Noob

Hey community, I hope this is an appropriate post for this section of the forum.

I was just reading about 3-D printing, and the RepRap in Matt Masons book 'The Pirate's Dilemma'..... this thing is going to be the future of manufacturing !
I am VERY intrigued.

I am an 18 year old commerce student in Atlantic Canada, and I have no knowledge or experience in the field of robotics. Are there any ways I can get involved in this project without those skills ?

Anyways, just thought I'd introduce myself. I am looking forward to learning more about this movement.

Unfortunately, I am probably not the right kind of guy to be heavily involved at this stage.

I feel like I would need to wait until the machine becomes more user friendly (inexperienced users that is ), or even commercially available....but I don't want to wait that long. I want to get in on it now ! haha

I have a bit of money I could put towards it, and I have a 4 month break from school starting in a few weeks.

Can someone honestly tell me if I should pursue this ?
I feel like it would be too difficult for a person who lacks a knowledge base in robotics...

It depends on what skills you have, and how much you are willing to do/pay for.

Have you had any experience at programming? C++/Java? C?

Do you know how to use a soldering iron, or do not even know where to get one?

How good are you at hooking up a new computer or home theater system?

If you buy pre-made electronics, there is very little extra soldering to do to make a Mendel, but lots of assembly. I am not sure how complete the Makerbot kits are, but you should investigate that as a starting option.

If you begin to build and have problems, just post here. You will soon find that many of the posts here are other people asking for help, so you would be far from the first.

Should you? That is always hard to say. But if you succeed, you will have fun making things no one else can make.

Mike
(recent newcomer and still reprapless poster)

Hey, thanks for the reply.

To answer a few of your questions:

- No experience in C++ or any programming languages really

- I have done a little basic soldering, I have a friend who is a marine electrician and would likely be able to provide a lot of help in that aspect ( I hope)

- I would say I am pretty good at hooking up computers and entertainment systems, nothing exceptional but I have general understanding when it comes to that kind of stuff.


I would probably need a very inclusive kit, with instructions, if I ever hoped to make a Mendel. I would likely end up asking a lot of questions.... I hope there are some patient users on here that could help out. haha

Asking questions is that a bad thing. Honestly that is how most of us learned what we do know. The new printer design is pretty well documented and that helps a lot. I am a firm believer that if you want something enough you will go learn everything you need to in order to get what you want.

So the question is do you want a 3d printer enough to build it yourself?

If not, to give you an idea of how much one might cost. I am building one for $1100 for another person that doesn't feel up to building one.

cheers,
Josh

John,

All you need is a willingness to learn.

Happily, our docs are good enough that you can assemble a RepRap or RepStrap without worrying too much about "but what does this all mean".

Mind, you may find yourself asking that, and you may start learning something.

I would suggest you get preassembled electronics, mind.

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-Sebastien, RepRap.org library gnome.

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Remember, you're all RepRap developers (once you've joined the super-secret developer mailing list), and the wiki, RepRap.org, [reprap.org] is for everyone and everything!

Alright, from the sounds of it, I think I could probably do it.

Are there any complete Mendel kits out there that anyone would recommend ?
Something that is not too complicated.

Also, I have done some reading, but I still can't figure out exactly what the difference is between a RepRap and a RepStrap...

John,
If you scroll down to near the bottom of the page of forums (click on the green RepRap symbol in the top left corner of this page) you will find a forum "For Sale". In it, people are selling parts and even whole kits. Like this link [for sale reprap.org]

You have many other people to compete with. But there should also be other parts and kits for sale. You can buy virtually all the hardware from McMasters-Carr just be cutting and pasting from this list [Mendel Parts List], buying the electronics from someone on the forum or from markerbot, and then buying a full set of the plastic or "RP" parts from someone who already has a Mendel or Makerbot cranking out Mendel parts.


I wish I had the resources to sell complete "flat-pack" kits for Mendels, but I am not there yet. Maybe in the future if people are willing to pay for a complete kit with pre-made extruder, DVD of software, and printed out assembly instructions. It would probably range over $1000 plus shipping if it happened.


Mike

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Team Open Air
Blog Team Open Air
rocket scientists think LIGHTYEARS outside the box!

Quote
rocket_scientist
You can buy virtually all the hardware from McMasters-Carr just be cutting and pasting from this list

Probably not. They don't ship to Canadians, unless you're affiliated with a major buyer like a university. You could try to ask if anyone at your school will place an order with McMaster for you.

jbayless Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You could try to ask if anyone at your school will place an order with McMaster for you.


That could be a good idea.

I would also like to find out if there is anyone else in Nova Scotia who is doing this...

(haha quote fail)

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/08/2010 11:07PM by JohnPrice.

Also, I have done some reading, but I still can't figure out exactly what the difference is between a RepRap and a RepStrap...

RepStrap = RepRap 'bootstrap' made with a mold, lasercutter, milling machine, cnc router, or handtools.

RepRap = Reproducing Replicator. so Darwin, Mendel, and Saurrus
[reprap.org]
are RepRaps.

Likewise
[reprap.org]
will be, once it cuts its own blocks.
[builders.reprap.org]
(or prints its own molds)

I wish I had the resources to sell complete "flat-pack" kits for Mendels, but I am not there yet. Maybe in the future if people are willing to pay for a complete kit with pre-made extruder, DVD of software, and printed out assembly instructions. It would probably range over $1000 plus shipping if it happened.

Pricewise, that's a tad more than these:
[forums.reprap.org]
[forums.reprap.org]
or the popular reprap-derivative lasercut RepStraps out there.

Also, why not do your docs in the wiki, rather than giving them hard-copies? It works for Mendel.

I would also like to find out if there is anyone else in Nova Scotia who is doing this...
[forums.reprap.org]
Want me to start a RepRap User Group for your town/province?

Your local uni engineering department/machine shop may have a mcmasters account.

Also, some of these folk occasionally sell the everything but the "RepRapped parts" kits:
[dev.forums.reprap.org]
but then you still need the printed/wood/lasercut/molded mendel parts.

---

-Sebastien, RepRap.org library gnome.

---

Remember, you're all RepRap developers (once you've joined the super-secret developer mailing list), and the wiki, RepRap.org, [reprap.org] is for everyone and everything!