@@AndrewSink Gotta love a random getting bothered by an affirmation but not getting bothered to check the validity of that affirmation. BTW, I printed your "Low Poly Cat!" and it's, indeed, cool. Thank you, man!
I think one of the big draws with the Ender 3 V2 is it can grow with you. Tons of options for it from auto bed leveling, filament detection, direct drive, and making it bigger like what you did here. It's awesome to be able to get into the hobby inexpensive and upgrade as you go.
@@nokeyzF Comgrow is selling refurbished v1's for $120. Never dealt with them, but they are a big seller on Amazon and seem solid enough, but without first hand experience I cant recommend them either. I am not sure that I would normally buy a refurbished unit if you was going to keep it stock, but if you are going to modify it anyway, then it seems like a pretty smart plan. The Ender Extender kit is available for the v1 also. comgrow3d.com/products/refurbished-3d-printer?variant=32000688226347
@@jon9947 thanks for the information...I'm planning to get one very soon and eventually modify but I keep flip flopping between getting a v1 and v2 as a base. The silent board is the the biggest plus for going v2 for me and the psu would already be upgraded to the mean well (heard some bad things about the generic psu). On the other hand the v1 is a "cheaper" base to build off of.
@@nokeyzF No problem. I cant speak about the silent boards, as my printer sits in its own location, and noise dosnt matter to me any. I got my v1 September of 2019, and I have had no problems with it. I kinda think the mean well psu's are just something that has been overly hyped. Iv heard bad things about non mean well's, but surly they are not the only brand that can make a good psu. That is just an opinion and I have nothing to back it up other than mine is still working. All that said, if it is something you are going to eventually upgrade, and not upgrade as soon as you get it then I would likely go with a brand new printer and not worry about the possibility that something is wrong, they are refurbished. That is just what I would do though.
I just picked up an original ender 3 for $80 and n byhew ow I got every upgrade or Mod that seemed like a good idea. Now I just have to figure out how to put it all together correctly and install Klipper. I wouldn’t even have attempted to try this without your inspiration. Thanks. Best creator on TH-cam
What a great video! I'm looking to get my first 3D printer and everywhere said the ender 3 and it's relatives were the way to go but my reason for getting a 3D printer is board games. This meant I wanted a bigger printer. Your video showed me I can still have a reliable printer but just modify it. Also, love seeing a fellow Aussie nerd thriving!
Hey!! Board Game inserts & accessories is why I got into 3D printing too! I’m looking at this 400x400 bed so that way I can print an entire insert in one shot! It’ll be so much better than printing them in 4-10 pieces
Likewise i alao didnt have 1000$ but i could buy and ender3 and hop up parts gradually im working on making mine a dual extruder and plan on ordering my ender extender this week.. Your videos are great resources for tinkerers like me.. Please keep up the great work
I have the ender 3 pro and have done the 400xl kit on it. also did other upgrades like direct drive, bl touch, upgraded heat bed, microswiss, dual z kit, skr 1.4 turbo, 2208 stepper motors, upgraded tft 35v3.3 display. and i have to say still have less than buying a large printer and it allowed me to scratch my itch for tinkering. thanks for the videos as always. love your stuff.
Excellent video. I was holding back for a more expensive printer just cause eventually size would be an issue but now I’m gonna grab one. Thanks so much.
That's incredible, I didn't even know those ender extender kits existed. Glad I saw this before pulling the trigger on a cr10. Now I can just upgrade my ender 3 v2
I just have to say I really enjoy your videos. You go into enough depth to cover the steps, but still keep the video moving. I like the idea of upgrading in steps, as I am using these as a hobby also. My next upgrade will be the Octoprint, following your install videos and instructions for OctoLapse also. Thanks again!
The disassembly montage with the music is so satisfying to watch. I did this upgrade last year and watched it probably 10 times and now just watch it again because it's so well done.
I completely agree with your approach of buying a cheaper printer and upgrading it as your needs arise. I ended up following this path after getting my first printer as my fascination for engineering functional parts quickly grew and I started my journey from hobby printing to "professional". Started with an Ender 3 V2 pro, upgraded it with a Micro swiss Direct drive kit / hardened steal nozzle and a pop up enclosure and I began successfully printing my own car parts from ASA to CF nylon all for right at $400 printer expense all said and done. At the time there wasn't anything for that price to do what I wanted. Also a benefit to this approach is maybe you realize you don't really enjoy 3d printing and if you want to quite the hobby you aren't to deep.
Hey I want to say your channel is one of the best channels on youtube about 3D printing, with Angus and Chep you are so knowledgable I wish I were as smart as you guys are. For me is better not to make big changes on my poor ender 3 because if I screw it I cant afford to repair it (the issues of living on a third world country) I love learning from you guys I want to thanks you for all the effort you and love you put on make this videos. Thanks a lot and greetins from Costa Rica.
I know this an older video but man......I LOVED IT! It's probably one of your best when I comes to doing an upgrading montage. Instructions flowed superbly. I felt like I was doing the conversion myself! Thank you for ALL you videos. You're the got to source for all 3D printers instructions and reviews!
@@dangerous8333 I'm glad someone has nothing else to do than to tell someone what's relevant to them. I said a LOT more in my comment than just how old the video was. It wasn't the focus. It was positive. Thanking someone for hard work but just like a lot of people on social media, even though they have nothing nice to say, they say it anyways. If you look at the NUMBER of videos the channel owner puts out in 3 months, this is an OLDER video. When you've have back surgery to remove a tumor and replaced with 12 screws like me, and you just have to sit here daily until a year passes and you've hopefully healed in the that allotted time, yesssss 3 months can seem older to me considering how many TH-cam videos I watch and learn from everyday. Unlike you, until now with this reply, I haven't wasted time like this responding to a waste of digital space of a comment as it is so precious to me. When's my next chemo appointment? Did they get "it" all? How much longer do I have? I have these questions to ask myself daily while trying to learn how to use a 3D printer so maybe I can make some income to pay bills and to eat. So yes, please ignore the other 130 words out of 150 of where I'm thanks someone and building them up....saying thank you. Pat yourself on your older back (time doesn't stop for you...sorry) because you never know what may be to you, a simple butthole comment to attempt to make yourself a little "cooler", can do to someone in depression and a constant "10.9" on the pain scale. That person (me) may decide not to get any older......any more.
