Hi all. Im a new hopeful. I've been looking around the wiki and decided "I WANT one of those". I'm fairly practical and have access to all sorts of toys, Welder, Lathe, Drill Press etc and fancy having a crack at building a Mendel. I am a bit of a DIYer so would like to make the electronics, including the PCB's possibly. What electronics should I be looking at. I would like to build a complete system including stepper drivers. I have a small 3 Axis machine from Millford Instuments and was thinkng about using this as a Repstrap. I need to develop a light weight print head for it. Has anyone got any experience with one of these machines. Is it a practical proposition ? Thanks for your comments, and wish me luck. Im gonna need it. Regards Rob Essex UK https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,87411,87411#msg-87411 Tue, 11 Aug 2026 10:45:36 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,87411,88109#msg-88109 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,87411,88109#msg-88109
That looks great. Just the sort of thing I'm after. It has all the features I'm after. The only supplier I've found so far is ebay but I'll keep looking. ( Rapid/RS/Farnell don't stock it )

I'll have to read through the data sheet and have a look at the RAMPS board. I think this stepper driver will work as is and give the ability to access microstepping modes under software control if required which is great.

I will pop out today and grab some nicrome wire for a hot-end and some opto switches for the end stop boards. Then its time to start creating.

Thanks very much for your help.

Kind Regards

Rob]]> robsbots General Thu, 23 Jun 2011 05:51:12 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,87411,88081#msg-88081 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,87411,88081#msg-88081
aka47.adsl24.co.uk/serendipity/index.php?/pages/stepdrv.html

They are 2.5A continuous 3 A max if I recall. You should be able to drive some pretty large motors with these if the voltage is high enough. Most steppers have high med and low current versions of the same motor with different voltage requirements.]]> bryanandaimee General Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:29:05 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,87411,87977#msg-87977 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,87411,87977#msg-87977
I think its gonna be easier matching motors to controller rather than controller to motors. Stepper motors seem to be ten a penny. Open source stepper drivers with good history and simple boards seem to be a bit more difficult to find.

I may try the CNC news groups/forums and see what they know.

Rob]]> robsbots General Wed, 22 Jun 2011 03:13:43 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,87411,87970#msg-87970 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,87411,87970#msg-87970
... how BIG are your steppers?

Look at Nanotec for some specs and prices ...]]> VDX General Wed, 22 Jun 2011 01:55:15 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,87411,87964#msg-87964 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,87411,87964#msg-87964
I plan on using Arduino Mega 2560 from Farnell,
RAMPS,
Some BIG steppers

Just need to find some big stepper drivers now.

:D]]> robsbots General Wed, 22 Jun 2011 01:03:51 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,87411,87430#msg-87430 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,87411,87430#msg-87430 generation 7.

There are several milling/lasercut options avilable, like isaac. The main problem with adding a print head to an existing machine, I would think is to make the gcode interact with the electronics properly. You might be better off adding reprap electronics to your mill?]]> Nudel General Fri, 17 Jun 2011 08:03:52 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,87411,87412#msg-87412 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,87411,87412#msg-87412
... i'm actually repstrapping my Isel-CNC-mill with a Gen3-electronic (motherboard and extruder controller) with reusing the Isel-controller as pure stepper drivers and limit switches, and/or alternatively with an Arduino Mega with a RAMPS where i don't need the extruder controller but can use the same hot end.

Both versions are plug-compatible and i can use the mill as normal by reinserting the Isel interface again.

I've isolation-milled some PCB's ... but i'll recomend to use common Arduino Megas instead of cloning them ...]]> VDX General Fri, 17 Jun 2011 03:01:40 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,87411,87411#msg-87411 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,87411,87411#msg-87411
Im a new hopeful. I've been looking around the wiki and decided "I WANT one of those".

I'm fairly practical and have access to all sorts of toys, Welder, Lathe, Drill Press etc and fancy having a crack at building a Mendel.

I am a bit of a DIYer so would like to make the electronics, including the PCB's possibly. What electronics should I be looking at. I would like to build a complete system including stepper drivers.

I have a small 3 Axis machine from Millford Instuments and was thinkng about using this as a Repstrap. I need to develop a light weight print head for it. Has anyone got any experience with one of these machines. Is it a practical proposition ?

Thanks for your comments, and wish me luck. Im gonna need it.

Regards
Rob
Essex
UK]]> robsbots General Fri, 17 Jun 2011 02:11:39 -0400