Y Belt Tension

This Y Stepper Belt Slop post on soliforum describes a gadget to add spring tension to the Y drive belt.

As long as I was going to take everything apart to add the Y Rod Bearing, I printed up one of them. I've had it disconnected with no spring and no bearing while doing my initial tests, so now is the time to put the spring in and the bearing on. The only spring I could find was too long, so I cut a bit off with the dremel cutoff wheel.

My next circles looked like this:

Wow! That sure seems better. Let's take a closer look (new one on the left, old on the right):

Perhaps if I cut a slightly longer spring (my assortment fortunately had 4 identical too long springs, so I have a few tries left), I might finally be perfect.

I did cut a little less off another spring and tried again:

Doesn't look a lot different. Here's the new and old detail again:

Perhaps it is very slightly better? Not much difference though. The inside diameter looks quite good, so perhaps the mismatch on the outside is just some blobbage from the extruder starting up?

I should calibrate the X and Y steps/mm now that I've got fishing line on both and then try printing something more than a circle test to see how it goes.

Once I get the direct drive modification working, this gadget will no longer be required (The direct drive results are in and it is looking terrific.)

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