The Ender Extender! 😂 I love the name, and the idea, getting my Ender 3 V2 soon and I'm sure I will eventually want more print space, so this is very interesting to me. Thanks for sharing!
What you said about buying the ender 3 and upgrading gradually, is the whole reason I have a printer at all. Out of the blue, I just went "you know what, this printer actually looks really good for its price. I've wanted one for ages, but never wanted to spend 500$+ on it." So I bought a second hand ender 3 pro for around 140$, and I'm super happy with it. Especially after upgrading the board to an skr mini e3 v2 to get more features (and a MUCH quieter printer), and a pretty cheap steel + PEI sheet I bought on aliexpress. I'm much more willing to spend more time than money, and also doing it gradually. So this made perfect sense for me :) I do also really want to upgrade my build volume in the future, probably a kit like this. Probably not a higher Z, as it'll most likely introduce wobble when it builds that high. However the shipping and tax would cost me a fortune I bet.. might have to make my own by buying extrusions and doing a bunch more work.. :p I do however not want a glass bed, as I've got an inductive sensor. I also don't want to wait much longer for it to heat up / cool down, and I really like the simplicity of taking off the steel + PEI sheet to take the part off. But.. laying down a custom sized PEI sticker seems really tricky. And, I'd have to get a less warped metal plate I bet :p
I personally think glass is overrated, especially if you have some kind of ABL. I have textured powder-coated beds for all 3 of my printers (Prusa MK3s, Ender 3 Pro and a Custom 300x300 DBOT) and rarely ever use anything else, though I do have some steel sheets with PEI and a few other alternatives if needed.
@@brandonallen2372 I recently set my bed up with mesh levelling, as I could *not* level it just on the corners. The bed is pretty warped, and I don't have the induction sensor yet (probably another week or two). Hoping the one I'd use in the future with a bigger frame would be a bit more flat :p This textured powder-coat, you print directly on it?
@@PureRushXevus I print directly on them as that is what they are designed for. FilamentOne makes the one I bought for my Ender 3 and they call it UltiStik, Prusa makes the one I use on the MK3S and I managed to find one on AliExpress for the DBOT. The texture gets imparted onto the bottom surface so it's probably not what you want if you the bottom of your prints to be perfectly flat, but I prefer the texture so I usually leave the textured sheets on the printer.
Although i'm a bit late with my comment, i really liked this video. I have an Ender3 V2 for a couple of months now and have had some prints that could not fit the bed. this would be the solution to my problem. Never knew the extender for a bigger bed exist, i knew about the X axis extender but not this one. It will really be my next upgrade for my Ender3 V2. Great job with the video mate, keep it up.
This is great information and step by step for upgrading my new V2. As soon as I got it I wanted to buy a bigger printer but this will save me and asslode of money thank you very much!!
I agree with your reasoning on why or why not doing this build. For around $600 bucks you got a great machine that’s huge! Awesome! After watching many of your videos I decided to rip apart my AO 101 Lulzbot and make it taller, change the board and hot end. Cost of machine and mods will be around $370. I’ll have a 200 x 200 x 400 z. It’s more about cuz I want to than anything and it is over ten years old so getting long in the tooth anyway.
8:30 - If you're following the standards set by other MFGs that should be attached to one side of the glass to provide a textured side for printing (or the option to use the other side for clean glass. The way you installed it here blocks access to the screws if you haven't swapped to the solid raisers, which means swapping springs will be a pain.
Yeah, he installed it wrong. It doesn't go on the metal part of the heat bed. It goes on top of the glass. And you wouldnt want to flip it because of the slight bumps it has from air bubbles. You're just meant to print on the top and over time it will smooth them out.
I just added 600mm 2040s to my z-axis (it's still quite rigid but I would not go any taller without some type of mechanical support), as well as a 600mm lead screw. The 2040s cost $30 for two pieces and the lead screw (and I added a pillow block to the top) was $40. As a rocket builder, most of my parts are tall so keeping the bed size and adding height made a huge difference. I updated the firmware to 235x235x400 for now. If I need additional height I can simply increase it another 100mm to 500mm. I did have to extend the wiring which I did on the bottom where it comes out of the control board. Adding the appropriate length was not difficult, just tedious. Seems like I had to strip, solder, and heat shrink 22 connections. I also took the time to wax lace the wiring bundle (old school). All in, the time to do the work was maybe 3 or 4 hours. I duplicated the mounting holes from the original z-axis rails and tapped everything required. Finally, I added a MicroSwiss hot end. I always print with at least PETG so something that could take the heat was the better method than the stock hot end. Custom building starting with an Ender 3 V2 is a great option!
Recently came across the Ender Extender kit and finally got it dialed in and working wonderfully. A glass bed is a must as the aluminum bed was warped beyond usable.
Nice after using my v2 I thought to myself... "why couldn't I just add more extruder to increase the size?" Good to know they make kits on this. After im done printing my senior project materials I'm all in.
16:52 Couldn't agree more! It drives me nuts that people get in line to tell you that changing to direct drive will ruin your prints with omg so much ringing, yet you'll never hear a peep from them against changing to a big heavy glass bed. Unless you want to print fast on a corexy printer it's not worth being overly concerned with X carriage weight, because in most cases your Y carriage weighs a lot more.
I've had issues with my nozzle scraping against prints after I converted my ender 3 pro to direct drive. Tried making the x gantry as level as I could, but no luck. I've not printed something big yet after I setup mesh levelling, as that's when the nozzle used to scrape. Think it'll make a difference though. I've debated whether to get a dual z axis setup, but it seems to be a bit tricky aligning both motors to raise/lower perfectly the same on each side. Btw, I've seen your name a few times, are you called the same on thingiverse?
@@PureRushXevus If it's only doing it when printing "something big" it might be that your Z calibration is out (or your lead screw is bent). Being slightly low won't be a problem on layer 30, but it will add up and be an issue on layer 300. Try printing a calibration cube and give it a measure with a pair of calipers. And yeah, same name on Thingiverse. EDIT: Actually, that might not be right. A problem with Z calibration would just squish the part's dimensions, and wouldn't make the nozzle scrape. Although I guess the amount of plastic extruded being incorrect for the layer height could make it scrape the nozzle. Also, maybe check your X carriage rollers are tight? It might be leaning forward a bit with the extra weight of the stepper.
