Which kit to buy?

Hi everyone,

I'm a high school student interested in 3D printing for some of my extra curricular projects. I have minimal experience with DIY 3D printers and was just wondering which kit I should buy for my first printer? As well, how long/how hard is it to assemble one, and how difficult is it to attain maximum accuracy if this is going to be my first build of this sort?

Thanks!
Tiange

Edit: sorry if it isn't clear enough, but I mean kits as in the ones offered on 3dstuffmaker, the reprap pro, and reprap explorer, etc. Those are the models i found after following links on the wiki page for where to purchase a mendel

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/20/2012 03:35PM by Tiange.

To some degree, choosing the right kit should take into consideration where you are, if there is a reprap user group nearby, and what they all have. If you are the UK then I would suggest looking at the ReprapPro Huxley. On the other hand, if you were in northern California, especially near Sacramento, I would suggest the Printrbot. No matter where you are, based on past personal experience with them, I would suggest you avoid Botmill.

Most designs should get your basic frame assembled in a weekend, and depending on your electronics and software skills from another couple hours to a few days to get the motors and electronics wired up and ready to melt plastic. Maximum accuracy will probably take another week to a month depending on how methodical you are in measuring, making adjustments, etc.

And, being the grown-up responsible Scout Leader and parent that I am, I have to remind you to be very careful when meeting up with people that you talk with on the internet. Always take a responsible adult with you and, if at any time, you feel uncomfortable or pressured, stop talking with however is making you feel like that and talk with a responsible adult. There are lots of fantastic and enthusiastic people out there who would love to help you but the difficult bit is working out who the mad, axe wielding mass murderers are!

I've been putting together an ABSPrusa from thereprapkitstore.com and am about half way through (That's another story). My 15 year old son tried to help but even with my assistance, we had to take it apart and put it back to gather a couple of times. I'd try and get a practical adult to give you a hand. You could ask your resistant materials teacher. Maybe you could to get together with a group of friends after school with the teacher. You never know, maybe the school could help with the cost or pay for it.

I'm trying to use open source software to drive the machine and have had some difficulty getting it to all work under Linux. Part of that was down to running Google Sketchup under Wine. If anything in this last paragraph means anything to you then you will probably find it easier than me as I knew diddly squat before I started. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is its not just building the machine that you might find a challenge. The whole software platform looks like you will learn a lot as well.

Anyway, whichever way you choose, go for it. Provided you stick to the rule at the top of my reply, there are thousands of people routing for you, all you need to do is ask.

P.S Imagine being at a job interview for that job you really want that involves you working with your hands, solving problems, design and building things. Imagine the advantage you will have one the kid next door or down the street who's idea of mental exercise is playing on their XBOX or PS3.

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Part of that was down to running Google Sketchup under Wine.

Trying to keep Windows habits on a Linux box is a mistake. There are CAD applications made for and running on Linux, namely OpenSCad, FreeCAD, HeeksCAD.

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which kit I should buy for my first printer?

Not neccessarily anyone. Making stuff from scratch can be much more fun and is definitely cheaper. You'd start with something like a WolfStrap or a set of printed parts for a Prusa Mendel. Then vitamins, motors, electronics, extruder, software.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

I'd agree with Tramflung. Do your research and then source the parts individually. Talk to your shop teacher about the project (assuming there is one) and see if you can use some of the schools tools - if you can you'll be ahead of the game. Better yet, co-op the shop teacher into helping you out - maybe he's never seen a 3d printer.

Assuming you wind up with a Prusa the only pre-fabbed items you need are the printed parts, the electronics and the hotend. Everything else you should be able to get locally. You will definitely take much more pride in your accomplishment when you're finished! The is a longer route - it may take up to a month, depending on how good you are with tools.

If, however you are hell-bent on a kit, I can't see it taking more than a week to put together. And that's a very slow pace. With a little help you should have it together in a weekend.

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- akhlut

Just remember - Iterate, Iterate, Iterate!

[myhomelessmind.blogspot.com]

Traumflug Wrote:
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> Trying to keep Windows habits on a Linux box is a
> mistake. There are CAD applications made for and
> running on Linux, namely OpenSCad, FreeCAD,
> HeeksCAD.

All of those are multiplatform, so running any of them on Linux can be just as much "windows habit" as running Google Sketchup.

miso Wrote:

> All of those are multiplatform, so running any of
> them on Linux can be just as much "windows habit"
> as running Google Sketchup.

There's a world of difference between running a multi-platform application, and running a Windows application under Wine. The multi-platform application is designed to run in the environment that it was compiled for. The Windows application is designed to run under Microsoft Windows, and may (possibly) work properly when run under Wine.

Not that any of this has anything at all to do with which kit to buy.

@Tiange, I'd suggest that you log into the #reprap IRC channel , and ask around before deciding on what path to take.

