Printed Mendel AParts

I am going to buy a makerbot and plan on paying off the $1000 by selling mendel parts. However, I am new to this.
Any suggstions?


What type of plastic should i use?
Should I use a Heated platform?
Whos Mendel CAD drawings should I use?

How much should I charge and where can I most easily sell these?

Again, I'm new to this so please be nice

Thanks everybody

Adam

Any suggstions?

I'd suggest a http://reprap.org/wiki/WolfStrap-English or the ubercool but woefully undocumented http://reprap.org/wiki/Eiffel.

What type of plastic should i use?
PLA, probably

Should I use a Heated platform?
I don't think that's necessary for PLA.

Whos Mendel CAD drawings should I use?
Hmmm, try http://reprap.org/wiki/Mendel/Files#STL
or http://reprap.org/wiki/Parameterized_Mendel
(RepRap doesn't really do "official".)

How much should I charge and where can I most easily sell these?
"Market Rate" is sort of a social construct. Adrian and spacexula occasionaly set for $100 or so. I think Mendel sets run ~USD200-300 on ebay? For selling, I'd recommend The "Official" RepRap Marketplace

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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!

Adman234 a lot of people try to do that. Makerbot is hard to keep operational. It's not quite that easy to buy a makerbot and get it to break even. That's ALL I have tried to do, and I barely stay even, much less make the money back from the makerbot.

As a very active Makerbot owner I must say Sebastian's sugjestion might be a good way to go if you are mechanically/electrically inclined. If not then I would have to say the best option is find a local RepRap/makerbot/Rapman owner in the RepRap & Makerbot Map and have them help you in trade for platic and raw material.

As far as commerical Kits Rapman is the most reilable (it is a RepRap Darwin knock off after all).

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repraplogphase.blogspot.com

... I would have to say the best option is find a local RepRap/makerbot/Rapman owner in the RepRap & Makerbot Map and have them help you in trade for platic and raw material.

The Maps tend to suffer bitrot. Try the RepRap User Groups. I'm sure you'll find someone who'll loan you what you need for an eiffel or a wolfstrap.

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-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!

I would really perfer not building one from scratch, but from a kit because I feel like I would screw something up

Thanks for the advice, I'm probably going to get a cupcake CNC because I want the kit.

The only reason I will be printing Mendel parts is to pay off the machine, not to make extra money

Also, I tried looking in groups, the only closest one was in Kansas city, 200 miles away...


Thanks again for the advice

Adman234

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/30/2010 03:03PM by Adman234.

Hi Adam,

I also almost bought a ready-made kit (Techzone) but I'm so glad I didn't do it.

If you are planning to fund a ready-made kit by selling parts to reprappers, then think again.
After deciding not to buy a kit I looked for Mendel parts on eBay, and a few options spring up. Really fantastic parts from Nophead, and some other cast resin parts, but I was not ready to invest that much (about £250 or $450 ) in plastic parts (and I expect many others are in that position).

I'm now just about finishing-off the mechanics for a custom Repstrap and waiting for my motors and electronics to be delivered...

If you are not mechanically minded, then even a makebot maybe not a good option, you will probably not make back the money you spend on it, you will get frustrated and be disappointed.

But if you are a little adventurous and are doing it for fun and enjoyment then make make a repstrap and see where it takes you. it's not as hard as it sounds, (he said but has not yet got a working repstrap).

It won't be long before you can buy Mendel RP sets for £100 but when that happens, we have passed the point of being worthwhile (making profit) from this, it will and should always be for the fun and innovation of it, so join-in and make something, don't just buy a kit...

Look at some of the Blogs for inspiration, is't a really rewarding hobby.

If you are in the UK/Euorope then most of the above may make sense, if you are in the US then maybe this will not help you?

Good Luck and tell us what you decide to do.

Rich

Thanks for the reply, I have seen all your stuff on thingiverse and thats what actually got me interested in mendel printing.

I guessed that the actual printing process would be tough, but I cannot afford something like a rapman kit.

I just think the makerbot seems right for my skill level.

What are some of the advantages of buying a kit like the rapman?