@@mrclown7469 ah, cool. Yeah, I was recommended a lot of these things by some people in a 3d printing discord. The leadscrew looks perfectly fine, though the scraping wasn't happening consistently I think. Only in the spots where the the bed was higher, I guess? With big prints I'm not talking tall ones. Actually had the issue on something that was only 1-2cm tall, but really wide. Heard it mainly during fast travel moves. I'll have to see if the issue is gone now with mesh levelling
Bought a cheap ender 3 for less than $200, and put more than that in upgrades, not counting the parts printed on that very printer. Definitely worth it.
@@dangerous8333 no I was simply suggesting that a CR10 would a good middle ground value between Ender 3 and the Max. It’s build plate area is ~75% bigger than Ender and it comes out of box with many of the mods shown in this vid out of box for less $.
I have both kind of printers, one that I just want to work right out of the box an a second for tinkering. I love to take something cheaper and get it to work almost as good as a more expensive part for less.
Hmmm... I see on the website there is also an upgrade kit for the Ender 5, adding an extra z-axis part (and thus maybe increased stabilizing that on-sided heat bed construction), and increased height. This can be interesting for those that have the original (non-plus) Ender 5 version. It would be fun if someone would test that one out. I am also interested to see how the direct drive upgrade compares to the Micro Swiss Direct Drive Extruder upgrade set (this adds a full-metal head and a direct drive all at once for the Ender 3 and Ender 5 ). Otherwise - Nice to see these upgrades are a cost-effective upgrade route from an Ender 3 to a CR-10 sized printer.
This is EXACTLY what I was looking for. I'm just getting started and waiting for my Ender 3 V2 to arrive. I want to eventually scale up to larger prints, and this is a very cost effective way to do it. Thanks!
This looks amazing! I’ve been loving my Ender 3 v2 but I really wanted it to be able to print larger objects sometimes, just a little bit, and this looks like it would really help with that. That’s the first mod I’ve seen that I’ve gone “I definitely want that.”
@@k.pliskin3214 Not yet. To be honest I started printing things in smaller bits and just assembling it together, so while I still really want this mod it’s not my top priority right now.
I just bought a Ender 5, and been tinkering it all until today: -installed a 32 bit hardware -changed the hot end to full metal -made a drybox (I live 100 metersfrom the beach) -Installed a direct drive with linear rail -Installed a dual drive extruder -Changed my bed to a Wham Bam (no more problems of warping : ) -Installed a Ezabl auto bed leveling -And etc. So, if you like tinkering, go on and take a cheaper printer It’ll worth in the end
I rather like your comment about buying a well-made tool vs buying a project; I picked up a CR-6 SE for the former and will likely pick up one of their $199 ender units for the latter, I'd love to have something to tinker around with and try different filaments that I'd be too nervous 'experimenting' with on the SE.
Hey this was great. I think that the build, once you add the bigger heat pad and the second z axis stepper it will perform just as well as the cr10 Max while still being cheaper. It may not be half the price by that point but it will be less than3/4 of its price
GREAT VIDEO!! With access to a printer at work it's got me more interested in getting a home printer. Because of the cost of the prusa I've been looking at the under threes and trying to weigh the differences getting a better printer right off the bat or getting it under three and doing upgrades. I really like what you said about the printer being good for hobbyists that are interested in tinkering. Pretty sure because of your video when I do get one from my own self I will be getting and probably going through the same process that you just did here. Thanks for the great video and help with my hand decision.
I learned so much from this channel over the last year. You do a great job Michael! You're on point for sure. Please let me know if you ever figure out the neopixels on the SKR mini e3 v1.2. I'm going nuts over here. Lol, anyway thanks for melting my brain.
The orange levered connection is pretty good. They are called "WAGO" connectors, usually used to gang several wires together not single wires going through. I have found them in Canada at a local supplier... I don't know how much I would trust the chinese ones for 240V connections like the originals but for 12/24V they might not be bad.
A friend recently did the ender extender mod on his Mk1 Ender 3. Generally very happy but did find it needed the second lead screw to resolve quality issues - the X carriage was wobbling in the Z axis too much when at the far right hand side. He also thinks the bed heater is a bit marginal. Makes sense so budget for the bigger AC pad & switch too I reckon.
Thx for this. I have been eyeing this for a while now. I did not notice the Dual Z on their website for the 400XL. I already have the sprite hotend and direct drive, just wanting the larger build size.
The Dobstfy pad was provided as a build surface. I'm kinda thinking your installation insulates the glass from the bead. I've got to say, I love my Dobstfy build surface. I had nothing but problems getting prints to stick to the glass.
I very much love Octoprint, I wouldnt use my printer nearly as much without it, but I would love to see the Klipper video you suggested. A Klipper video that covers everything this time.
I'm looking for a printer to run Klipper full time. It was going to be the Tevo Little Monster but I was pleasantly surprised with the Lerdge and retained it. Last time I made two Klipper videos to cover as much as possible, but it's impossible to cover "everything", there will always be plenty of people with different hardware compared to me, so please keep that in mind.
@@TeachingTech Sorry, I know that came off far more snarky than it should have, and I know that you can not show everything. I did very much enjoy both of the Klipper videos, and I should have said it differently, it just seemed both videos were incomplete. My self personally, I dont need a guide, there are plenty of those out there. I want a comparison on any 8bit printer. I want to see how it preforms before, after, and then how it performs when compared to an skr or other 32bit board. Basically I want to know if it is worth learning how to set it up.
Thank you! It seems many didn't like the sponsored video from them but I was happy to work with them and proud that everything worked legit; no movie magic needed.
@@TeachingTech Yes I agree the sponsership was a afterthought but, people like to complain about everything. These builds cost alot of time and money how do they expect them to pay for all these builds the guys are doing? Out of pocket for us to watch for FREE? TH-cam money for 1M views isn't enough even for the tires!
I love how you say "Aluminium" with your Australian accent, when it is spelled "Aluminum" and pronounced "alum-i-num" ... and since I thoroughly enjoy your videos and monotone voice, I will continue to hear "alu-mini-um". Because of your videos, I am getting my first printer and beginning my production of custom parts. Thank you.
I should note that they actually spell it the first way, and thus pronounce it the first way, in some other English speaking countries, including Australia. He's correct, as there's two spellings and pronunciations.
