I will fly with my new voron v2.4 350 in a suitcase

[3dCase]

Hello everybody, Greetings from a new member.
Totally new to Voron and this forum. Lets start with a pretty basic question even before I have my v2.4 350 in my house.
I live in Bulgaria, my father is giving me his v2.4 350, which is 2000 km away. So I fly out there with a huge suitcase and packing material, with the intention to take as little apart as possible to fit this thing into my suitcase. Suitcase is 750 x 550 x 38 and pretty squarish.
So I am thinking to slice the printer into x-y gantry, top structure, bed plate and base. Then to stack the loose struts along side the panels flat in the suitcase with packing around it.
Questions:
1) how feasible is this?
2) is there a better way?
3) considering I did NOT build this thing myself, and neither did my father, what to dismantle and approximately how? We are all machine engineers and I have built and extensively modded several printers already, so basic knowledge is not lacking, just Voron specific stuff.

Now I wait and see what you guys can come up with, looking forward to this trip and to my Voron, super stoked to finally get one.

 

[NoGuru]

I don't see a way to do this without really taking it all the way apart. The side extrusions are part of the bottom so you are talking about a full dismantle.

I could be wrong so I will let you review the structural assembly to confirm. You can find it here https://docs.vorondesign.com/build/mechanical/

 

[3dCase]

I don't see a way to do this without really taking it all the way apart. The side extrusions are part of the bottom so you are talking about a full dismantle.

I could be wrong so I will let you review the structural assembly to confirm. You can find it here https://docs.vorondesign.com/build/mechanical/

Yes you are right. Looking at the build pictures in the manual there seems very little chance to keep the top and bottom sections in one piece. Gantry is probably doable, by leaving the carriages on the rails. But all the rest is connected with the struts.
So best I can now expect is to take out the gantry as a whole and to leave the electronics as one base but all the rest has to come to bits.
Still I needed that big suitcase anyway since the panels have the size they are, no way around that.
I just got into a little bit more work both dismantling and sticking it back together at home. But better know what to expect so thanks for the link.

 

[NoGuru]

Yes, gantry can stay together but I am not sure you will benefit from it with the exception of not having to figure out putting it back together.
You are spot on for the rest. Good luck, and if you need help putting it back together just post here and we can figure it out. You will have to re-rack the gantry but with your background it won't be too difficult.

 

[3dCase]

I will for sure come back here if I need some more advice later.
In your opinion, is it possible to lock the x-gantry in the front position with cable ties, then lock the carriage in the middle and remove the z-belts?
After that I think to disconnect wiring for the whole gantry on the electronics side and move the whole gantry out of the machine while leaving the z-rail carriages on the rails. This plan would leave the whole gantry wiring loom attached to the gantry.
My problem is that I have not seen the machine with my own eyes yet, meaning i will have to plan the whole process while I see it the first time.
But as I am on holiday with planned day trips and friends on board, I can do this only in the evenings. I only have 2.5 of those available, I guess 6 to 8 hours max.
If I have to I will burn some night oil on the first night.
What do you think if you had to take yours apart like this? How long would you expect it to take?

 

[NoGuru]

I think I know what you are trying to do with the Gantry and I think yes, with lots of Zip ties you should be able to lock anything in place that you need with the exception of the rails. I am not sure how I would tackle this but I don't think zip ties would work for transport. I think I would look at installing something into the rail to stop them from moving.
I can try a look at my machine this afternoon if I can remember and maybe give some recommendations.

It seems like you have a good mechanical mind so I would say you can disassemble and pack the machine in 4-6 hours, depending on your tools, skill, and organization.

Does this machine have cable chains? I use a USB toolhead so I only have two cables to unplug and the PTFE tube to pull the gantry. This simplifies things a lot and I don't won't to make things more confusing but maybe a consideration you can make. You can see in this post I have a short video that shows the gantry with the USB cable for the toolhead and my Beacon scanner. https://forum.vorondesign.com/threads/converting-my-2-4-from-2-motor-to-4-motor.1549/#post-11227

 

[3dCase]

I think I know what you are trying to do with the Gantry and I think yes, with lots of Zip ties you should be able to lock anything in place that you need with the exception of the rails. I am not sure how I would tackle this but I don't think zip ties would work for transport. I think I would look at installing something into the rail to stop them from moving.
I can try a look at my machine this afternoon if I can remember and maybe give some recommendations.

It seems like you have a good mechanical mind so I would say you can disassemble and pack the machine in 4-6 hours, depending on your tools, skill, and organization.

Does this machine have cable chains? I use a USB toolhead so I only have two cables to unplug and the PTFE tube to pull the gantry. This simplifies things a lot and I don't won't to make things more confusing but maybe a consideration you can make. You can see in this post I have a short video that shows the gantry with the USB cable for the toolhead and my Beacon scanner. https://forum.vorondesign.com/threads/converting-my-2-4-from-2-motor-to-4-motor.1549/#post-11227

That is a nice video of a nice machine. TBH I do not know if it has cable chains or not, not even sure which print head is on it and i asked my dad and he simply said "the original"
I will see tomorrow as I will arrive early evening. I will bring my own tools with me just in case. He also was an engineer but since retirement he cared less and less so I kind of think the only tools he has left now is what comes with a pack of nozzles or something like that. Not ideal.
I will post back here after i am back on the 18th.

 

[NoGuru]

Okay, just an FYI, you should only need some hex heads 2-5mm and some side cutters. And whatever else you need to secure and pack.

