After I built the Graber i3, I used it for printing for a while. It worked and it could print things, but it was difficult to call it a well-tuned printer.
Then came a fairly long break in its story — for almost four years, the printer was barely used.
By the time I had a chance to work on it again, my plans had already changed.
Instead of the Graber — CoreXY
While the issue of getting the old printer to me was being sorted out, I started building a new one — this time based on CoreXY kinematics.
By then, the mechanics and the frame had already been assembled. What remained was the electronics and one of the most expensive parts — the print bed.
So the original plan was quite simple: use some of the components from the old Graber to finish the CoreXY. It had been sitting unused for several years anyway, and buying another set of motors, electronics, and other parts didn't make much sense.
At least, that's what I thought until the Graber finally arrived.
And It Still Works
After several years of sitting unused, the printer had remained in surprisingly good condition.
I didn't do any special restoration before the first start — I simply inspected it, plugged it in, and tried to turn it on.
And it worked.
The old Marlin firmware, Repetier-Host on the computer — practically the same setup I had used with the printer years before.
Of course, the word “worked” should be taken somewhat loosely here. The printer moved, heated up, and even printed. But that was enough to make the idea of taking it apart no longer seem like a good one.
The machine was still completely assembled, had survived several years of sitting unused quite well, and could still print. I simply didn't want to tear it apart for the sake of a few components anymore.
The CoreXY could wait.
A Second Chance
At first, I decided to get the Graber back into shape mainly for the kids. I wanted a simple printer that could be used without constant repairs and adjustments.
Later, another practical reason appeared. Building the CoreXY would require printing various parts, mounts, and other small pieces anyway. Making all of that with whatever tools I had at hand while an almost complete 3D printer was sitting nearby would have been rather strange.
So instead of becoming a parts donor for the new printer, the Graber got a second chance.
But it quickly became clear that a printer that simply works and a printer that's actually convenient to use are two very different things.
It Printed... Sort Of
The main problem was the first layer. Getting it consistently right was difficult, and the result depended far too much on yet another round of printer adjustments.
It was possible to print something. Sometimes even quite successfully. But consistent, repeatable results were still out of reach.
What I wanted was something completely different: prepare a model, send it to the printer, and get a finished part — instead of starting another tuning session before every print.
It became clear that the old Graber needed a more serious upgrade.
And that was the beginning of the next stage of its life.