Best 3d printer to make from scratch Hi one and all, It's my first thread on the forum. Pardon me for any mistakes, I would be glad if someone would point them out. The purpose of the thread is to find out the best 3d printer to be made at home , with the following specifications: 1) highest quality of prints. 2)lessfailures. 3) which implies, sturdy construction......specifically according to the digital dentist's parameters.(including but not limited to aluminum extrusions,metal plates,concrete)(I had just given in to the hype of CR10 printer but I realized that it would have been a wrong step ) 4) (if possible only then) can be made with basic tools. 5)generally should use off the shelf equipment(or easily available equipment) so as to make sure that working of the machine is not hampered for long. 6) keeping the cost low should not be the primary concern...we should cut costs not corners. 7)radical ideas are welcomed. 8)speed and other fancy stuff is not the basic requirements...it should be precise, accurate and free from countinuous tweaking...as the DDentist says that if the tolerances are tight, the dimensions won't change while the machine is working. 9)an enclosed chamber is reccomended. 10)the files of the so conceived printer will be open for use by others.....if the Chinese can do it...so can an American...the biggest boon is...u don't have to always go to a maker...if u like it...u make it...that's diy..isn't it. 11) this thread can also be used to grade other printers under the given parameters, so that other people who don't have enough time to build one printer ,can make ther mind about buying one, based on their parameters.....this will be different from the commercial guides on the net as it will have genuine comments by the users...perfect assessment by experts...all in one place....(sorry if I may sound too much optimistic) And others parameters ..As deemed necessary ... Now why am I expecting the community to help...to be frank..I am not an engineer...in fact I have no relation with it as I am in the field of international relations...so pardon me....but the day I saw a Prussia i3 printing...I could not sleep...I did my utmost to do it myself but every time I found my self at an disadvantage, which I am sure you would be generous enough to fill. The passion led me to conceive my own working designs...I my self thought about the polar printer(I am not taking credits..it's mere anecdote)...but later saw that it already exists with its flaws...so I thought even more on it....I zeroed on a semi circular shape with the gantry hinged at the center and using all lead screws and no belts...it would have also rid us thermometer the problem of making one steeper driving another, and the frustration with the belts.... .I also conceived a process to push the bed up on the zed axis ... through a single stepper..(assume the tower bridge of London...when it opens its two halves split open..just put your bed on the top and there I see ur bed on z axis...I intended to use a trick of one nut and two bolts...the two nuts go in opposite direction when the bolt turns in one direction.....this would have helped the two arms to open identically.....compared to a normal printer it would definitely had a larger build volume.....but when I took the matters to my friend who is an engineer....he said that the plan is great but he will not be there's to help me out as he got transferred to a remote place(oil corporation engineer) So I decided ...why not ask the community itself...it's not necessary that's we need to go with the abve type...a good conventional design would do. I went through the DDentist's posts .. one thing always resonated to me....make the frame sturdy...use good rails and motors.....I checked out various designs on the net...voron...vulcunus max...hyper cube...etc...but they were all not up to the mark.... Going about SoMMax instructable....I found out that a lot of parts are industry scraps...which are not available to most of us...especially me ...it's a quaint area where I live....however notwithstanding the industry grade parts... the design could be accommodated to fit the needs through off the shelf items...that's the place whirred have a severe disadvantage... am not a engineer...thus I will not be the best person to do the accommodation in the design...however it does not mean that I won't do anything...as a matter of fact I want to build the machine..... What's your opinion....shall we begin? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772499#msg-772499 Fri, 12 Jun 2026 23:11:41 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,774053#msg-774053 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,774053#msg-774053

If my prints are great with the slot bearing guides....why should I go for more costly guides...I can simply replace them after a year or two...etc etc.


