ANTCLABS BLTouch : Auto Bed Leveling Sensor/To be a Premium 3D Printer (With 1M Extension Cable Set)

Isn't that a ~$50 dollar bltouch? I almost bought one today. Its the red glowy thing.

https://www.amazon.com/ANTCLABS-BLTouch-Leveling-Premium-Extension/dp/B076PQG1FF/ref=sr_1_2?crid=23NWUR6ZI2RIK&dchild=1&keywords=bltouch&qid=1594929613&sprefix=capricorn%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-2

I got this one. It came with extended cables that you swap out from the original since they're way too short. You can scan a qr code on it's board to check which version it is, how to wire it, and see if it's genuine.

I tried on Amazon, using this item, and it said the code was for a promotion that had not begun, yet.

https://www.amazon.com/ANTCLABS-BLTouch-Leveling-Premium-Extension/dp/B076PQG1FF/

I would recommend the Bltouch. I've had mine since I got my E3 Pro and absolutely love it.

Well, I'm using the official BLtouch, from Antlabs, mine is version 3.1, you don't need anything else like those extras on the link you listed, those you would probably use it you wanted to keep using your creality board.

https://www.amazon.com/ANTCLABS-BLTouch-Leveling-Premium-Extension/dp/B076PQG1FF

But the SKR boards don't need those extras, they have a plug for your BLtouch.

Yes that's the skr board, I don't know much about it to be honest so let me just say this, I got the skr mini e3 v1.2 with the integrated steppers.....I really really recommend you get a board with integrated steppers, just to avoid having another complication. Also the mini e3 is the exact same size and has the same layout as the creality board, it's basically like replacing a motherboard on a PC, only easier

If you already have the mini then you dont need that kit. Just the sensor and cable. The other stuff is for loading fw on stock main board.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076PQG1FF/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_juJ1EbA22N455

If you’re getting the official one from amazon it comes with a 1m extension

https://www.amazon.com/ANTCLABS-BLTouch-Leveling-Premium-Extension/dp/B076PQG1FF/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1OMM31HKPS56Y&dchild=1&keywords=bltouch&qid=1586910275&sprefix=Bltouch%2Caps%2C150&sr=8-1

Thanks. I went ahead and ordered this one that seems to be a 3.0. It was the cheapest I found that came with an extension cable (1m)

Is this the correct bl touch kit?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076PQG1FF/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_MF6.EbK47W9B3

Also, what about the motherboard? I see the blog recommends the official board. What about the 32 bit one I've seen?

This was the Bltouch I got: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076PQG1FF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_o5QwFbKRYZK37

Not sure what you mean by 1.4...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076PQG1FF/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_hOIDEbCRT26TM

That's the one I ordered. It comes with a 1 meter cable and was enough to connect to my skr board

So I can't guarantee it - but (and I'm pretty sure but not 100% as I don't have both) that the 4.2.2 that I referenced and the 4.2.7 boards are the same. All I needed was the BL Touch, a mount, and the 5 colored cables. You don't need those 2 jumper boards and the 10 pin cable. this is the one I got - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076PQG1FF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 - looks pretty similar.

Look at my other comments in this thread regarding a different extension cable setup. I had a lot of "interference" which made the BLTOUCH pretty useless.

Gotcha thanks. I guess (thats why this kit has the wires)[https://www.amazon.com/ANTCLABS-BLTouch-Leveling-Premium-Extension/dp/B076PQG1FF/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=bltouch&qid=1594404210&sr=8-2]. I have a dupont crimper as well as some servo 3 pin extenders so hopefully that should work. Otherwise I could cancel and get the kit with the 1 or 2m extension

Correct. The stock creality board requires you to either splice some cables or use a pin jumper in order to connect the BLTouch. the SKR E3 Mini has a dedicated set of pins already for the the BLTouch...so you just plug it in, configure the firmware and you're set. All you need to mount it is a simple piece you can print yourself (there are several to choose from on Thingiverse).

You'll want to buy a BLTouch that comes with a 1m extension. The stock cables aren't nearly long enough to run down to your board.

https://www.amazon.com/ANTCLABS-BLTouch-Leveling-Premium-Extension/dp/B076PQG1FF

If you want the original, make sure it's made or sold by Antlabs.

Antlabs BLtouch

I got This one myself and had no problems. I got the one with the 1M extension cables. Installed easily on my SKR Mini E3 board. Most frustrating part was getting the extension back through the bundle sheathing to the main board. That and getting new firmware compiled.

Sure! Here’s the BLTouch and the SKR Mini

I just got the real one here: https://www.amazon.com/ANTCLABS-BLTouch-Leveling-Premium-Extension/dp/B076PQG1FF

It comes with the 1 meter extension cable, but I actually found that it was a little short if you use it in place of the short cable. So I actually used the short cable and the extension together, but then you have to cut off the end of the extension and recrimp the dupont connectors to be male. This makes it all a perfect length. Alternately you can buy it with the 2 meter extension, but you'll have a lot of extra length.

