Introduction and first 3D printer from Folger.

Hello everyone, just stopping by to introduce myself. My name is Craig and I've been working in IT for over 20 years at a small Tool & Die shop. I'm pretty fluent in all things IT and most things CAD/CAM, but I've just recently started playing with micro controllers and all their magic. My latest project a garden sensor array with irrigation control has been sitting dormant waiting for an outdoor enclosure. And thus the reason for my foray into 3D printer land.

Thank goodness I lurked here for a while because I was going to purchase from 3D Printers Online. But after reading forum posts I decided on Folger Tech instead. There was just a lot more good being spoken John_F. Anyway, I purchased a Cloner 3D dual extruder kit. I know I probably should have gotten the Prusa i3 first, but I really wanted the dual extruders. Maybe a mistake for my first build, but I'm always up for a challenge.

Probably a newb question but... why are some of the ABS or PLA 2.2lb spools only $12 and others are upwards of $50? Is it a better plastic or just marketing and flashy stuff around the same product?

Thanks

-Albion (Craig)

in part better mixture of plastic and pigments, where those £12 spools some brands are good and gd enough for prototyping of a prototype!!. "Excelvan doing the rounds on ebay in the uk prints ok for its price" some just want stick. but the budget filament has improved some what but colours are still weak compared to the more pricey stuff matching the pantone cat. of colours with better/bigger centre spool so it aint like feeding a tight coil at the end of the spool.

PUBLIC HEALTH WARNING: when opening those budget sealed spools do so in wide open spaces!.

Build Log: Step 1

Everything seemed to go together pretty well. There's a little problem with the Ramps board seating. There seems to be a pin interfering with the arduino power plug. But I'm guessing that's not a big deal since they were pre-assembled that way. I did watch Dustin Corbins Build log where he also mentioned the same thing.



The only problem I found with this step is the lack of a measurement. Instructions read, "Attach the 5x8 Flexible Coupling to the motor shaft. Tighten the two lower (closest to the motor) set screws on the coupling to secure it to the shaft. It doesn't tell me how high that Flexable Coupling needs to be.



One improvement I can see right away. Label the laser cut parts bag or have a parts list inside. Might want to add the shape of the part to the "Gather Parts" section of the manual. I had the damnist time trying to figure out what the Rod Stabilizer and Rod Stopper were from Step 1.

Step 2

Well, I didn't get very far with Step 2. I was only able to get to the gather parts stage. Three things. First on the 36 Tooth Pulley. Are there supposed to be M4 set screws installed in the pulley?



Secondly the motor called for in the instructions is a 4.8kg/cm. The only motors that came with the kit are five 2.6kg and one 5.3kg/cm. Am I supposed to use the 5.3kg motor instead of the 4.8kg called for?

And lastly I am having a hell of a time finding "Acrylic Rod Holders (H)". Can anyone post an image or let me know which bag it's in?

Right now I am stuck. I've sent an email off to Folger Tech but haven't received a response yet. I work at a Tool and Die shop so I have access to the M4 set screws. My only problem there is that we have 4 different kinds; brass end, pointed end, extended end, and normal. Does it matter which I use?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/06/2016 01:02PM by albion.

If you have the choice, put a normal end against the flat and use a brass end for the screw that sits on the round of the shaft - it will prevent the surface damage that makes it hard to get the pulleys off again.

Which axis is this motor for? The only sensible option I can see is that you use the larger motor for Z. The extruders will use identical motors, and I don't see a good reason for using different motors on X & Y, so that just leaves Z.

Edit: Looks like I was wrong. Having a hard time telling, but it seems the large motor is connected by belts to the Y axis? Ah, that would make sense given the extra weight on Y with this layout.

(and agreed, they really should add a parts identification diagram to that guide!)

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/06/2016 02:13PM by JamesK.

Does anyone know why I am unable to post pictures? I've tried from Google Photos and Imgur and both failed. Is there a specific service I need to use? I'd like to continue this build log, I got a lot done this weekend. But really given my poor grammar and spelling and the lack of pictures, it'd be a lot like the Cloner 3D manual.

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albion
Does anyone know why I am unable to post pictures? I've tried from Google Photos and Imgur and both failed. Is there a specific service I need to use? I'd like to continue this build log, I got a lot done this weekend. But really given my poor grammar and spelling and the lack of pictures, it'd be a lot like the Cloner 3D manual.

I have been posting photos from Google photos with no problem. I have been picking the picture then clicking share via url the copy and pasting the link to it gives me.

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Newbie with Folgertech 2020 i3.

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Horsepower determines how fast you hit the wall. Torque determines the size of the hole you make.

You can always just use the "attach a file" link above the text input area to load the photos directly to reprap.org.