50mm blower mounting system - Makergear M2 Z-axis cooler 3D model preview
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About this 3D model

I needed a compact way to cool my Z-axis stepper motor on my Makergear M2. I'm not sure if I really needed to cool it, but I wanted a way to cool it. The space available was not that great and I was faced with the prospect of creating a rather elaborate ductwork for a fan mounted off the printer. There are several on Thingiverse, but I wanted something easier. I was also looking for a fan I could power off a USB hub. That meant 5vdc instead of 12vdc. I found these on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EL938E6/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and they were exactly what I was looking for. The mounting setup I created is all friction-fit. Since it's laying on its side, I didn't need or want to mess with mounting hardware. I created a base, a grilled top and a solid top. I could certainly run the fan without the a top plate, but there's often pieces of filament and the occasional tool dropping down on the printer's base and I wanted to keep droppings from fouling or damaging the fan. The solid top has a bit more clearance to keep the intake airflow adequate. The grilled top sits a little closer to the fan. You could also invert the fan so the intake is on the bottom. An additional benefit is the fan pulls warm air out of the control box it's mounted beside, helping to keep the drive electronics a tiny bit cooler.