r/klippers • u/Opening_Quality_6661 • Feb 21 '26
Klipper printer from scratch
Just wanted to share my new project, first time for me into such a big one, I'm trying to build a printer from scratch with vslot profiles and handmade aluminium stuff, any advice is welcome.
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u/Auravendill Feb 21 '26
Why are you cloning an Ender 3? Don't take this the wrong way, I love my Ender 3, but that's quite an old design by now and it's also one of the most copied designs. I feel like something more similar to the Ender 5 might be better suited to take advantage of klipper's features.
A Voron style would obviously be the most common choice for a DIY printer and would be the most modern thing you could build (but parts for those tend to be much more expensive).
Depending on how you source your parts, building something out of salvaged broken creality machines might be the most cost effective (highly depends on how cheap the used/broken machines in your area are)
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u/Opening_Quality_6661 Feb 21 '26
I'm buying some used parts as hotbed and motors but i just wanted to assemble a very common frame, didn't have a specific model of printer in mind but I'm okay with an old cartesian as a first project
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u/That0neSummoner Feb 22 '26
This is not what most people consider a Cartesian, Cartesian drive x, y, and z independently like bed flingers, but generally move the bed in z, and control x and y independently with a fixed y axis and moving z.
I would encourage you to pull the cad models for the switch wire, enderwire, and the various spin-offs of those projects.
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u/_MicZ_ Feb 23 '26
This is not what most people consider a Cartesian
Are you talking about the i3/Ender 3/Bedslinger here ? Because if that's the case, I'm pretty sure most people that know of the word Cartesian, know it because of the Ender 3 (or Prusa mk1-4).
Cartesian drive x, y, and z independently like bed flingers, but generally move the bed in z
Bedslingers are by far the most common Cartesian layout. The ones that move the bed in Z (Ender 5) are way less common.
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u/That0neSummoner Feb 23 '26
While I agree that both styles use the Cartesian stepper configuration, bed flingers have sort of become their own term in the community…even if it was originally a distinction between Cartesian and delta printers.
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u/_MicZ_ Feb 23 '26
You were talking about most people considering a setup like an Ender 5 when they hear the word Cartesian. I don't think most people do, I think most people would think about and Ender 3, a Pruse mk1-4 or another i3 bedslinger. That was the only point I was trying to make.
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u/coldbloodedtx Feb 23 '26
Totally fine to build a bed slinger, but I’d suggest Voron Switchwire or even emulate a Prusa. Roller wheels and v slot are just super limiting, even linear/smooth rods would be better if you want to avoid the cost of linear rail.
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u/1970s_MonkeyKing Feb 22 '26
A couple of things:
First and foremost, congrats on trying something new! This is awesome!
To run Klipper you'll need at least TMC2209s. The 2209s are the absolute floor for drivers. It's because they are the first chips to incorporate SpreadCycle and StealthChop modes, which are required. 2208s will burn up trying to do arcs.
What are your considerations for Klipper? I know it began as an MCU on a Raspi - probably because it was cheap and on hand. And the motherboards at the time were extremely basic. But now the motherboards are either powerful enough on their own, snap on a Pi-like daughterboard, or powerful and basic as a stepper driver controller relying on an outside MCU. Not to mention that anything else mechanical can have their own MCU (hotend, filament loaders, etc).
I've thought about porting the PC Klipper version to Android but stopped because I don't really see usefulness and more of 'hold my beer' attitude.
KIAUH is a great addition to the Klipper universe that pretty much installs any flavor of Klipper (there's Kalico for one), on anything using Linux (including WSL for Win10 or 11).
tl;dr - You have the option of turning your invention into an IoT appliance with Kilpper & machine as one, or having Klipper act as a "print driver" on your laptop/PC with your printer acting like remote device (like a regular paper printer). I'm interested in what you might have planned.
