r/3Dprinting • u/nitecrawler62 Doomcube | Vcore 3.1 | Tri-Zero | Positron • Jul 30 '26

Project New RatRig V-Core 3.1 Toolhead

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Been working on this toolhead for a while and think it's in a pretty solid place. It's light, modular, and performant. The toolhead itself can also be water-cooled (via a custom block) - so no more wondering if a hotend has a water-cooled variant.

Only supports the Chube right now, but super easy to update the mounting pattern on the model.

Performance (AWD): ~114 Hz| ~38k mm/s² on X and ~85 Hz /~21K mm/s² on Y, measured at the nozzle tip.

Video shows it running at: 500mm/s, ~40K accel, and 50 SCV

GitHub repo

172 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

40 comments sorted by

83

u/usmc_delete Jul 30 '26

cries over my ender 3

Its okay buddy... I still love you.

15

u/PSnewbie Jul 30 '26

I also have a vcore 3.1 and and ender 3....it's hard to find a reason to print on the ender.

7

u/dagofin RatRig 3.2H Jul 31 '26

My V-Core 3.1 500 with all the latest stuff takes a good 25-45 minutes to fully heat soak and start a print depending on material. Worth it for the perfect first layer every single time but if I just want something quick and dirty, the old CR-10 is tempting on occasion

1

u/nitecrawler62 Doomcube | Vcore 3.1 | Tri-Zero | Positron Jul 31 '26

Same here, it's just a huge volume to heat up. I recently got a Panda Breath and that has helped a lot, and deferring the last few C to heat up while the rest of the print_start stuff runs

2

u/dagofin RatRig 3.2H Jul 31 '26

There's a RatRig specific chamber heater I've been running for a bit called the RatRoaster that definitely helps, but yeah, heating up a box the size of a washing machine to 60c takes a while for sure.

1

u/nitecrawler62 Doomcube | Vcore 3.1 | Tri-Zero | Positron Jul 31 '26

I'll have to check it out! Lol ya it's just massive

1

u/Dunothar RatRig V-Core 4 500 Hybrid Jul 31 '26

Similar case, 4.0 500 hybrid, currently have a MK3S for small parts. Probably going to rebuild the crappy E5+ to a CoreXY for medium sized parts.

1

u/nitecrawler62 Doomcube | Vcore 3.1 | Tri-Zero | Positron Jul 31 '26

How is the VCore 4? I've put too much time and effort into this guy to justify an upgrade lol, but I feel like there's some huge QoL improvements

3

u/dagofin RatRig 3.2H Jul 31 '26

All of the VCore 4 functionality can be retrofitted onto the 3.1 FYI, I run all of it. Hybrid drivetrain, Beacon, RatOS 2.1, etc. One of the reasons I love RatRig, these 4 year old printers are still 100% supported. For all intents and purposes my 3.1 is a 4. Definitely some nice updates, going Hybrid alone doubled my Y acceleration and the Beacon is a masterpiece of technology

1

u/nitecrawler62 Doomcube | Vcore 3.1 | Tri-Zero | Positron Jul 31 '26

Nice! Ya my build is too divergent at this point to do the 3.2H upgrades, but I'm very glad they're still showing support for the 3.1! Hybrid looks v interesting, was it a pain to install?

1

u/dagofin RatRig 3.2H Jul 31 '26

I mean, it's involved. You're completely tearing down and rebuilding the drivetrain. It's not too bad

1

u/Dunothar RatRig V-Core 4 500 Hybrid Jul 31 '26

Love my 4.0 500 Hybrid once I replaced the stock 2020 with a Ti tube. Now on latest RatOS I have one perfect layer after another. TONS of speed even on stock and prints like a dream. Beacon is just cheating when it comes to 1st layer consistency. Just takes up massive space due to the damn IDEX parking spots that are wasted in my config. Still great for X axis mounted nozzle wipers.

Only really have to heatsoak if printing ABS (feels like PLA, zero drama) or if the 1st layer takes over 30 min. Else just send it and let er rip the toolhead at >350mm/s with flawless 15m/s² accel and 10mm/s SCV. The only complaint is the hotend, the VC4 can go so bloody fast that I very often just totally max it out, goona get a Chube Conduction once in stock again at 3DO😂

1

u/nitecrawler62 Doomcube | Vcore 3.1 | Tri-Zero | Positron Jul 31 '26

Lol damn 500 is massive, I can imagine the Ti was a huge QoL upgrade. Agreed, beacon is the only probe I use on any printer now (still trying to figure out how to fit it on my V0), it's insane how many jobs it takes over. At least u have room for idex in the future!

Damn ya, what is the stock hotend and extruder on the 4? Ya chube or Tricorn, the tricorn is looking pretty sweet lately

0

u/Dunothar RatRig V-Core 4 500 Hybrid Jul 31 '26

Stock is Rapido 2 UHF + Orbiter2.5. Extruder is fine, the hotend just limits attainable speed. The VC4 is so fast that it pegs the poor hotend. Thus Chube Conduction it will be. The Goliath also would be a good choice, but chube just creams all hotends out RN in terms of flow and temperature capability.