Michael, would it be worth it to put some thermal compound between the original heated bed and the new alloy plate? I would think it may help to make sure that there are no gaps. Also, I have had good luck with adding insulation on my heated beds. Might that be a decent upgrade for something this large as well? Thanks in advance!
Good video. I actually considered this, but figured I'd just DIY a custom printer instead to get exactly what I wanted plus I didn't want a bed slinger design. On a side note, will you be reviewing the new mid size resin printers such as the Elegoo Saturn, EPAX E10, Anycubic Mono X, etc?
I agree. The upgrade kits sounds good but small printer is useful. All the time tearing apart a printer could be used printing new parts for a DIY printer. Nice thing with DIY is you can buy part all at once or as you can afford it. Thinking of building Voron 2.4 with 500mm cube volume.
Definitely beyond tired of the bed slinger craze myself. Is not THAT much cheaper to produce when you look into it, does NOT save the space marketing always used to (and sometimes still does) claim, and the known cons mostly outweigh the benefits.
I have just finished reducing my resin printer collection, so probably not. Pros and cons for the completely custom build route. You get exactly what you want and the budget can be spaced out but a lot more knowledge is needed. Each to their own as I said in the video.
I ordered a pack of 100 M4 washers from Amazon, which worked but not without much more effort than I foresaw. I put an equal number of washers on each corner and ended up with about 2 mm difference in height from highest corner to lowest. Turns our that the thickness of the washers varied from 0.70 mm to just over 1 mm. It took a bit of washer-juggling to get things reasonably level (measuring from the top of the 20x20 mm left and right braces - make sure you measure from the brace itself rather than the plastic/metal platforms to either side). Another issue - the aluminum heater plate is (what I consider badly) warped - over 0.5 mm on the two left corners and about half that on the right. Clamping the glass build plate at the corners measurably distorts the plate as demonstrated with a straightedge (look for light leaking between the straightedge and the build plate). As I like my build plate clamped firmly at each corner, I used layers of thermal tape (the thin stuff with blue backing) to slowly build up the low spots. I left the backing on the topmost layer so as to not things together. This solved the distortion problems. And I discovered a cool trick that really helps with this process. If you put the build plate on with the smooth side up you'll see fairly uniform darkness. Now you can find the low spots by pressing down gently at various places around the edge of the bed. If the area looks lighter as you press, you've found a low spot. I assume this is because of the dot pattern on the other side throwing a shadow on the bright aluminum plate. Pressing the plate over a low spot decreases the distance between the dot and the plate, thus throwing a smaller shadow and reflecting more light. How well did all this work? Beats me! My new main board with a 5th stepper driver for my shiny new z-stepper was delayed...
@Martin Luther As it turned out, spacers alone wouldn't have worked - the base plate, the one that rides the y-rail, wasn't flat so different spacing was required on each corner. Using short spacers in addition to the washers would have made the job less tedious for sure.
Seems like you can also save some money buy just buying replacement parts like the hotend and extruder set up a power supply some steppers and carriages.
I think it would be great if i could find someone that sells kits in australia.. BTW, thanks for the video, it is a great insight to 3D and the possibilities and potential printing has.. or showing that there is no limit to what one can do ... Cheers..
This is an amazing project, is awesome, you can just pay what you paid for your original printer and end up with one that would cost a lot more and with great quality prints too, cool
My tape measure says just under 900mm is needed for Y to account for the range of movement. 640mm for X and 700mm for Z, although you might need a tad more to get the filament spool on easily.
How would you feel about adding a second stepper motor and screw to an enlarged Ender like this? Think it would be a safe way to ensure print quality now that you are swinging that gantry over a longer distance? ETA: Never mind, you touched on it at the end of the video. I'd still be interested in hearing your feedback on the approach in more detail, however.
This was a fun video to watch. I love the idea of just constantly modding your printer like a sports car, until it is the exact thing you need.
Just noticed you used my Low Poly Cat model, it looks great!
Gotta love a random saying somethings yours
@@JdiJoey he literally links to my model 😂
@@AndrewSink Gotta love a random getting bothered by an affirmation but not getting bothered to check the validity of that affirmation.
BTW, I printed your "Low Poly Cat!" and it's, indeed, cool. Thank you, man!
*Meows in 8 bit*
I think one of the big draws with the Ender 3 V2 is it can grow with you. Tons of options for it from auto bed leveling, filament detection, direct drive, and making it bigger like what you did here. It's awesome to be able to get into the hobby inexpensive and upgrade as you go.
Just picked up a ender 3 v2 as my first printer! For 229 usd !!!
Can't wait to get going :)
My advice is to get to know it in stock form first before you mod it, then have fun as you see fit.
Where from for 230?
@@nokeyzF Comgrow is selling refurbished v1's for $120. Never dealt with them, but they are a big seller on Amazon and seem solid enough, but without first hand experience I cant recommend them either.
I am not sure that I would normally buy a refurbished unit if you was going to keep it stock, but if you are going to modify it anyway, then it seems like a pretty smart plan. The Ender Extender kit is available for the v1 also.
comgrow3d.com/products/refurbished-3d-printer?variant=32000688226347
@@jon9947 thanks for the information...I'm planning to get one very soon and eventually modify but I keep flip flopping between getting a v1 and v2 as a base.
The silent board is the the biggest plus for going v2 for me and the psu would already be upgraded to the mean well (heard some bad things about the generic psu). On the other hand the v1 is a "cheaper" base to build off of.
@@nokeyzF No problem. I cant speak about the silent boards, as my printer sits in its own location, and noise dosnt matter to me any. I got my v1 September of 2019, and I have had no problems with it.
I kinda think the mean well psu's are just something that has been overly hyped. Iv heard bad things about non mean well's, but surly they are not the only brand that can make a good psu. That is just an opinion and I have nothing to back it up other than mine is still working.
All that said, if it is something you are going to eventually upgrade, and not upgrade as soon as you get it then I would likely go with a brand new printer and not worry about the possibility that something is wrong, they are refurbished. That is just what I would do though.
I really love how you are very good at what you are doing and still don't gatekeep at all. This positivity is what we need
I just picked up an original ender 3 for $80 and n byhew ow I got every upgrade or Mod that seemed like a good idea. Now I just have to figure out how to put it all together correctly and install Klipper. I wouldn’t even have attempted to try this without your inspiration. Thanks. Best creator on TH-cam
What a great video! I'm looking to get my first 3D printer and everywhere said the ender 3 and it's relatives were the way to go but my reason for getting a 3D printer is board games. This meant I wanted a bigger printer. Your video showed me I can still have a reliable printer but just modify it.