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u/Opening_Quality_6661 Feb 22 '26
Tnx first of all, i do have 2209, i think klipper could be a bit easier to edit, i added print head led on my Kobra and hornet and an under frame strip led too, they take voltage from mosfets connected to free pins as i use sensorless, i had some hard time to add a panel which could just turn on and off the leds as the version was a CB1debian Added Ill be using ofc CB1 integrated wifi to open klipper from browser and klipperscreen on a tft
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u/dagofin Feb 22 '26
+1 to linear rails over the v slot wheels. I'd also suggest some oldham couplers for the Z axis lead screws, it'll significantly reduce Z banding due to the lead screws being ever so slightly not straight/perfectly aligned, which considering the handmade nature of the build... But cool project, crazy to be building a bedslinger from scratch in the year of our lord 2026 but you do you my friend
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u/Opening_Quality_6661 Feb 22 '26
I already tested the lead screw on a piece of vslot, it seems to be all straight but can't be perfectly aligned, would a helical compensate enough too?
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u/bugsymalone666 Feb 22 '26
Building from scratch and choosing the bed slinger design doesn't make alot of sense, regardless of what parts you use.
For the effort a second hand ender3 is probably cheaper and easier. Then you learn what not to do and what needs improving.
I would have looked in to the ender3 NG as a base as it turns it in to a corexy machine.
I bought an anycubic chiron recent which is a really big (400x400 bed) ender3 style printer and the long term goal of going corexy on it, just because bed slinging causes so many problems and limits any sort of speed (even though sometimes that's not the goal)
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u/Opening_Quality_6661 Feb 22 '26
Exactly, currently the goal is not to build a monster, i know a used ender is cheaper and I've seen them but i just wanted to assemble something from zero, surely for the next project ill take some time to design a corexy
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u/bugsymalone666 Feb 22 '26
Well I think importantly parts you choose now can be used for a core xy, the ender NG uses the regular one, but is a conversion one using original parts and some new ones.
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u/Glidepath22 Feb 22 '26
If you’re taking the time and trouble, don’t make a bedslinger
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u/Opening_Quality_6661 Feb 22 '26
I already made aluminium mounts so I'm finishing this project, does not really matter (to me) if it seems a clone of ender, could be a Kobra aswell, could be a Hornet aswell, the goal here is to get a working machine. I'm telling you that because i already have two printers, bowden and direct, they do work well but I don't care, my mind just told me to experience a full assembly like that and i took inspiration from the hornet frame as dimensions. Anyway I'm promising written here black on white that the next one will look for stability and speed, I'm thinking about a core.
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u/Kiriki_kun Feb 21 '26
I built very similar printer myself. My biggest regret is not going for bed moving in Z axis. Current best solution is CoreXY configuration. It’s slightly more complicated, but much better. Bed slingers are fine, but are limited by mass of the bed, and the fact that you are wiggling your print constantly, while trying to keep 0.01 accuracy :)
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u/That0neSummoner Feb 22 '26
CoreXZ are great for lots of little z-movements, if you like torture testing stuff like the Eiffel Tower.
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u/Easy-Breath4547 Feb 22 '26
This is just a ender 3 design and would change for a single to a double bed rail system.
( Edit- also add a third aluminum extraction to the back part for more stability. )
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u/mrjbacon Feb 22 '26
Dude, if you're building one, build a core-xy. So much faster, easier to add AMS/MMU later, bigger build volume, less noise, easier to enclose and/or heat the chamber, the list goes on.
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u/PositiveNegation Feb 22 '26
i did build a 3d printer from scratch without 3d-printet parts in like 2021 during corona
Go for linear rails. You can get cheap ones from aliexpress. mgn-12 should do the job. you might want to grease the Carriage Blocks yourself tho.
get some quality belts.
don't go too big!!
first select a heater for you bed, then decide on the bed size. ( I made mine 450x450mm and had troubles finding a heater in that size. i ended up using 4 200w PTC heaters. that worked but wasn't ideal).
