I already have dual z motors for my setup but am building a Mercury one build for my Ender 5plus and long story short I removed everything to start from scratch because I want to mount the motherboard and wiring to the back of the machine instead of at the bottom of the frame, I’ve seen other do a sort of electronics back pack mod and that’s most likely what I’ll attempt but I have some weird twists that I thought I better run by the forum.

So first off, I’m a welder and have access to a lot of dirt cheap material and occasionally extrusions and stuff, but I am planning on using scrap aluminum sheet to cover the back and bottom, and access to cnc machine so I want to do the Mercury skirt build except cut out of aluminum sheet. I plan to leave enough excess to do the remaining panels in thick plexi.

Second, my friend offered to cerakote parts for free, so each applicable part will be sand blasted and cerakoted with a color shift chameleon coat (color pick not final, suggestions welcome). I figure this will be fine since it’s such a thin coating and used on firearms all the time and even adds lubricity to moving parts. (I wasn’t going to do the cnc slider rails but am tempted)

Third, is a mostly metal enclosure okay? Say I did the top bottom and back metal with spots to instal plexi on front left and right. I want to make a solid frame that is braced and can bolt to the table I plan to keep it on. Kinda want to make the machine way heavier than need be so it’s extra stable etc.

Thanks for any feedback on this wild project. I can’t wait to get parts plasma cut and welded to ship and cerakote the whole lot. Let me know what yall think! I’ll be hopefully video documenting the whole experience even though I am starting from nothing experience wise so any advice helps!