Thanks

Just spotted you are in the US

How popular is the idea of Mendel out there? Looking from the outside it seems to be dominated by kits and ready-made's

Have you thought about a Laser-cut kit? I'm not recomending it, but just take a look

Anyway good luck

I am only intersested in owning the printer, I plan to make 5-6 sets of mendel plastic prints and sell them on ebay or the forums.

I just dont think that I could cobble together a mendel or a wolf strap or anything else like that.

I think a makerbot would be my best choice because it is cheap and all the parts are ready to be assembled and have been tested. A mendel just seems to risky in my opinion.

Thanks again everybody, I am really happy that these forums have been so helpful to me.

Yes, I have seen the laser cut kits. They do not seem that different than a makerbot but I like the self-containment of the makerbot.

For the most part in the US, I have really not seen that much at all about 3d printers. Only one article in a magazine (about a makerbot) first got my attention.

Ok. Let me show you how much makerbot really costs.

The $950 kit is worth the difference, if you get the $750 kit you will HAVE TO spend at least $100 more, if not $150 to get it operational. So the $950 kit is worth the money.

You will NEED to purchase at least 1 extra hot end for it, because Mk4 eats hot ends every so often, so that's $60 more by the time you get your nozzle, barrel, PTFE/Peek (I sugjest peek if you are going abs), Thermistor, and washer.

You will need the Mk5 worm gear, and likely the idler wheel from makergear to make the Mk4 extruder reliable.

Mendel basically REQIRES a Heated build plate for Mendel parts, 4 parts are VERY challenging to print without it (basically call it impossible). So that's $30-50 depending on if you go for a makerbot for Makerear HBP.

You will need a good soldering iron, ($50-$100), And some tools that are not included in the kit ($20-$30).

Be prepared for it to make you cry every so often. There is a reason Makerbot has sold 1500 plus kits, Rapman has sold 500+ kits, Techzone claimes 400+ kits, and all the Darwins and Mendels in the world and you only see 1 set of Mendel parts printed go up every few days. It's not because these people don't want the money, it's because this stuff is chalenging for even the most dedicated of us. If you are looking to break even Sebastian's Wolfstrap might be the way you want to go. If you are looking for an easier start the kits are a better choice, but in the end if you managed to make your money back on your Makerbot, you would be one of the 1st.

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repraplogphase.blogspot.com

Yes, I have seen the laser cut kits. They do not seem that different than a makerbot but I like the self-containment of the makerbot.

Makerbot's got better aesthetics and an extremely sophisticated marketing program.

Mendel's got an edge, print volume wise:
* Darwin’s build area is about 23cm x 23cm x 10cm: 5290 cubic centimeters
* Mendel’s build area is about20cm x 20cm x 14cm: 5600 cubic centimeters
* Cupcake CNC’s build area is 10cm x 10cm 13cm: 1300 cubic centimeters
* Mendel Mini’s is supposedly approximately 11cm x 14cm x 10cm: 1540 cubic centimeters

This will be handy once you're printing daughter-Mendels.

And as a completist, there's also the cnc-cut mendel, Isaac.

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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!

You all have really helped convince me that a makerbot is not the way to go. I am confident that I could make my own Mendel.

I am just a little uneasy about the whole Mendel making idea.

I think that the mendels with metal poles and plastic/laser-cut pieces rather than metal bars (like the wolf strap) seem like something I could do.

So if I got a kit like this

[www.mendel-parts.com]

and a set of plastic parts off of ebay or rep rap forums

then the only other thing I would need is motors and electronics and an extruder?


Thanks again for spending your time on my complete ignorance on everything having to do with this whole process.

Adam

I replied to Adam on the MakerBot forum as well, but I'll reiterate what spacexula has said -- making Mendels to cover MakerBot costs isn't an easy project. It's certainly possible, but it's a ton of work.

I reject the idea though that a MakerBot can't be reliable -- I've got at least 75 hours on mine since the last time anything was adjusted. I got mine in May and have printed at least 17lbs of ABS (and I'm working on the next 10# now). I have a MK5 gear and paxtruder standing by since I expected to swap them in during the next time I had a failure. That was over a month ago and they're still in my ziploc box, lonely.

