Compact and portable 3D printer that you can make yourself

Kralyn3D's Positron project, presented in 2020, attracted attention with its unique printing principle: instead of printing from above, the FDM 3D printer prints upside down. Advantages: The printed part adheres very well thanks to the heated printing plate, the center of gravity is low so the design can be folded to save space. However, it has so far been difficult to replicate the positron project yourself.

Now the JourneyMaker group aims to help. Behind the display are members of the Positron community who have revised the 3D printer and made it more accessible. According to the developers, the original CNC parts can be replaced with an inexpensive kit that pre-manufactures important components.

Another criticism of the original design was the difficulty of assembly. Therefore, a new edge connector was used that saves annoying cables and soldering operations. The JourneyMaker version is said to be easier to install overall.

Instead of the solder connection previously used for the hot printing plate, an additional connection is now used, similar to a RAM strip. The developers explain the assembly in a video post.

Other new features include preparing for your edits. In the future, replacement printheads and extruders should be easily integrated. In the Discord community, users are already working on the corresponding extensions.

The JourneyMaker kit is included with components and building instructions Foxolite available. The store also provides a convenient transport bag. Complete documentation with CAD files can be found at github.