, and the filament rolls are just close enough together to take the big reels I'm downsizing from. So much easier than broom handles which I've used in the past.
The bed was switched to a mains powered heater early on, and now the power switch has been mounted on the aluminium base plate. Cables from the flexible duct to the bed have now been wired and the temperature sensor extended so it routes up the back leg and into the cable duct across to the controller.
All the back and bed section cables have now been routed through the duct. This just leaves the upgrade to the head, but at present the heater is still showing as not yet dispatched.
EVRI really are the worst delivery company. Even allowing for the two days for them to pick up the parcel, 4 days to them pass it on is just annoying, but at least the motor works and I am just waiting on the delivery of the wax to lubricate the various moving sections of the ball lift. That and a couple of other parts are on Royal Mail, but second class so fingers cross they will all be here tomorrow.
Once I have the cooling fan for the controller I can run things up even if the extruder heater is not here. I am still trying to find out just where to look for the current setting voltage on this controller. The small potentiometers SHOULD have that voltage on them, but I can't measure anything at all, so there must be a test point of some sort I am missing. I'd rather not have to switch to a different controller although I do have a couple of potential options, AND a stock of Raspberry Pi modules and hat's to build my own. Running up Octoprint is also in the pipeline at some point.