Also, I suggest people should also change the end that goes into the motherboard to their proper JST connectors, so they fit well and won't come loose.

>Are defective BLTouches common?

I Don't think so. I got two defective ones because I bought them from a sketchy listing. Seller offered to replace it if I paid postage and the 2nd one was also defective. So I asked for a full refund (minus shipping :/) and got it. I recommend buying from Amazon instead of eBay lol. This is the one I got that ended up working: https://www.amazon.com/ANTCLABS-BLTouch-Leveling-Premium-Extension/dp/B076PQG1FF One note that might be relevant to your situation is that the BLtouch v3.1 has a different (voltage?) requirement than the V2 and it's not always super clear which one you're buying. IIRC you can check which version you have by looking at the PCB on the side. Usually, you can specify which version you're using in Marlin or TH3D Firmware to account for this issue. In your case though, I think it actually is defective because with the V3.1 vs V2 the sensitivity was wrong and it kept ramming into the bed, no issue with the probe extending.

>The price of a name brand BL-Touch really is absolute extortion

I mean, its $40: https://www.amazon.com/ANTCLABS-BLTouch-Leveling-Premium-Extension/dp/B076PQG1FF/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=bltouch&qid=1594009482&sr=8-2&x=0&y=0

Thats not really extortion. The cost of the electronics, manufacturing and infrastructure kinda justifies the price, and its a luxury upgrade anyways. Extortion is a $150 mainboard that doesnt preform any different than a $30 one, but is the only board compatible with a certain brand of stepper motors.

$40 for the sensor is just pretty reasonable

https://www.amazon.com/ANTCLABS-BLTouch-Leveling-Premium-Extension/dp/B076PQG1FF/

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I bought the BLTouch v1 with the 1 meter extension. They include a v3.1 one, but this is the one you want.

Thank you! I actually found a better listing for the sensor and it includes the 1m cable. Now I will just need the screws and should be good to go. Thanks for the link to the video too very helpful.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076PQG1FF/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A5DYXNQA2KRGR&psc=1

Unfortunately not as familiar as I'd like to be yet but I've been researching a bunch lately. I'm thinking of just ordering a BL Touch (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076PQG1FF?tag=duckduckgo-d-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1) now instead of later and doing the install whenever I'm more comfortable.

Also I run solely off Mac OSX, not sure if that'll be an issue with any of the firmware editing programs. Hadn't looked into that yet.

EDIT: Is that BL Touch I linked truly plug and play for the SKR Mini E3 v1.2 or am I missing something? I see the board has a 3-pin and 2-pin connection labeled for BL Touch servos and probe but I've seen different videos of people soldering and/or splicing wires.

What if I bought this? https://www.amazon.com/ANTCLABS-BLTouch-Leveling-Premium-Extension/dp/B076PQG1FF/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=cr10+v2+bltouch&qid=1583203061&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011&rnid=2470954011&rps=1&sr=8-5

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I understand the mounting bracket piece doesn't come with this, I'll just print it out on my other machine and get the screws as well elsewhere. The question is, is 1M extension cable included long enough? Or should I get 2M?

So I'm waiting for my combo to be delivered. Bought a simple BL Touch and a SKR 1.4 Turbo board with 4 TMC2208 drivers.

Looks like this should be enough to upgrade the board and add abl. Of course, I'll need to print a bracket.

If you're keeping the stock board, you'll need a kit that has the correct connector (2 pin molex I think?). The creality bl touch kit should also come with a metal bracket for mounting.

Here's the items I picked up: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082QR5YQ5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_s-pbFbD5GS6W2

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076PQG1FF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_V-pbFbBJZ962W

Edit: If you have an ender 5 Pro and are keeping the stock board, you don't need any additional pins etc. This board has a bootloader already. With the ender 5, you'll need an ISP USB to install the butler first.

Is this the BLtouch? Dude sick I just saw it's on amazon that you just posted.

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https://www.amazon.com/ANTCLABS-BLTouch-Leveling-Premium-Extension/dp/B076PQG1FF

I forgot to ask how you leveled the bed. I used a pair of calipers, using the depth setting, and went to all 4 corners and made sure they were all the same distance from the desktop (which is very flat). I'm guessing they are all within .003-.005" of each other.

I noticed there is some kind of "leveling" add-on device called the BL Touch.

https://www.amazon.com/ANTCLABS-BLTouch-Leveling-Premium-Extension/dp/B076PQG1FF

It seems that some people use this but I'm not sure exactly how it would work and if it would really help and is necessary if I can level it with the calipers.

