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Thread: My RepRap Build. (3d printer for those not in the know)

  1. #1
    If you can't hack it, you don't own it! Oneslowz28's Avatar
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    Default My RepRap Build. (3d printer for those not in the know)

    I haven't made anything in a few months now. The last thing I made was the Coil Gun which took all of 3 hours to actually build and the novelty wore off in about 15 min. So I had an itch to build something. Something big. I was debating on an actual scratch build case mod, but could not justify it because I have no need for a new computer right now.

    I first learned about the RepRap project via Hackaday about a year and a half ago. I immediately wanted to jump in feet first, but things were still very buggy and the longevity of the extrusion head was very short. So I sat back and contributed a few ideas here and there, did some technical drawings of stuff that was missing and mostly just sat back and watched the progress unfold. This brings us to this month.

    I had not been on the reprap site in about 2 months. So with nothing to do on a Saturday afternoon I browsed the site for a few hours. Things had made leaps and bounds. There were completely new electronics that were more powerful and reliable, the extrusion head was completely redesigned to what I always thought would be a better design. The software was even refined. There were people getting printing resolutions of less than 0.1mm. I decided to go ahead and build me a RepRap.

    But first I have to build what is known as a RepStrap. This is a Cartesian bot that will allow me to print the parts I need to make a more accurate and faster Darwin RepRap. This is not a necessary step as I could just buy all the parts laser cut from acrylic from a few places,[url=http://Ponoko.com]Ponoko[url] or bits from bytes and just have to supply a few mechanical parts and electronics or I could buy a ready made reprap derived 3d printer CupCake CNC. But there is no fun in that. It works great for people who are not mechanically inclined or have no tools and workspace.

    So on with the work log.

    This post will serve as my main build log. I will be posting all of the build updates here. I will from time to time post some small updates or thoughts on my new site. (still under construction) The Maker's Workbench
    Last edited by Oneslowz28; 06-01-2009 at 10:16 PM.

  2. #2
    If you can't hack it, you don't own it! Oneslowz28's Avatar
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    Default Re: My RepRap Build. (3d printer for those not in the know)

    There are many different RepStrap designs. I chose the easiest and most often built RepRap Seedling. AKA McWire Cartesian Bot v1.2 Its named McWire after the original designer.
    Quote Originally Posted by reprap.org
    This design is based on a previous design by Tom McGuire, and was named after him. We have since taken his design and improved upon it in a few crucial areas and adapted it for our particular needs. We are very grateful and appreciate the hard work he put in. All of our subsequent work is released under the GPL.
    My goal are to take the first step and build this.
    http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3132/...c3a678.jpg?v=0

    and use it to eventually build this


    and I will use it to print things like these

    Corner Brackets


    Gears


    Parts for another RepRap


    Sandals (yea I know)


    Statues


    Lego like bricks


    Cool looking screw top boxes






    It is tradition for your first print to be a shot glass. You then use that shot glass to toast your machine.




    and even other RepRaps


    With this machine I can print anything that can be designed in 3D within the machines physical limitations. I can print custom reservoirs for water cooling, fan grills,custom drive covers, whole case faces, hhd enclosures, fan shrouds to duct air, pen bodies, tweezers, combs, flashlights, there are hundreds of thousands of things I can print. Besides how cool will it be to print stuff in the 3rd dimension?

    All the above images are courtesy http://reprap.org and its contributors, http://thingverse.com and its contributors.
    Last edited by Oneslowz28; 06-01-2009 at 08:51 PM.

  3. #3
    Resident 100HP water-cannon operator SXRguyinMA's Avatar
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    Default Re: My RepRap Build. (3d printer for those not in the know)

    sweet I'm checkin this out!

  4. #4
    If you can't hack it, you don't own it! Oneslowz28's Avatar
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    Default Re: My RepRap Build. (3d printer for those not in the know)

    So today I ordered all of the parts needed for the McWire from McMaster-Carr, and home depot. Total came out to $98.75. Now I need to source parts for an extruder. I would prefer a pinch wheel from printed parts but if I can find an old design one used for a good price I will buy it.

    I also bought the plexi for the axes stages and the bearing arms. I got it as scrap from a local glass shop for $12. Its 5mm clear. This weekend I need to head to harbor freight and pick up a 82 degree countersink. I have a spare PSU from an old atx case. I still have a few of the electronic parts to order. I need to find a flat surface hotplate so I can reflow the solder paste I have to use when I populate the electronics boards. They are surface mount. I have done reflow work before with a hotplate so this will not be new.

    I plan on using a full tower pc case so I can fit all of the electronics including the host PC inside. I might be doing the first RepRap related case mod. PC plans are 2+ghz athlon x2, 4gb ram, cheap mobo with onboard video. It will more than likely have Ubuntu installed on it because open source stuff is awesome. IMO Open source software is the only way to go when planning a open source project like building a RepRap

    I have linked to a google spread sheet below of the parts list and cost so far.
    http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?k...=0&output=html

  5. #5
    A big old Tease Apparently DonT-FeaR's Avatar
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    Default Re: My RepRap Build. (3d printer for those not in the know)

    wow.. thats so awesome
    Quote Originally Posted by Drum Thumper View Post
    you tease!

