Funny, I just thought of this the other day too. I bought a box of springs a while ago to work with the sharpie mod Mark made and saw a couple of springs that will work great for doing this. Mine will be a much simpler design but should work the same.

 

cool dennis, glad its working well....i was going to use your sand idea, but when i built the roller, i had a real tight fit on the end cap and glued with the rod also. my roller came out nice and concentric and i would of had to rip it apart to do the mod. funny how sand turned into spring, lols. so my mod really came from you, thanks bud...the down side of my mod is that i have to buy and install clamp latches on the front of the top, but i figured oh well ain't no biggie. i think the foam will not shift, with both tables on the printer, but the idea would not leave my mind..... if my first shelf didnt shift on me, i probally wouldnt think twice about it...... i really like how well the fellas get along here in mark's forum.......everyone helping everyone, making the phlatprinters run so nice and smooth. to me we are not phlatboyz we are phlatbroz. randy.

 

rjarois,
That is unreal! great work man I really hope it works out for us I think this is a huge improvement. If this works out we may have to have this on the MKII !
genius - great job
Thanks bro
Mark

 

That's pretty slick, nice clean mod.

 

fellas, got the top lid back on...wanted to point something out......anyone going to build this mod, make sure when you do your measurements, allow for the top riser if you installed this mod. make sure you have clearance under the spring mod assembly. i will be off to the woodstore were they have a huge selection of cabinet latches. i will update when i get em installed randy.

a lil needed clearance....

 

well thanks 7-up....its the slickest thing on my phaltty. randy.

 

ok fellas, my spring loaded pressure roller is completed...ran up the the wood store, and picked up some cabinet latches.....installed them right inline with the male/female biskit....the screws look as to interfere with the male tab, but they dont. the screws are way lower than the tab's protrudes into the top. this thing locks-up like a vault, lols. someone wanted for me to build them a assembly, but i have no interest in doing so. i think the mod can be cut from thin ply on the phlatty, or just like i did, even thou i milled my slots at work they could be done with hand tools. the square is just to hold the spring, and the slots could be a series of holes for a dremel to finish. you would still be using mark's roller guides milled in the wood top. i really think the mod is worth doing, as i seen foam shift when cutting my back shelf, and think this is one of the phlatty's weaknesses. cutting the mod on the phaltty, would be the whip....slapped on a lil paint on the rear table wile i was messin with it. mod on fellas, peace, randy.
screw's look to interfere but dont....

inline with tab on both sides...

completed mod...

 

Awesome work Randy!
I might just make something up for ply to be used. Good idea.

 

lmao....as i looked at the top tab photo, i see were the pilot holes zipped thru the tabs, lols. ok the screws are closer than i figured, lols, randy.

 

thanks, 3-d....i think every phaltty shoud have this mod. it is very simple to make...quick and easy. still would like to see one cut on the machine outta thin ply, now that would be awesome to me...wood sleeve out of dowel. now that would be cool. all the spring pressure is being applyed directly to the top of the lid. heck, mark will probally cut one up outta depron, lols. randy.

 

Randy, that is outstanding!
I was just telling 3DMON how cool his adjustable fence clamps mod is and I come back here and you have your spring loaded pressure roller mod complete! I would really like to attempt to include this mod in the MKII as well if it is ok with you I think this will be a great addition as well. I am trying to make it the best it can be without it costing too much for people to build and these two mods would fill that ticket.
Great work to the both of you these are well thought out and great mods for helping to improve the Phlatprinter.
Thanks
Mark

 

mark, check your e-mail bro...

 

thanks, kwok... drill thru the top if you must.....but i would not, as ther is a big varity of springs you can get, with different tensions....they are real easy to pop in..but you may have a new good idea....so mod on phlatbroz.....randy.

 

Thank you Randy!

 

After seeing this mod I was thinking about using those chain type latches/locks, you know the kind that are on most home doors, just the part with the slot in it. If I can find some big enough they should work.

What do you guys think?

 

7-up, all the mod does is applys downforce on the top pressure roller, anything you can make to do will work fine. i was telling kwok, with this mod you can get a varity of springs to get just about any pressure ya want. all i did was just go by feel. i didnt want a ton of force, as to like crush the foam, lols. randy.

 

dave, 1:the aluminum i used is the junkey kind you find at just about any hardware store. i will have to measure it and post sizes....
2: the travel is the same as the stock top mark designed. ther is alot of room up top for the spring and sleeve to compact, and coil up into. i used the top of the printer to take up the spring pressure force.
3:donno, it dont have to be more than roller weight as the roller is hangin ther.i just went by feel, if you watch the video i posted you can get a idea. the top is upside down in video. did not fill roller with nothin. wile i was gathering up the stuff at the hardware, they had a big varity of springs that fit inside the square channel. randy.

 

I am realizing if I do this I can go back to putting on my 1/8" piece of plexiglass. I've been using the 3/32" plexi because the roller wasn't able to get a good bite before.

 

shawn, i use 1/8 plex, top on mine also, feeds fine. i got some ideas about that anti-shift fence you made...hmmmm, lols. randy.

 

Lets hear the ideas. I'm almost done mocking up your roller spring mod in SU now.

 

you gonna cut on your phallty?? im just waitin for someone to do that.....now that will be a kickin mod...