RepStrap Challenge - Puerto Rico

I just arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico for vacation, and I am going to challenge myself to build a RepStrap/RepRap in three (3) weeks or less.

Researching last week, I could not find any group or individual in Puerto Rico who has undertaken the build of a RepRap, and there don't seem to be any hacker spaces around either, so I sent out a few invitations to engineering professors at The University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez, offering to bring down some machines, and give an informal one-day demonstration. I was a little discouraged after getting no responses, but I'm guessing my email was blocked as spam. Oh well.

As I was packing my bags, I was still considering bringing my RepRap with me, but I was too worried about damage, so then I disassembled another RepRap that I had 90% built, and stuck most of it in my checked luggage, only to take it all out at the last minute.

The challenge for the next three weeks is to source materials for a RepStrap, and to find at least one person down here to carry the torch after I leave.

If anybody wants to help out with searches or ideas, please post them here. Keep in mind that I did not bring any tools with me, so I'm going to try and only buy the most essential things, like a hand drill (or possibly a small dremmel tool and press). The electronics, and plastic I will order on-line to be delivered, but I'm going to see if I can dig up a supply of stepper motors locally. Maybe even etch a RAMPS, if I can find the electronic components around here.

Here are a few ideas:

Use a milk crate as the RepStrap Frame, and secure the Y and Z-Axis smooth rods with plastic ties through the openings.



Use ball chain, instead of belts. There's lot of that here since everybody owns at least on ceiling fan



If I have to buy a soldering Iron, I'm going to make it a butane fuel type with the catalyst chamber, and maybe repurpose it to heat the nozzle. This would be awesome!



Thankfully, there is a Home Depo nearby, so hardware in general won't be a problem.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/2011 10:10AM by jcabrer.

So yesterday I went looking for materials. At the Home Depot I found all of the 5/16" hardware, and most of what I need for a Wildseyed Hot End. While I was there, I also picked up a hack saw, but resisted the urge to get a drill press. I might see if I can find a "Taller" (work shop), where I can use the drill.

Office Depot was my second stop. I picked up 11 packs of rare earth magnets (16 to a pack) for $1.00 each! Don't have much use for them other than attaching the heated bed, but they are sooooo cheap, I couldn't pass up the deal. I also picked up a magnetic dry-erase board with 1/8" acrylic framed in wood. It should make for a useable print bed. There is enough wood backing to prevent warping.

I also picked up a plastic crate to use as a frame for the RepStrap, and some air dry clay, to try and hand form some of the parts.

I'm still considering having someone back home pack a RAMPS, a bag of parts, and some ABS, and shipping it all to me. It seems a waste to buy more stuff when there is so much back home.

I'm off to the beach!

If you end up buying that Radio Shack soldering iron, be sure to buy a supply of spare solder tips for it - They've removed the iron from their online catalog, and I expect it won't be available in their stores for much longer.

@Raldrich: I opted for the plug-in type-soldering iron instead. It only needs a small hole drilled into the aluminum block (assuming I can find one), and its max temp is 240C@ 15W.

Sourcing parts using Google is proving to be the biggest challenge. Google is not Puerto Rico-Friendly. I also suspect that my work e-mail is being blocked by spam filters, because none of my requests for quotes have been returned.

On a positive note, I have managed to get the base frame, and most of the Y-Axis built. I still need fender washers (HD was out of stock), belts, and roller bearings (Surf and Skate shops are one of the things Google won't locate).

As much as i like the idea of someone starting RepRap in a new territory, why not enjoy Puerto Rico rather than cooping yourself up in a room building a RepRap?

Noooo, no, no! I'm only doing this stuff late at night after the kids go to sleep. It's just like back home, except there's little frogs chirping all night.

To update on progress: I've found a stepper motor supplier [hi-techproducts.com]. Tomorrow being a holiday, I won't know until Tuesday if the actually have an inventory, or if it's all drop shipped from somewhere else.

I have set aside the idea of using air-dry clay for now. I don't think it will last. We were out yesterday at the largest mall on the island, Plaza Las Americas, and I looked for oven-bake clay, but the three arts supply store we found there only carry stuff tourists would be interested in. My sister mentioned a couple of arts and craft supply houses nearby. I'll check those out on Tuesday after I stop by Hi-Tech Products.

I've got my frame mostly built now. It's totally different from what I envisioned doing three weeks ago. I went by the home depot and picked up some metal strapping. I have used it to build the frame vertexes (vertices?), and Z motor blocks ala Prusa. I'm calling it a PruStrap for now. Puerto Rican RepStrap would work too I guess...

Check out the videos





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/08/2011 12:49PM by jcabrer.

Hello there sir, Im sorry you didnt receive much support in Puerto Rico but as last month there is a small group of reprap building that I started our first build is a prusa i3.