  6. #6
    If you can't hack it, you don't own it! Oneslowz28's Avatar
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    Default Re: My RepRap Build. (3d printer for those not in the know)

    Well the order from McMaster-Carr will be here in a few hours. That's less than 24 hours from the order date. It helps that McMaster-Carr has a warehouse less than 3 hours from my house and after the FedEx pickup it had less than 2.5 hours to travel to my local FedEx hub.

    So tonight I hope to get the base of the McWire put together. Thats the iron pipe that forms the base and upright that will hold the z axis. I put in an order for some solder paste this morning and a needle to put it on the boards. I now need to find a flat surface hotplate. Wal-mart is supposed to have one for $12

    Note to self: Still need:
    1. 3 NEMA 23 8 wire stepper motors Here
    2. Extrusion head
    3. 16 skate bearings (608) Here
    4. Thermocouple temp sensor kit Here
    5. 6' Nichrom Wire Here
    6. RJ45 connectors and boots
    7. USBtinyISP AVR Programmer Kit Here
    8. 3mm plastic filament hdpe, abs, pla, etc. (what you print with) Here I can get it much cheaper (20-30%) from other sources.


    I also want to note that I hope to be printing by the end of the year. I think I will be printing much faster but my goal is to print a shot glass by december 31st.

  7. #7
    Local laser guy! Collinstheclown's Avatar
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    Default Re: My RepRap Build. (3d printer for those not in the know)

    These things are amazing. I'm a huge fan of anything CNC and these take that to the next level. I plan to build and document a router when I get my mod shop up and running. Can't wait to see more of this.




    -CollinstheClown

  8. #8
    If you can't hack it, you don't own it! Oneslowz28's Avatar
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    Default Re: My RepRap Build. (3d printer for those not in the know)

    There are already people turning their darwin repraps into cnc routers using dremels as the power head. The workable area is small but its a step in the right direction and proof that the reprap electronics can handle milling and routing.

  9. #9
    If you can't hack it, you don't own it! Oneslowz28's Avatar
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    Default Re: My RepRap Build. (3d printer for those not in the know)

    And the build has started.

    FexEx delivered my hardware and raw materials around 6:24. That was exactly 29 hours from the time I placed my order. What they lack in proper ordering etiquette they make up for in shipping time. They packed 19lbs into a 24"x14"x6" box that was held together with paper tape. The fedex guy apologized for the rattling noise in the box and told me that the bottom had busted on the box when they were loading it onto the truck. He said that they had put everything back in the box. During transit to my home a box of 5/16" nuts busted open and were loose in the box. Luckily they were all still there.

    I also created a new logo to brand my photos with. I will be posting a full build log in blog format on my new site. http://themakersworkbench.com So what do you think about the logo?

    So how about some pics of the goodies?

    Lets start with a pic of everything. I want to point out the 24" x 1/2"x1/4" bar of ptfe (teflon) the 1/4-20 6' long threaded rod, 8' 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" aluminum angle and 8' 3/4" x 3/4" aluminum U channel. The rest is screws, bolts, nuts, washers, pipe clamps, springs, etc.



    These are the M5 cap screws


    4" 4.75lb extension springs. These will hold tension on the bearing arms.


    The 5/16" flat head machine screws. These will hold everything onto the stages.


    Nuts for the M5 Cap screws


    Washers for the M5 Cap screws


    These are 2 hole conduit clamps. They will hold a bearing which will support the other end of the lead screws. I had to buy 50 but only need 3.


    Washers for the 5/16 machine screws. Once again I only needed about 40 but it was cheaper to buy 1lb (192 pieces)


    Nuts for the 5/16 machine screws. Same deal only need about 40 but was cheaper to buy 100.


    10-24 3/4" long self threading screws. Needed about 18 and was cheaper to buy 50.


    small image of a section of the 1/4"-20 threaded rod. I ordered stainless steel but they sent plain steel. Charged me for plain steel too. This will work fine but may wear faster.


    This is 2 major pieces of the McWire build. The 1 1/2" x 1 1/2' X 1/8" aluminum angle and 3/4"x3/4"x1/8" aluminum U channel. Both pieces are 8' long.


    Now we are getting into the parts that make up the base. These are all black iron sch40 pipe. These parts will eventually form the "frame" that holds the moving parts in place.

    The 90 degree elbows


    End Caps


    T fitting


    6" x 3/4" nipple


    3"x3/4" nipple


    12"x3/4" nipple


    Just a single shot of one of the pipes


    And all the pipes loosely fit for fun.


    Here is a link to the invoice from McMaster if your wondering about price.
    http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...ster-order.gif

  10. #10
    Modders block rendermandan's Avatar
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    Default Re: My RepRap Build. (3d printer for those not in the know)

    Man, you are really taking on a cool project here. I've been thinking about building a cnc router in the fall. but nothing this extreme. I really hope you get this to work. Please make sure you keep us updated on your progress.
    +rep. for sure!

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