Also..if um style gantry wil not give more precision then we should go for corexy...anyway speed is never a priority....it's better to start printing in the evening...let it print overnight and the next morning , you get up to see a wonderful print....so it won't matter if it takes 8hrs or 12 hrs..it's night time
Plus....in case if the expiry of the polyjet printing patent leads to developement of polyjet extruder attachment to fdm mechanisms...then my machine should be accurate enough for the mount(but that's still a far cry)

So how will I be able to maximize accuracy....that's the final question.]]> sudarshan General Tue, 20 Jun 2017 08:18:18 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,774048#msg-774048 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,774048#msg-774048 If my prints are great with the slot bearing guides....why should I go for more costly guides...I can simply replace them after a year or two...etc etc.]]> sudarshan General Tue, 20 Jun 2017 07:53:41 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,774022#msg-774022 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,774022#msg-774022 One major difference compared to V1(200x200), I installed a siliconen heatbed instead of the classic PCB. That siliconen bed heats up in about 10/15sec to about 70°C...!...::o

As soon the printers is finished and running I'll start a new thread about this Ulti-Printer.

See you...

To be clear on the matter, it takes lots more time to print/assemble this Ulti-printer compared to say a i3Mk2.]]> chriske General Tue, 20 Jun 2017 05:06:35 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773943#msg-773943 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773943#msg-773943
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chriske
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newbob
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chriske
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newbob


I would not dismiss delta design too quickly. As far as I am aware only delta and light weight corexy printers can print at over 100mm/s with decent quality.

Not a Delta but mine(own design) can print also with that speed and even faster and with a very high perimeter quality.
The printer in the image is a prototype and works perfect. Busy making a larger version this very moment (heatbed 200x300mm), almost done.

For a brief moment, after I wrote that delta and corexy 'rule' :), I considered Ultimaker design but overall I think it's performance sits in between speed and precision, and probably 100mm/s is too fast for good precision (especially for larger printers). Please post your results when you get your printer up - I'm curious how it works out.

That printer(I named it Ulti-Printer(The name Ultimaker was already taken...:D ) is already in service for a few months now. It outperforms all (about 20)printers by far we've built in the past. The perimeters are superb, no ripple at all, no ghosting around holes.
I expect the larger version I'm building right now will do the same.

Very nice design, too bad you've removed it from the internet. In your design, you decouple rotary motion from linear guides mitigating vibration caused by spinning linear guides- solution that allows larger printers and faster speeds. Bearing design is similar to MPCNC. Overall, substantially different and hardly an argument for ultimaker design. :)]]> newbob General Mon, 19 Jun 2017 11:44:30 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773927#msg-773927 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773927#msg-773927 Your Printer does look very interesting! - It avoids many of the Ultimaker-Problems, but keeps the good parts of it!
Could you share your files (stl) with us, so we could build such one too?

The thingiverse-Links I found in your Posts do not work... :-(]]> Dancer General Mon, 19 Jun 2017 09:26:41 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773742#msg-773742 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773742#msg-773742 I can tell you this already : like I told you no LMUU's but 12 ball bearings taking over the task of the linear bearings. In the XY-carriage eight ball bearings are fixed , the rest is adjustable. The adjustable bearings can only move very little, not even a millimeter. There's absolutely no need for a large adjusting range.
Two more ball bearings to guide the teflontube in the XY-carriage and on more in the idler part of the carriage, so that makes 15 ball bearings in the XY-carriage.]]> chriske General Sat, 17 Jun 2017 14:53:55 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773702#msg-773702 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773702#msg-773702 Or can you suggest the proper arrangement for the same ,which is based mostly on off the shelf parts.
I was about to order linear guides and metal plate for milling to make a G&C all metal type printer.
But if you can provide some sample prints and comparision (not random prints but sustained printing comparision of um gantry and corexy or delta) it would be not only helpful for me but other newcomers to the hobby as well to Jude the results on their merits or requirements.

(P.S: can also you elaborate over the issue of using smooth rods and profile guides as the um gantry I guess ,cannot be modded to use the guides and bushings are said to yield better results.)

