Ender - Voron conversions

[scharkalvin]

I've been seeing a lot of "Unrepaired Ender 3's and 5's for sale on ebay. I also own an Ender 3 that I'm about to try with Klipper. I've already changed out the hot end and the bed build surface. What has been going through my mind is the following: A. I'd like to add a second Z drive motor/screw so I could better support a direct drive extruder. but then... B: I should get rid of the plastic wheels and v slot linear bearings and replace them with propper rails and ball bearing movements. Then... C: wouldn't a conversion to Core XZ make more sense than a second Z drive screw? At this point, D: might as well do a complete Switchwire mod. Of course, this could all be done piecemeal, one bit at a time.

I have no need (or desire) to print in ABS, other than to print parts for a printer that could print in ABS (IOW, a fully enclosed printer), so would PETG be OK to print the conversion parts in, with the assumption that the printer won't ever be enclosed in a heated chamber? (All of the parts for a previous RepStrap were printed in PLA and PETG, and that printer never had a printed part fail.)

Now, as for those Ender 5's: I've seen an Ender 5 conversion to a Voron 2.4, but how about a Trident conversion? Finally, would there be any sense in a floating gantry version of a Trident?

 

[yell]

In the Switchwire channel there exists a active thread called ender_conversion_chat feel free to join us.
Some of us build Tridents out of Ender3 & Ender6, no one made a 2 or 5 yet. As for V1 vs V2, i say Trident because bias.

Generally you want

1. Trident frame kit or extrusion (precut, self drill/tap about 60)
2. mgn9 rails, tho mgn12 also works if you are coming from a Enderwire or so
3. 3x Z motion (lead screw steppers, lead screws with coupler, any of the belted Z mods)
4. secondary MCU like skr e3 + original creality
5. screws, belts, pulleys (see bill of material)

some impressions

VT.979 Ender3 Ender-Extrusion + scrap, original leadscrews
VT.1111 Ender3, frame, mgn12 with weather strips, cut leadscrew (dont do this, please use printed spacer to have the coupler below the mount)
VT.1112 Ender3. frame, mgn9, belted Z
VT.1233 Ender6, frame, mng9, leadscrew steppers (i think)

 

[vinnycordeiro]

For an Ender 5, if you want to still print PLA I think a conversion to a Mercury One is more suitable. That's what I've done with mine, although I'm using the very first version of it which still uses the Afterburner toolhead, Mercury One project switched direction and is now using the EVA toolhead ecosystem.