Also, love seeing a fellow Aussie nerd thriving!
Hey!! Board Game inserts & accessories is why I got into 3D printing too! I’m looking at this 400x400 bed so that way I can print an entire insert in one shot! It’ll be so much better than printing them in 4-10 pieces
Likewise i alao didnt have 1000$ but i could buy and ender3 and hop up parts gradually im working on making mine a dual extruder and plan on ordering my ender extender this week.. Your videos are great resources for tinkerers like me.. Please keep up the great work
I have the ender 3 pro and have done the 400xl kit on it. also did other upgrades like direct drive, bl touch, upgraded heat bed, microswiss, dual z kit, skr 1.4 turbo, 2208 stepper motors, upgraded tft 35v3.3 display. and i have to say still have less than buying a large printer and it allowed me to scratch my itch for tinkering. thanks for the videos as always. love your stuff.
"Ender Extender"
Beautiful name
Excellent video. I was holding back for a more expensive printer just cause eventually size would be an issue but now I’m gonna grab one. Thanks so much.
That's incredible, I didn't even know those ender extender kits existed. Glad I saw this before pulling the trigger on a cr10. Now I can just upgrade my ender 3 v2
I just have to say I really enjoy your videos. You go into enough depth to cover the steps, but still keep the video moving. I like the idea of upgrading in steps, as I am using these as a hobby also. My next upgrade will be the Octoprint, following your install videos and instructions for OctoLapse also. Thanks again!
The disassembly montage with the music is so satisfying to watch. I did this upgrade last year and watched it probably 10 times and now just watch it again because it's so well done.
LOL!
Back again to watch the disassembly montage...so nice
My Interests and Funds are often in opposition on what they'll allow...
Haha same here, very well stated....Laurie
lol I was just researching this yesterday. you are reading minds boy
I get accused of that a lot.
this might be the best reason to have dual extruders. Excited that I upgraded to the EZR struder
I completely agree with your approach of buying a cheaper printer and upgrading it as your needs arise. I ended up following this path after getting my first printer as my fascination for engineering functional parts quickly grew and I started my journey from hobby printing to "professional". Started with an Ender 3 V2 pro, upgraded it with a Micro swiss Direct drive kit / hardened steal nozzle and a pop up enclosure and I began successfully printing my own car parts from ASA to CF nylon all for right at $400 printer expense all said and done. At the time there wasn't anything for that price to do what I wanted.
Also a benefit to this approach is maybe you realize you don't really enjoy 3d printing and if you want to quite the hobby you aren't to deep.
Hey I want to say your channel is one of the best channels on youtube about 3D printing, with Angus and Chep you are so knowledgable I wish I were as smart as you guys are. For me is better not to make big changes on my poor ender 3 because if I screw it I cant afford to repair it (the issues of living on a third world country) I love learning from you guys I want to thanks you for all the effort you and love you put on make this videos. Thanks a lot and greetins from Costa Rica.
I know this an older video but man......I LOVED IT!
It's probably one of your best when I comes to doing an upgrading montage.
Instructions flowed superbly. I felt like I was doing the conversion myself!
Thank you for ALL you videos.
You're the got to source for all 3D printers instructions and reviews!
Older video? Lmao 🤣 It's 4 months old. 3 months when you made the comment. You think that's old?
@@dangerous8333 I'm glad someone has nothing else to do than to tell someone what's relevant to them. I said a LOT more in my comment than just how old the video was. It wasn't the focus. It was positive. Thanking someone for hard work but just like a lot of people on social media, even though they have nothing nice to say, they say it anyways.
If you look at the NUMBER of videos the channel owner puts out in 3 months, this is an OLDER video. When you've have back surgery to remove a tumor and replaced with 12 screws like me, and you just have to sit here daily until a year passes and you've hopefully healed in the that allotted time, yesssss 3 months can seem older to me considering how many TH-cam videos I watch and learn from everyday. Unlike you, until now with this reply, I haven't wasted time like this responding to a waste of digital space of a comment as it is so precious to me.
When's my next chemo appointment? Did they get "it" all? How much longer do I have? I have these questions to ask myself daily while trying to learn how to use a 3D printer so maybe I can make some income to pay bills and to eat.
So yes, please ignore the other 130 words out of 150 of where I'm thanks someone and building them up....saying thank you. Pat yourself on your older back (time doesn't stop for you...sorry) because you never know what may be to you, a simple butthole comment to attempt to make yourself a little "cooler", can do to someone in depression and a constant "10.9" on the pain scale. That person (me) may decide not to get any older......any more.
The Ender Extender! 😂 I love the name, and the idea, getting my Ender 3 V2 soon and I'm sure I will eventually want more print space, so this is very interesting to me. Thanks for sharing!
What you said about buying the ender 3 and upgrading gradually, is the whole reason I have a printer at all. Out of the blue, I just went "you know what, this printer actually looks really good for its price. I've wanted one for ages, but never wanted to spend 500$+ on it." So I bought a second hand ender 3 pro for around 140$, and I'm super happy with it. Especially after upgrading the board to an skr mini e3 v2 to get more features (and a MUCH quieter printer), and a pretty cheap steel + PEI sheet I bought on aliexpress. I'm much more willing to spend more time than money, and also doing it gradually. So this made perfect sense for me :)
I do also really want to upgrade my build volume in the future, probably a kit like this. Probably not a higher Z, as it'll most likely introduce wobble when it builds that high. However the shipping and tax would cost me a fortune I bet.. might have to make my own by buying extrusions and doing a bunch more work.. :p
I do however not want a glass bed, as I've got an inductive sensor. I also don't want to wait much longer for it to heat up / cool down, and I really like the simplicity of taking off the steel + PEI sheet to take the part off. But.. laying down a custom sized PEI sticker seems really tricky. And, I'd have to get a less warped metal plate I bet :p
I personally think glass is overrated, especially if you have some kind of ABL. I have textured powder-coated beds for all 3 of my printers (Prusa MK3s, Ender 3 Pro and a Custom 300x300 DBOT) and rarely ever use anything else, though I do have some steel sheets with PEI and a few other alternatives if needed.
