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After years as an open-source self-source project, the Blackbox recently became available as a DIY kit, giving users a shortcut to build their own toolchanging CoreXY 3D printer.

The kit is called the Blackbox CE (for “Community Edition”). Once assembled, it can use up to five toolheads for truly multi-material 3D printing. The toolchange mechanism leverages kinematic coupling – which limits the number of contact points each toolhead has with the toolhead carriage – to achieve higher degrees of positional accuracy.

The Blackbox CE configuration boasts a build volume of 300 x 300 x 275 mm, passive watercooling, a worm drive tool lock, a belted Z-axis, and other “high end” features in a build comprised of both stock and 3D printed parts.

The Blackbird CE’s appearance on KB3D marks the first time it has been sold as a complete kit. The base version is available for $1,499.99. However, with the number of available add-ons and upgrades – a touch display, a microcontroller, wiring, and an enclosure are several examples – the click-happy could easily see themselves paying close to twice that, if not more.

As far as the build itself, Blackbox CE is decidedly not beginner-friendly. Expect a challenge, in other words – and a time-consuming one, at that – with end results that will vary in quality, depending on the builder’s expertise and experience. Those seeking a more turnkey solution may do well to consider other, fully built options on the market (the Prusa XL springs to mind here).

Should you want a glimpse of what you’re potentially in for, a full BOM, STLs, assembly instructions and the like are up for download on the Blackbox GitHub page. Those interested in purchasing a kit should head to KB3D, where, at the time of writing, they are available with a current lead time of 11 days.

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License: The text of "Challenge Yourself With the Blackbox CE Open Source CoreXY Toolchanger Kit" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.