 

[3dCase]

So its all packed away now. Had to take it apart further then I would have liked but it is what it is. The base stayed together except for the left and right girder with the z motors on them. The uprights came off and the gantry removed in one piece with all the wiring still attached.
All the pannels fitted as expected and wrapped all the pieces with stretch foil and padded with bubble wrap. Whole suitcase marked with red tape saying FRAGILE, now hoping they will not break it.
Had to increase my kilos since the stated 20 kg somewhere on the site is not true??? Maybe I found some weight of a partial kit perhaps, not sure. My suitcase is 30 kg and nett weight is 26.5kg. Then I have the 4 z motors and the hardware with plastic brackets in my other case. I guess the whole machine comes close to 28/29kg.
It was fun taking it apart, I hope I will remember how to understand my wire numbering and photos.
Only rotten thing is that my dad had just installed a new pc but forgot all his passwords so we could not get to the klipper control panel to switch off the raspberry pi. Had to risk it and pulled the plug
Unfortunately I don’t manage to reduce photo sizes and I don’t know the limit here for uploads, keeps throwing them back at me saying they are to large!

 

[3dCase]

How big a file can we insert or attach? Everything I do is too big!

 

[leograyc]

I've done a similar thing but shipping it to where I go to school. I have removed the Z extrusions on my V2 350 and pancaked it. But the X and Y dimentiion still won't fit, its 500mm +, wider then my suit case. And I have to ship my bed and Z gantries separate. The printer with bed and Z extrusion(with rails on it) weights 25Kg and everything added its more like 30KG. Also I found out Panels are about 3.5KG in weight.

I end up squashing the Top and Btm and gantry into a pancake with 3d printed brackets. And re-inforced it with some wood sticks.

It's a pain and I wish I don't have to do it again when I bring it back home.

 

[3dCase]

I've done a similar thing but shipping it to where I go to school. I have removed the Z extrusions on my V2 350 and pancaked it. But the X and Y dimentiion still won't fit, its 500mm +, wider then my suit case. And I have to ship my bed and Z gantries separate. The printer with bed and Z extrusion(with rails on it) weights 25Kg and everything added its more like 30KG. Also I found out Panels are about 3.5KG in weight.

I end up squashing the Top and Btm and gantry into a pancake with 3d printed brackets. And re-inforced it with some wood sticks.

It's a pain and I wish I don't have to do it again when I bring it back home.

Me too, although I still think it beats having to build it all from scratch.

 

[NoGuru]

Me too, although I still think it beats having to build it all from scratch.

It's not that hard to build really. I bet by the time you put it all back together is will be about the same as a fresh build, with the expectation of the printer parts.

 

[Fabreeko]

try uploading them to google drive or drop box then posting the link here, id love to see what it looked like inside the luggage

 

[NoGuru]

I have to assume you have started to put it back together. How is that going?

 

[3dCase]

I have to assume you have started to put it back together. How is that going?

Not yet, but I am home and I think it all arrived unscathed.
I am soooo tired of playing tourguide to my friends that I haven’t yet started yet. But I took a photo of it in the suitcase and after unpacking. As soon as I figured out these photo requirements I will post them here

 

[3dCase]

try uploading them to google drive or drop box then posting the link here, id love to see what it looked like inside the luggage

I will eventually, just totally wasted after 11 days playing tourguide to my friends

 

[leograyc]

It's not that hard to build really. I bet by the time you put it all back together is will be about the same as a fresh build, with the expectation of the printer parts.

Actually yes and no. I took all the Z out, so yes, I have to re-square the entire frame and all that. But I kept the gantry in tack so that's nothing to touch. I also think the longest part of building the printer is actually the wiring. That took me the longest to come up with a good layout in the bay, then cut all the wire to right length, group them, label them, cramp them, wind them nicely in the duct, push them through the cable chain, bla bla bla bla. So I say it's a lot better to ship it even if some big chunks of the mechanical side needs to be re-do.

 

[3dCase]

Finally figured out the resize shortcut on iphone

Actually yes and no. I took all the Z out, so yes, I have to re-square the entire frame and all that. But I kept the gantry in tack so that's nothing to touch. I also think the longest part of building the printer is actually the wiring. That took me the longest to come up with a good layout in the bay, then cut all the wire to right length, group them, label them, cramp them, wind them nicely in the duct, push them through the cable chain, bla bla bla bla. So I say it's a lot better to ship it even if some big chunks of the mechanical side needs to be re-do.

Fully agree, the whole wiring harness stays together in the base and on the gantry, so this is literally 10 minutes to connect. Building and squaring the frame should not be a big deal since it was already built before. Mine found its squareness by itself as long as you put the same frame members back in their old place.
Plus you now have all references in the parts already so no need to study the manual and follow the correct order. It is simply much easier this way.
Only trouble was the stress from having it in a suitcase knowing they are going to throw it around a bit, but I got lucky.
I will start a new thread of the build later in the appropriate place, if there is such a thing here.

 

[azaneff]

Hello everybody, Greetings from a new member.
Totally new to Voron and this forum. Lets start with a pretty basic question even before I have my v2.4 350 in my house.
I live in Bulgaria, my father is giving me his v2.4 350, which is 2000 km away. So I fly out there with a huge suitcase and packing material, with the intention to take as little apart as possible to fit this thing into my suitcase. Suitcase is 750 x 550 x 38 and pretty squarish.
So I am thinking to slice the printer into x-y gantry, top structure, bed plate and base. Then to stack the loose struts along side the panels flat in the suitcase with packing around it.
Questions:
1) how feasible is this?
2) is there a better way?
3) considering I did NOT build this thing myself, and neither did my father, what to dismantle and approximately how? We are all machine engineers and I have built and extensively modded several printers already, so basic knowledge is not lacking, just Voron specific stuff.

Now I wait and see what you guys can come up with, looking forward to this trip and to my Voron, super stoked to finally get one.

Hello, I'm from Ruse. Disassemble into component parts and it will be easier to transport. I am making a fourth printer from scratch, it is not a philosophy. You follow the directions from Voron's documentation and you are king.