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Pains of not having a 3d printing text book]]> sudarshan General Sat, 17 Jun 2017 07:07:16 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773693#msg-773693 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773693#msg-773693
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Polygonhell
I don't often comment on these threads, but my 2c, on Cartesian designs, I've built hbot, core xy, ultimaker and more conventional gantries, and I'd pick the ultimaker design for a new build.
Both Hbot and Core XY designs require a high degree of rigidity in the frame and high quality bearings to perform well IME, conversely it's hard to build a working ultimaker gantry that doesn't have close to perfect XY alignment, pretty much everything in the design forces it. I also prefer the shorter belt runs, IME in designs with long belts, you get an effect where there is a measurable difference in the way the belt responds close to the driving force of the motor and further away from it.
The ultimaker and zortrax have reputations for high quality prints for a reason.
The raise N2 version of the design mounts the extruder on the gantry and they seem to get away with it, so it doesn't require a Bowden style extruder.
I'd seriously consider a eustathios or similar design, if the plastic parts are off putting, most of them could be machined or easily modified to be.

The reputation of the Ultimaker has indeed it's reasons.
That's why I choose to design a Ultimaker(isch) printer. From what we learned the past 3 years, building many different printers, we added our own ideas to improve printquality. One of the major reasons why the quality of my Ulti-Printer is outstanding is because I abandoned the linaer LMUU bearings completely. I designed my own bearings. These bearings are adjustable, so there's absolutely no play at all on all axis. Needles to say that makes it very difficult to tune the axis because they have to be perfectly parallel. A few posts back in this thread I posted that bearing system. To be clear : the quality of the parts in these pictures is not good at all because I had to print my new parts on the printer I used for so many years, a Prusa i2.
A second and also important reason is not to design slim-line parts...! True... slim-line parts looks very nice indeed, but it's absolute nonsense. Constructing CNC-machined aluminum parts it will work making parts somewhat thinner, but not possessing a CNC workshop I'm forced to design and print my parts somewhat thicker to have these good results.]]> chriske General Sat, 17 Jun 2017 04:49:17 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773653#msg-773653 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773653#msg-773653 Both Hbot and Core XY designs require a high degree of rigidity in the frame and high quality bearings to perform well IME, conversely it's hard to build a working ultimaker gantry that doesn't have close to perfect XY alignment, pretty much everything in the design forces it. I also prefer the shorter belt runs, IME in designs with long belts, you get an effect where there is a measurable difference in the way the belt responds close to the driving force of the motor and further away from it.
The ultimaker and zortrax have reputations for high quality prints for a reason.
The raise N2 version of the design mounts the extruder on the gantry and they seem to get away with it, so it doesn't require a Bowden style extruder.
I'd seriously consider a eustathios or similar design, if the plastic parts are off putting, most of them could be machined or easily modified to be.]]> Polygonhell General Fri, 16 Jun 2017 15:22:23 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773619#msg-773619 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773619#msg-773619 sudarshan General Fri, 16 Jun 2017 11:29:57 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773595#msg-773595 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773595#msg-773595
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newbob
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chriske
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newbob


I would not dismiss delta design too quickly. As far as I am aware only delta and light weight corexy printers can print at over 100mm/s with decent quality.

Not a Delta but mine(own design) can print also with that speed and even faster and with a very high perimeter quality.
The printer in the image is a prototype and works perfect. Busy making a larger version this very moment (heatbed 200x300mm), almost done.

For a brief moment, after I wrote that delta and corexy 'rule' :), I considered Ultimaker design but overall I think it's performance sits in between speed and precision, and probably 100mm/s is too fast for good precision (especially for larger printers). Please post your results when you get your printer up - I'm curious how it works out.

That printer(I named it Ulti-Printer(The name Ultimaker was already taken...:D ) is already in service for a few months now. It outperforms all (about 20)printers by far we've built in the past. The perimeters are superb, no ripple at all, no ghosting around holes.
I expect the larger version I'm building right now will do the same.]]> chriske General Fri, 16 Jun 2017 10:04:09 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773593#msg-773593 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773593#msg-773593
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cwaa
You are using rods and plastic corners. Not the best technology.