Here is a video of it in use:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBwHGuX5de8&feature=youtu.be

I bought the SKR mini from Biqu https://www.biqu.equipment/products/bigtreetech-skr-mini-e3-v2-0-32-bit-control-board-integrated-tmc2209-uart-for-ender-3

And the BLTouch, with extension cable, is: https://www.amazon.com/ANTCLABS-BLTouch-Leveling-Premium-Extension/dp/B076PQG1FF

I printed this mount: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3003725

All my notes on the process are at: https://linsomniac.gitlab.io/post/2020-06-20-ender3-pro-skr-v2_0-bltouch-upgrade/

Total cost this way is $76. I'm a solid spool of filament run through it after the upgrade, maybe 1.5 spools, and it's worked great.

SKR mini E3

BLTouch

TFT35 v3.0 touchscreen

LED light strip

Bigtreetech Github for all your firmware needs

this is what I'm using and i have a custom printer,

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BRM2YBC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076PQG1FF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and here is the configs https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1g2Iqw3hcMpMwRFG_Cby22kOorxriB8u_?usp=sharing

> I just went through the links you kindly included and I'm sorry to say I'm getting old! I'm not as tech savvy as I though obviously 😂

Hah! Just means you're much more experienced in other areas--and probably much more useful ones at that!

But I do admit: Editing and compiling firmware can be quite the task if you've never done it before.

> Do you have reccos for any videos as well?

The guides I linked should have video walkthroughs in there, but let me link them directly here:

• Installing VSCode to compile Marlin 2.0.x firmware - Chris Riley
• Editing Marlin 2.0.x firmware in VSCore - TeachingTech
• Wiring and Setting up Bltouch - Chris Riley*

*You only really need to watch this video up until ~11min for wiring and firmware. Skip to 34:30 for the Bltouch tuning.

> On Amazon I see the bltouch comes with a couple of boards

Here's the Antclabs Bltouch Amazon page. Get AT LEAST the 1M extension cable set. (2m is for those with much larger build volumes)

And here's the SKR Mini e3 v2.0 Amazon page that also comes with Bltouch. I just don't know how long the extension cables are.

However, these boards are ready to go with everything you need, and even comes pre-flashed with their compiled firmware. They most likely did not enable Bltouch though. That's where you'd go with the Bltouch guides I linked.

I recommend getting the SKR mini board set up FIRST. Run a test print (or two) to make sure everything works properly. And once you're satisfied, move on to the Bltouch installation.

> do you have a [Bltouch mount] recommendation?

This is the mount I use, and recommended in the Chris Riley Bltouch video. It's quite a simple print, and attaches onto the x-carriage using the stock screws.

When printing functional parts like this, PRINT A SPARE. Nothing like a part breaking and you have to revert EVERYTHING back to stock just to re-print the broken part. 🙃

Editing and compiling Marlin firmware is quite technical. For some people it's a set up once and forget it. Some just download other people's custom firmware and hope it works/doesn't break their printer. And others just edit and compile as newer versions of Marlin come out. Pick your poison =P

There is an alternative to Marlin firmware (Klipper), and may arguably be easier to set up and produce better prints. It will require you to have a Raspberry Pi (3+ or greater), and has an entirely different set up process.

Let me know if this interests you and/or you can't figure out Marlin. I've swapped over to Klipper just last month and have been enjoying it so far.

Alright, so we all know we're never "done" with upgrading, but I'm finally at a point where I have no other upgrades on my immediate radar. I've copied links to everything I've purchased and printed below. A couple notes about the mods:

• The direct drive kit is linear rail compatible, and the printermods site has a list of printable adapters. However, the adapter makes it so the gantry collides with the left side of the frame before anything hits the x-axis endstop, so I had to glue on a little piece of plastic to hit the endstop.
• The linear rail takes off about 10mm in the y-axis (I use 230x220 for the bed size now).
• I'm using linear advance with K = 0.10. Firmware is linked below.

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Purchased Upgrades

• Glass Bed
• Gulfcoast Robotics Bed Springs
• BIGTREETECH SKR Mini E3 V1.2
• Gulfcoast Robotics All Metal Hotend
• BLTouch
• Aluminum MK8 Extruder Drive Feed
• Capricorn Bowden PTFE Tubing and Cutter
• 608 ZZ Skateboard Bearings (for the filament holder/roller mod)
• PrinterMods Direct Drive
• Linear Rail
• And of course, Glue Sticks (gotta get that bed adhesion!)

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Printed Upgrades

I've been all about 3D Solutech filament since the start. These mods are all printed in Purple and Silver Metal. All of the mods can be found in my thingiverse collection. Most are others' mods, but I added/remixed a couple of my own.

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Here's a link to my config files and compiled firmware: link

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I'm a little proud of this guy, so feel free to ask me questions about my setup.