Hello and could reprap be converted to a dremel based CNC machine

Hello all

Can't really remember how I stumbled upon the RepRap but ... wow! Amazing ...

I'd love to make one but ... I have another project on the go and that's building a DIY CNC machine mainly for working with acrylic.

Would the current frame design of the RepRap support the weight of a Dremel and the forces involved in machining acrylic?

Thanks
Jim

Would the current frame design of the RepRap support the weight of a Dremel and the forces involved in machining acrylic?

There's this: http://reprap.org/wiki/MillingDrillingHead but I'm not sure how good it is.

http://reprap.org/wiki/Hydra-MMM_Prototype or
http://reprap.org/wiki/Eiffel or an overbuild http://reprap.org/wiki/WolfStrap-English are better for this purpose.

Have you considered building a DIY CNC machine mainly for working with acrylic and putting an extruder on it to do 3D printing??

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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!

The simple answer is no. Makerbots and Repraps are CNC machines but are more tuned for speed then strength. It would be easier to build a Screw driven Cnc machine and add an extruder to it than make a Reprap into a mill/engraver. Some people have tired to machine stuff on these machines and have had many problems.

Mark F

2robotguy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The simple answer is no. Makerbots and Repraps are
> CNC machines but are more tuned for speed then
> strength. It would be easier to build a Screw
> driven Cnc machine and add an extruder to it than
> make a Reprap into a mill/engraver. Some people
> have tired to machine stuff on these machines and
> have had many problems.
>
> Mark F

Cool, good to know, thanks Mark and I'm not surprised I figured spitting out molten plastic was a little mellower than throwing drills around and grinding away at acrylic!

Oh well, I'll just have to make both

In fact I'm thinking the RepRap could be a higher priority as it could make some useful parts for a DIY miller!

@Sebastien - thanks for the links, I'll take a look.

Cheers
Jim

> I'm thinking the RepRap could be a higher priority as it could make some useful parts for a DIY miller!

A was thinking of the same idea many a time -- the other way round.