Yep works perfect, I printed these parts in PETG. Very sturdy material...!]]> chriske General Fri, 16 Jun 2017 09:55:29 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773586#msg-773586 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773586#msg-773586
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chriske
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newbob


I would not dismiss delta design too quickly. As far as I am aware only delta and light weight corexy printers can print at over 100mm/s with decent quality.

Not a Delta but mine(own design) can print also with that speed and even faster and with a very high perimeter quality.
The printer in the image is a prototype and works perfect. Busy making a larger version this very moment (heatbed 200x300mm), almost done.

For a brief moment, after I wrote that delta and corexy 'rule' :), I considered Ultimaker design but overall I think it's performance sits in between speed and precision, and probably 100mm/s is too fast for good precision (especially for larger printers). Please post your results when you get your printer up - I'm curious how it works out.]]> newbob General Fri, 16 Jun 2017 08:39:31 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773582#msg-773582 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773582#msg-773582 cwaa General Fri, 16 Jun 2017 08:21:45 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773547#msg-773547 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773547#msg-773547
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newbob


I would not dismiss delta design too quickly. As far as I am aware only delta and light weight corexy printers can print at over 100mm/s with decent quality.

Not a Delta but mine(own design) can print also with that speed and even faster and with a very high perimeter quality.
The printer in the image is a prototype and works perfect. Busy making a larger version this very moment (heatbed 200x300mm), almost done.]]> chriske General Fri, 16 Jun 2017 03:35:56 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773414#msg-773414 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773414#msg-773414 forums.reprap.org]

This is the stacked belt corexy arrangement that I intend to put in the machine....can anyone help me out in the construction??]]> sudarshan General Thu, 15 Jun 2017 05:49:25 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773192#msg-773192 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,773192#msg-773192

Meanwhile I have researched about the frame part of the machine....most of the machines are based on the rigidity and the alignment of the frame itself...so milled end aluminum extrusion seems to be the best option available to us...second....I have a local supplier for round linear bearings and rails which is cheaper for me than importing...so is it helpful for me to use a bigger diameter bearing...say 16mm or 20mm for different parts to avoid flexing or sag ... I guess the sag in the aluminum extrusion will be seen in the profile guide but that will be minimum if I am using thicker round rails for a smaller machine(say 35x35x40).....am I correct? ..... if not, then what are our options and thus a good source to avail them?

Second,For the z axis bed movement...I have found out that it's best done with timing belts where only one motor is pulling the bed....what is the best way to make that configuration? Any hints on that?
Also any comments or reviews on the one I suggested in my first post?

[hackaday.com]]]> sudarshan General Tue, 13 Jun 2017 11:20:41 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772792#msg-772792 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772792#msg-772792
Also is there any way to incorporate this idea of conveyer belt type bed

[www.kickstarter.com]]]> sudarshan General Sat, 10 Jun 2017 11:33:28 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772787#msg-772787 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772787#msg-772787 sudarshan General Sat, 10 Jun 2017 11:17:26 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772785#msg-772785 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772785#msg-772785 cwaa General Sat, 10 Jun 2017 11:12:02 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772728#msg-772728 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772728#msg-772728 Plus, I am ready to sacrifice speed to get accurate and precise prints...however that's where the delta seems to loose steam...one of the delta owner I know complained frequently about the bearing on the printhead...he said that the wear in the bearing is almost instantly visible on the prints....not forget that he was using a kossel....


[m.youtube.com]
Here I see a link of videos where the different printers are compared....I am yet to understand what makes the performance of certain printers of same configuration better than others(is it the extruder, or the frame , or the firmware(my weakest point) or anything else) ...eg. The cr10 and the tarantula...etc. (also there is a comparision for the deltas too.)


However I will still consider the delta unless a corexy design comes up which can yield a better result....]]> sudarshan General Fri, 09 Jun 2017 23:59:02 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772686#msg-772686 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772686#msg-772686
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sudarshan
dc42...I did a lot of study into the deltas....but they have some inherent problems...with the volume first...trickey alignment, which gives in at the first sight of wear etc...it's although good as a work horse where quality is not that much needed but the quantity of output..plus 3d printed parts at crucial joints is one thing that I wish to avoid...I would be eager to know if you prove me wrong...