@@brandonallen2372 I recently set my bed up with mesh levelling, as I could *not* level it just on the corners. The bed is pretty warped, and I don't have the induction sensor yet (probably another week or two). Hoping the one I'd use in the future with a bigger frame would be a bit more flat :p
This textured powder-coat, you print directly on it?
@@PureRushXevus I print directly on them as that is what they are designed for. FilamentOne makes the one I bought for my Ender 3 and they call it UltiStik, Prusa makes the one I use on the MK3S and I managed to find one on AliExpress for the DBOT. The texture gets imparted onto the bottom surface so it's probably not what you want if you the bottom of your prints to be perfectly flat, but I prefer the texture so I usually leave the textured sheets on the printer.
@@brandonallen2372 I see.. yeah, I really like the PEI finish on the bottom of prints
Although i'm a bit late with my comment, i really liked this video. I have an Ender3 V2 for a couple of months now and have had some prints that could not fit the bed. this would be the solution to my problem. Never knew the extender for a bigger bed exist, i knew about the X axis extender but not this one. It will really be my next upgrade for my Ender3 V2. Great job with the video mate, keep it up.
I totally agree with end statement - biggest fun from owning a 3D printer is modding it.
This is great information and step by step for upgrading my new V2. As soon as I got it I wanted to buy a bigger printer but this will save me and asslode of money thank you very much!!
Im new to the 3D world and I find your videos very informative Thank You Micheal 🦘
i think this is one of the only videos using the PrinterMods MDD v1.3 . Thanks!
I agree with your reasoning on why or why not doing this build. For around $600 bucks you got a great machine that’s huge! Awesome! After watching many of your videos I decided to rip apart my AO 101 Lulzbot and make it taller, change the board and hot end. Cost of machine and mods will be around $370. I’ll have a 200 x 200 x 400 z. It’s more about cuz I want to than anything and it is over ten years old so getting long in the tooth anyway.
8:30 - If you're following the standards set by other MFGs that should be attached to one side of the glass to provide a textured side for printing (or the option to use the other side for clean glass. The way you installed it here blocks access to the screws if you haven't swapped to the solid raisers, which means swapping springs will be a pain.
Yeah, he installed it wrong. It doesn't go on the metal part of the heat bed. It goes on top of the glass. And you wouldnt want to flip it because of the slight bumps it has from air bubbles. You're just meant to print on the top and over time it will smooth them out.
I love when you did the first ender 3 extension that helped me set one of my future mod goals for my recently purchased ender 3
I just added 600mm 2040s to my z-axis (it's still quite rigid but I would not go any taller without some type of mechanical support), as well as a 600mm lead screw. The 2040s cost $30 for two pieces and the lead screw (and I added a pillow block to the top) was $40. As a rocket builder, most of my parts are tall so keeping the bed size and adding height made a huge difference. I updated the firmware to 235x235x400 for now. If I need additional height I can simply increase it another 100mm to 500mm. I did have to extend the wiring which I did on the bottom where it comes out of the control board. Adding the appropriate length was not difficult, just tedious. Seems like I had to strip, solder, and heat shrink 22 connections. I also took the time to wax lace the wiring bundle (old school). All in, the time to do the work was maybe 3 or 4 hours. I duplicated the mounting holes from the original z-axis rails and tapped everything required. Finally, I added a MicroSwiss hot end. I always print with at least PETG so something that could take the heat was the better method than the stock hot end. Custom building starting with an Ender 3 V2 is a great option!
Recently came across the Ender Extender kit and finally got it dialed in and working wonderfully. A glass bed is a must as the aluminum bed was warped beyond usable.
Nice after using my v2 I thought to myself... "why couldn't I just add more extruder to increase the size?" Good to know they make kits on this. After im done printing my senior project materials I'm all in.
Thanks man. I just finished setting up the extender for my V2. Great video help here.
I just bought the 400XL kit for my original ender3 and really like it. Thanks for your help!
16:52 Couldn't agree more! It drives me nuts that people get in line to tell you that changing to direct drive will ruin your prints with omg so much ringing, yet you'll never hear a peep from them against changing to a big heavy glass bed. Unless you want to print fast on a corexy printer it's not worth being overly concerned with X carriage weight, because in most cases your Y carriage weighs a lot more.
I've had issues with my nozzle scraping against prints after I converted my ender 3 pro to direct drive. Tried making the x gantry as level as I could, but no luck.
I've not printed something big yet after I setup mesh levelling, as that's when the nozzle used to scrape. Think it'll make a difference though.
I've debated whether to get a dual z axis setup, but it seems to be a bit tricky aligning both motors to raise/lower perfectly the same on each side.
Btw, I've seen your name a few times, are you called the same on thingiverse?
@@PureRushXevus If it's only doing it when printing "something big" it might be that your Z calibration is out (or your lead screw is bent). Being slightly low won't be a problem on layer 30, but it will add up and be an issue on layer 300. Try printing a calibration cube and give it a measure with a pair of calipers.
And yeah, same name on Thingiverse.
EDIT: Actually, that might not be right. A problem with Z calibration would just squish the part's dimensions, and wouldn't make the nozzle scrape. Although I guess the amount of plastic extruded being incorrect for the layer height could make it scrape the nozzle.
Also, maybe check your X carriage rollers are tight? It might be leaning forward a bit with the extra weight of the stepper.
@@mrclown7469 ah, cool. Yeah, I was recommended a lot of these things by some people in a 3d printing discord. The leadscrew looks perfectly fine, though the scraping wasn't happening consistently I think.
Only in the spots where the the bed was higher, I guess? With big prints I'm not talking tall ones. Actually had the issue on something that was only 1-2cm tall, but really wide. Heard it mainly during fast travel moves. I'll have to see if the issue is gone now with mesh levelling
Bought a cheap ender 3 for less than $200, and put more than that in upgrades, not counting the parts printed on that very printer. Definitely worth it.
Thank you for sharing, this is very informative. There is always the CR10v2/v3 which comes out of the box with a much larger bed as well.
Huh? Did you miss the whole point of this video?
@@dangerous8333 no I was simply suggesting that a CR10 would a good middle ground value between Ender 3 and the Max. It’s build plate area is ~75% bigger than Ender and it comes out of box with many of the mods shown in this vid out of box for less $.
