Question Is Anyone Using a BLTouch Style of Probe?

[LoadMaster7]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought the reason people did not use the BLTouch probe has to do with enclosure temperatures exceeding the probe limits. BIQU has come out with a new design probe on the lines of a BLTouch, but its spec's show it being good up to 60°C. I'm wondering if this might do a better job than the Omron inductive probe. It only weighs 6 grams.

 

[NoGuru]

I am sure it would be fine to use but I think Klicky is what most people have modded. I will say I have used the Euclicd and Klicky and unklicky, and now TAP and Tap is great. No more worrying about docking and the nozzle is the probe, so very accurate.
But it is heavy. I did CANbus and removed all the chains when I did the TAP to off set the weight. I don't go for speed when printing though so does not matter to me.

 

[Yeri]

I've had genuine BLTouch melt in an unenclosed ender 5, I think even the bed heat is enough to make those unhappy. If that's the case, I wouldn't trust something only rated to 60c, when there are several alternatives commonly available (inductive, klicky, tap)

 

[Kermit]

Just go tap...

 

[Oberon]

Inductive work better than a BL Touch so there's really no reason to replace it with a flimsy mechanical device that will be rattled around at 10k accel. It's also inherently more sensitive to heat just because of the design : the probe itself is a long narrow stick of plastic that will expand enough that it can be an issue...

As an example (not saying this is representative of a BL-touch, this is just to get our gut feelings adjusted), assuming a stick length of 15mm, a CTE of 80*10-6/°C and a rise in temperature of 40C, the stick will get ~0.048mm longer which is an order of magnitude higher than the smallest Z adjustment you'd want to make.

The reason why this thermal expansion is an issue here and not the one on the nozzle (like when using a bed Z-probe (V2.4 stock) or nozzle probe (TAP)) is that plastic expands much more than metals : The same 15mm stick in a basic steel would only get ~ 0.0078 mm longer.

Personally, I still think the inductive probe is the easiest solution to implement. It will probably have a similar thermal drift as a BL-Touch but is much more robust/reliable (assuming you're using a genuine Omron probe not a clone or off-brand).

But it will have thermal drift, just like a BT-touch. To solve this I agree with @Kermit : just go TAP, it's such a neater solution compared to the complicated clicky-style designs.

 

[LoadMaster7]

Inductive work better than a BL Touch so there's really no reason to replace it with a flimsy mechanical device that will be rattled around at 10k accel. It's also inherently more sensitive to heat just because of the design : the probe itself is a long narrow stick of plastic that will expand enough that it can be an issue...

As an example (not saying this is representative of a BL-touch, this is just to get our gut feelings adjusted), assuming a stick length of 15mm, a CTE of 80*10-6/°C and a rise in temperature of 40C, the stick will get ~0.048mm longer which is an order of magnitude higher than the smallest Z adjustment you'd want to make.

The reason why this thermal expansion is an issue here and not the one on the nozzle (like when using a bed Z-probe (V2.4 stock) or nozzle probe (TAP)) is that plastic expands much more than metals : The same 15mm stick in a basic steel would only get ~ 0.0078 mm longer.

Personally, I still think the inductive probe is the easiest solution to implement. It will probably have a similar thermal drift as a BL-Touch but is much more robust/reliable (assuming you're using a genuine Omron probe not a clone or off-brand).

But it will have thermal drift, just like a BT-touch. To solve this I agree with @Kermit : just go TAP, it's such a neater solution compared to the complicated clicky-style designs.

I agree with your thoughts on the original BLTouch. As I mentioned in my original post, I'm looking at the new to the market, BIQU Micro Probe. It is smaller, lighter, and uses a metal probe unlike the BLTouch. They make claims of its improvements over the BLTouch.

For the fun of it, I have one on order and will give it a try. Maybe BIQU claims are exaggerated, maybe not. The only way to know for sure is to try it. That's my plan.

 

[Patriot]

I agree with your thoughts on the original BLTouch. As I mentioned in my original post, I'm looking at the new to the market, BIQU Micro Probe. It is smaller, lighter, and uses a metal probe unlike the BLTouch. They make claims of its improvements over the BLTouch.

For the fun of it, I have one on order and will give it a try. Maybe BIQU claims are exaggerated, maybe not. The only way to know for sure is to try it. That's my plan.

Keep the forum updated on your results.

 

[RetroCCTech]

I am sure it would be fine to use but I think Klicky is what most people have modded. I will say I have used the Euclicd and Klicky and unklicky, and now TAP and Tap is great. No more worrying about docking and the nozzle is the probe, so very accurate.
But it is heavy. I did CANbus and removed all the chains when I did the TAP to off set the weight. I don't go for speed when printing though so does not matter to me.

I've been using the CR Touch, noisy as heck with my CR10 with a metal probe. Based on its speeds and Vorons performance, I would probably suggest the Kicky option too from what I have been seeing on YouTube. Little in the way of moving parts and with minimal probe movement too. My CR probe is OK for the CR10 but for higher speed probing, I dont think I would consider it. Neither the BL either with a nylon type probe. Still, once I have a Voron I can probably decide for certain.

Just go tap...

 

[LoadMaster7]

I've been using the CR Touch, noisy as heck with my CR10 with a metal probe. Based on its speeds and Vorons performance, I would probably suggest the Kicky option too from what I have been seeing on YouTube. Little in the way of moving parts and with minimal probe movement too. My CR probe is OK for the CR10 but for higher speed probing, I dont think I would consider it. Neither the BL either with a nylon type probe. Still, once I have a Voron I can probably decide for certain.

I'm still using the inductive probe that came with my Formbot kit. It works really well. The only reason I was thinking of switching is to allow printing on different surfaces.
I am currently building a new Stealthburner toolhead using CAN. I will attemp to use the BIQU probe with the new toolhead. The reason to use the BIQU, it is rated for higher temps compard to the BLTouch or DRTouch probe.