I realize that being in an open community, lots of people (myself included) are endeavoring to not only contribute to the project, but also to see some commercial success out of it. I have been frequently making changes and updates to the Development:McWire page on the objects.reprap.org wiki. As I was doing it though, I came across this recent change to the McWire page on the older wiki: [reprap.org] "This project is no longer actively developed. Get yourself a MakerBot instead." Now, I greatly appreciate Zach's work, and I know that MakerBot has been stated as a way to get going, but this seems like a conflict of interest and somewhat an abuse of power. Utilizing that page for what is, essentially, an advertisement for a commercial product, and drawing people away from what is, right now, the only well-documented, complete RepStrap (Yes, I know that's arguable in itself.) So comes the question: What level of promotion is okay? I know on the site we link to several commercial vendors, I don't think there's anything wrong with that. What I do see wrong is statements that suggest one solution is better than another, or the only solution. For instance, one statement I saw read along the lines of "...If you want to buy a kit, he's the best person to buy one from..." Am I the only one bothered by this? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37327#msg-37327 Thu, 10 Sep 2026 22:19:28 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37503#msg-37503 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37503#msg-37503
[objects.reprap.org]

- A.]]> Adrian Bowyer Administration, Announcements, Policy Sat, 27 Feb 2010 13:35:29 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37417#msg-37417 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37417#msg-37417 -------------------------------------------------------
>
> Sorry Forrest, didn't mean to be rude :) or so off
> topic.
>
Heavens! No offense taken. :)-D]]> Forrest Higgs Administration, Announcements, Policy Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:42:52 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37415#msg-37415 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37415#msg-37415
Skeinforge:
Fill -> Infill Width over Thickness (ratio): 2.3
Carve -> Perimeter Width over Thickness (ratio): 2.3
Carve -> Layer Thickness (mm): 0.6

For a McWire it's better to use a Stepper Driven extruder that can run at slower speeds that are needed.

My McWire
[picasaweb.google.com]

I don't really recommend the McWire because it's too slow. I recommend making one of the Wooden Mendel variations.]]> Tonokip Administration, Announcements, Policy Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:39:36 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37398#msg-37398 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37398#msg-37398 mccoyn Administration, Announcements, Policy Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:17:02 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37377#msg-37377 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37377#msg-37377
Not sure on actual statistics but 1 or 2 people who have succeeded means there is about a 98 or 99% failure rate...]]> goinreverse Administration, Announcements, Policy Fri, 26 Feb 2010 05:08:46 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37365#msg-37365 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37365#msg-37365
Sorry Forrest, didn't mean to be rude :) or so off topic.]]> johnnyr Administration, Announcements, Policy Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:51:41 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37362#msg-37362 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37362#msg-37362
[www.bitsfrombytes.com]]]> Forrest Higgs Administration, Announcements, Policy Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:36:23 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37361#msg-37361 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37361#msg-37361
Let along that it would take at least 200 hours printing...]]> goinreverse Administration, Announcements, Policy Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:34:47 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37360#msg-37360 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37360#msg-37360 -------------------------------------------------------
> Tonok and Kulitorum both printed their Mendels on
> McWires. I don't know how fast, but there are at
> least two RepRaps thanks to the design.

I stand corrected. It would be interesting to hear about their experience to see if it would be a route that we should generally promote.]]> Forrest Higgs Administration, Announcements, Policy Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:33:26 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37358#msg-37358 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37358#msg-37358 johnnyr Administration, Announcements, Policy Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:22:03 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37357#msg-37357 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37357#msg-37357
I've started a new thread for McWire Successor development and a wiki page. I feel like we need to figure out a replacement, and figure it out fast. I'm willing to take the lead on this, but I should warn that I'm still in the process of building my first printer, and it is (ironically) a McWire.

