The folks at Zesty initially wanted to build a delta printer, but ultimately created the Nimble instead, which is designed to be light so as not to weigh down the printer head.
They tried to address the downsides of both direct drive extruders (heavy, slows down printing speed and accuracy) and bowden tubes (friction, difficult to print flexible materials) by decoupling the motor from the head but still having the filament feed in directly to the extruder. Their frustration birthed the Nimble, a remote direct drive extruder boasting zippy printing speeds and an ability to handle most material types.
Deceptively weighing in at only 27 grams, the Nimble is a heavyweight when it comes to faster printing, ease of swapping out filament and improved extrusion control, according to Zesty.
Though we haven’t had a chance to get our hands on this mini, but mighty extruder yet, we’ve inspected its specs to see whether it’s worth your money. Read on to see what we think.
Features
Breech Lever
This nifty little lever is the secret to making the filament so easy to load and remove. When the lever is open, you have a clear view of the filament all the way down to the hotend. This also lets you get a feel for the extrusion and is easier to clean.
Just be aware that it does wear out and isn’t covered by the warranty (but you can buy new ones from Zesty).
Right Hand Friendly, Left Hand Friendly
Are you a lefty? A righty? That’s alrighty! The Nimble was designed to be easy to put together — no matter what printer setup you have.
Chaff Chute
Pressurized air coming from two holes pushes any bits of crud out without having to crack open the Nimble and remove them manually.
Hob
This tiny but tough hob, a gear with little teeth that pulls the filament into the extruder, combined with the breech, should make the sky the limit in terms of filaments the Nimble can handle, says Zesty.
Fits All Printers
The Nimble is designed to fit all printers — with a bit of tweaking, says Zesty. You can even swap it from printer to printer, so long as you get a suitable adapter. Zesty even offers to design an adapter for you for free.
Technical Specifications
Weight: 27 grams
Compatible materials: Anything from X60, the softest rubber filament available, to carbon fiber infused filament.
Speed: Varies based on system and hot end, but can print up to 300 mm/sec
Compatible printers: Almost all (but it may need some tweaks)
Where to Buy
You can purchase the Nimble from the following online retailers:
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