As we know, Makerbot has been stingy with information about their machines, even more stingy about releasing parts, and the stingiest about money. After I saw their new lineup of machines I almost gagged in disgust. So this project will be about how I am converting/futureproofing my Replicator 2. This is, of course, a work in progress; and will be until the day my printer dies, so bear with me. My cost on this project as of 1/28/2014 is: ~$410.00. This excludes the HBP and upgraded power supply since I already owned them. The HBP can be purchased from MBI for $179 and the power supplies can be found for as low as $90. You'll notice the cost is almost the same as the difference in price from a rep2 and a rep2x. However, when this project is "done" I should have a machine that is much better than a rep2x. See the instructions section for steps I have taken so far. Please feel free to comment and offer kind advice if you happen to have any.The most logical place to start was the HBP. In-fact, I did this before I even had plans to convert fully to a 2X. After upgrading the build plate on my existing 2X machine (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:236617), I simply moved the HBP over to my rep2. There is a small plastic plug that needs to be popped out near the bottom of the threaded Z-rod in order to feed the wires through to the mightyboard. The wires plug right in to the labeled ports and all that needs to be done is enable the HBP in the printer settings menu. To run the HBP on a rep2 you'll need to upgrade your power supply. I just swapped the 10A module over from my 2x since the upgraded plate I installed on it uses its own dedicated power supply. To find an OEM replacement for a 2x, This is the model number you'll need: GS220A24-R7B. Now we have a rep2 with a fully functional HBP. All that needs to be done to finalize this mod is to change your machine from a rep2 to a 2x in makerware. Note: This will remove your option to print via USB. I believe the build plate size can be modified in a script somewhere, but I have yet to figure that out (or care to look it up). NOW THE EASY PART IS DONE!!!!!! Extruders, Extruders, Extruders.....Where do I start? Well, I have over 1000 hours of prints on my OEM rep2 extruder and I still have plans for my half-borked 2x, so I had to find a replacement. I picked up a nice pair here http://store.qu-bd.com/product.php?id_product=19 . The total was a little over $100. You'll want the 24v heater cartridges, Either mount option is fine, and the DIY kit with no motors. In addition to the extruders, I ordered a few other parts that were necessary to make the setup work. 1x NEMA 17 1.8 degree stepper motor. $13 (ebay) 1x Botstep stepper driver. $45 (www.bilbycnc.com.au) 1x Makerbot type-K thermocouple. $39.50 (www.bilbycnc.com.au) 1x Makerbot Replicator 2/2X - Extruder cable. $22.50 (www.bilbycnc.com.au) 1x Alucarriage Dual $140 (http://shop.raffle.ch/) The following list of assembly steps will be slightly abbreviated since I feel that most seasoned replicator owners should be able to understand what exactly has to happen to get this working. As of 1/28/2014 I am currently waiting on parts to arrive to finish my assembly. After the assembly is complete, the other extruder will need to be enabled via onboard settings menu (I think). After that, I am predicting some pretty extensive calibration including leveling both nozzles, calibrating the distance between nozzles, and probably a half-dozen other things. Of course for this to be a "complete" Rep2X conversion, you will also need to pick up a section of tubing for the filament. I got a couple feet at my local hardware store for around $5. And the acrylic enclosure is almost a must if you are planning on making the switch to ABS. I fabricated a simple temporary enclosure using a piece of acrylic I had in the garage and a glass cutter. The cost of a nicely fabricated one shouldn't exceed $20 though. The reason I chose a temporary solution is because I plan to use an insulating material such as mylar to make the enclosure in hopes of holding in as much heat as possible and thud creating a "partially heated enclosure". While on the subject of futureproofing, I will list a few other mods and tweaks I plan on doing to keep the ol' girl fresh. Let it be known that my technical knowledge, although very thorough, is very limited when it comes to electronics, and computers. However I have had my finger on the pulse of 3D printing for over 11 years. Based on my research and trending ideas on kickstarter, these are things I believe need to be done to this machine to keep it competitive for at least 2 years: -Some sort of integration with makerware to allow for full replicator 2x functionality. Possible rep 2x firmware flash. -Partially heated build chamber to allow for near flawless part cooling as industrial machines do. -Asymmetrical extruder nozzles. One large nozzle for infill/supports and one smaller one for shells. This will allow for an increase in speed and quality in most cases and is switched back to stock configuration. The major limitation of this mod would be software support. -Alu-X-Ends, Aluminum Z arms, bearing upgrades, X,Y stepper upgrades. These mods have been tried and true for some time now in increasing the overall rigidity of the machine and reducing weight and friction. This translates into faster, higher quality prints. At least for 2014, the ability to print under 50microns should prove to be competitive. The reduced weight and upgraded motors should also for a slight bump in print speed as well. -Filament sensor. I have long dreamed of a piggyback device that uses some kind of thickness gauge to measure the variations in filament and make adjustments directly at the extruder level without the printer knowing. This could even pause the print once filament runs out or even cancel it if it fails. -Electrostatic print. This one might be a stretch, but I do believe it is possible to electrostatically alter the way the printer prints by charging both the build plate and extruder nozzle. Hypothetically, positively charged plastic would flow from the extruder nozzle and thus be attracted to the negatively charged plastic on the build platform. If this could be accomplished without interfere with the replicator's electronics, it could make for a much more reliable bond between the first layer and the build platform as well as every layer thereafter. If this theory works in powdercoating, there is enough reason to believe it could be adapted to 3D printing.