I’m in the process of designing and implementing my 3D printing strategy. Woah! Yep, big words there. So I have bought a projector and I will be making a DLP printer. BUT, I have also realized that there are some advantages of a filament printer. In particular I’m looking at some of the materials available. So I am building a combo machine. Or at least that is my current plan. A DLP printer only requires one axis of movement, so this isn’t a problem, I’m going for a top down approach, so this is further simplified. You know what, forget I mentioned it. I’m not sure it’s relevant at this point.
Let’s start again. I’m going to be making/modifying a filament printer. 2 print heads are required. This is because I want to print dissolvable support material for intricate prints. A heated print bed is required, because I want to work with a few different materials.
As I’m on a budget, aka poor, but still willing to spend a bit of cash, I have been looking at refurbishing some used printers for my needs, or building my own.
So I’ve been looking at some used makerbot replicator 2 printers. I realize that the 2x printers have 2 print heads, whereas the makerbot 2 printers (without the x, do not). My questions are a matter of economy. Any advice or responses are appreciated. I’ve been thinking about the cost of parts, and if buying 1 or 2 used printers for parts is worth it.
The print area, if I’m going to do FDM, isn’t large enough for my needs, I’m thinking 24” x 6”, not 11.2” x 6”. So I have been considering joining two used printers together. I’m certain I can bolt / weld the two boxes together, and rotate the Z axis to the ends for two Z axis at the edges of the box(s). I can replace the linear rods for the long axis with larger diameter (and obviously longer) ones and remake the carriage the extruders sit on, actually thinking about having the rods turned down on a lathe at the tips to fit into the already existing side carriages.
My questions are as follows:
1. Can I simply combine two print heads together to make a 2 print head machine? Just enter the offset between the nozzles in the software? (still haven’t figured that out, I’d like to get it built then sort out the software side).
2. For the electronic hardware that comes with the makerbot 2, can I easily upgrade the software? Can I add more motor drivers and motors to the hardware? An extra print head requires an extra driver slot and motor, an extra driver and motor also for an additional Z axis, and potentially adding another driver and motor for the Y axis (there are two of them, not the gantry the print heads ride on, the other two). This of course doesn’t even mention the added complexity of homing and leveling with extra motors.
If the electronic hardware won’t or can’t support these changes, it brings into question if it’s worth it to scrounge for parts? I’m looking at the motors, 2Z, 2Y, 1X plus 2 for the print heads for 7 in total, will the existing boards handle this expansion of potentially 3 motors (2 minimum, extra print head, and extra Z) ? If not, what should I be looking at? Arduino? Raspberry Pi?
Like I said I’m looking at doing things simply, reusing existing parts, etc. Even that number of Nema 17 motors will cost about 1/4 or more of what the used printers might cost, not to mention all of the reused hardware, toothed gears, belts, frame, carriages, etc. All advice is appreciated.