MakerBot Industries

X Buckteeth Leader parametric by timmytool

If you’re rockin’ a Thing-O-Matic, consider installing this clever upgrade from timmytool.  This little plastic part allows you to customize the belt height in your X axis to the height where your X belt naturally rides.  If the place where the belt is held in place on the X carriage is too high or low, it can create additional vibration and noise.

Plus, it kinda looks like a wacky robot face.

X Buckteeth Leader parametric by timmytool

I've found that the x idler pulley tends to ride up against the top y carriage wood. This creates noise and other problems. There are bearing and belt holders and all manner of x axis improvements but I've yet to see one to fix this. The idler rides up due to the belt being pulled up to mesh with the x carriage belt teeth. My solution is to customise the teethes position to match the belts natural path. This is based off of Joakim's x follower openSCAD file so it can match its customization for a perfect x axis sliding action, print his and mine as they replace 2 separate parts. All comments and suggestions welcomed, heck just comment BTW: makerbot.com/blog/2012/02/07/x-buckteeth-leader-by-timmytool/

This thing brought to you by

"The future is already here — it's just not very evenly distributed." - William Gibson

How long ago was it that you first saw a pack of blank CD’s at your local drug store or super market? ¹ For me this was ten years ago.  I purchased my first CD burner in 1998 – but it wasn’t until about 2002 that I first saw a blank CD at the corner drug store.  Until that time I could only find blank CD’s online or at electronic component stores.  But, at some time between 1995, when I first saw a CD burner and 2002, when the media were available off just about any store shelf, the future, to paraphrase William Gibson, started to become evenly distributed.

I wonder how long it will be before I can find plastic filament in the supermarket? ²

1. Photo courtesy of indi.ca [↩]
2. Aisle 12, sir, between the greeting cards and stationary. [↩]