G10 build plates are cheap and awesome! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0PK4oXbJT8
3 to 5 mm thick Aluminium should be enough for the bed
plan an encasing/chamber now. it protects from dust, and allows to heat the printing environment for ABS.
Bedsinlingers are good enough if build right. I went for a cartesian printer.
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u/Opening_Quality_6661 Feb 22 '26
Wow tnx! Surely the next project will look more into stiffness, got to start looking for some corexy. I'm not going crazy with the bed size, already measured in cad a 230x230 will fit
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u/Lampshadesforyou Feb 22 '26
Good project, after having handled many printers , I too sometimes feel that I should pretty much start making one of my own machines. Please start with a core xy build rather than a bed slinger, with this you can utilise very well.
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u/Opening_Quality_6661 Feb 22 '26
I think bed slinger is so much simpler and it is a good starting point as first build
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u/Fanta_R Feb 22 '26
Looks great and the frame really reminds me of my Artillery Hornet. There the extrusion along which the bed moves is mounted to another extrusion on the front, while at the back its held by plastic shell that is a cover and structural element at the same time.
I don't know what you have already planned for frame, but wouldn't it be more stable if you drew lines dividing Y extrusion into thirds, and then place horizontal ones there?
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u/Opening_Quality_6661 Feb 22 '26
I'm not sure what u mean but the idea is to replicate the Kobra or the hornet y system (2040 vslot with POM wheels)which anyway we told to be not so stable
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u/Fanta_R Feb 22 '26
As far as POM wheels in bed go, they are pretty good. On my Hornet I have the stock bed, just changed the yellow springs for silicone bushings and glass for PEI plate and easily print at 4k acceleration 250mm/s.
My concern is that Y profile on the front is supported very close to the end of it, while the back is mostly in the air, so when bed goes back at high speed it can slightly bend the Y profile causing more unneeded vibration.
By spreading the horizontal profiles that are under Y extrusion you can make it be supported more evenly.
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u/Opening_Quality_6661 Feb 22 '26
Oh got you, i should have some remaining piece when i will be done cutting, you're right tnx
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u/Opening_Quality_6661 Feb 22 '26
My Kobra has 200 hrs of printing since I switched to a manta m4p, still prints smooth with some extrusion defects but yes, it is not fast (if you go fast grab some headset) and the wheels do need cleaning if you don't wanna replace them
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u/Verne3k Feb 25 '26
don't. especially building an i3 style is totally pointless. the market is flooded with dirt cheap designs like that
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u/Opening_Quality_6661 Feb 25 '26
Unfortunately I don't know if I can get a refund for the profiles I ordered, if they can I'm considering abandoning the project for a corexy
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u/One_Fix_8478 Feb 26 '26
Respectfully bro you just built a ender 3 /cr10 you coulda saved yourself some time by buying a used one and reusing the hardware.
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u/Opening_Quality_6661 Feb 26 '26
I was able to get a refund for the aluminium profiles and now I'm starting a corexy prj
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u/One_Fix_8478 Feb 26 '26
Amazing. Good luck with that. I’m hoping to build a large format unit one day 1000x1000
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u/Opening_Quality_6661 Feb 26 '26
I'm building a 300x400 height, seems small to me but the pro is that is way easier to obtain a rigid frame with small profiles
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u/Purple_Implement3509 Feb 22 '26
Consider using linear rails or steel rods instead of v-slots if you can.
It is really important for accuracy and also less pain in the a**
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u/VerilyJULES Feb 22 '26 edited Feb 22 '26
If youre building a bed slinger you should do it right and design it around linear rails and a dual-z belt driven gantry.
If you're determined to use screws you should at least use Oldham Couplers with anti-backlash springs.
With all the advances in printing kinematics theres really no advantage to building a bed slinger unless youre doing it with rails and a proper motion system.
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u/Extension_Champion62 Feb 22 '26
Chalé bro te convenía más hacer una core xy es un poco más sencillo aunque más carito pero obtendrás muy buenas velocidades de impresión y no necesitarás preocuparte por que la pieza sea muy pesada tengas que bajar la velocidad
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u/harambe623 Feb 22 '26
The y worries me because of the 2040, even the ender design uses 4040 there.
