Shao's BigBox Dual Build Log

Preface
I received my BigBox Dual on my birthday more than a week ago. It's the best birthday gift ever! My daughters were more happy then I was when the BigBox was at the front door. They jumped some hoops in the air and opened the box for me. Sadly at the moment I have to work every day with more than 80 hours a week so I don't have much time to build. So it's going to be a slow build.

I have build an Emaker Huxley #10, Deezmaker Bukito, ShapeOko 1 and X-Carve. I've always found build logs very useful and interesting so I hope more will follow.


Tips for newbie builders
First off this is not a replacement for the BigBox build manual. You should start with reading the BigBox Pre-Build and make sure you have all the needed tools, quality tools really makes your life easier. There you will find some links to community help and guides which are very useful.

Paul Seccombe made a post with Wiki errors and some tips.

When collecting the parts needed you start reading from right to left. So start with 'description', get the bag#, then look at 'part number' to see what you need, then look at 'qty' to see how many you need, if you're still unsure what you need than lookup the item# and find it in the CAD drawing to see how it looks like. Before you start building the part you should always read the instructions below the diagram first it contains very useful information. Make sure you follow the instructions for your printer, ie lite, pro or dual.

Keep you're work-space clean and organized.

Do remember that your are working with plastics so don't over tighten the screws. Having said that I have to admit I almost always over tighten my screws it's a decease I have. It's not fun to repair/replace cracked parts.

You can always contact support[at]e3d-online[dot]com when you need their support. They are awesome!

My Build Log
What's in the Big Box?




What's in the Small Boxes in The Big Box.



Shining printed parts but they need some cleaning.


I first started with cleaning the printed parts. Knowing me I will end up with dust and small plastics between my bearings if I do it during the build. By cleaning the parts before I start my build I will have a clean build space to work with. Cleaning the blobs is the easiest with a sharp hobby knife. Don't use a file here or you will mess up the surface, it gets white.



Cleaning up the strings.


Put my minions to work. They were so happy to help me out. But don't let them use the hobby knife! Minions and sharp knives are a very dangerous combination.


After cleanup lay the printed parts on a separate table or boxes for easy access and identifying when you need them



Second thing I did was glue the nut-traps with superglue as suggested by Richard Horne. The nuts really don't like to stay in the nut-traps. The nuts are in Tiny Little Fixings Bag 6 and the nut-traps in the Stretch Box. Put 1 small drop of glue in 2 opposite corners.


All nut-traps done and the remainder of the nuts.No fingers got glued together during this process. Clean the nozzle with a needle and wipe it clean when you are ready with the glue to make sure you can use it again for your next project.


Third, order all the bags in the Tiny Little Fixings Box. You will need them constantly.


Some bigger bags with multiple things got placed in a tray.



Bearings in a tray.


Bearings names for easier identifying.


There is a 20 images limit per post so onto the next one...

 

BigBox Parts Preparation
And now finally let the build start. Y-Axis Rear Brackets (Left and Right). Don't forget to follow the instructions under the diagram in the build manual.



Y-Axis Front Brackets. The M4x30 screw is in bag 17 and M4x16 in bag 14.





Used tweezers to place the washers and bearings. Probably not needed but used a small drop of glue to keep the nut in place.



Dual Extruder Filament Idlers



X-Axis Idler Carriage



X-Axis Motor Mount



Dual X-Carriage. There was only 1 grub screw in bag 14. The other 3 where in the stretch box.


Test fit the heatsink. Heatsink is in the extruder box. I used a half-round file to make it fit. Had to use force to place the m3 square nuts. Make sure you hold the carriage the right way so you don't brake anything.




Heated Bed Corners

 

Outer Spools Rear (Dual)



Spool Holder Outer Fronts (Dual)



Print Cooling Fan



Y-Axis Motor Mount. Guess I forgot to take the per-assembly photo.


IR Sensor Bracket



Spool Carrier Clamp


Used a M4x20mm screw to tighten the plastic parts and square nut



Z-Axis Drag Chain Anchors



IEC Socket



BigBox Parts Preparation Done!


BigBox Printer Sub-assemblies
No black springs! NNOOOOoooooo..........!


So I'm missing 2 black springs. I've at least triple checked every bag and box but all in vain. I contacted support[at]e3d-online[dot]com and they send them out immediately to me, so props for their support. To be continued...

 

And the build continues...
Dual Extruder with 2 black springs!


Push the Bowden Couplers firmly in the E-Axis Cable Brackets.


Here you see the three screws used to mount the right motor and E-Axis Cable Bracket. Make sure the connector is facing down. M3x10 in top right, M3x25 bottom right and M3x35 in bottom left. I've tightened all three screws at this stage.


Place the right idler first by feeding it from the left side. Make sure the white nylon spacer is still in place. Use a M3x35 screw to hold it in place, don't tighten it yet. Align the left idler and use the m3x35 screw to keep it in place.


Place the left E-Axis Cable Bracket and motor and tighten all 4 screws. The best way to tighten things, when possible, is to do it slowly in a x pattern. Let's say you start with top left screw, you finger tight it, then finger tight bottom right, then top right and finally bottom left. Now doing the same pattern you make half turns. Then doing the same pattern you make quarter turns and repeating this until you are satisfied. Please remember you are working with plastics here, so don't over tighten them.


I used a bent needle-nose pliers to place the springs.


Don't forget to place and align the Hobbgoblins, love the name.


X-Axis Assembly


I used some Lithium Grease as recommended by Richard Horne on all my rods and LM8LUU bearings.


Electronics Cover. Remove the foil on both sides. The foil on the backside is hard to recognize on the white acrylic parts.


Spool Carrier Dual



Z-Axis Bed Assembly.
"Top" and "Bottom" are engraved in the center of the plates. For reference the engravings are on the underside.


Z-Axis Bed Assembly Top Plate.


The orientation of the brass nuts on the top plate are very confusing in the build manual. The orientation changed in every step. But luckily it got explained by Gregory Holloway in Paul Seccombe's BigBox Build (UK Edition) Part 2. To make it clear see the M3 nut place holders and the orientation of the brass nut.


Don't forget the M3 Nylock Nut.



Z-Axis Bed Assembly Top Plate Finished.

 

Z-Axis Bed Assembly Bottom Plate


Parts placed


Just for aesthetics I orientated the bed corners so the black screws are facing to the front. I will be seeing them a lot when I'm just sitting watching my BigBox printing or not.


Z-Axis Bed Assembly finishing touches

 

Shao's Extra Post 3

 

Shao's Extra Post 4

 

Thanks guys! I definitely will continue despite I don't have that much time.
I had only 2 days with 2-3 hours, Some days 1 hour, some days only 15-30 minutes and some days no build time at all.
Would I have chosen a pre-assembled BigBox would I have known I don't have much time to build? Hell no! I like to build. My religion is Bart Dring's motto: If you didn't build it, you will never own it!

 

@TstarkEngineering yeah I thought of reserving 2 spots but I ran into 20 images per post limit. So I had to split my 1 post in to 3. Since I'm planning to continue making pictures of every step I reckon that a few spots wouldn't be enough and this way it is harder to miss an update because you didn't check the first page.

@Henry feldman, @Archania Thanks! I hope my BigBox is printing next month.