For those following along, I’ve published this latest “improved” Completely Printed Z-Axis Mechanism (CPZAM) out on Thingiverse. SIL insists that since it’s held together with M3 screws/nuts that it isn’t “completely printed”… anyone for a Glued-Up Printed Z-Axis Mechanism (GUPZAM)? Or, a Snap-Together Z-Axis Mechanism (STZAM)?
– David
This looks amazing. Thanks for the effort and thanks for sharing. I follow the V1 forum because I built an MPCNC but my start into the CNC world was an Acro Laser so this caught my eye and I had to give it a look. I agree, adjustable Z is essential with a laser to focus properly and adjusting the lens sucked. I eventually broke down and built another version that was WAY more complicated to build than this (but it motorized so in the end more convenient). I would gave gone your route for sure to start.
Awesome.
Thanks for the kind words. Z-mechanisms have kinda become my “thing” and about 3 versions back, I did my motorized version… then made it manual… then simplified again by removing all the metal bits, save the six M3 screws/nuts holding this last one together…
OK, I REALLY like the travel of your motorized one (not to mention the simplicity) and I think that will work great on my Acro laser. Time to print it and see how it works. The one I currently have is only about 13mm travel! I like it.
I suspect you posted that after I had mine printed but I still would not have found it because I was looking for Z axis specific to Acro laser and I would not have found yours on Thingiverse… But now that there is this forum discussion I am sure others with Acro Laser will find your Z axis contributions. Thanks.
Maybe you can convince Revell to release a SnapTite ™ version.
I guess I’m too impatient. While waiting for Revell to call… I took the bull by the horns and put “horns” on the… well, you know…
I left some features (holes, nut traps) that weren’t in the way still on the slide-rail body but did remove the counterbore holes from the end-plate so you’ll know I wasn’t “cheating”… 
On the print bed, printed at 0.3mm layer height… probably didn’t need support…
cleaned up a bit… endplates shown upside down to show mating features… can actually be snapped into place or slid apart from bottom
the knob and leadscrew with M3 hardware are just early parts used for test fit… no hardware on later versions…
and, finally, with and without M3 hardware… SnapZAM and NQCPZAM (not-quite-completely-printed Z-axis mechanism) side-by-side…
Surely, Revell will give me a call “shortly”…
– David
Cleaned up the design… modified internal structure a bit to accommodate central row of mounting holes…
Printed at 0.3mm layer height… then another leadscrew at 0.2mm for smoother operation (can’t have too many leadscrews!)…
the hook slit in the slide-rails body probably aren’t completely free so may need a little coercion (lightly tapping hooks against the endplate mating surface usually forces at least one of them loose…)…
bottom-side with mated surfaces and several mounting options…
“completely printed” vs “almost completely printed”…
CPZSnap? CPZAM? I’ll play with it to make sure it stays intact in use and then probably put it out on TV in a few days…
– David
I keep thinking that I should make one of these… And then you improve it…
Oy vey! I was just about to print the last rev when I got home! I wish all development progressed at these speeds. I’ve been thinking about getting into Star Citizen, and that’s been in Alpha for ten years!
Keep it up! I’m going re-fitting my laser rig this spring with your Z.
Now I just need to get my printer to print circles that aren’t all warbly.
nice. I was going to add a motorized Z to my laser, but seeing this, I might just opt for a manual one.
Good grief!
I decided to put the snap-together version out on TV just this morning. I’m still editing and moving things around but already have folks downloading and trying to make stuff from it… and talking about missing files and such. Please know I’m going as fast as I can and will officially announce it here when I think it looks okay.
Wow! Nice “make”, Tim! Thanks for all the interest!
– David
Okay, I think it looks about right now…
I don’t see this changing much anymore, now that it’s attained “completely printed” status… unless, of course, it tends to explode or somesuch. Enjoy!
– David
An observation… after messing about with a couple of laser engravers I have out to play with – Fokoos and Eleksmaker A3 – I’ve found that I actually prefer the “Improved” version (with M3 hardware) of these Z-axis units to the “Snap-together” version (no hardware). Primarily, because the improved unit can be easily and repeatedly taken apart where the snap-together one can’t [easily]. This is necessary when accessing the M4 mounting hardware under the leadscrew (and on the center-line row of mounting holes) during installation on some manchines; i.e. as on my Eleksmaker A3 machine, where it needed to be assembled-in-place during installation. While the snap-together unit was fun to design/develop, for “completeness” sake, it’s just not as flexible/adaptable to as many machines. Oh well… 
You don’t know if you don’t try.
Yeah, I broke a snap connector, and went back to printing that one.
Thanks for your great work! I’m just getting my geodave cantilevered design together and thought it could really use some Z-adjustment–then I spied your design which exactly fits the bill.
Nice work David,
Since I moved a long time ago I have not continued my work on my Timber Bot Laser engraver. It is still sitting in a pile behind me with a failed version of a manually adjusted Z axes. Your work here has inspired me to finish this project. Thank you.
I agree 100%. Thingiverse has been plagued with issues for several years and they don’t care to fix them. Let alone attempt to add any new features. PrusaPrinters.org has been making constant improvements and it is my main go to for everything now. Plus they have a feature that makes it so you can Import all your things from Thingiverse over to PrusaPrinters with a few easy clicks.
Thank you for the kind words, Aaryn. Your TimberBot machine looks interesting and it’ll be good to get going on it again… always loving the CoreXY stuff! I think we were working on similar CoreXY designs in late 2020… mine used novel 3d-printed linear rails which I eventually fell out of love with, dismantled it for the move back to East Texas, and have never picked it back up. Get your project going again and maybe it’ll help me get my CoreXY creative juices flowing again…
Happy times! and great memories.
Yeah I am still using my Timber Bot 3D printer. It has a smaller print bed 210mm x 160mm. So it uses less power and generates less heat. The laser version is mostly assembled. It just needs a better Z axes and yours looks PERFECT! So yeah, I will get this thing up and running soon.
I still have some ideas in mind for when I rebuild my lulzbot TAZ 5 as a TimberBot. I really want to make a tool changer that just works. But first I need to build a greenhouse so I can get some plants going. I live in Missouri now. It is high enough North that a greenhouse would give me a much longer growing season. So give me a couple weeks. 
