Building a Budget-Friendly 3D Printer Enclosure from Scratch
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- čas přidán 15. 06. 2024
- 3D Printer enclosures are too expensive, so I built one from scratch!
My Prusa MINI+ was struggling with ABS print warping on the print bed, even at 100C. The issue? I didn't have an enclosure to keep warmer air around layers towards the top of prints. Looking online I found that off-the-shelf solutions were too expensive for my budget, so I built this one from pine and 2mm acrylic sheets.
🌐 Links
PDF of the design:
www.dropbox.com/s/3z13xyn5inz...
STL files for the frame brackets, and magnetic clasps
www.dropbox.com/sh/dozu6s9ebg...
😎 Social Stuff
Twitter: / akamatchstic
Patreon: / akamatchstic
🎞️ Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:46 - Frame assembly
04:56 - Acrylic panels
06:22 - Door clasps
08:19 - Showcase
10:00 - Future improvements
ℹ️ Attributions
Fabweaver - Warping diagram
blog.fabweaver.com/industrial...
🎵 Music
TABAL - Inside Space
• TABAL - Inside Space
nihilore - Garden
www.nihilore.com/prog-rock
Punch Deck - Persistence
• Punch Deck - Persistence
Grease - You're The One That I Want
• Grease - You're The On...
Alex-Productions - Startup
• Minimal Technology Cor...
Corbyn Kites - Instant Crush
• corbyn kites - instant...
Home - We're Finally Landing
• HOME - We’re Finally L...
Keywords: Prusa Mini, 3D Printer, ABS warping, DIY - Věda a technologie
Forget about the enclosure, I was very impressed by what this guy fabricated in a freakin' carpeted room, some things people normally fabricate in a proper workshop where they can drill and sand without worrying about the dirt being made, with work banks, drill stands, band saws, etc... this guy made this enclosure in what is considered to most of us a bedroom! drilled and sanded parts on the carpeted floor (that was hard to watch..), and cut parts on a plastic container. respect that it came out so good. a proof that you can do things even with little resources
As somone who works in a carpeted room and keep it freak clean. I will attest this is a man who cleans 😂🤣
Is it wrong that I laughed at using the dremel to round off a wooden spacer for the too-long bolts instead of... using it to cut the bolts shorter?
…. Dammit. That would have worked much easier 😂
@@akamatchstic No, even though I chuckled too at first, I was blown away by how much better it looked than just bare metal. It actually complements the wooden design and adds to the overall symmetry, so instead of looking DIY your enclosure looks like a premium product.
There's a way to solve the heating issue with something other than the heater. Get some tungsten incandescent bulbs, aka "hot lights". The additional benefit would be perfect lighting inside the enclosure so your time lapses won't look so grainy.
You should absolutely get some silicone caulk and seal every joint. That's not debatable. If you go with wood again consider using your dremel to make dado grooves in the boards and slide the panels in there instead of drilling them to the boards. Way stronger joint and much better seal this way. Looking forward to your next go at it!
@@madderall_dot_com I love the caulking idea - think I have some in already!
You learn by the mistakes you make(not saying it was a mistake but just saying it could've been done a different more efficient way...in that sense). So he got it done his way, you suggest something he didn't think about...and next time he may implement it in his next build.
I think it looks better with the wooden bits actually.
This is a really nice enclosure. I have a few suggestions based on what I learnt from operating a Voron 2.4 which is already enclosed. Firstly, you might want to move the electronics like the power supply and rpi outside of the enclosure. They'll do better without the heat. Second, you might want to consider insulating it more. Ideally you want to print ABS with an ambient air temperature of 60C or above. Lastly, you'll want to use a carbon filter as well as a HEPA filter. The HEPA filter removes particulates but it won't remove the nasty volatile organic compounds. You'll need a activated carbon filter for that. The nevermore filter is quite a good design you can build yourself with a couple of 5015 fans
Interesting thank you. Any tips for a good carbon/hepa filter system?
Thanks for the tips!
I'm planning to switch the Pi to sit on the outside of the enclosure, with a small slit to allow the camera cable to passthrough - only issue is that the power cable is slightly too short for this right now. Fairly sure the PSU for the Prusa MINI is an external one, which is tucked neatly under my cabinets.
Just had a look at the Nevermore, and yep thats perfect! Will be printing one and sourcing activated carbon filters for it.
