McWire RepStrap Construction Data

I have found the parts list on the Order site. I have also found some of the drawings for the board parts but they have no dimensions. I have not found any information on where to drill the holes in the pipes. I have not found any detail info on Arduino structure with existing 2.0 pc boards. Have we just not gotten that far yet?

Bob Teeter

hey bobt,

you can get the dimensions easily from a DXF file... most DXF viewers should have built in measuring tools and the DXF file format is deeply related to sizes at the core level (its a drafting format).

this is all under construction right now. i've gotten to the point where both the mcwire bot works and the electronics work. now i just need to document exactly what goes where and so forth.

i have solicited the help of nick bilton to create wiring diagrams for the arduino (although you could use the arduino firmware to figure that out as well, it lists which pins are what.

i have 3 days off work next week which i will be using to fully document everything that i can. hopefully by the end of that, we'll have documentation for the repstrap that is equivalent to the current RepRap Darwin documentation =)

here is the main page where everything will go: [reprap.org]

Hey this is a great advance to the project. Being that I am so

i like the idea of mounting it to the workbench and wall.

however, tom is only partly right. its true that anyone can take his reference design and create a bot based on it. however, that means they will have to re-invent the wheel at every step, come up with their own measurements and basically re-do all the things that Bre and I have spent 20+ hours documenting and creating reference documents for.

it basically comes down to this: what are you interested in? designing your own cartesian bot or to getting started printing 3D objects? also, with a kit... documentation and problem solving is shared, as well as the economic benefits of group purchases. for example, i found a website that allows you to order the aluminum channel pre-cut to length. the only way it makes sense, is if you do orders of 25+ sets. but at that price, it becomes very cheap and makes alot of sense.

Good point. Point taken.

Cheap!

Not so fast! Your idea of bolting it to a bench and wall has merit. In another thread--don't ask me which one, there are so many now!--I was talking about the usefulness of printing a Darwin after you have a RepStrap up and going. If the RepStrap can do all the things a Darwin can, then just wait for a Mendel! However, if Cheap! is your goal then you should bolt that bastard to the bench and wall and only buy the stuff that can go on a more capable machine--boards, motors, printhead.

Maybe we need a divergent path where a truly primitive system is designed to get a person to a Darwin via nothing but hand tools, scraps, and persistance.

Demented

here is an idea: make a hybrid system. skip the pipes, but order the lasercut part kit (when its available). now, bolt the rails and the vertical mount to the workbench and then just use it as normal. you'll have to hack a few things to make it work, but you'll save $50 on not having to buy pipes.

i recommend sticking with the general design... there are many things that we've added that are very nice (PTFE bearings and such)

~Zach

Sorry I bought the pipes last night at Ace Hardware. The pipes and 3 bags of candy cost $36.57 including tax (MN). Also I have posted on the RepStrap forum a request to consolidate all the links for making the McWire RepStrap system in one place because I am still having problems finding all the info to finish my RepStrap.

Bob Teeter

I just got an update from Zach about the documentation. Initial pass (ie incomplete but a start).

[www.reprap.org]

Thanks Zach - Nice start....

Bob Teeter

Zach,

Much better than before. Pictures would be a nice next step but I suppose you are working on that.

Demented

yup. here's my plan:

rest of this month: finish electronics / firmware / software stuff
january: finish documentation of McWire Cartesian Bot
february: really start doing hardcore printing (running machine 100% of available time, etc)

cheers!