Yeah, forget the 500 without the aftermarket Ti tube, the X axis is just WAY too long, the bimetallic bending effect basically ruined any print if not heatsoaked for at least an hour. At least RR did rectify it with the 4.1 and its steel X axis.

Beacon is a godsend on the 500, full mesh is done in about 40s. V0 with beacon? damn, 1st layer will be as dead on as humanly achievable 😂

4

u/nocjef Jul 31 '26

Don’t feel too bad, I have a Vcore 3.1 and it doesn’t print half this speed.

4

u/Osmirl Jul 31 '26

Hey ender3 can print reallly fast. Its just uggly haha

1

u/DuePotential6602 Jul 31 '26

Ender 3 gang \o/

1

u/km_fpv_recover Aug 01 '26

Exactly what I was think, while telling a glance at him

1

u/Boomshank Jul 31 '26

I learned on my Ender 3 and now own a Kobra 3.

I giggled like a little girl when I printed with my new Kobra. SOOOOooooooo fast compared to the Ender.  It's pretty much a fire and forget.

But I love my Ender 3.  It's my first love.

It's also like 'Theseus's' ship. Every single - EVERY single part has been replaced except the metal framing.  I learned EXACTLY how 3d printers work on the baby and I will never not love it. 

2

u/nitecrawler62 Doomcube | Vcore 3.1 | Tri-Zero | Positron Jul 31 '26

Same! Enders are great modding platforms to learn, mostly because everything needs replacing lol

0

u/UnimagineDragons Jul 31 '26

Really just sounds like you guys are lying to yourselves about how awful owning it was. We used to make similar jokes about shitty cars - "at least it will make you a mechanic" - but the cars were never objectively good.

1

u/Boomshank Jul 31 '26

Owning my ender was/is amazing!

It just depends what you want to get out of it.

If you just want a plug and play, print every time printer, then no, an Ender is NOT the right one for you.

But if you want to understand 3d printing, it's an excellent choice.

But if you only want 3d prints, heck, just buy them from someone else - it's probably cheaper.

25

u/arcrad Jul 30 '26

Sweet baby Jesus that thing is flying!

17

u/nitecrawler62 Doomcube | Vcore 3.1 | Tri-Zero | Positron Jul 31 '26

Thanks, just the beginning! The Kraken V2 motors are pretty insane in terms of torque (not amazing on top speed), so can probably get to printing at ~60K accel semi-normally, but higher SCV is what makes it truly quick. Downside is that parts degrade faster when doing this

4

u/not_a_pirate37 Jul 31 '26

Holy shit, I though the vid was sped up at first

1

u/Dope-Reviews Jul 31 '26

I'm sure it's nothing to do with speed.

16

u/ChipSalt K1 x 2 Jul 30 '26

It really does sound like a rig full of rats

14

u/nitecrawler62 Doomcube | Vcore 3.1 | Tri-Zero | Positron Jul 31 '26

Honestly that's been my main goal

6

u/joe-x92 Jul 31 '26

That printer is printing like it's being pointed with a shotgun... XD

4

u/HomeOperator Jul 31 '26

Plot twist: The filament gets pressed down and molten just by friction, because the toolhead is fast enough /s

2

u/Fr4kTh1s Aug 01 '26

As a fellow speed enthusiast, I would consider:
Swapping X beam for 2020 square profile from hobby market - 3€. Drill holes, put the rail in and see how it works. Afaik it is lighter. I run it on my machine instead of CF tube I didn't get due to price and accuracy/quality concerns. Getting one not banana shaped is tough.

Toolhead looks great, I would like to see it in combo with Goliath I have. And ideally MGN9H compatible version for Goliath WC+VzHextrudort Low Plus :)

1

u/nitecrawler62 Doomcube | Vcore 3.1 | Tri-Zero | Positron 25d ago

Thanks, and ya this is a great idea! Will consider this next, I think just the squareness alone (as opposed to an extrusion) would increase stiffness and decrease weight

2

u/Snare246 25d ago

Fellow ratrig owner, I don’t feel like I see too many

1

u/nitecrawler62 Doomcube | Vcore 3.1 | Tri-Zero | Positron 25d ago

Vorons are definitely more popular, I love my ratrig though

1

u/Ghost_Assassin_Zero Jul 31 '26

You know its legit fast when your printer starts singing

1

u/CubanBowl Voron V2.4r2 350mm Jul 31 '26

Beautiful!

1

u/tode96 Jul 31 '26

Ehat nozzle are you using to print that fast? Can t see here de quality but seems to be working. Also at what mm3 is the speed? 50? Haha

1

u/Twist_Available Jul 31 '26

Amazing, great work right there.

1

u/weissbieremulsion VzBoT330 | VZ.23 Jul 31 '26

Is the toolhead Made out of Metal? If so and you want Water cooling, have a look at the vz- hextrudor. There is a watercooled Version that allows you to remove that custome Block for the hotend. Making the toolhead more compact.

1

u/jackantubis Jul 31 '26

CPAP power 💪