@@akamatchstic another tip: test the carbon first in a Tupperware container with a fan and some steel nuts and bolts. There was a case in the Voron community where after installing the nevermore filter, all the steel parts inside that printer started to oxidize. It turned out that some carbon pellets are being treated in a way that can cause this. Hence, test it first :)
Prusa's printed parts are made of PETG, so 60+°C is probably too much. I believe Prusa recommends enclosures up to 45°C for their products
Hi I have a question, apart from the screen and power supply, do I need to move the motherboard outside the enclosure as well or is it ok if I leave it in?
Id recommend keeping the battery out of the hot area because it will break faster because its working harder in the heat but this is amazing keep up the work.
I used to have the same issues with my base lifting, I use Beld Weld now and print with a brim. No more issues. As far as your splits in the middle of the prints, I corrected that with a circular fan shroud that creates a vortex around the extruder. I print at 210 degrees to make sure I get a good bond and having the modified fan shroud cools the bond pretty quickly to ensure it stays bonded.
I just got into 3d printing literally yesterday, & when ever I start something (even though I study up ahead of time) I dive right into it. I chose abs because thats what I read was the best for interior parts for vehicles. The first parts I printed were 2 shifter Knobs (army green ABS), I noticed right away that I was having a few layers delaminate but overall it came out well enough for a Usable prototype. After that however any part I tried to print (black ABS and Neon Green) were coming apart so as I read more I learned about the need for an enclosure so here I am. Your build is exactly what I was thinking would fit my needs. Thank you for the Video and awesome work.
3d printed for about 5 years. got out of the hobby and want to get back into it and i LOVE this simple and clean design. going to steal it and supersize it for a comgrow t300. thanks for the video! great stuff!
Great looking enclosure.
Like many have said you need higher temps and consider moving the electronics out to avoid issues. For higher temps you can probably let the enclose heat soak for a bit by letting the bed at 100-110ºC for 30mins (or grab reptile heating mat or bulb should help without breaking the bank) . I've been using nothing but a survival/emergency blanket around my delta printer and its enough to print PC, until i finish building a big cabinet to fit a couple printers.
Also you might have some heat escaping from the doors since they're on the middle but shouldn't be much , just a point to consider.
Regardless its an elegant enclosure , good job
This enclosure looks great. I need to make one for my resin printer and to fit my small heater in. The current work bench it needs to be on is too small for the large Amazon comgrow cover I bought for it a while back.
When my bambu x1 C gets here next week maybe I can print out the brackets then.
Thanks for the video!
Anyone else feel the need to watch Summoning Salt at around 8:30? 😂
Nice and beautiful enclosure!
Awesome video! Great enclosure
Great video Matt
definitely earned a sub! Thank you for this video!
Great build bud!
Great Videos, keep up the great work!
your amazing much love
Wew! A new weekend project is waiting for me!
Going to modify your design heavily (dimension-wise) to accomodate to Neptune 4 Pro, mainly to reduce noise, with abs printing as a valuable bonus!
Looks really good. I'm planning one myself for my Vyper sitting in the basement but i struggle figuring out measurements
Tip. Pre heat the bed like 15-20 min before printing to heat up the enclosure.
This dude should do shampoo commercials lol :) (awesome tutorial btw)
Great video! Keep it up!
you could potentially find a way to heat the enclosure, it should help with the warping.
I found a glue stick really helped with adhesion when all else was failing.
Will you be 3D printing molds for the boat? maybe for fiber glassing? This is super interesting! Looking forward to the boat project!
Possibly... Given that I've been trying to print this first prototype since October/November, and still haven't got all the parts done, I'm leaning towards a design that will use laser-cut ribs and wood strips that the fibreglass layup then goes over. Taking a lot of inspiration from rctestflight for this!
You need adequate ventilation so that you maintain an even temperature inside the case. Over/under heating of the ambient air can lead to different problems with the filament used, so that should be in its own container. 3D printing relies not only air flow around the nozzle fan to cool the part properly during printing, but on the cold side to prevent heat creep, which can adversely effect the filament..
ABS in particular may need a heater and temperature regulator.
As far as the case goes it looks good, but could be improved by lining 5 sides (all but the front) with tin foil to reflect the heat.
As everyone else is saying, increase the enclosure temperature :).
I'd aim to have it hang around 40 and see your results, increasing to 45. It's not great, but I'd leave the electronics inside up to 45c. Maybe even 50c if cheap stuff. I figure they'll also generate heat, so why not use it :).
Maybe an easy quick win would be a non-flammable bedsheet over it. There's also widely available fireproof insulation available, typically used in boat engine bays.
It'll mean spending, but maybe consider something that can maintain a consistent temperature (otherwise night/day/seasons will screw you). I use a home automation temperature sensor to turn on/off a plug socket with a vivarium heat mat plugged into it.
