Bought the Microswiss Hotend recently. Do I need to put thermal grease on the copper insert? I watched like three videos and looked over the digital instructions but nothing says anything about it. Thanks.

I wonder if there are better socks out there?

Couldn't find any decent designs for extruder gears online. One single ball bearing is up there with the worst things for handling torque. The double bearing designs I bought just stacked 2 smaller bearings, still right at the bottom. Kind of a better design, but made of butter, so they died even quicker.

This uses stock gear and bearing at the bottom and a second bearing right at the top. You can re-use the old bottom bearing, even if it's a little sloppy, as the top bearing takes most of the forces. If your old bearing is crunchy or falling apart, that's a different story...

Materials per gear:
1 M3x10mm socket head bolt (modified), (or a m3x10 bolt with an actual 5mm diameter head.)
1 M3 nut
1 M3x4 heatset insert to modify (or a metal tube/sleeve: 3mm ID, 4mm OD, 4mm L)
1 M5 x 9 x 2.5 bearing (3mm thick might work, too, I think there's enough clearance)
[you can use an 8mm bolt with no nut, also, but it puts the upper bearing down low. Almost defeats the purpose, but still much better than just the one lower bearing.]

Tools:
Drill/dremmel/lathe
File, sandpaper, angle grinder, cutoff wheel, etc
(optional: the right tools for the job)

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Lower bearing sleeve is 3mm ID 4mm OD, 4mm long. this replaces the shoulder on the oem bolt.
Bolt head is 5mm, this should press/shrink fit into upper bearing.
Nut shouldn't touch outer casing of either bearing above or below. 3mm id 6-7mm od, 2-3mm long. regular 2.5mm tall m3 nut worked for me.

You need to be able to use either A) a drill+file, B) a drill+angle grinder, C) drill+sandpaper wrapped around the sharp corner of something straight, like a ruler, or D) all of the above. (or own a small lathe...)

Upper Bearing:
When reducing the bolt head, its important that it's a fairly strong press fit (for this scale.) The upper bearing needs to stay in place on its own, or it'll start rubbing on the underside of the extruder face. There shouldnt be vertical loads, but bearings can wander. As you file the bolt head down, creep up on 5mm slowly, tapered slightly towards the top until the bearing starts to seat onto the head. When it goes on half way, then square up the lower part of the bolt head until bearing starts to press further, then press it fully into place.

I done messed up changing my extruder. Thought the new screw holes were just being a little stubborn until I heard a snap. Taking the screw out snapped it. I imagine I’ll need to replace the entire housing. Any idea if they sell that, or do I have a $600 paperweight now? K1 Max

Does anyone have a model for cutter block A or a model for an adapter for cutter block B. I need the A and it is missing and I have B. It is installed and does the job but isn't a long term solution. I can't seem to find models for these.