MakerBot Replicator 2 with Sailfish for PrusaSlicer

ReplicatorG and Sailfish firmware

Preparations - Option 1

get ReplicatorG for your OS here
connect your Replicator2 via USB
run ReplicatorG
select 'Machine -> Machine Type (Driver) -> Replicator 2'
select 'Machine -> Connection (Serial Port) -> <your port>'
click the connect icon
screenshot/note your printer's specs show under
'Machine -> Onboard Prefs'
go to 'File -> Preferences -> Advanced'
change 'Firmware update URL:' to the URL provided here
go to 'Machine -> Upload new firmware...'
select your printer model
upload Sailfish firmware

Preparations - Option 2 (Linux only)

git clone this repository
connect your Replicator2 via USB
run ReplicatorG from cloned repository
select 'Machine -> Machine Type (Driver) -> Replicator 2'
select 'Machine -> Connection (Serial Port) -> <your port>'
click the connect icon
screenshot/note your printer's specs show under
'Machine -> Onboard Prefs'
go to 'Machine -> Upload new firmware...'
select your printer model
upload Sailfish firmware

Connecting after Sailfish installation

use Sailfish edition of ReplicatorG (available here) to connect
to your printer after Sailfish firmware was installed
IMPORTANT!
a known issue is an old version of 'librxtxSerial.so' being
distributed with ReplicatorG, leading to a connection error
on x86_64 machines
as a workaround install librxtx-java to your system and
symlink it to 'lib-x86_64/librxtxSerial.so' within Sailfish
edition of ReplicatorG directory
if you cloned this repository, there is already a symlink
pointing to '/usr/lib/jni/librxtxSerial.so' that you might need
to change depending on which linux distro you use you
still have to install librxtx-java, e.g. via apt
on first connection after Sailfish installation check the
settings under 'Machine -> Onboard Prefs' and compare
them to your screenshots/notes

Homing and offset

As default the Replicator2's origin is in the middle of the printbed.
Running into several issues with that while trying to get good prints
with PrusaSlicer, I decided to change the origin to front left of the
printbed. This can be achieved with different methods.

use ReplicatorG Sailfish edition to change offset to
'X285 Y150 Z0 A0 B0' via 'Machine Onboard Prefs' and load it
in start G-code after homing via 'M132 X Y Z A B'
use the EEPROM version of the start G-code which sets the
offset via 'G92 X285 Y150 Z0 A0 B0' after homing, stores it via
'M131 X Y Z A B' and calls it via 'M132 X Y Z A B'

G-code to x3g

I personally use octoprint with GPX plugin to send the G-code files to my
Replicator2. The GPX plugin does the neccessary conversion from G-code to
x3g. You can also use ReplicatorG to do the conversion, use a custom
post-processing script in PursaSlicer to call GPX or use GPX as
command-line tool.

Tips

don't cancel a print while homing, always wait until the print started
to prevent damage to your steppers, belts and threaded rods

ElTrasho3000/Replicator2