Retrofitting "proprietary" toolheads onto DIY printers.

[gaunt marten]

I wanted to brainstorm retrofitting complete modern "proprietary" toolhead assemblies onto basic DIY printers.

I've built up a pretty sweet Ender 5 Plus on a tight budget, updated w/ 32bit electronics running Klipper, magnetic PEI bed, independant Z drivers for tilt leveling, etc. It all works quite well, but I'm not impressed with the performance of the Microswiss direct extruder that came with it. So I'm looking to swap it out.

I had the idea of using a complete toolhead assembly from a modern high speed printer, Perhaps Bambu, Creality K1/K2, Elegoo Neptune, etc. I've noticed that these toolheads can be had for dirt cheap, sometimes as low as $35 shipped. They're lightweight, and (I think) well designed. Obviously I'd need to design a mounting solution, and solder up cabling. But that's not a big deal for me.

Is this a silly idea? Or should I just build a Voron stealthburner, Titan + Rapido, etc.

Wants:
Inexpensive
Direct extruder
High flow
Lightweight

[scarlet kestrel]

AI Help

It's great to hear about your project on the Ender 5 Plus! Retrofitting a toolhead assembly from a modern high-speed printer onto it can be a feasible idea if done carefully. While it may require some custom mounting and cabling work, your experience with DIY projects and electronics should come in handy.

Before proceeding, I recommend researching the compatibility of the toolhead assembly you plan to use with your printer's firmware and electronic setup. Ensure that the stepper motor, heater cartridge, and thermistor specifications match or can be adapted with minimal modifications. Also, consider the available space and clearance on your printer for the new toolhead assembly.

Regarding your listed options for high-flow, lightweight direct extruders, the Voron Stealthburner, Titan + Rapido, Bambu, Creality K1/K2, and Elegoo Neptune are all worth exploring. Cost-effectiveness and performance metrics, such as print speed and filament compatibility, should guide your decision.

If y...

WARNING: This response is AI generated and may contain errors.

[sly wadi]

I mean at the end if the day you "just" need to attach the heater, thermistor, fans and probe to the mainboard. Problem will be that most replacement toolheads have a custom pcb in the toolhead and I would connecting that to a "standard" board

[gaunt marten]

Yea, the canbus PCB can be removed/bypassed. But it would be neat to reverse engineer and utilize the integrated accelerometer for resonance tuning.

I'm trying to figure out if it's worth it in the end, and which I should choose if I do go that route?

[sly wadi]

I guess that will be a lot of work for every induvidual toolhead

[gaunt marten]

The price is screaming at me: https://www.ebay.com/itm/386646802248

Another nice thing about the Elegoo toolhead, is the lack of canbus. It just uses an adapter PCB w/ IDC connector

[scarlet kestrel]

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[gaunt marten]

Bump

[pulsar narwhal]

@gaunt martenI changed mine on my ender 5 plus. The challenge is just to make a new backing plate..

[gaunt marten]

What did you mount up?

[pulsar narwhal]

I still use the same kind of head, but I have a lgx lite extruder, and I also modded to linear rail

bumped up the heater, copper block, and those filament splitter nozzle

I'm mainly limited by the ability of the filament to stick and do a proper strong bond

[gaunt marten]

Honestly just going to a 60-70w cartridge in my existing micro swiss may be sufficient.

[pulsar narwhal]

switch the alu block for a copper one, plus the 60W heater, you'll see a major difference in melt speed

copper hold more heat and conduct heat faster, you have a more stable temperature plus a faster conduction rate to the nozzle. Add Boron Nitride paste on the nozzle thread for a little extra kick