Looking for temporary use of a zero clearance throat plate for 3D modeling

[jlmeredith]

I am planning to 3D model the zero clearance throat plate for the BT3000 and I need a factory reference sample.

I am wondering if someone has one that I can borrow to get measurements from and then return the part to them. The ones that I Have seen on eBay are crazy priced.

Once I have it modeled, I will then make the files available to the community as needed.

I will be adding in design elements to accommodate the Microjig splitter as well as the standard splitter that can be converted into a riving knife (or others that can be retrofitted to the mount for the stock splitter).

[LCHIEN]

I'll save you the shipping and measuring.

I give you all the dimensioned throat plate drawings I have Collected over the years.
These precede the days of popular 3D printing but were by people wanting to make ones out of wood or laminates.
Hope that helps.

[jlmeredith]

LCHIEN Oh wow!! Thank you so much! This is fantastic! Once I have the design modeled and test prints are working, I will be sure to post back here with the files!

[LCHIEN]

You're welcome.
You're not the first to have wanted the dimensions!
Sites like this covering special interest topics are wonderful for spreading and sharing knowledge.

[LCHIEN]

jlmeredith, is your 3D printer have a platen big enough for a 15" long throat plate?

[jlmeredith]

LCHIEN - I do have a printer big enough for printing the full size (Ender-5 Plus), but my current plan is to design it so that it can be split into two parts that most people can print.

[d_meister]

FYI: Your signature URL doesn't work, for me.

[dbhost]

jlmeredith Tag me when you post the STL files. My Voxelab Aquila X3 Max will do just about 16" (400mm). I can print a few of these out for folks as needed as well. Just thinking out loud here, for the purposes of a throat plate, you will probably want infill to be 10-%, as soon as the saw blade goes into it, your infill with gaps is going to cause issues... This is going to take some conversion from imperial to metric though, pretty sure your Ender 3 plus measures things in mm not inches...

[jlmeredith]

d_meister - Yeah, I need to figure out where the signature is actually setup. That is my old trim and cab business.

dbhost - I will post the design for both a split version and full size version.

[jlmeredith]

I have the initial modeling completed. Now time to print and test fit. Once I have the test fit completed, I will add chamfers and some of the lower cut outs and then determine what kind of joint I should use for joining the two pieces when split in two.

[LCHIEN]

Did you model the recess on the bottom so that a new plate does not jam the blade and break the belts?

There is an arc-shaped recess molded into the bottom of the OEM plastic ZCTPs to clear the blade even at its lowest position as a straight bottom would trap the blade when screwed down.

I recall that people who replicated the plate with no recess broke belts. To use them they had to lower the plate into position on a spinning blade, a kind of *shudder* scary operation. Or the other option was to use a 7-1/2" circular saw blade or a single side dado blade to start making the slot enough to put in a 10" blade.

[d_meister]

There should also be an arced relief for the arbor washers at full height of the blade.

[jlmeredith]

LCHIEN d_meister - Yes, I am modeling it so that there are very similar structures on the bottom of the plates as was provided in the factory plate. I unfortunately had to travel this week and have not been able to circle back on things yet. I will update with additional renders as they are ready.

[LCHIEN]

Last question...

There are two sets of mounting holes... the four holes (B) and three hole pattern (A) (the latter used in the OEM ZCTP blanks)

Are you including both sets of holes? My ZCTP is "wearing out". The ZCTP is very thin at the ends where the 3-hole pattern lands. The fact that it has to be countersunk for flat head screws makes it even thinner and its a weak point if you torque the screw down hard, the chamfer tends to make the hole want to break out of the near edges.

Having the option to use the four hole pattern, would be an advantage because the holes are about 15/16" or one inch away from the edge and the ZCTP is much thicker there... at least 11/32" thick rather than 0.080" where the three hole pattern lands.

Having the option of using the 4-hole would be good. One option is to put the hole as a closed end hole from the top of bottom that the user could drill out to use. It would need a chamfer countersink on the top.

[jlmeredith]

Yes, I am designing this to work with the 4 hole pattern as this is the original design of the ZCTP. The holes will be solid from top to bottom to ensure a solid connection. I am currently working through mirroring the lower portion of the original as best I can from photos. It is a time consuming process though given the way that the original was injection molded.

[dbhost]

I have the initial modeling completed. Now time to print and test fit. Once I have the test fit completed, I will add chamfers and some of the lower cut outs and then determine what kind of joint I should use for joining the two pieces when split in two.

Just FWIW, many of the newer affordable printers can handle the print in one piece. I have a Voxelab Aquila X3 Max with a 400x400x400 build volume. 14.25" is something like 360mm, so within the build plate. I believe Creality has a couple of models this large as well. I know not as common as the typical 220x220x250....

[jlmeredith]

You are correct and ideally printing as one piece will be ideal, but I think that given the way I am designing the joint and associated connection with the base, printing in two pieces will work as well and they can be joined with some quick set resin or even good ol superglue. I should have a tested design by this weekend.

[LCHIEN]

... what kind of joint I should use for joining the two pieces when split in two.

How about an interlocking joint like jigsaw puzzle? Overlapping perhaps for vertical alignment.