Check out Kickstarter. They operate from the idea of mass ordering. This is when many people, ranging from 25-100+ pledge to buy an item. This allows the vender to get much better deals on everything, and sell everything for cheaper. Most of the vendors there do not wish to make much of a profit, more to start their company and get the name circulating in the 3d printing world. I personally just ordered a vision 3d printer. ($725 electronics pre-assembled, acrylic glass panels, heated bed, all tools needed to assemble, and shipping included)

Thats just my 2 cents worth.

A question to everybody: I have google Sketchup downloaded onto my computer. How do I upload files from thingiverse into sketchup and also, how do I upload files from sketchup down to my 3d printer?

Matt

Looking at the Printrbot Kickstarter project, one was shown a printer with a printed frame and received one with a wooden, lasercut frame. Also, the concept wasn't tested and turned out to be too wobbly for decent speeds. Self-sourced kits can be way below $700, as vendors specialised in printed parts, vitamins or electronics order in the hundreds, too.

Just another bunch of data points, Kickstarter undoublty has advantages as well.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

You have a good point that it is cheaper to self-source your own kit. However, this guy, like me, is a high school student. Neither of us have a degree in engineering. I found that it was cheaper than the other kits. I also found that if I could not order everything from Amazon, and the shipping added up.

The kit I got contained 2 lbs of filament, a $50 value, and it had its shipping included. I think that that brings the cost of the actual parts down to around $575. That's pretty good for me.

I am not an engineer, self-sourced everything and didn't break the bank. Just have to play with the numbers to minimize shipping costs. And if you go with an SAE Prusa the parts are fairly cheap and locally available (assuming you're in the US) - you may already have some.

Matmo - who did you eventually get your kit from? $575 is pretty cheap.

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- akhlut

Just remember - Iterate, Iterate, Iterate!

[myhomelessmind.blogspot.com]

Vision 3d printer

the only downside is shipping, estimated to arrive in august. However, I contacted the seller and he said that it would most likely arrive in early july. He said he would rather people pleasantly suprised than angry because it is late

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The kit I got contained 2 lbs of filament, a $50 value, and it had its shipping included. I think that that brings the cost of the actual parts down to around $575.

$725 - $50 = $675. Also, 2 lbs of filament values for about $20 only: [reprapworld.com]

My WolfStrap did cost about $350. If you want a Prusa Mendel for this price, see [forums.reprap.org] (spanish, but the thread opener offered to translate this to english)

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

your forgetting that it includes the tools needed to make it and that the electronics are pre assembled

Trolololol

Theres also this:

[www.kickstarter.com]

for $300

Unfortunatly, I bought the printrbot LC+. I do not recomend anything from printerbot. Parts were missing, some parts were just the wrong part, some of the laser cut stuff was miss cut and they just do not respond when you try to contact them. Over all a more traditional build of the RepRap (steel rods) looks a lot more solid than the burnt wood.

I don’t think sourcing all of the parts yourself is a good idea for a beginner. I don’t think there is any way to get all the parts cheaper unless you buy bulk and plan on selling off the extra kits. Shipping each part separately will kill you. Also, getting a kit the first go around will save hours or days shopping for all the parts and weeks to get them all. I may try to source all the parts for a second printer but I will have the confidence of knowing what the heck I am doing then.

I got my Linear Prusa Mendel kit last week from MakerFarm.com.

I am very happy, the only mistake was that I bought the kit without steppers, but I ordered those from another vendor. The Maker Farm kit came with everything aside from stepper motors, threaded and smooth rods, and power supply. You can choose the type of electronics you want, I went for ramps even though it was like 30 bucks more expensive because of my previous Arduino mega experience. I think the kit was around 435.00 plus 30.00 for my choice of electronics. The kit with stepper motors is running 518.00 at the moment but it is on sale. They charged me actual shipping and since we are both in the South West it cost me 20.00 to ship. It was shipped the SAME DAY that I placed the order and I got it in two days! So far the kit is great.

Thanks for posting this about MakerFarm. I had ordered a Botmill Axis two weeks ago and was assured it would ship 'next day'. Well after almost two weeks of ignored e-mails and delays I looked further into it and found this place where Botmill (a 3D Systems affiliate) has a terrible reputation on here.

I cancelled that order and placed one today with MakerFarm.

I'll post the results when things start to happen.

FYI: It looks like the kit includes everything but the threaded and smooth rods.
Edit: And the power supply.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/14/2012 11:06PM by a_shorething.

jersey shore?

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- akhlut

Just remember - Iterate, Iterate, Iterate!

[myhomelessmind.blogspot.com]

akhlut Wrote:
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> jersey shore?


Yup. Point Pleasant. You?

Edit: Took it to PM, for off topic talk amongst us 'locals'.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/2012 07:33AM by a_shorething.

Egg Harbor Twp, west of Atlantic City.

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- akhlut

Just remember - Iterate, Iterate, Iterate!

[myhomelessmind.blogspot.com]