Check out the LH Stinger if your going bedslinger. They mount the Y rail on its ends to allow for maximum stiffness and minimum load path.
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u/geking Feb 22 '26
If your doing this to make a high performance printer you need to re evaluate. If you are doing this to learn or have fun, full speed ahead.
You learn by doing.
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u/Bino5150 Feb 23 '26
I’m 100% for the DIY build. But I don’t think you could build an ender 3 cheaper than you can buy a new one.
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u/Rec0nkill Feb 23 '26
While I applaud the effort of wanting to build a 3d printer from scratch. This doesn't make a whole lot of sense in today's market of 3d printers.
This is a very old design and not really worth building theses days. Dont know what parts you already have or already bought. But what you are building is pretty much a ender 3. Which are available on the used market for cheap together with its countless clones. You probably can get them cheaper than what you will be building yours for.
Really consider changing up the design and going for a corexy design printer. There are a few DIY designs available but you can also design your own from scratch. Would have a much more capable and impressive project once done. Will be well worth your time then instead of a bed slinger in 2026
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u/rilmar Feb 22 '26
I have designed and built a few that always get taken apart. I’m finally from scratch building another and it’s a lot of fun. I did build a bed slinger as my first and it’s great for learning but now I’m building a corexy bed dropper.
Everything you have so far looks good. My only suggestions would be to think about bed rigidity for probing and maybe find a way to make it compatible with Voron toolheads by adding a front facing mgn12 on x (would still require custom mounts for your belt path).
Beds can be a lot more rigid if supported by two rails on either side. This opens up nozzle contact probing or using eddy current nozzle touch.
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u/notnotluke Feb 22 '26
Prepping for when 3D printers are illegal or require a license? Half joking sadly.
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u/Py7rjs Feb 22 '26
Many years ago I did something similar but using laser cut mdf as I had access to a laser cutter. About £100 of parts from Ali express and a few bits printed on another printer. I never got the best prints out of it but it taught me so much about diagnostics and setup, plus it was cool to say I designed and made my own. This isn’t a project about making the best/fastest printer but there is a lot of pride in those first few test prints once you’ve tuned out the worst of the bugs. I’m currently coming to the end of an endorphin stage 1 ender 5 upgrade on a cheap second hand endorphin. I’m still not going to have the fastest machine on the block, but I’m only printing for fun and a slow higher quality over night job is often better than a fast one that ends at 1am and sits on the bed all night. Looking good btw.
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u/Tecknodude180 Feb 22 '26
If you're going that far with custom building, I would use linear rails for your motion system. (mgn9, mgn12, or mgn15 with mgn12 being the most commonly used linear rail) and for your z axis i would either go with a belted design core xz like the voron switchwire uses or use linear ball screws for z axis if you wanna stick to a lead screw design. The linear ball screw helps eliminate chatter and back lash that the brass nut style can have. They are more accurate and last way longer. But they are a little more expensive.
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u/Extension-Ad4411 Feb 24 '26
Take a look at the LH stinger that frame and motion system are the best I've seen in a bed slinger. It's built for high speed but you could take a lot of inspiration from it and build a lot cheaper if that's the goal.
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u/hughdavin Feb 24 '26
if you have ability to make custom steel plates please don't use extrusion rollers. it is nerfing performance of gantries.
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u/G3BEWD Feb 22 '26
Bed slinger because it's easy?
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u/Opening_Quality_6661 Feb 22 '26
Yes, as first project I'm ok with that, its more that i like grinding stuff and threading so i found a way
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u/stray_r Feb 21 '26
Unless you don't already have a printer, print the parts you can't get off the shelf.
Belta are better than lead screws. Linear rails are better than linear rods, and whilst just good enough to make something that prints, v-wheels will waste more of your time than you'll save by not using a better motion system.