(Part 2) Top products from r/ender5

Thanks for making a new thread. You mentioned pre-assembled and quality/reliability over cost, but do you have a general price in mind?

Extruder

The most popular option is to just go with one of the cheap aluminum extruders. These are a considerable improvement over the stock plastic version. There isn't really much assembly involved, you will need to bolt on the extruder plate/lever and put the spring in, but it's about the most simple upgrade there is.

On the more premium end, depending on which version you buy, a genuine Bondtech comes pre-assembled. It's about $70 more expensive and the benefits are negligible, but that's an alternative.

Hotend

The two main choices for Creality machines are the V6 or Micro Swiss (or a clone), both of which do have some assembly involved.

E3D sells their V6 as a bunch of parts that you assemble yourself, but Filastruder offers it as a pre-assembled version. I believe most V6 clones come loosely pre-assembled as well. Keep in mind however that V6 isn't a direct install, you will need some kind of printed bracket / fan duct like the PetsFang to mount it.

The Micro Swiss on the other hand is a drop-in installation on Creality machines. You do have minimal assembly putting a few parts together, but it bolts up to the stock machine without any changes. I wrote a guide that covers how to do it for the Ender-3, but the Ender-5 uses the same hotend carriage design, meaning the steps are the same.

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I would personally go with the cheap aluminum extruder and a Micro Swiss hotend. This would be a cost efficient, yet effective set of upgrades for the machine. There is minimal assembly involved, but there isn't much on the market that is 100% ready to go.

Here's a decent video explaining how and why to update the firmware:

https://youtu.be/aQIg9zxuCvM

> EDIT: If you do use the Marline 1.1.9 firmware, instead of the TH3D Unified FirmWare mentioned below, make sure you make some modifications.
> I posted some of those here:
> https://www.reddit.com/r/ender5/comments/b989yk/xy_not_working_past_a_few_mm_after_marlin_119/
>
> One not mentioned very well in that thread is the auto home settings
> Those are mentioned here:
> https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Marlin/issues/12074
>
> All in all I'd suggest using UFW as I believe they sort out most of the above problems. But I haven't moved to that yet so can't speak to it too much.
>
> END EDIT

You can buy an arduino uno for pretty cheap, they are off brand mostly but have drivers scattered around the web. TH3D has a unified firmware (UFW) that I will be updating to once I get their EZABL (auto bed leveler) and they have the drivers in their download for the UFW.

Here's a link to the UFW:
https://www.th3dstudio.com/knowledgebase/th3d-unified-firmware-package/

For flashing the boot loader as a part of the firmware update you will also need dupont connectors, you can make these if you have the patience or just buy some. I bought this pack:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EV70C78

I've purchased a lot of the upgrades mentioned in this thread from TH3D. I can't speak for their quality as I haven't received them yet but they seem a decent USA shop.

One thing I highly recommend based on discussions in this thread is something you can do without the need to purchase anything and that is to de-tin the wires on the power connector. The heat passing through those connectors can melt the solder causing a fire hazard near the plastic connectors. Simply detach the power connectors all around the main board. Here's a video explaining that (also has instructions on how to flash it using their UFW I think):

https://youtu.be/T5lef0FrV_c

For any other upgrades mentioned here I've purchased mine from TH3D's Ender 5 upgrade list. I have yet to install them but from the discussions here and their videos I'm hopeful that they will be high quality:

https://www.th3dstudio.com/product-category/printer-upgrades/ender5/

I ordered these but I will warn you it took a while for them to arrive. But, they were great.

12mm OD 30mm Long Medium Load... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013G5V9O6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I also got these, should I install them?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DNT72SF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And what about springs/more bed travel. Any improvements I can make there?

I am going to print out the bed support now.

I used this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NALDSJ0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_2LjxDbP3ZP8DJ

I had a barrel connector to a pigtail. Wired that to power supply. USB out and it's worked like a charm.

These work wonders when you need to clean your hotend

You're going to be looking for something like this.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BF8KXW3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Mhv4CbV5G6G18

I'm really happy with this. I made a bracket (STL). This allowed me to do the SKR 1.3 without modifying any cables, but I suggest buying a longer display cable and printing the largest bracket (here) and cable clips. More pictures at the thingiverse link for the bracket that I made.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3122247

I was browsing Pi Camera mounts, and found this one. I happened to have one of those lamps already, so it was convenient. I have it mounted to the top front rail.

I put a camera pop up flash diffuser over the light, so that the lighting is less harsh. Without it, it was hard to see the print very well when the lamp was on. Mine is similar to this, and it fit okay on the lamp https://www.amazon.com/Stebcece-Colors-Diffuser-Olympus-Adjustable/dp/B06XCMP85B/

Only downside is that the camera is mounted to the frame, so the angles you can choose from and actually see stuff without being blocked by the rails or hot end are limited.

Meanwell power supply:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013ETVO12

Ferrules and crimper:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LCF39W9

Stepper smoothers (3-pack):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0727QT316

Capricorn PTFE tubing:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079P92HN9

Performance 3-D MK8 Apollo 0.4mm extruder nozzle:

https://www.p3-d.com/collections/duraplat-3d-extruder-nozzles

Glass bed (appears to be produced by creality), ebay seller usbkits :

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Creality-3D-Ender3-Ultrabase-Heat-Bed-Glass-Plate-235x235mm-for-3D-Printer-X6W6/143049426638

Aluminum drive feed, ebay seller creality-3d-direct :

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Upgrade-Aluminum-Extruder-Drive-Feed-Frame-For-Creality-Ender-3-3D-Printer/223095519332

***the tube fitting in this kit did not work well, so I used the fitting from the stock creality assembly and it worked fine.

​

THD Firmware:

https://www.th3dstudio.com/knowledgebase/th3d-unified-firmware-package/

Ender 5 Pro on Amazon for $349 $359. Is this seller (Elysia U) legit though? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X9RPFTT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_mwE4DbR4EMZFH

I got mine through Amazon.

Here

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B96QMN2/
I think I only paid about $14 for it. But that's too much. I've seen it elsewhere for less than 1/2 that price.

Which country are you in? I see 6 packs of the wheels.

CCTREE 3D Printer POM V Slot Wheel Plastic Pulley Linear Bearing for Creality CR-7,CR-8,CR-10,CR10S,Ender(Pack of 6) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DC99DPV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_detDDbSH2HTZG

I found this one after doing a search for an hour tonight on different websites: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0761PGLZ4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A2UHE58S2974CT&psc=1

I just added yesterday a glass bed and boy, that bed falling is annoying. Would that stepper motor be a proper upgrade? I've tried to find that 17HS4401, just to find this one that have more torque and isn't that more expensive.