Just wondering how other people are tackling this.
p2s is a fairly easy printer to maintain SAVE for the rear z bar and screw. I can get just enough access to the lead screw but you are cleaning and lubing the rear z bar blind and poking around in a bunch of wires…
Today I removed my back panel to really get at it… which was easy to get off however those sheet metal type screws DID NOT feel good going back in. Doesn’t seem like they are a screw that can be removed once every month or two… the threads feel as though they have a very limited life span lol.
What do you all recommend to avoid the cross threading potential?
well.. the ones in the front are fine, its the bar in the back. Its off to the right of the rear wall of the printer you can’t even really see it. The rear lead screw is good enough I guess.
I’ve used a clean microfiber cloth with a bit of lubricant on it and reached around the rod with my fingers underneath the cloth. It’s a bit tricky, but it works in the end. Cleaning can be done the same way.
I wrote something like this, then decided AI said it better:
To easily catch the original threads without stripping the material (especially in wood or plastic):
Place the screw directly into the hole, keeping the screwdriver perfectly straight.
Press down gently with your screwdriver while turning the screw counter-clockwise (to the left).
Listen and feel for the screw to slightly “drop” or “click” down into place. This means the threads have properly aligned with the existing grooves.
Reverse direction and begin turning the screw clockwise to tighten it normally.
If you are feeling too much resistance, stop and start over rather than damage the entire thread. When working with self-tapping screws in plastic, it may slightly decrease thread wear if you reinstall screws in their original holes.
Yes I always do this with screws, I think a lot of the issue is they throw that goopie loctite stuff on them, which doesn’t make sense for plastic tapping screws. I just don’t like it. Seems like too much of a risk for something so simple as oiling a little bar.
Definitely good advice, most of the screws wouldn’t make that click though when going in reverse to start, thats what bothered me lol.
I took the back panel off to clean the rear screw & rod.
That meant removing the air filter, the filament buffer, the external spool holder, my AMS flipper, etc., etc. It’s such a huge pain.
I was able to clean the insane amount of filament bits that were back there, as well. So even if you manage to grow tentacle fingers and are able to clean the rod and screw from the front, you’ll be leaving a ton of junk back there unless you remove the back panel.
I ran out of old shoelaces, and new ones are getting expensive.
When I remove supports and brims, small bits fly off and end up on the floor, so I use the ShopVac pretty often to clean up. I vacuum inside the printer at the same time, which keeps the rear Z-screw clear of debris. There may be more junk hidden behind the panel, but it has never affected anything. Removing the rear panel to clean is too much work and messes with belt tension, so I avoid that as much as possible.
I tried a few 3D-printed tools for cleaning screws; the Rod Sloth is the one I use most. It reaches into the Z-screw opening and cleans the screw pretty easily. I tear a paper towel into squares of about 60mm, and clamp a square to the screw with the tool. Run the bed (and the tool) up and down a few times. Do not hold the tool; just let it ride the screw up and down, and go slowly near the end of travel. Replace the squares as they get dirty and repeat until they come away clean. If you have three tools, you can save time by cleaning all the screws at once.
I apply spots of grease to the cleaned rods both above and below the bed, run the bed up and down a few times to distribute the grease, and then wipe away any excess.