Also, look into chewing up that air whilst it's inside the chamber. You'll need acid free activated carbon. Stuff with acid in will corrode your electrics over time. Nevermore is an option (I get my carbon from them too). I went with the BentoBox for my in-chamber filter. You could easy get 2 BentoBoxes in yours.
Finally, I wouldn't wanna be in the room after you've opened the doors. Unless you want cancer in a few years. Don't huff those ABS fumes ever dude!
Not sure if I am too late on this or not, but I love the design. My comment and concern is the plans you provided. I am a little confused at what size stripwood you used where. Sorry for the newbe question, but do you think you could somehow indicate which lengths you used for where. The side and front diagram just seem to be missing information. To me anyway. sorry if I am ignorant but I am new to 3d and wood building but really like your design.. Aloha and Mahalo
Maybe use an active heater in the enclosure to get the ambient temperature up or use a draft shield to try to contain the heat a bit more.
I have been toying with the idea of a tiny heater!
Probably will upgrade the sides to be at least 4mm thick though, since the thermal quality of the 2mm I used probably isn’t amazing. I’m also thinking of insulating the back better at the same time, as well as moving some electronics out the enclosure too.
What was before and after decibel rating in room(same spot).
Did you retrofit in an exhaust system?
Great Video
Low-Poly Pokemon sounds like an interesting band name. +Subscribed :)
Thank you
Really nice and well made but for the ABS you need a heater. With it no warping
Very neat. I just made one very similar, using pine and clear plastic roofing material which wasn't a king's ransom like cut 2mm perspex. in fact the whole thing was made of scrap except the roof plastic. The most challenging part of the build (this is the second one i have built) is the door. Yours are very nice, I went totally ghetto sticking the roofing clear plastic on with velcro and magnets (in fact I cut up a surplus magnetic sheet you get every time you buy a flexible mat). One question, you haven't put a fan? Obviously not good for active printing, maybe for fumes of ABS?
If it works, can’t fault it!!
I’ve since added in a Nevermore filter to the case, which seems to have been working fairly well. 👍🏻
For those looking into a 3d printed enclosure. An Ender 3 enclosure is like $40 on Amazon.
I am really new in this, but I was under the impression that you should not print with ABS in places where you also live without enclosure because of the toxic fumes.
Yes, fumes should be vented outside
Hello, thanks for sharing ! Did you notice any sound dampening or amplification please ?
I did notice some sound dampening! Some vibrations are more noticeable thanks to the chipboard base, which I need to do some adjustment to.
Could you share the dimensions of the box? I was thinking to build something similar. Thanks!
Supplies needed: wood, screws, more screws, a broken drone
I would use PetG, easier to print. Like others said, powersupply must be outside the enclosure.
A lazy solution to warping problem is to use carbon fiber ABS, you’ll need a hardened steel nozzle but it will no longer warp
Good shout, I’ll have a look into it!
I want to make something similar for my Ender 5-Plus. Any chance you’d like to help out figuring out how to do this best, size wise and everything? You got a Discord handle…?
It is warping because the enclosure is too big and the printer bed cant heat up enough to enable the printing of ABS, I would section it off to just fit the printer and place the filament in the smaller section along with the power supply and control board, I have built the Lack enclosures which work just fine, and with my PS's and control boards outside the enclosures.
I do have a heated bed which should be making a difference here? Either way, I plan to upgrade the sides to be thicker polycarbonate to improve thermals and reduce risk of burning. A tiny heater may also be added, and there’ll be a Nevermore Micro V5 by the end of the month 😊
how good it the Levoit to remove the fumes??? is it good?? thanks for the video
It seemed to work well enough - reduced fume smell but not fully. I’ve switched over to using a Nevermore filter now with activated carbon inside the case 👍🏻
@@akamatchstic thanks
Can someone point to a well done video on moving the power supply and display to the outside of the enclosure
I was enjoying this video pretty well, then you busted into a Grease parody song and I realized I needed to subscribe.
you need a filament heater.
How much did it cost? I would guess around 60-70€, which is the same price as some of the enclosers you can find online
I would guess the same too, definitely below £100 for certain!
this is a makers channel so we make your own stuff and make content out of it.
@@user-vl8jv1tl5e thx for the Opinion nobody asked about :)
@@h2k903 your own question was dumb, cause you dont think much ~ before you write.
@@user-vl8jv1tl5e oh, ok, now you dont have Arguments and Start assulting? You are just sad, i pity you
brother the enclosure being made for warping is the least of your concerns printing with ABS has a super high TVOC and is highly carcinogenic. You need to vent that enclosure out a window and do some research into the ufps that are put off by printing with ABS. Having that running in a small space for even 25 minutes could be extremely detrimental to your health in the long-term.