I have both kind of printers, one that I just want to work right out of the box an a second for tinkering. I love to take something cheaper and get it to work almost as good as a more expensive part for less.
That's a good approach. I have a few near stock ones that I know are reliable if needed. Other ones I just have fun playing with.
Hmmm... I see on the website there is also an upgrade kit for the Ender 5, adding an extra z-axis part (and thus maybe increased stabilizing that on-sided heat bed construction), and increased height. This can be interesting for those that have the original (non-plus) Ender 5 version. It would be fun if someone would test that one out.
I am also interested to see how the direct drive upgrade compares to the Micro Swiss Direct Drive Extruder upgrade set (this adds a full-metal head and a direct drive all at once for the Ender 3 and Ender 5 ).
Otherwise - Nice to see these upgrades are a cost-effective upgrade route from an Ender 3 to a CR-10 sized printer.
This was freaking sweet. Thanks for the video. Definitely going to extend my 3 v-2.
Did you do it?
@@chrinamint I did, and then I bought a Prusa i3 MK3S+, and now they both run pretty much non-stop all day.
Love the Frankenprinter...lol Great build, Michael.
This is EXACTLY what I was looking for. I'm just getting started and waiting for my Ender 3 V2 to arrive. I want to eventually scale up to larger prints, and this is a very cost effective way to do it. Thanks!
Same here, Just ordered the 3 V2 as well, should have it Thursday. Hows it been working out for you so far?
your videos are always helpful
Nice chop-chop t-shirt :) was nice seeing you on MCM
Thanks for the time, you have clear a lot of my doubts regarding my decision to buy the E3 v2 and later expand.
Awesome video Michael!
Not too shabby. A cost-effective big print solution.
Outstanding vid. I'm definitely thinking about doing this with rails
This looks amazing! I’ve been loving my Ender 3 v2 but I really wanted it to be able to print larger objects sometimes, just a little bit, and this looks like it would really help with that. That’s the first mod I’ve seen that I’ve gone “I definitely want that.”
@@k.pliskin3214 Not yet. To be honest I started printing things in smaller bits and just assembling it together, so while I still really want this mod it’s not my top priority right now.
I just bought a Ender 5, and been tinkering it all until today:
-installed a 32 bit hardware
-changed the hot end to full metal
-made a drybox (I live 100 metersfrom the beach)
-Installed a direct drive with linear rail
-Installed a dual drive extruder
-Changed my bed to a Wham Bam (no more problems of warping : )
-Installed a Ezabl auto bed leveling
-And etc.
So, if you like tinkering, go on and take a cheaper printer
It’ll worth in the end
Mark is working on a kit for the Ender5 as well.
I thought full metal is "upgrade" from ptfe lining throat,actually it isnt, both have pros and cons and have their pwn purpose of use.
Sounds like a nice setup and lots of enjoyment playing with it.
I rather like your comment about buying a well-made tool vs buying a project; I picked up a CR-6 SE for the former and will likely pick up one of their $199 ender units for the latter, I'd love to have something to tinker around with and try different filaments that I'd be too nervous 'experimenting' with on the SE.
Hey this was great. I think that the build, once you add the bigger heat pad and the second z axis stepper it will perform just as well as the cr10 Max while still being cheaper. It may not be half the price by that point but it will be less than3/4 of its price
I'm getting "Ship of Theseus" vibes with the Ender Extender upgrade 😜
GREAT VIDEO!!
With access to a printer at work it's got me more interested in getting a home printer.
Because of the cost of the prusa I've been looking at the under threes and trying to weigh the differences getting a better printer right off the bat or getting it under three and doing upgrades.
I really like what you said about the printer being good for hobbyists that are interested in tinkering. Pretty sure because of your video when I do get one from my own self I will be getting and probably going through the same process that you just did here. Thanks for the great video and help with my hand decision.
Excellent video. Enlightening!
I learned so much from this channel over the last year. You do a great job Michael! You're on point for sure. Please let me know if you ever figure out the neopixels on the SKR mini e3 v1.2. I'm going nuts over here. Lol, anyway thanks for melting my brain.
I superduper your build, specially as you donating it! kuddo's for that. Will share the vid on a dutch forum :) where lot's of techies are.
Thank you, Michael. As always great video.
thank you soooo very much ive been wanting to get into this hobby for a while and your vids are top of the class
That dobstfy sheet is a build surface like buildtak. It's meant to be printed on directly.
Great and informative video!
Thanks. I will consider this.
Thanks for this video.
Its actually a thing I've been thinking about...
Very good video! Thanks for the information.
Love the intro great video
The orange levered connection is pretty good. They are called "WAGO" connectors, usually used to gang several wires together not single wires going through. I have found them in Canada at a local supplier... I don't know how much I would trust the chinese ones for 240V connections like the originals but for 12/24V they might not be bad.
Great walkthrough on upgrading an ender 3 v2
A friend recently did the ender extender mod on his Mk1 Ender 3. Generally very happy but did find it needed the second lead screw to resolve quality issues - the X carriage was wobbling in the Z axis too much when at the far right hand side. He also thinks the bed heater is a bit marginal. Makes sense so budget for the bigger AC pad & switch too I reckon.
Damn that looks a great build. May look at upgrading my ender3 to extender kit.
A very interesting overview. Thanks Michael.
Thx for this. I have been eyeing this for a while now. I did not notice the Dual Z on their website for the 400XL. I already have the sprite hotend and direct drive, just wanting the larger build size.
Very informative, thank you.
Thanks for this huge information, it really helps with the build and assembly.
The Dobstfy pad was provided as a build surface. I'm kinda thinking your installation insulates the glass from the bead. I've got to say, I love my Dobstfy build surface. I had nothing but problems getting prints to stick to the glass.
I have been thinking about enlarging my Ender3 in much the same way. I don’t need the added Z but more space for parts would be nice.
Same, ender extender is my key mod for my ender 3 then later on go for a z mod
The black pei build surface is supposed to adhere to the glass surface not the metal bed. Now you have to heat up the bed to pull off.
5:30 it's not a special adapter. It's just Vago - regular electricity connector for wires ^^
Awesome job, thank you for your videos.
I say you did a good job. Enjoy it. Thank you😀
cool mods, great video
Nice shirt Michael 😁
Perhaps you should take a look at Klipper again. Now with Mainsail/Fluidd (no more Octocrap) and input shapers.