Alignment is not tricky if the build is accurate by design, you have a good Z probe, and the firmware has good auto calibration built-in. I agree with you about not using printed parts for any critical joints - and my delta doesn't.

However, the cheap delta printer kits do suffer from those problems. So I suggest that anyone on a tight budget should choose an i3 or other Cartesian design instead.]]> dc42 General Fri, 09 Jun 2017 15:54:56 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772664#msg-772664 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772664#msg-772664
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sudarshan
Newbob....you are right....the Veblen effect is not worth giving into.....I want to find out the techniques which yield better prints.
like..sturdy frame...good print bed....playless guides...zero backlash screws and nuts or belts..etc...I want to know which companies takled these problems....and how did they do it...and how can we do it...which are the better sources of getting good quality parts at lower prices...what are the substitutes of some costlier industry grade items such as milled stepper brace etc.


dc42...I did a lot of study into the deltas....but they have some inherent problems...with the volume first...trickey alignment, which gives in at the first sight of wear etc...it's although good as a work horse where quality is not that much needed but the quantity of output..plus 3d printed parts at crucial joints is one thing that I wish to avoid...I would be eager to know if you prove me wrong...

I would not dismiss delta design too quickly. As far as I am aware only delta and light weight corexy printers can print at over 100mm/s with decent quality.]]> newbob General Fri, 09 Jun 2017 13:09:03 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772661#msg-772661 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772661#msg-772661 like..sturdy frame...good print bed....playless guides...zero backlash screws and nuts or belts..etc...I want to know which companies takled these problems....and how did they do it...and how can we do it...which are the better sources of getting good quality parts at lower prices...what are the substitutes of some costlier industry grade items such as milled stepper brace etc.


dc42...I did a lot of study into the deltas....but they have some inherent problems...with the volume first...trickey alignment, which gives in at the first sight of wear etc...it's although good as a work horse where quality is not that much needed but the quantity of output..plus 3d printed parts at crucial joints is one thing that I wish to avoid...I would be eager to know if you prove me wrong...]]> sudarshan General Fri, 09 Jun 2017 12:42:41 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772647#msg-772647 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772647#msg-772647 miscsolutions.wordpress.com].

Compared to other designs, delta printers are fast, they have a smaller footprint for a given build area, and they are mechanically simple. Their main disadvantages are that extending them to do multi-extrusion is not easy, and the circular build plate doesn't suit some people depending on what you want to print. The cheap kits also suffer from poor dimensional accuracy and difficult calibration.]]> dc42 General Fri, 09 Jun 2017 11:32:09 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772642#msg-772642 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772642#msg-772642
I started 3d printing recently and I figure it's probably four things that matter - backlash (belt or screw drive, material and frame stiffness), positional accuracy (stepper torque and gearing), inertia (heavy parts require higher stiffness at higher speeds for same accuracy) and extruder's performance (this one I still have not figured out). Enclosure may also play important role when printing large.

I would suggest to look at successful designs like stratasys. It's also interesting how many PRUSA i3 variants there are and how each is trying to address some of shortcomings.

Here's a video of stratasys rebuild:

[youtu.be]]]> newbob General Fri, 09 Jun 2017 10:31:37 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772639#msg-772639 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772639#msg-772639 Link: [www.ebay.com]]]> Trexation General Fri, 09 Jun 2017 10:07:54 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772638#msg-772638 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772638#msg-772638
Did anyone notice that they don't use linear guides for that high price tag?]]> sudarshan General Fri, 09 Jun 2017 10:03:53 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772637#msg-772637 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772637#msg-772637
Link: [re3d.org]]]> Trexation General Fri, 09 Jun 2017 10:00:25 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772634#msg-772634 Re: Best 3d printer to make from scratch https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,772499,772634#msg-772634
P.s : correction of the exact name of the printer and company.]]> sudarshan General Fri, 09 Jun 2017 09:36:27 -0400