McWire Successor Thread: [dev.forums.reprap.org]
McWire Successor Wiki page: [objects.reprap.org]]]> sircastor Administration, Announcements, Policy Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:07:48 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37351#msg-37351 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37351#msg-37351
Suppose we either eliminate the McWire page or overtly discourage people going that route. Do we have another alternative repstrap route to recommend to people? Really, is buying a MakerBot or Rapman the only way people can get into the game? I know that Ponoko, for the moment, has problems but hear that Vik is designing a laser cut Darwin for them. What do we tell people right now, though? Do we just go ahead and endorse MakerBot and Rapman?]]> Forrest Higgs Administration, Announcements, Policy Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:31:04 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37350#msg-37350 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37350#msg-37350
I'd probably say its more documented and is definitely more capable than the McWire, so I'd even go so far as to say the Link that Zach put in there was an accurate representation of the Evolution of popular repStrap/s.

[wiki.makerbot.com]
[svn.makerbot.com]
[www.thingiverse.com]

If you want to build one "from scratch", it's OK, you don't have to buy one.]]> buzz Administration, Announcements, Policy Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:30:44 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37349#msg-37349 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37349#msg-37349 Given that Zach wrote the entire original mcwire page from revision 1.1 through 1.15, I don't have a problem with leaving it at that. He's been much more of an asset to the Reprap that many people realise. Makerbot are not an enemy, they are a friend. :-)]]> buzz Administration, Announcements, Policy Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:16:25 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37345#msg-37345 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37345#msg-37345 -------------------------------------------------------
> Though I facetiously advocated for that in the
> forums, I swear it wasn't me.

I doubt anyone thought it was you. The page was last edited by Zach, so I feel pretty confident that it was him.

>I do think that the
> mcwire page needs some sort of disclaimer that it
> probably cannot be used to build a mendel, at
> least as is, or at least noting that to date no
> one has successfully done so without without
> extensive work and cost beyond what is reflected
> in the posted instructions.

I think this will be rounded out as the older Twiki stuff is transitioned over to objects.reprap.org. Once the pages are in a place where everyone has the opportunity to make edits and changes to the page, we'll see a lot more notation of the practicality, and process of building a repstrap printer. As many others, I'm making efforts to come up with a better design that actually is capable of getting people going. I need to finish my first printer though.

This change was just made recently, 8 days ago. I have been to this page several times in the last week, but haven't been paying much attention to the top, as I'm deep in the bowels of the thing.]]> sircastor Administration, Announcements, Policy Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:13:54 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37342#msg-37342 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37342#msg-37342
Perhaps:

"There is substantial debate about whether the slow speed of the moving planes that are driven by the threaded rod coupled with the fast rate of extrusion by the pinch wheel model extruder are a workable combination to print all of the parts necessary for a mendel. Please consult the user forums for more detailed information on practical limitations of the mcwire."

If it was really being "honest" also:

"To build a mendel currently the most practical paths are to receive/purchase your printed parts from someone with a functioning 3D printer (Commercially Protovantage) or to purchase one of the commercial 3D printers from MakerBot, BitsFromBytes, ... There is not currently in official way to bootstrap a mendel without access to printed parts though several research projects existing to do include the mcwire design and ..."]]> goinreverse Administration, Announcements, Policy Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:32:14 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37340#msg-37340 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37340#msg-37340 Forrest Higgs Administration, Announcements, Policy Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:09:57 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37332#msg-37332 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37332#msg-37332 JohnnyCooper Administration, Announcements, Policy Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:37:40 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37327#msg-37327 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,37327,37327#msg-37327
I have been frequently making changes and updates to the Development:McWire page on the objects.reprap.org wiki. As I was doing it though, I came across this recent change to the McWire page on the older wiki:

[reprap.org]
"This project is no longer actively developed. Get yourself a MakerBot instead."

Now, I greatly appreciate Zach's work, and I know that MakerBot has been stated as a way to get going, but this seems like a conflict of interest and somewhat an abuse of power. Utilizing that page for what is, essentially, an advertisement for a commercial product, and drawing people away from what is, right now, the only well-documented, complete RepStrap (Yes, I know that's arguable in itself.)

So comes the question: What level of promotion is okay? I know on the site we link to several commercial vendors, I don't think there's anything wrong with that. What I do see wrong is statements that suggest one solution is better than another, or the only solution. For instance, one statement I saw read along the lines of "...If you want to buy a kit, he's the best person to buy one from..."

Am I the only one bothered by this?]]> sircastor Administration, Announcements, Policy Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:17:33 -0500