Before building this enclosure I had been using an air filter (shown in the video I think?) that uses an activated carbon disk for filtration. I now have a Nevermore carbon filter set up inside the enclosure
@@akamatchstic how did it go, and how do they compare, the Levoit vs the nevermore
The magnets should have been up top
2:50
The inner dad in me was screaming at this part. 😅 Do yourself a favor and get a folding work horse. The carpet will thank you in the long term or your bank account will when your landlord tears up the carpet and finds all the drill holes.
I’m not surprised! My only saving grace here was to set the drill bit length to not go through 100% of the way 😅 agreed, I should probably get a work horse…!
Please checkout nevermore filter, great add to your enclosure!
I’ve been looking into the Nevermore Micro today, and how to power it neatly from the Prusa MINI’s PSU 😅
@@akamatchstic Great edit by the way, congrats!
Acrylic is expensive. 😅
Yep!!! It’s partly why I went for the thinner stuff on this build 😅
Looks nice, but I have some concerns with this. Don't get me wrong, this is not to be negative. My intentions are good. The frame is made out of cheap lumbar, which easily burns. Then you didn't use poly-carbonate, but used acrylic, which easily burns. The corner braces are PLA or something, which easily burns. The doors are supported by easily burning wood. Now that's a problem. But you made it even worse. You put all the electrical stuff, like the main board, the power supply and the pi, inside the easily burning enclosure, heating them up, possibly beyond what they are rated for (temps there are much higher than the air inside the case). This makes this enclosure a fire hazard.
For the next build, it would be slightly more expensive to use 2020 extrusions and take poly-carbonate (or other fire resistant materials) sheets instead. Use steel hinges, move the electrics out and done. For filters, there are tons of options, from 40MM NATO filters to special 3M face mask filters. Both you can have run inside the enclosure, filtering the air in there instead of just the air coming out. When using octoprint, you can, with a safe enclosure, use a tiny electric heater to heat the enclosure up. Hope this helps.
"Don't get me wrong, this is not to be negative" -> Any feedback is always welcome!
At the minute, I only am running the printer when I'm in the house and able to monitor the print closely. e.g., OctoPrint webcam, or being in the same room during the workday. However, that's not a proper replacement for decent enclosure materials...
I am already looking at upgrading the side panels to be at least 4mm thick to help thermals - I'll switch to polycarbonate for that, thanks for the heads up on that!
Electronics, yeah the Pi should probably be external. Looking at the specs for the Prusa Mini, its main board should be able to handle 45C without an issue I believe, and the PSU is external already. I'm tempted to leave the printer side of things as-is, and just move the Pi.
Other commenters have mentioned the Nevermore which looks like a great option for filtration. Ideally I'll have that sorted by the end of month - the printer won't see much use until then.
@aka: Matchstic for ABS it's best to use a heater in the enclosure to go to 60c. Your mainboard, that 45, is that internal chip or external temp? Internal 45c can mean a chip temperature of 100c.
If you want to user a heater, i know octoprint has support for shelly smart plugs. That brand is cheap but high quality. You can even reflash it with other firmware, turn off cloud junk with a single switch etc.
I don't know that filter brand but I'll look into it as well, could be interesting for me too. I'm planning on building an enclosure for three printers on top of each other.
Another Ender video??? Jeezzzz man. Tired of Enders ):
This is a Prusa MINI+?
Well 1. Not an ender, 2. What would you rather see? If you don't have an ender, the ender users need more support than you anyways
simple fix first don't use abs it sucks! use asa filament or pla and pla doesn't even need a heated bed or enclosure
looks like fire hazard
can you repete that i got lost in your awesome hair
Just use ASA instead, mate.
I was under the impression ASA also needed an enclosure to help with warping, and to reduce fumes?
@@akamatchstic ASA needs an enclosure for exact same reasons ABS does. However, ASA is sometimes called a better ABS. It presents less issues when printing and it doesn't release fumes and smells while printing either. But yes, just like for the ABS, you need an enclosure. The one you have, should be good enough.
Feedback on the video - "At this point I'm tired and I'm hungry... and I've run out of screws"... so close to turning of this video at this point - I didn't watch it to find out you were tired and hungry and running out of screws. ;-)
EDIT: I just unpaused.... FFS. No. Sorry. But no.
EDIT 2: "... clearly the enclosure's working." - where was your control test to come to this conclusion?
I’m a big fan of adding personality into my videos ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Testing was more informal - a measurement of ambient room temperature vs what’s reported on the internal display. That, and a visual comparison between similar prints