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This is a guide on how to setup Octoprint and a Raspberry Pi camera on early Toybox Alpha 1 models.
Octoprint is a feature-packed 3D printer interface. It lets you take your printer completely local, integrate it with smart home services, access it online, integrate a camera, record timelapses, add power loss recovery, and more through its plugin database.
I believe that the camera mount should work on all Alpha 1 printers. Octoprint itself requires a USB port that exists on early Alpha 1 models.
For this tutorial, you will need the hex wrenches that came with your toybox, Phillips head drivers of multiple sizes, a Raspberry Pi camera (this is designed for V2/V2.1 but may work with other versions) + ribbon cable, a Raspberry Pi (I used 4B but any Octopi supported version works), microsd/usb drive for the Pi, a USB-B to USB-A printer cable (read step 3 for more info), and this Pi Cam mount: https://makerworld.com/en/models/1925119-toybox-alpha-1-rpi-camera-mount-side-panels
This will most certainly void your warranty. Also, this is completely unofficial so you will not receive any support from Toybox. (This is a personal project unrelated to Toybox or Octoprint/Octopi.)
First, use your hex wrench to remove the four screws circled in blue.
Lift up the large plate in the bottom of the printer. Be careful - the main board is underneath and the plate is connected via a ribbon cable. I like to use insert a hex wrench into a corner of the printer and use it to lift the plate up.
Now, check if your printer has the USB-B port on the main board. If it does, continue with this tutorial. Most likely, you will need to unscrew the main board to insert a cable. The screws are on the bottom of the printer and are circled in blue below. However, they are screwed into standoffs on the board (in next image circled in red) that will keep on turning without loosening. I recommend gently using needle nose pliers to hold the standoffs while removing the screws.
Next, insert your USB cable. Now, what you have to do at this point depends on your cable. If you have a right-angle cable you might (???) be able to secure the board again using the standoffs. There isn't much clearance between the frame and the port (I measured about 25mm). Otherwise, you won't be able to screw the board back down again (which may short out the board if it moves around.)
I recommend you route the cable to the front-left corner of the printer. Lower the bottom panel back down and secure it. Make sure the cable is routed as shown below.
Remove the supports from the 3D printed right side panel. Remove the bottom right screw of the top right corner of the front of the Toybox as shown below. Insert the groove of the side panel onto the side of the Toybox. Attach the side panel with the previously mentioned screw.
This is what the front of the Toybox will look like after the side panels have been attached.
Remove the supports from the 3D printed left side panel. Remove the bottom left screw of the top left corner of the front of the Toybox as shown below. Also remove the top screw on the left side of the Toybox. Insert the groove of the side panel onto the side of the Toybox. Secure the side panel with the two screws. Route the USB cable through the hole large hole in the bottom right corner of the side panel as shown below.
Route the ribbon cable through the slots of the left side panel as shown below, weaving the cable in and out.
Attach the camera to the ribbon cable and insert the camera lens through the square hole above the ribbon cable slots.
Insert the tabs of the camera cover into the two rectangular slots left in the left side cover. Press the cover down into place.
Plug the microsd/USB drive into your computer. Download Raspberry Pi Imager. Use the imaging software to select the Octopi (stable branch) OS and flash it to your portable drive. Be sure to config the wifi connection info.
Now, plug the ribbon cable, USB cable, power cable, and microsd/usb drive into the Raspberry Pi. Turn the Raspberry Pi on.
Connect to octopi.local. I won't get to much into detail on how to setup octoprint, but I will provide my settings.
Name/model: Toybox Alpha 1 Baudrate: 250000 Form Factor: Rectangular Origin: Lower Left Heated Bed/Chamber : None X:70 Y:80 Z:90
Also, be sure to go to "settings>gcode scripts>Before print started" and add the command "G28".
Now, Octoprint should work normally. You will need a slicer to use it though. I recommend Cura (I also won't go into detail on how exactly to use it). If you already have a custom Toybox profile, use that. Otherwise, download Cura 5.11 or later and use the built-in Toybox profile (contributed by me!).
