The Printrbot Simple Upgrade Kit is designed to upgrade a Printrbot Simple Maker’s Edition (1401) to the newest version (1405).

I picked up this kit so that I could upgrade my 2013 Simple, but a 2013 is not quite a 1401, so my life is a little more complicated.

First, a quick taxonomy of Printrbot Simples, so that you can follow along. The easiest way to sort models is by counting the number of large motors vs small motors, although I’ve included other information about each model here. Note that Printrbot Simple Metals are a different beast; they are not involved at all.

Printrbot Simple v1 and Printrbot Jr older versions – Has a Wade’s extruder assembly with a large laser cut gear on the front; I’ve never seen one of these in person and I don’t know much about them.

Printrbot Simple 2013 – Has a direct drive extruder with one large motor, all three other motors are small motors. Fishing line belts, wooden bed surface and extruder assembly. This comes with or without a fan, endstops, and/or belt tensioners, depending on when you bought it. This is the one that I have, and mine came with a fan and endstops, but no tensioners. (Update: some early versions of the 2013 model came with four small motors. Keep that in mind when identifying your printer.)

Printrbot Simple Maker’s Edition (1401) – Comes with three large motors and one small motor, fishing line belts, and an aluminum bed and extruder assembly.

Printrbot Simple Makers Edition (1405) – Most recent version; four large motors, GT2 timing belts. The most distinctive feature of this version is the location of the Printrboard; it’s under the x-axis carriage, accessible only by tipping the printer on its side.

The upgrade kit is designed to take Model 1401 to 1405, and provides exactly and only those parts needed to make the jump. I’m taking a 2013 to a 1405, so I am missing a step and so a few pieces I need aren’t included in the kit. Make sure that you have them before you tear your printer apart:

Two large Nema 17 Stepper motors. The 2013 kit has one, and one comes in the upgrade kit, so you’ll need to pick up two more to get to a total of four. They’re about $15 each.

The 2013 kit has one, and one comes in the upgrade kit, so you’ll need to pick up two more to get to a total of four. They’re about $15 each. An Delrin Acme nut. This replaces the metal nut on the Z-axis threaded rod. Just select “With delrin nut” from the dropdown when buying the upgrade kit, or contact printrbot support and they’ll send it to you for free.

This replaces the metal nut on the Z-axis threaded rod. Just select “With delrin nut” from the dropdown when buying the upgrade kit, or contact printrbot support and they’ll send it to you for free. A cooling fan. If your 2013 kit came with a fan, you’ll find that it won’t quite fit. It’s the right size for the new assembly (40mm) but the mounting holes are for M2 screws when you need something that will take M3 screws. Fortunately, case fans are cheap and easy to find.

If your 2013 kit came with a fan, you’ll find that it won’t quite fit. It’s the right size for the new assembly (40mm) but the mounting holes are for M2 screws when you need something that will take M3 screws. Fortunately, case fans are cheap and easy to find. An aluminum extruder assembly. This is a big one. The 2013 version extruder assembly doesn’t fit on the 1405 model. If you have your printer settings dialed in really tight and can do really accurate parts, you can print the new assembly before you do a tear down of your printer, but make sure it all fits together. If you do this, you’ll also likely need to adjust POT on your E-motor so that it doesn’t get too hot; out of the box settings get the E-motor so hot that it would soften a PLA part placed right next to it. If you can’t figure this out, can’t print at that quality, or just don’t want to mess with it, then buy the nice shiny part from Printrbot. It is a very nice part.

This is a big one. The 2013 version extruder assembly doesn’t fit on the 1405 model. If you have your printer settings dialed in really tight and can do really accurate parts, you can print the new assembly before you do a tear down of your printer, but make sure it all fits together. If you do this, you’ll also likely need to adjust POT on your E-motor so that it doesn’t get too hot; out of the box settings get the E-motor so hot that it would soften a PLA part placed right next to it. If you can’t figure this out, can’t print at that quality, or just don’t want to mess with it, then buy the nice shiny part from Printrbot. It is a very nice part. A metal bed. You’ll need a metal bed for the auto-level probe to work, but it’s also just very, very nice. You can get it bundled with the aluminum extruder to save on shipping costs. Note that the auto-level probe WILL trigger off a heat bed, so if you’ve already upgraded to a heat bed, then you can skip this one.

You’ll need a metal bed for the auto-level probe to work, but it’s also just very, very nice. You can get it bundled with the aluminum extruder to save on shipping costs. Note that the auto-level probe WILL trigger off a heat bed, so if you’ve already upgraded to a heat bed, then you can skip this one. End stops (maybe). If your 2013 Simple came without endstops, you’ll need to provide two, one for X and one for Y. Z will use the induction probe included in the kit.

Other than those items, everything you need should be either already in your printer or included in the upgrade kit.

There is one other thing to know before you tear down your old printer: Save everything. You won’t use all of the parts of your old printer, but you will use many of them. Throw nothing out until you’ve got the new assembled printer up and running.

Beyond that, I found the instructions for assembly to be pretty straightforward. I’m not done yet because I found out about the missing pieces the hard way* , but the only clarification I’d add to those instructions so far is:

Step 35: To get the screws into the extruder assembly, I found I had to remove the screws holding in the fan mount pieces. Just take those two out, screw in the two bottom screws for the extruder assembly, then put them back in.

*Parts I don’t have:

One large motor. I had one from my original, one spare, and one from the upgrade kit, leaving me short by one. I was really hoping I could sub in a small motor for the Z-axis, but the cables just aren’t long enough and I don’t know how to go about extending them. However, the Z-axis is vital to, well, anything, so I’m stuck until I get a new motor.

The cooling fan. Really not necessary to finish assembly; it can easily be done last.

Follow along at:Part II: The Upgradening

and: Part III: Oh, I totally did that wrong.