I very much love Octoprint, I wouldnt use my printer nearly as much without it, but I would love to see the Klipper video you suggested. A Klipper video that covers everything this time.
I'm looking for a printer to run Klipper full time. It was going to be the Tevo Little Monster but I was pleasantly surprised with the Lerdge and retained it. Last time I made two Klipper videos to cover as much as possible, but it's impossible to cover "everything", there will always be plenty of people with different hardware compared to me, so please keep that in mind.
@@TeachingTech Sorry, I know that came off far more snarky than it should have, and I know that you can not show everything. I did very much enjoy both of the Klipper videos, and I should have said it differently, it just seemed both videos were incomplete. My self personally, I dont need a guide, there are plenty of those out there. I want a comparison on any 8bit printer. I want to see how it preforms before, after, and then how it performs when compared to an skr or other 32bit board. Basically I want to know if it is worth learning how to set it up.
nice work on mcm!
Thank you! It seems many didn't like the sponsored video from them but I was happy to work with them and proud that everything worked legit; no movie magic needed.
@@TeachingTech Yes I agree the sponsership was a afterthought but, people like to complain about everything.
These builds cost alot of time and money how do they expect them to pay for all these builds the guys are doing? Out of pocket for us to watch for FREE? TH-cam money for 1M views isn't enough even for the tires!
I think is like building DIY computer nice job it motivate me
great video this is what im gonna do thanks!
I love how you say "Aluminium" with your Australian accent, when it is spelled "Aluminum" and pronounced "alum-i-num" ... and since I thoroughly enjoy your videos and monotone voice, I will continue to hear "alu-mini-um". Because of your videos, I am getting my first printer and beginning my production of custom parts. Thank you.
I should note that they actually spell it the first way, and thus pronounce it the first way, in some other English speaking countries, including Australia. He's correct, as there's two spellings and pronunciations.
Michael, would it be worth it to put some thermal compound between the original heated bed and the new alloy plate? I would think it may help to make sure that there are no gaps.
Also, I have had good luck with adding insulation on my heated beds. Might that be a decent upgrade for something this large as well?
Thanks in advance!
If you can manage the mods and the soldering I think its an nice option taking a second chance cheap V2 and upgrading it.Nice vid.
A couple of big differences. The dual y carriage and the tethered dual z axis. Plus the Cr-6 max is $730 right now.
Good video. I actually considered this, but figured I'd just DIY a custom printer instead to get exactly what I wanted plus I didn't want a bed slinger design. On a side note, will you be reviewing the new mid size resin printers such as the Elegoo Saturn, EPAX E10, Anycubic Mono X, etc?
I agree. The upgrade kits sounds good but small printer is useful. All the time tearing apart a printer could be used printing new parts for a DIY printer. Nice thing with DIY is you can buy part all at once or as you can afford it. Thinking of building Voron 2.4 with 500mm cube volume.
Definitely beyond tired of the bed slinger craze myself. Is not THAT much cheaper to produce when you look into it, does NOT save the space marketing always used to (and sometimes still does) claim, and the known cons mostly outweigh the benefits.
@@PaulDominguez Voron would be a great build. Look in to Railcore 2 as well.
I have just finished reducing my resin printer collection, so probably not.
Pros and cons for the completely custom build route. You get exactly what you want and the budget can be spaced out but a lot more knowledge is needed. Each to their own as I said in the video.
@@PaulDominguez core xy isn't rlly stable that big
Love the MCM t-shirt
Hey Teaching Tech - What solid spacers do you recommend for the Ender 3 v2?
I ordered a pack of 100 M4 washers from Amazon, which worked but not without much more effort than I foresaw. I put an equal number of washers on each corner and ended up with about 2 mm difference in height from highest corner to lowest. Turns our that the thickness of the washers varied from 0.70 mm to just over 1 mm. It took a bit of washer-juggling to get things reasonably level (measuring from the top of the 20x20 mm left and right braces - make sure you measure from the brace itself rather than the plastic/metal platforms to either side).
Another issue - the aluminum heater plate is (what I consider badly) warped - over 0.5 mm on the two left corners and about half that on the right. Clamping the glass build plate at the corners measurably distorts the plate as demonstrated with a straightedge (look for light leaking between the straightedge and the build plate).
As I like my build plate clamped firmly at each corner, I used layers of thermal tape (the thin stuff with blue backing) to slowly build up the low spots. I left the backing on the topmost layer so as to not things together. This solved the distortion problems. And I discovered a cool trick that really helps with this process.
If you put the build plate on with the smooth side up you'll see fairly uniform darkness. Now you can find the low spots by pressing down gently at various places around the edge of the bed. If the area looks lighter as you press, you've found a low spot. I assume this is because of the dot pattern on the other side throwing a shadow on the bright aluminum plate. Pressing the plate over a low spot decreases the distance between the dot and the plate, thus throwing a smaller shadow and reflecting more light.
How well did all this work? Beats me! My new main board with a 5th stepper driver for my shiny new z-stepper was delayed...
@Martin Luther As it turned out, spacers alone wouldn't have worked - the base plate, the one that rides the y-rail, wasn't flat so different spacing was required on each corner. Using short spacers in addition to the washers would have made the job less tedious for sure.
Seems like you can also save some money buy just buying replacement parts like the hotend and extruder set up a power supply some steppers and carriages.
I think it would be great if i could find someone that sells kits in australia.. BTW, thanks for the video, it is a great insight to 3D and the possibilities and potential printing has.. or showing that there is no limit to what one can do ... Cheers..
Anycubic chiron with 400x400x450 volume at ~$400 was the best option for me.
This is an amazing project, is awesome, you can just pay what you paid for your original printer and end up with one that would cost a lot more and with great quality prints too, cool
Michael, how much space after upgrade is occupied with printer (Because of bed 400x400) ? In case that it is needed to put in enclosure .... Tnx!
My tape measure says just under 900mm is needed for Y to account for the range of movement. 640mm for X and 700mm for Z, although you might need a tad more to get the filament spool on easily.
How would you feel about adding a second stepper motor and screw to an enlarged Ender like this? Think it would be a safe way to ensure print quality now that you are swinging that gantry over a longer distance? ETA: Never mind, you touched on it at the end of the video. I'd still be interested in hearing your feedback on the approach in more detail, however.