Makerbot can be reliable, but JohnA, you must admit, your an outlier, your the Forrest Higgs of Makerbot at this point . I really want this dude to get into our hobby, but I want him to go in with his eyes open.

We have all seen the blogs, how many half completed home brew repstraps, Darwins, Mendels are there in the world? How many of those 1500+ makerbots are collecting dust because someone had to replace their hot end 1 too many times? RepRap is not the hobby for the person on a tight budget, or the person trying to make money off it/"break even", unless the are selling vitimens/kits.

But I think we are SO DANG CLOSE to RepRap taking off. Electronics and extruder parts have always been the idler for our community, and there are what, 4-5 different independent sources of RepRap style electroncis? Makerbot, Techzone, Print3d, 2010techremix, BfB , Arduino Mega/Pololu, and one other that slips my mind. Plus we have 4-5 different web stores selling the extruder parts. Good times are a coming.

JohnA Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I replied to Adam on the MakerBot forum as well,
> but I'll reiterate what spacexula has said --
> making Mendels to cover MakerBot costs isn't an
> easy project. It's certainly possible, but it's
> a ton of work.
>
> I reject the idea though that a MakerBot can't be
> reliable -- I've got at least 75 hours on mine
> since the last time anything was adjusted. I got
> mine in May and have printed at least 17lbs of ABS
> (and I'm working on the next 10# now). I have
> a MK5 gear and paxtruder standing by since I
> expected to swap them in during the next time I
> had a failure. That was over a month ago and
> they're still in my ziploc box, lonely.

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repraplogphase.blogspot.com

My Mendel assembly starts next week, btw.

SebastienBailard Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Makerbot's got better aesthetics and an extremely
> sophisticated marketing program.

Ya, I fell for that >.>

I was thinking just what this original poster was...that by buying a makerbot it was hassle free, reliable and tested.

Months later ... (after I built my own extruder ...which is rock solid and I haven't even touched it's screw in a week...and I'm printing my 8th mendel piece right now!) I wish I had just built a repstrap and saved half the money and would've probably been the same amount of hassle...and twice/triple the build area!

If you have the tools and skills to build a repstrap...do it!

Alright Ive changed my mind again, thanks for all of everybody's great input and support.

I want to build an Iasic!

With laser-cut parts from
[flemingcnc.com]

With Hardware from
[www.mendel-parts.com]

With Electronics from
[forums.reprap.org]

With motors from
[store.makerbot.com]

And then all I still need is an extruder, right? Should I homemade it? Is there a guide to making my own?

Any glaring problems with this? Suggestions? Tips? Other places to buy parts?

I really appreciate you guys and your awesome support, I really want to get into this hobby.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2010 10:24AM by Adman234.

Get an extruder off Ebay, sugjest Wades.

Makerbot wants too much for their steppers, I personally went with Alltronics:

[www.alltronics.com]

[www.alltronics.com]

They don't carry the ones I bought any more. The new options are cheaper and have more torque.

If you go the Techzone route with your electronics, update the wiki as you install them, the documentation is still sparce.

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repraplogphase.blogspot.com

Thanks for extrude advice, I will need to research wades.

Thanks for motor advice aswell.

We dont have techzones in America, though.

Thanks again

Techzone = Botmill electronics and kit, and they are in the US.

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repraplogphase.blogspot.com

Adman234 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Alright Ive changed my mind again, thanks for all
> of everybody's great input and support.
>
> I want to build an Iasic!
>
> With laser-cut parts from
> [flemingcnc.com]
>
> With Hardware from
> [www.mendel-parts.com]
> hp?products_id=45&reviews_id=2
>
> With Electronics from
> [forums.reprap.org]
>
> With motors from
> [store.makerbot.com]
> a-23-keling-kl23h51-24-08b.html
>
> And then all I still need is an extruder, right?
> Should I homemade it? Is there a guide to making
> my own?
>
> Any glaring problems with this? Suggestions? Tips?
> Other places to buy parts?
>
> I really appreciate you guys and your awesome
> support, I really want to get into this hobby.

Good choice! I am building an Isaac. I am going to try to add some more documentation to the wiki page once I get it.

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-Steve

sorry, my bad.

I didn't know what I was talking about...

I see now that what I am getting ARE techzone.