Makerbots can make Mendels, right?

What is the biggest part on a Mendel? Can a Makerbot print the biggest part? Anyone got any experience with making repraps by Makerbot?

If it is possible to make Mendels by Makerbot, there seems to be a fair amount of interest in them, and I will produce Mendel Printed parts, all day every day. I will then sell them.

Anyone willing to lend a newb a hand?

The X carriage (upper and lower) is the largest single parts of Mendel. It's ruffly 98 mm by 60 mm (so big you can't print it with a raft on Makrbot). That's part of the reason that warping is such an issue.

As far as "produceing them all day every day", be prepared to spend that much time for a week to produce just 1 set. Print time on a Mendel for a Makerbot is around 60-70 hours (that's just printing, no finishing, or raft). The few mendel sets that have been sold went for $300-$350 dollars for the full set. That means the world is willing to pay you $5 an hour to print Mendel parts with you covering plastic, electricity, and machine costs.

The positive side of the argument is The world is willing to trade you

1.5 Mendel sets = Catalyst by Profounddevices (if it works)
2.5 Mendel sets = A Makerbot Cupcake
3.5 Mendel sets = A BfB Rapman

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/20/2010 03:29PM by spacexula.

---

repraplogphase.blogspot.com

The trading, what are you talking about?

What I am talking about is that basically if your printed a set of Mendel parts, you could reasonably expect to get around $300 for the set.

Rapman costs 1200, Makerbot 750, profounddevices has now went to 500.

---

repraplogphase.blogspot.com

...oh...Do you think it would be possible to print the mendel thing in parts, then bolt it together?

Benbo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ...oh...Do you think it would be possible to print
> the mendel thing in parts, then bolt it together?


.... you do realize that these are PARTS for Mendel right? Smallest parts are 2mmx2mmx4mm, largest part is 96x60x20mm.

---

repraplogphase.blogspot.com

Yeah, yeah. I meant, print the too big parts in chunks that are the right size, then bolt them together. Is that possible, or ?

I have not seen anyone do that. The way I printed them was to print other Mendel pieces VERY close to the parts that tend to warp. I printed my x carriage with z bar top clamps on both sides, and belt clamps in the middle. No warping issues when I did it that way.

---

repraplogphase.blogspot.com

So you're saying that makerbots CAN NOT make mendels without a lot of fuss and bother, I'd be better off buying a BFB Rapman to start? I have the cash to get both...

Benbo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So you're saying that makerbots CAN NOT make
> mendels without a lot of fuss and bother, I'd be
> better off buying a BFB Rapman to start? I have
> the cash to get both...


"fuss and bother" is relative. It does take 60-80 hours to print Mendel + another further 40+ hours to put it together and calibrate. You would then be putting together something that less than 2 dozen other people have put together in the world, so you would be at the crest of the wave.

It you have the money, I think it's best to start with either a Makerbot or Rapman. Then build a Mendel. If you just want it to be easy, then just keep buying the kits.

The kits are easier to put together, and have had more of the grimlins worked out.

---

repraplogphase.blogspot.com

In that case, I'll start with a Rapman. Rapman gets bigger print zone, but less plastic to start with. So it's a bit more expensive for a lot more capability. Thanks for your input, it was a huge help Spacexula.

My opinion is Makerbot is the better choice of kit (I am bias, I own one).

-750 vs 1100, almost half the price.
-Equal or slightly higher print speed
-MUCH more dynamic community
-More venders sell parts for makerbot
-Makerbot is completely open source, Rapman is only partial open source
-Multiple commercial heated build plat options
-Modular boards allows you to replace motor driver, and extruder board without replacing mother board.

Rapman is slightly more accurate than makerbot, and has a on bot interface (can print without an attached computer.

If you have the money for a Rapman, just buy two Makerbots.

---

repraplogphase.blogspot.com

If a Rapman is a commercialized reprap, I can upgrade to a Mendel. Not to mention I need the $950 kit if anything, the $750 doesn't have enough plastic to print all the mendel parts I would sell. and no cable, power supply, etc. which leaves me with a $150 difference for a much bigger print bed, but 4 lbs less plastic. I hope to get a makerbot to help with mendel production after I print 3 sets of mendels.

I don't have the post, but one makerbot user redesigned the biggest part to be printed into two sections and then glued together.

Well...I'd still like the larger print bed. It will come in handy later on anyways...

I printed the X carriage on my MakerBot. The key is to either use PLA or a heated build platform if you use ABS. Either way, a raft isn't needed.

Todd

Just saying, lonely road for Rapman in the US.

Good luck finding parts without paying VAT, and $30 shipping.

---

repraplogphase.blogspot.com

Vat?

Value Added Tax. 17% for england. I think you have to pay it on the Rapman. (might be wrong, you might want to check)

[www.bitsfrombytes.com]

Yep, you have to pay the VAT, they don't include it in the price.

VAT, + Shipping. That's going to be fun.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/21/2010 09:56PM by spacexula.

---

repraplogphase.blogspot.com

Quote

Print time on a Mendel for a Makerbot is around 60-70 hours (that's just printing, no finishing, or raft).

But isn't most of that sitting around letting the machine do all the work? If I can get be checking on it between tv shows, and just restarting when it screws up, that 60-70 hours is only what, 5 hours of actual work? (Just guessing on this number)

Yes and no.

You need to be around, because sometimes things just go wrong.

It usually take 10 minutes for a printer to warm up, 15-20 to skein forge the file, 5 minutes to load the file and get software ready, then you need to wait for the raft and 1st layer to print (part that is most likely to need tweeking). Then you are free till the print is over.

