I purchased all the LR3 stuff from the store as I don’t have good access to a 3d printer. I was going to do final assembly on my machine today and realized that I’m short one of the support triangles from the gantry. The strut plate (1406mm) has 9 locations along it for connecting to the triangle, but then I realized I only have 8 triangles. So I looked at the shop and (if it’s there) I didn’t see a way to purchase just 1 of the triangles. I actually could use purchasing a couple more of the Y-rail tie downs also. Is it possible to request just those items from the store? Thanks! Joe
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If you can spare 6mm, I think a 1400mm gantry will use one fewer of those brackets (and still give you a 1220 wide cut area). I think the kit is based around a typical build of a 1220x2440 or smaller work area.
Depending on your location, there might be someone close by on the forum that would be willing to print a few extra parts if Ryan doesn’t split up kits.
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It sounds like you’ve made the gantry just long enough that it tips over from 8 braces to 9. I believe the calculator is a little bit ‘naive’ in that it just uses a maximum of 200mm per brace without any tolerance, so 1400mm would be 8 braces, 1401mm would be 9 braces.
No drama if you can easily source another, which I suspect would be easy enough from the store, but might need to wait a week as Ryan is out at MRRF. If you post your rough location, there may be locals happy to help out. I can easily run one off for you if you’re in New Zealand, for instance…
Alternatives could be to shrink the gantry as Matt suggests, or to modify the strut plate to use 8 braces, which would mean they’re 201mm apart instead of 200mm, which I doubt makes any difference. I believe it’s the strut plates themselves that are providing the torsional structure, not the braces, so I’m not sure if 9 braces would be any better.
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Hello @betwisted, welcome to the forum!
Agree with Matt and Jono, you could build slightly smaller, or buy another brace (maybe, not sure now after reading Jeff’s comment). Another option… Can generate a 1406mm Strut with 8 braces by slightly modifying Jamie’s OpenScad script that’s normally used to generate the .SVG files.
I just ran the script and exported a .SVG. Pasted the .SVG as image below so you can save locally and use in EstlCam or whatever CAM software you’re planning to use…
Incase you and/or anyone else needs to make additional tweaks… Shared a video showing how to use OpenScad to create custom length Struts…
Also, I shared a custom front grill Strut with markers if interested for your build.
Hope that helps!
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Ryan does sometimes print a part or two to sell separately. But it is a manual process.
He is at MRRF this weekend. So I wouldn’t expect him to agree to that until next week. And he can decide not to. I don’t speak for his business.
Doesn’t have to be someone on this forum. Printers are ubiquitous. Get on a local facebook group and ask if anyone can print it for you. The parts dont take any special talent to print, just make sure to get the infill and wall parameters from the docs.
Some cities and towns even have printers at their libraries.
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Thanks all for the input and advice. This project has been a couple months of weekend work anyway so I’m in no rush. I’ll wait to see what Ryan wants to do.
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Already considered using a 1406mm Strut with 8 braces? Here’s the .SVG…
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Hi Joe, if you are UK based I have a spare triangle and a Y-rail tie downs that I would be happy to drop in the post to you.