Build Your Own SLA/SLS

Guys,

I have been reading a lot about build platforms. It seems an easy solution to getting your first layer to a mechanically flat layer would be to incorporate some sort of ball join system.

If you go here and go to step 19 you can see what I am talking about.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Atum3D- ... /?ALLSTEPS

Its pretty clever. Anyone know where to get a ball join system that I can mount to my buildpate?

Anyone doing this yet?

Leveling my build plate to my vat bottom was a headache for me, and it's the main reason that I didn't have a detachable build plate. I thought about a ball joint, but never implemented one.

I think this would eliminate alot of the headache. And, if you have a few of them in the field odds are the people using them will knock it out of alighnment, or get material under the vatt making it act like an unintended shim.

With an opto endstop, we need to eliminate as much error as possible.

Most of the ball joints I have found are for offroad applications and weigh upwards of 5 pounds. I cant hang something like that a few inches off my z axis plate with a lead screw. It will work but never last.

Will update if I find anything.

A small ball head with quick release like a would work.

/// Marcus

The cheapest option would probably be the ballhead from one of those cheap vices, but those things are horrible.

A cheap tripod ballhead mount like the Benro should be the easiest solution. I have a 400€ magnesium ballhead on mine, but I probably wouldn't sacrifice it for my printer

Cheapest solution with similar effect: Two plates on top of each other with some space in between and a spring tensioned bolt on each of the 4 corners.


One problem with affordable tripod ballheads might be that they tend to move a bit when you tighten them. (Even the not so affordable ones actually)

personally i like the one finhead introduced in this forum.. really easy to make and probably much cheaper then a tripod head

cheers,
hp