Now if you are going to print multiple parts you have to mod the g-code to keep your zero, and keep temp (or be prepared to rezero and rewarm). But if you do that, you can end up leaving your machine hot for an unhealthy amount of time (not that I have ever found my printer with a head that I left running for 8 hour unattended

There is a profession that pays good money, it's called a CNC operator. There is a reason they get paid a good bit of money, even though "the machine does all the work".

---

repraplogphase.blogspot.com

vat = load of sunshine. Seeing as i'm in school most of the day, I start the bot as soon as I wake up, then leave for school. Chances are, The part will go smoothly, and I will return to see a part finished. Not that I'll ever need to skeinforge anything yet, I plan on using my printer to print already-done parts like mendel components.

Benbo231 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> vat = load of sunshine. Seeing as i'm in school
> most of the day, I start the bot as soon as I wake
> up, then leave for school. Chances are, The part
> will go smoothly, and I will return to see a part
> finished. Not that I'll ever need to skeinforge
> anything yet, I plan on using my printer to print
> already-done parts like mendel components.

It's a goal we'd all like to achieve, but most reprap-based printers are not "Set it and forget it" at this point. Once you get everything tweaked, that's a real possibility, but don't expect to do it right out of the box. This was the dream that I have as well. Right now my plans involve a live web feed and a remote kill switch. If something does go wrong, I can kill the part before the printer goes through another 10 feet of filament.

If you can do it, more power to you! The community certainly needs the parts...

Ultimately: you could make a full time job out of it given a sufficient number of machines. Computer vision may have an application here. A part should fit within a boundry which can be superimposed over the video feed, and the print head should move in a predictable manner: EG IR LED.

So, that's one of my other projects. But I've postponed that until I can finish assembling my rapman, pgrading to a mendel, and getting a few sets cranked out.

Likely the plastic bits for Mendel have a very high price elasticity.

We can only get $300 for them now, and there are NONE avaialbe. If some of us start printing these part time, the price is going to tank.

Remember the price ceiling is set my printer like maker bot.

If the few of us that like printing Mendel parts make a part time job of it, the price will likely floor at 100-200 dollars, or comparable to the cost of a laser cut alternative.

Now likely the 1st 100 printers will likely be sold at the $300 price point, and honestly can't wait to have this problem.

---

repraplogphase.blogspot.com

Even if the market for Mendel bits does tank, it'll still be more than the cost of the materials, which means if your printer is reliable enough that you don't have to put a lot of work into each print batch you can still make it pay for itself. I also think that there's definitely a market for prototypes made on mendels, darwins, and makerbots, and with the help of services like etsy and ponoko (and craigslist, for that matter) it'll be possible to earn money with a reprap for quite a while.

hi i want to buy a full set of mendel. are you selling it? how much are selling it? i am sincerely. but i also need to get the elecronic, firmware and mechanical design file. if you are selling it, can you let me know where is selling it? i would like get the comparable kit. i know makerbot and see it in action and it is pretty cool.


best regards

Corwin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Even if the market for Mendel bits does tank,
> it'll still be more than the cost of the
> materials, which means if your printer is reliable
> enough that you don't have to put a lot of work
> into each print batch you can still make it pay
> for itself. I also think that there's definitely a
> market for prototypes made on mendels, darwins,
> and makerbots, and with the help of services like
> etsy and ponoko (and craigslist, for that matter)
> it'll be possible to earn money with a reprap for
> quite a while.

Your time has value. Mendel at 300 is paying you $4 an hour at no compensation for power, filament, or wear and tear. With proper compensation for those 3 factors you will be paid $2 an hour at $300.

Printing Mendels for people at $300 is already a charity case, or labor of love. At $150 it's a fools errand.

---

repraplogphase.blogspot.com

spacexula Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Corwin Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Even if the market for Mendel bits does tank,
> > it'll still be more than the cost of the
> > materials, which means if your printer is
> reliable
> > enough that you don't have to put a lot of work
> > into each print batch you can still make it pay
> > for itself. I also think that there's definitely
> a
> > market for prototypes made on mendels, darwins,
> > and makerbots, and with the help of services
> like
> > etsy and ponoko (and craigslist, for that
> matter)
> > it'll be possible to earn money with a reprap
> for
> > quite a while.
>
> Your time has value. Mendel at 300 is paying you
> $4 an hour at no compensation for power, filament,
> or wear and tear. With proper compensation for
> those 3 factors you will be paid $2 an hour at
> $300.
>
> Printing Mendels for people at $300 is already a
> charity case, or labor of love. At $150 it's a
> fools errand.
If you say so. Personally I've never seen any consistent figures on the average power consumption of a printer, MTBF for any of the extruder designs currently in use, etc. You also have to consider whether you count all of the time the printer is running as "your time". Depending on your individual situation, that might not be the case. If I were hiring someone to run a machine for me, I would consider that the case. If I'm running it on weekends while I watch TV or work on something nearby, the cost to me is significantly lower than the total time would indicate. The big thing to consider is that with the exception of setup, removal, cleaning, and in the case of a failure repairs, there is little opportunity cost to running a 3d printer. Given a reliable extruder, you could in theory set up a print in the morning and go then go to work and get paid a full wage for your time. In that situation, unless you're being paid only cost for the parts (including repairs and feestock), you're losing money any time you're not printing mendel parts or other models.

And yes, I'm aware that time has value. Acutely so. That's why I've qualified all my statements with a mention to having a RELIABLE printer and extruder. If you have an unreliable setup, then the time you have to sink into repairing the machine makes it unprofitable. I've taken economics, I get it. But at $150, selling mendel pieces still sounds like a good way to pay for the feedstock you use on your own parts (I repeat, given a reliable printer requiring little to no maintenance). Unless you're going to tell me it takes more than 10lbs of ABS to build mendel?