Chapter 01: The Frame

The frame is the foundation of your entire printer. A perfectly square and rigid frame is the most critical factor for achieving high-quality prints. Take your time in this chapter and ensure every joint is secure and every angle is a perfect 90 degrees.

Step 1: Sort Your Extrusions

Before you begin, unpack all your aluminum extrusions and sort them by length. This will make finding the correct piece for each step much easier.

All aluminum extrusions laid out and sorted by length, with labels identifying each group (e.g., A, B, C).

Step 2: Prepare for Blind Joints

This frame uses "blind joints" for a clean and strong assembly. To prepare, you will need to pre-thread an M5x16 BHCS screw into the center hole at the end of the extrusions that will form a joint.

Close-up showing an M5x16 BHCS screw being threaded into the end of an aluminum extrusion.

Step 3: Assemble the Base and Uprights

Build on a Flat Surface

To ensure your frame is as square as possible, build it on a known flat surface, like a piece of granite, thick glass, or a countertop.

1. Construct the bottom square of the frame using four extrusions and the blind joint technique.
2. Once the base is assembled, attach the four vertical upright extrusions.

Illustration of the four base extrusions being joined together using blind joints on a flat surface.

The four vertical extrusions being attached to the completed base square.

Step 4: Complete the Top Frame

Complete the cube by assembling the top square of the frame onto the vertical uprights. At this point, all the main frame extrusions should be in place.

The final four extrusions being installed to form the top square of the frame.

Step 5: Install Bed Support Extrusions

Now, install the two inner extrusions at the bottom of the frame that will support the print bed. These are mounted using corner brackets and M5 T-Nuts.

Position these extrusions precisely according to the diagram. The distance between them should be 130mm, and they should be centered relative to the frame.

A top-down diagram showing the precise measurements (130mm between, 65mm from center) for positioning the bed support extrusions.

Step 6: Final Squaring Check

This is the most important final step for the frame. You must check that the entire assembly is perfectly square.

1. Place the frame on your flat surface and check for any wobble.
2. Measure the diagonals from corner to corner in an 'X' pattern on each face of the cube (top, bottom, front, back, left, right).
3. The two diagonal measurements for each face should be identical. If they are not, gently rack the frame until they match, then fully tighten all screws.

Illustration showing a tape measure being used to measure the diagonals of the frame cube.